Welcome!
The GBR Match Race Girls are one of the top International Women's Match Racing Teams and are determined to represent Great Britain in this exciting new Olympic sailing discipline in 2012. Having gained National and European championship titles, and rapidly risen through the ranks to lead the World Rankings, Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush and Ally Martin are a promising prospect for the future of British Sailing.
Since learning to sail in Poole Harbour as a children, Lucy and Annie have always been a driven individuals. After a successful youth sailing career for Lucy, and gaining 'blues' in three sports at Cambridge University for Annie, they both entered a full-time Olympic campaign with Shirley Robertson for Beijing 2008. Lucy and Annie have now teamed up with Ally Martin and launched their own campaign for Gold in 2012. Catch up on the latest news below, find out more about the team, or use the menu on the right to explore this site.
Credit: Wander Roberto
Credit: Wander Roberto
Credit: Matias Capizzano
Credit: Mike Millard
Credit: Kim Wolf
Credit: Kim Wolf
Credit: Richard Langdon
Credit: Getty Images / Skandia Team GBR
European Championships Video
Friday 24th October, 2008
Quaywaves TV have just released this fantastic 13 minute video covering the Women’s European Match Racing Championships last month.
Click on the video below to see us in action!
2nd at Troia Portugal Women’s Cup
Thursday 16th October, 2008
A last minute invite to the Portugal Women’s Match held in Troia last week meant a change in team from the past few events. The SM40s are mini Americas Cup style boats, sailed with six crew they are very physically demanding and fantastic fun! There was an international feel amongst the crew with Ally Martin on bow, American Yngling helm Sally Barkow on mast, Lauren Martel in pit, Annie Lush trimming and Silja Letehnin, the Finish Yngling helm on main. Although we hadn’t all sailed together before, or in some cases ever met before, the experience of Annie and Sally onboard meant our team work was amongst the best from day one and this was important early on in the regatta.
With the same number of boats as teams the Sun Sailing Team organizers were able to keep us all out racing all the time and despite unfavorable weather conditions at times, we were able to complete three round robins. During these we generally sailed very well with moments of brilliance however there was a particular moment I’d rather forget but am sure I’ll never be able to live down! In our second race against top ranked Linda Rahm we entered the start line from the starboard end and while ‘dialed up’ head to wind, lost steerage and with the 3 knot cross tide ended up stuck on the committee boat and being towed off by ribs! I hope I’ll never do that one again!
After a real mix of conditions and a thrilling third race against Rahm where we came from behind to take the lead on the second beat and win, we sailed well to finish the round robin stage in 2nd place behind Rahm.
Unfortunately in complete contrast to Fridays racing in 20 knots, we were left drifting in just 2 knots of wind on Saturday and with a 3.30pm deadline to complete races by, we were frustratingly called off before starting any races in the final. Although disappointed not to get the chance to go head to head against Rahm in the finals, finishing in second place at a Grade 1 event is another fantastic result for us especially in the larger boats looking ahead to next years World Championships in DS37 boats.
Team Macgregor wins in Antibes
Monday 13th October, 2008
With Ladies Match Racing adopted as the new discipline in the 2012 Olympics it’s great for Team GBR to see Lucy Macgregor step out and announce herself so convincingly on the world stage. This time Team Macgregor (Lucy, sister Nicky, Georgie Blaver-Mann and Ally Martin) beat World #3 Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen 3-2 in Antibes to win the ISAF Nations Cup Northern Europe Regional Final.
Whilst Team GBR celebrate the successes of Qingdao, Macgregor stepped away from the Yngling, moved back to helming putting her talents to good use in the match racing arena. The two time National Champion and current European Champion has set her sights on 2012 and has quickly put together a campaign that has seen her win and take 2nd in Grade 1 events in Germany and Portugal respectively, and now qualify GBR for the Nations Cup Grand Final in Brazil, March 2009.
Performances like this have seen Lucy and her team leap to 13th and top British helm in the recently updated World Match Racing Rankings despite only 5 from a potential 8 race results counting, this is hoped to be improved even further when the Rankings are next updated at the end of this month. What’s more impressive is the range of boats that they have mastered to achieve these results from the small and lightweight First 7.5 to the purpose designed, much larger, Swedish Match 40.
As well as the Match Racing Team Macgregor has also illustrated their versatility in fleet racing where they were top female boat at the J24 World Championships in Sardinia.
The team’s next match racing event will be the Rolex Osprey Cup in St Petersburg, Florida 21st–25th October.
Ladies Match Cup
Monday 29th September, 2008
Lucy Macgregor, fresh from European Championship victory, took the Ladies Match Cup on Lake Constance this Sunday 28 September. With crew Ally Martin, Georgie Blaver-Mann and Bex Marriott she dealt with a difficult range of weather conditions to win from Silke Hahlbrock of Germany the current world ranked #2 match racer.
10 teams from the top of the Women’s Match Racing world rankings gathered to fight for this ISAF grade 1 event. To win they had to complete two round robin series, semi finals and finals, sailing Beneteau First Class 7.5s.
Macgregor and her team sailed a great opening series in winds varying from 3kts to 25kts, only dropping a couple of races. They comfortably qualified for the semi finals along with Hahlbrock (GER), Christelle Philippe (FRA) ranked #7 and Julie Bossard (FRA) ranked #18.
In the semi final Macgregor was selected by Bossard, the Round Robin winner as her opponent. A mistake by Bossard. Macgregor and her team sailed two fantastic races, with good crew work and decision making, leading the French from start to finish to put themselves into the finals with a 2–0 victory. Hahlbrock beat Philippe by the same margin.
The first race of the final was again convincingly won by Macgregor. This time in very little wind, emphasising her ability to sail fast. However what little wind there was did not stay long enough for the final to be completed. But with Macgregor having been the most consistent sailor and knocking out her higher ranked opponents, she was crowned champion, celebrating in style with a shower of champagne. Hahlbrock settled for 2nd place and Philippe won the petit final to take 3rd ahead of her compatriot Bossard.
Overall Results:
- Lucy Macgregor (GBR)
- Silke Hahlbrock (GER)
- Christelle Philippe (FRA)
- Julie Bossard (FRA)
- Lorenza Mariani (ITA)
- Charlotta Thorelius (SWE)
- Madlen Frey (GER)
- Karin Hagström (SWE)
- Maria Ramires (POR)
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