Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine February 2017

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The question was how much Roble could capitalize
on her local knowledge, having participated in many
CAMRs over the last few years and finishing as the runner-up
in the 2015 event. The pre-starts proved to be
more important than ever.
racing event I’ve ever been to. Can we please have
a WIM Series event here next year again?”
Stephanie Roble, Maggie Shea, Liz Shaw and Janel
Zarkowsky of Epic Racing did all they could to prevent
Groeneveld and her team from winning the event,
but their efforts weren’t enough.
DEAN BARNES
The all-Swedish petite finale was sailed between two
teams who know each other extremely well, both representing
the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club. They
raced in two tight matches, with lots of lead changes
and exciting situations. World Champion and 2016
WIM Series winner Anna Östling of Team Anna defeated
Caroline Sylvan and her New Sweden Match
Racing Team with two straight wins.
The 2016 WIM Series began with the Helsinki Women’s
Match in Finland in June 2016, followed by the Lysekil
Women’s Match in Sweden in early August. The World
Championship and the Buddy Melges Challenge in
the USA was held in September, and then the Busan
Cup Women’s International Match Race in Korea in
October. Finally, the CAMR in the USVI was, according
to WIM Series Manager Liz Baylis, the perfect way to
conclude the fourth WIM Series season.
Overall Winners 2016 Carlos Aguilar Match Race
1) Renée Groeneveld, Netherlands
2) Stephanie Roble, USA
3) Anna Östling, Sweden
Overall Winners 2016 WIM Series
1) Anna Östling, Sweden
2) Stephanie Roble, USA
3) Renée Groeneveld, Netherlands
Team Gill Tops La Course de L’Alliance 2016
December 2nd through 4th, 2016 marked the 13th year
of the Sint Maarten Yacht Club’s Course de L’ Alliance
Regatta, a three-day event which encompasses the
Top women’s match racers from around the world — including winners
Renée Groeneveld and her Dutch team — competed at the Carlos Aguilar
event in St. Thomas
“The starts were tricky because along the shore there
wasn’t a lot of breeze, so we had to try to keep the
boat going and going. To win the start and pick the
right side was the key today, and I think we did a really
good job in the last half minute before the start to
achieve that,” says Groeneveld. “Then we had good
teamwork, good spinnaker sets and drops, and it was
good fun too. The flow in our boat was the best,” she
analyses, sending her regards to Regatta Director
Verian Tuttle and her team. “This was the best match
“We were fighting for the starboard side of the
course all day and it was clear they wanted the
same. Whoever got the starboard side on the first
beat could extend, and they did a nice job doing
that, so props to them,” says Roble, who did secure
second place in the 2016 WIM Series. “Coming into
this event, there were five teams in play for second
overall and we knew it was going to be about winning
the war, not the battle. We focused on winning
every race we could,” she adds.
three neighboring islands — St. Maarten, St. Barths and
Anguilla. Bobby’s Marina was the title sponsor.
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FEBRUARY 2017 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 13