French pair retain top positions on ISAF World Match Race Rankings

4:29 AM Thu 29 Jan 2009 GMT

'Sebastian Col(2008 Monsoon Cup)' Gareth Cooke - Sub Zero Images &copy Click Here to view large photo

French skippers S?bastien Col and Claire Leroy continue to hold the top spots in the latest release of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings on 28 January 2009.

France has now held the top spot in both the Open and Women's ISAF World Match Race Rankings since 30 July 2008.

Open Rankings

After moving up to the occupy the world #1 spot in December, Seb Col (FRA) retains his narrow points' advantage over world #2 ranked skipper Ian Williams (GBR), the 2007 and 2008 ISAF Match Racing World Champion. Col's fellow French Match Racing Team skipper Mathieu Richard (FRA) completes the world top three.

With relatively few ISAF Graded events over the festive period and the World Tour circuit taking its annual break, there is little movement at the top of the Rankings. Of three new entries into the world top 50, Monaco's Michele Perris is the highest following strong finishes at the ISAF Grade 3 Finale du Championnat de Mediterranee in Marseille and the January Match Race in Scarlino.

Women's Rankings

Claire Leroy (FRA) stays top of the Women's Rankings as there are no changes amongst the world top 10. Linda Rahm (SWE) stays at #2 with Silke Hahlbrock (GER) completing the world top three.

Claire Leroy winning skipper of the BSport ISAF Womens World Match Racing Chmapionships - Ivor Wilkins/Offshore Images

A number of the world's top skippers are competing at US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR, where Women's Match Racing is making its debut appearance at the ISAF Sailing World Cup. World #5 skipper and European Champion Lucy Macgregor (GBR) has been the star of the show to date, winning all 11 of her matches in the opening round robin. Italy's Giulia Conti, a two-time Olympian (first in the Yngling keelboat at Athens and then the 470 dinghy at Beijing) and accomplished match racer, also started strongly with 10 wins and just a single lose to Macgregor. It has been a more mixed bag for world #4 skipper Lottle Melgaard Pedersen (DEN), whose 7-4 records leaves her fourth in the round robin standings. Stay up to date with all the latest action from the ISAF Sailing World Cup at www.sailing.org/isafsailingworldcup.