HAHLBROCK Stars At Women's Criterium

German skipper Silke HAHLBROCK was the star of the day as the semi-finalists were decided at the ISAF Grade 1 ISAF Grade 1 International Women Match Race Criterium in Calpe, Spain.

After light winds meant only one flight could be completed on Thursday, the final round robin matches were very hard fought. However it was the pre-regatta favourites who showed their pedigree to progress to the knockout stages.

The crews enjoyed a stable 8-knot wind that allowed all the round robin matches to be completed, revealing the top-four teams who will contest the semi-finals in Calpe. Silke HAHLBROCK (GER) will be joined in the knockout stages by Claire LEROY (FRA), the two-time ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Champion and winner in Calpe last year, Italy’s Sabrina GURIOLI and world #2 Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN (DEN).

The star of the day was Germany’s HAHLBROCK, who caught everybody unawares and obtained three amazing victories against the other big names in Spain. The first one was against GURIOLI, after the Italian started with a penalty and despite her best efforts could not overturn her deficit on the German team. HAHLBROCK was even more impressive in her second match of the day against MELDGAARD PEDERSEN, controlling her rivals from start to finish. However the best was saved for last, with the German surprising everyone by getting the better of world #1 LEROY.

Linda RAHM (SWE), who had been leading the round robin standings, could not maintained her good form and missed out on the semi-final places. Her first match of the day was against LEROY. A superb tacking-duel took the two crews to the first mark, where RAHM attempted to outfox her opponent with a gybe. However, LEROY was equal to it, seized a small advantage and held on to win from there. Subsequent defeats to GURIOLI and MELDGAARD PEDERSEN, left the Swedish skipper out of the running. 

Results – click here