Sweden’s WINGS match racing team led by Anna Östling have been crowned 2023 Women’s World Match Racing Tour champions after winning the final stage of the tour at the KDY Women’s Match Race in Skovshoved Harbour.
New Zealand’s Celia Willison/ EDGE Women’s Match finished the world tour season in second place, with New Zealand’s Meghan Thomson/ 2.0 Racing in third overall.
Östling and crew of Anna Holmdal, Linnea Wennergren, Annika Carlunger, Jenny Axhede and Marie Grusmark arrived in Denmark this week just one point behind Celia Willison’s EDGE Women’s Match team on the tour leader-board. Östling had to finish higher than 4th at the event to overtake Willison on points and secure the world tour title.
Using their years of experience sailing the DS37 boats at home in Sweden, WINGS managed to sail a strong regatta with a flawless 3-0 semi-final win over Denmark’s Camilla Ulrikkeholm, before going on to defeat Denmark’s Lea Richter Vogelius 3-0 in the final.
“I’m so happy with how we raced this week, the whole team worked together like a machine” commented Östling. “With almost a flawless performance in the boat, we managed to nail the very shifty conditions with some good match racing moves too. To go home with not only the event win, but also the overall 2023 World Tour title 2023 is just a great feeling and I would like to thank all the girls that have sailed with WINGS this year!”
Celebrating the team’s win in Denmark, Östling also complimented the Women’s World Match Racing Tour on growing the opportunity for women in sailing and match racing;
“The Women’s WMRT really is the ideal platform we need to get the best women racing each other. We have been pushed by so many teams this year and we love the atmosphere and the community which the Women’s World Tour provides.”
The KDY Women’s Match Race concludes the 2023 Women’s World Match Racing Tour season, however both the WINGS and EDGE Women’s Match teams head to Bermuda next weekend to compete on the Open World Match Racing Tour as sixteen teams prepare to line up for the 71st edition of the famous Bermuda Gold Cup.
2023 Women’s World Match Racing Tour Overall Results
1. Anna Östling (SWE)
2. Celia Willison (NZL)
3. Megan Thomson (NZL)
2023 KDY Women’s Match Race Results
1. Anna Östling (SWE)
2. Lea Richter Vogelius (DEN)
3. Camilla Ulrikkehom (DEN)
4. Kristine Mauritzen (DEN)
5 Julia Aartsen (NED)
6. Celia Willison (NZL)
7. Juliet Constanzo (AUS)
8. Brook Wilson (AUS)
