Please select your home edition
Edition
Lloyd Stevenson - Catalyst Yacht Tender 1456x180px TOP

Aartsen and Courtois lead debut Bermuda Women's Match Race into quarter finals

by Women's WMRT 1 Nov 03:33 NZDT 28 October - 3 November 2024
Close action in the IOD fleet during the round robin stage © Ian Roman / WMRT

The Netherlands' Julia Aartsen and France's Pauline Courtois completed the round robin stage of the inaugural Aspen Bermuda Women's Match Racing Regatta yesterday in a joint lead, each with six wins and one loss.

The two skippers lead the eight all-female teams into today's quarter finals stage. The Aspen Bermuda Women's Match Racing Regatta is the final stage of the 2024 Women's World Match Racing Tour championship season which will award the 2024 women's tour champion this weekend.

The Netherlands helmswoman pipped Pauline Courtois for the top spot in the round robin on a tie-break after beating her French rival in a head-to head meeting between the pair.

"We finished top together with the French team but we won the race from her and that's better than expected because we knew it was going to be tight racing this event," Aartsen told Bermuda's The Royal Gazette in an interview.

Aartsen and her 'Team Out of the Box' crew are visiting Bermuda for the first time from Amsterdam as well as their first time sailing the IOD (International One Design) which she admits has been a challenge to master with the little training time they have had in Bermuda.

"We don't have IOD's in the Netherlands, but we were able to do some pre-training for the event at home in a Dragon" said Aartsen. "However, the IOD's are so unique, it has also been like learning all new skills. It has been a big learning curve particularly in the windy conditions on the opening day, but yesterday went much better - we had control, good speed and that's why we managed to get all our wins."

Courtois was also pleased with her form heading into the business end of the regatta;

"We won four matches for the qualification so now we are ready for the quarter final. We are pleased with the way things are going sofar. Nothing like these boats exists in France, so it is always a challenge, but we enjoy it. The wind is tricky, but we are getting used to the conditions"

The Aspen Bermuda Women's Match Racing Regatta is the first all-female match racing event to be staged in Bermuda as an official stage of the Women's World Match Racing Tour, founded in 2013 as the WIM Series and re-launched in 2022 as the world's only all-female global series in sailing.

The 2024 Aspen Bermuda Women's Match Racing Regatta is the final event of the 2024 women's world tour and both Aartsen and Courtois, as well as New Zealand's Megan Thomson remain in contention to win the overall series this weekend. Defending Tour champion Anna Östling from Sweden and her Team WiNGS are competing in Bermuda but will be unable to win the overall tour championship due to the team's commitments at the Women's America's Cup during the summer.

Overall positions after Round Robin:

    1. Julia Aartsen/ Team Out of the Box 6-1
    2. Pauline Courtois/ Match in Pink 6-1
    3. Anna Östling/ Team WINGS 5-2
    4. Lea Vogelius/ Team Katnakken DK 5-2
    5. Megan Thomson/ 2.0 Racing 2-5
    6. Kristine Mauritzen/ Those Seagulls. 2-5
    7. Juliet Costanzo/ Easy Tiger Racing 0.5-6
    8. Sophie Otter/ Otter Racing 0-7

View live results HERE
View event gallery HERE

For more information, follow womenswmrt.com and via social media on Instagram and Facebook at @womenswmrt

Related Articles

Bay of Islands Sailing Week is calling
Bay of Islands Sailing Week is calling - regular entries close on December 31 Seasoned sailors Rob Bassett and Brett Russell are rallying competitors to join what Peter Montgomery has called “the best-big boat regatta in NZ” as entries roll in for the 2025 Bay of Islands Sailing Week (BOISW). Posted on 12 Nov
SLAM ETNZ Deck Hoody - Now just €50
Price Drop: SLAM ETNZ Deck Hoody: Was €120 | Now €50 - Order yours today! Price Drop: SLAM ETNZ Deck Hoody: WAS €120 | NOW €50 - Order yours today! Ideal Xmas gift for America's Cup fans! Get your souvenir hoody on the America's Cup champion! Posted on 7 Nov
Vendee Globe: 'Crazy Kiwi' racing on renewables
Conrad Colman plans on repeating his 2015/26 feat racing without the use of fossil fuel In the 2016 Vendee Globe, Conrad Colman became the first competitor in Vendee Globe history to finish without using a drop of fossil fuel during his circumnavigation. He plans on repeating the feat in the upcoming Vendee Globe race. Posted on 30 Oct
Predictwind is official partner of Vendee Globe
PredictWind will bring fans into the Vendée Globe action with a world-first Race Weather Centre Global leader in marine weather forecasting, PredictWind, has announced its official partnership with IMOCA - one of the fastest and most exciting offshore yacht racing classes - to become the exclusive Weather Data Supplier for the Vendée Globe 2024. Posted on 22 Oct
NZ Marine industry celebrates Am Cup Defence
NZ marine technology and innovation is used both by its own and other teams contesting the Cup While New Zealand sailors are considered among the world's best, the country's marine technology and innovation is used both by its own team, and by the teams contesting the America's Cup. Posted on 19 Oct
New facilities attract more superyachts to NZ
Superyacht attraction initiatives paying off as NZ Marine reports $212m superyacht economic boost A new report shows superyacht visitors injected $212m into the New Zealand economy in the 2023/4 season. The report has been released as New Zealand ramps up its superyacht attraction initiatives. Posted on 11 Oct
Cup Spy - Finals - Who dares, wins
The AC75 proved its ability to provide compelling viewing, match racing at speeds touching 55kts Critics of the AC75 and its suitability as a match racer for the America's Cup should be eating their words after Sunday's Blinder in Barcelona Posted on 30 Sep
Check the rules before summer boating starts 
Marine biosecurity teams are reminding boaties and all marine users to make sure they are across mar Marine biosecurity teams are reminding boaties and all marine users to make sure they are across marine pest risks and rules before heading out on the water this summer. Posted on 24 Sep
17 NZ marinas now on ‘Clean Marina journey'
Kiwi marinas make big steps in environmental performance : 17 marinas now on ‘Clean Marina journey' The $540 million marina and boatyard industry is on a mission to minimise its environmental impact, particularly in relation to coastal water quality. Posted on 21 Sep
Southern Spars at the Monaco Yacht Show
From America's Cup technology to the World's largest sailing catamaran: Connect with Southern Spars The Monaco Yacht Show is the showcase event for innovation in the superyacht industry and as the global leader in high-performance composite rig technology for luxury yachts, Southern Spars is excited to attend again in 2024. Posted on 19 Sep
U-DECK 2023 - No.2 728x90 BOTTOMHALLSPARS_BOOMS_SW_728X99MILLIUS-65 BOTTOMYoumans Studio Cup Racing 1456x180 BOTTOM