By Le Havre, France (29 May 2023): Megan Thomson and her 2.0 Racing Team from New Zealand have qualified for the final at the Normandie Match Cup in Le Havre, Stage 3 of the 2023 Women’s World Match Racing Tour, after a close semi-final match against Sweden’s Anna Östling/WINGS Sailing. Thomson will meet defending event champion Pauline Courtois/Match In Pink in the final.
Yesterday’s schedule, which started in similar 15-18 knot conditions in front of Le Havre beach, began with the top eight teams first competing through the quarter-final stage.
New Zealand’s Celia Willison/EDGE Womens Match secured their slot in the semi-final after defeating the Dutch team Julia Aarsten/Out 2-0. Similarly, Sweden’s Anna Östling and the WINGS team also defeated French skipper Kenza Coutard/Speedmeute 2-0. Meanwhile, defending event champion Pauline Courtois/Match in Pink posted a 2-0 victory against Great Britain’s Ali Morrish/Five by Five. Additionally, New Zealand’s Megan Thomson defeated USA’s Nicole Breault/Vela Racing to secure their slot in the semis against Anna Östling.
Thomson Kiwi Magic in France
In the semi-finals, local favourite Courtois won three straight races against New Zealand’s Celia Willison to advance to the final.
Anna Östling and the WINGS team won their first two semi-final races against Thomson and the 2.0 Racing Team, needing just one more race to secure their place in the final.
But a determined Thomson and team managed to stay in the match winning the third race, and went on to win the next two races back-to-back to beat Östling 3-2 into the final.
“The team really gave it their all today” said Thomson, “having to go to five races was pretty demanding on the bodies. The conditions were shifty all day creating a number of passing lanes the whole way around the course. The racing was super close we always love racing against Anna and her team, as usual the pressure was on right until the last moment.”
Rounding out the day was a ‘Queen of the Castle’ stage to decide the 5-11 positions. Great Britain’s Sophie Otter and her Otter Racing team of Jasmine Boote, Hebe Hemming, Hatty Ward and Rosie Rowell were on a mission to improve their 10th position and by the close of the day had climbed to 6th place winning all their matches for the day. Otter will meet Julia Aarsten/ Out of the Box today to decide the 5th/6th final placing.
Normandie Match Cup 2023 Teams
- Celia Willison (NZL)/ EDGE Womens Match – Rebecca Coles, Ruby Scholten, Alison Kent, Laurane Mettraux
- Kristine Mauritzen (DEN)/ Those Seagulls – Malene Christensen, Helena Gustavs Formgren, Oda Svalestuen, Emilie Lauritzen
- Pauline Courtois (FRA)/ Match in Pink – Louise Acker, Clara Bayo, Théa Khleif, Maëlenn Lemaitre
- Nicole Breault (USA)/ Vela Racing – Julie Mitchell, Molly Vandemoer, Karen Loutzenheiser, Dana Hayes
- Julia Aartsen (NED)/ Team Out of the Box – Eva Asbeek, Brusse, Isemene Usman, Nerine Usman, Iris van Gerrevink
- Anna Östling (SWE)/ Wings Sailing – Annika Carlunger, Klara Wester, Martina Carlsson, Linnea Wennergren
- Kenza Coutard (FRA)/ Speedmeute – Nell Castilla, Eolia Rio, Victtoire Lerat, Enza Geslin
- Lea Richter Vogelius (DEN)/ Team Kattnakken – Joan Hansen, Helle Hansen, Annette Jacobsen, Helena Jarlgaard
- Alison Morrish (GBR)/ Five by Five – Sarah Jarman, Kat Selfe, Rachel Tilley, Nicole Mcpherson
- Sophie Otter (GBR)/ Otter Racing – Jasmine Boote, Hebe Hemming, Hatty Ward, Rosie Rowell
- Megan Thomson (NZL)/ 2.0 Racing Team – Josi Andres, Jo Aleh, Lisa Dartnall, Sophie Fyfe
About Women’s World Match Racing Tour
The Women’s World Match Racing Tour was launched in 2022 to continue the hugely successful legacy of the WIM Series (Women’s International Match Racing Series), thus providing a global match racing series for female sailors. The name of the series was re-launched as the Women’s World Match Racing Tour in order to emphasize its continued mission to expand and strengthen global match racing and promote opportunities for competitive women’s sailing at every level. Moreover, the Women’s World Match Racing Tour is the world’s first and only professional sailing series for women, thereby providing a valuable pathway for aspiring female world champions in the sport of sailing.
