Wisconsin’s Sally Barkow (far left) finishes fourth in Yngling World Championship.

Santander, Spain: With an excellent breeze from the Northeast, the Yngling Women´s World Championship finished on Saturday. The last race to be sailed -the 10th- had a nice surprise with the British crew, skippered by Shirley Robertson, taking first position at each mark, after an irregular championship.
The final victory -the worlds title- has gone to the Danish crew "Bankinvest" -Trine Palludan/Christina Otzen/Ida Hartvig- with a fourth position on the last race.So at the end of a very exciting weeks racing, where no one boat has stood out from the fleet, it is Trine Palludan and her crew of Christina Otzen and Ida Hartvig who are crowned the Yngling Women's World Champions for 2004.
Looking to Athens, subject to ratification by ISAF, it is the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Canada who will join the other 12 qualified nations on the start line at Athens in three months time.

Final top ten results:
1.Trine Palludan/Christina Otzen/Ida Hartvig, DEN, 84 points
2. Dorte O.Jensen/Helle Jespersen/Rachel Kiel, DEN, 86
3. Carol Cronin/Elizabeth Filter/Nancy Haberland, USA, 90
4. Sally Barcow/Carrie Hawe/Debbie Capozzi, USA, 92
5. Kristin Wagner/Anna Holl/Veronica Lochbrunner, GER, 94
6. Janneke Hin/Klaartje Zuiderbaan/Hanne Buis, NED, 95
7. Annalies Thies/Annemieke Bes/Petronela de Jong, NED, 100
8. Ekaterina Skundina/Tatiana Lartseva/Diana Krutskikh, RUS, 111
9. Nicola Bethwaite/Kristen Koslama/ Karin Gosnich, AUS, 120
10. Sharon Ferris/Joanna White/Kilie Jameson, NZL, 127
For more information visit www.rcmsantander.com/yngling/index-y-i.htm.