Ulrikkeholm maintains control in Crosshaven

Another day of picture perfect conditions greeted the sailors in Crosshaven, Co Cork yesterday for day two of the 2014 ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship.

Although the wind was a little light to begin with off Cork Harbour, it picked up to a steady 10-12 knots in the afternoon.

For eight straight hours, the top international teams went head to head. A staggering 42 races were sailed in the second day of the round-robin stage. Only the top eight teams were set to progress to tomorrow’s quarter finals so the slightest error aboard the fleet of J80 keelboats would have had dramatic consequences.

Overnight leader and World No 1 Camilla Ulrikkeholm had a further five wins, increasing her total number of victories so far to 10. However, in an exciting turn of events, fellow Dane Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen and France’s Anne-Claire Le Berre also only conceded two losses apiece.

When the three-way tie-break was settled, Ulrikkeholm retained her spot followed by Meldgaard Pedersen in second and Le Berre in third.

Two teams sailed under the Irish flag but neither Laura Dillon nor Mary O’Loughlin won enough races to make tomorrow’s cut.

Racing is scheduled for today but with heavy rain and strong winds forecast, it may have to be postponed until tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s ‘Sail in the City’ festival in Cork has also been cancelled due to weather fears.