The three Danish skippers Camilla Ulrikkeholm, Lea Richter Vogelius and Kristine Mauritzen advanced to the semi-finals of the 2023 KDY Womenâs Match Race today after the eight teams completed the second qualifying round-round stage of the four-day event.
Swedenâs Anna Ăstling and the WINGS team complete the final four line-up after Ăstling matched Vogeliusâ 11-3 overall score in the round-robin stages.
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Securing her first semi-final spot since starting on the Womenâs World Match Racing Tour last year, 28 year old local sailor Kristine Mauritzen and her regular âSeagullsâ team are relishing the challenge of going up against three of the most experienced teams at sailing the DS37 boats, not to mention two-time Womenâs Match Racing champion Anna Ăstling;
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âWe are very excited to get through to the semisâ commented Maurtizen. âThis is our home ground where we have grown up sailing, so we know the area well and also the DS37âs which we use to train here.”
Mauritzen and crew only formed their âSeagullsâ match racing team last year after moving out of dinghies into the keelboat world and securing a wild card entry to the 2022 KDY Womenâs Match Race. Â The team decided to invest in building their match racing team this year with around ten crew members that can rotate at events as needed. The team have competed at all the womenâs tour this year including San Francisco and Annapolis in the USA, and Le Havre in France.
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âThe womenâs tour has been so much fun and also challengingâ added Mauritzen. âThe venues and boats are so different at each stage, so you have to adapt quickly, but also as a team.â
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Maurtizen will find out who the team will face in the semi-finals tomorrow Sunday for the final day of the event. Lea Richter Vogelius will have the choice of opponent after leading the overall round-robin stages.
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The remaining four teams of Brooke Wilson (AUS), Celia Willison (NZL), Juliet Costanzo (AUS) and Julia Aartsen (NED) will compete in a âQueen of the Castleâ sail off for the 5th-8th places.
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Racing will start at 1000 in front of the HALGODT venue in Skovshoved Harbour with spectating available from the shore. For live results follow matchracingresults.com