Rolex 2000 ISAF Womens World Match Racing - Day 4

The cream is rising to the top as eight more teams were eliminated from the world match racing champs today. A number of players are beginning to show their form at this tough regatta, being held in St Petersburg, Florida.

With two groups of eight teams competing in the second round robin, Britain's Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson won her group with six wins out of seven. "We are sailing quite well and haven't made many mistakes," said Robertson, who flew out a week early to get to grips with the four-man Sonar in the choppy waters of Tampa Bay. "Speed is crucial out there, and found we were able to tack our way out of trouble today," she added.

Robertson beat Marie Bjorling of Sweden, who also won six out of seven heats. Bjorling almost wasn't here at all at this regatta, until another Swedish team dropped out with crew injuries two weeks ago.

In the other group, there was a three-way tie for first between reigning world champion Dorte Jensen of Denmark, Paula Lewin of Bermuda, and Hannah Swett of the USA, crewed by America's Cup veteran and current Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Dawn Riley.

One of the very last races of the day, in the dying light over Tampa Bay, proved to be one of the most exciting and significant. It was a nailbiter between the second and third seeds, Betsy Alison of the USA and Klaarje Zuiderbaan of the Netherlands. Alison looked to have got the better of the Dutch down the final run to the finish, but then Zuiderbaan started gybing at her rival.

Alison responded aggressively and luffed Zuiderbaan hard, but the move backfired on her as the Dutch stole her wind. Running down to the finish, both skippers looked across to see who would steal the win, and it went to Zuiderbaan by a whisker. Alison, a five-time winner of Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, did not look happy but by the time she reached shore she was philosophical. "We made some mistakes, but we're happy," she said. "That two seconds that lost us the last race dropped us from winning the group to coming fourth, but at least we're through to the next round and that's all that matters."

The race committee have been battling to get back on schedule in the teeth of extremely fickle and trying conditions over the past few days. Today, they decided to bypass the third round robin and move straight on to round four. This means that eight more teams have been eliminated today, but will race tomorrow to decide overall positions from 9th to 16th.

After the fourth round robin, the eight top teams will begin the knock-out stages of the contest - the quarter-finals, semi-finals and eventually the finals themselves which will take place this Saturday, 2nd December.

Results after Day Four

Round Robin 2A

Skipper             Country,      Races won
Dorte Jensen        Denmark          6
Paula Lewin         Bermuda          6
Hannah Swett        USA              6
Katie Spithill      Australia        4
Cordelia Eglin      Great Britain    3
Cristiana Monina    Italy            2
Dru Slattery        USA              1
Carolijn Brouwer    Netherlands      0


Round Robin 2B

Skipper             Country,      Races won
Shirley Robertson   Great Britain    6
Marie Bjorling      Sweden           6
Klaartje Zuiderbaan Netherlands      5
Betsy Alison        USA              5
Christine Briand    France           3
Gwen Joulie         France           1
Malin Milbourn      Sweden           1
Amy Waring          New Zealand      1

Eight skippers qualifying for quarterfinal round robin

Shirley Robertson   Great Britain
Marie Bjorling      Sweden
Klaartje Zuiderbaan Netherlands
Betsy Alison        USA
Dorte Jensen        Denmark
Paula Lewin         Bermuda
Hannah Swett        USA
Katie Spithill      Australia

More Information:

• St Petersburg Yacht Club Website