Look out Danica, there's another fast girl on the track...

[DryArmour]

Danica Patrick took the open wheel car racing circuit by storm last year. Her great looks, bright smile and competitive spirit have made her a favorite on the track. Shirley Robertson looks like she may bring to the water what Danica brought to the track. Great looks and a willingness to mix it up with the biggest names in the sport of professional high performace sail racing. Look for more on the ishares X40 racing circuit today from Lugano, Switzerland where on board cameras and up close and personal racing is taking place just steps from the shoreline in this picturesque city where anything can happen. As we saw yesterday, the Alnighi race team flipped their boat after being hit by the leading edge of a squall line that took the boat from fast to well beyond the speed most people water ski at in seconds.

 

[dickie greenleaf]

Danica Patrick took the open wheel car racing circuit by storm last year. Her great looks, bright smile and competitive spirit have made her a favorite on the track. Shirley Robertson looks like she may bring to the water what Danica brought to the track. Great looks and a willingness to mix it up with the biggest names in the sport of professional high performace sail racing. Look for more on the ishares X40 racing circuit today from Lugano, Switzerland where on board cameras and up close and personal racing is taking place just steps from the shoreline in this picturesque city where anything can happen. As we saw yesterday, the Alnighi race team flipped their boat after being hit by the leading edge of a squall line that took the boat from fast to well beyond the speed most people water ski at in seconds.

Sorry man.

No comparison to Danica.

That face would make a freight train take a dirt road.

DG

 

[DryArmour]

Sorry man.
No comparison to Danica.

DG

It is entirely possible that I am just partial to blondes. Girls that sail are HOTT*. Girls that sail and win gold medals are hotter still and one that is sailing at the level shirley is sailing at are unheard of in our sport. I know it's SA but how about a second look and a little less abuse for her?

How are ya Dickie? Long time no chat.

EDIT: Say what ya like...she is beating all of the men.

 

[hrothgar]

It is entirely possible that I am just partial to blondes. Girls that sail are HOTT*. Girls that sail and win gold medals are hotter still and one that is sailing at the level shirley is sailing at are unheard of in our sport. I know it's SA but how about a second look and a little less abuse for her?
How are ya Dickie? Long time no chat.

EDIT: Say what ya like...she is beating all of the men.

I give it a 7

Hroth

 

[dickie greenleaf]

It is entirely possible that I am just partial to blondes. Girls that sail are HOTT*. Girls that sail and win gold medals are hotter still and one that is sailing at the level shirley is sailing at are unheard of in our sport. I know it's SA but how about a second look and a little less abuse for her?
How are ya Dickie? Long time no chat.

EDIT: Say what ya like...she is beating all of the men.

I totally know what you mean. Chicas that sail ARE hot, and it sometimes makes them just a smidge more attractive when you see a tiller (or wheel, for that matter) in their hand. It's those pony tails sticking out of the back of the baseball hat that always gets me going.

As for me... all is good. I've been busy with my firm, and busy just enjoying life. So far, so good.

Hope all is well with you!

DG

 

[salute]

This Talented Sailor would leave Danica chewing Firestones. IMHO.

 

[DryArmour]

This Talented Sailor would leave Danica chewing Firestones. IMHO.

Shirley's interview following day 1. It's nice to see a girl on top (Know what I mean?)

EDIT: After two days of racing, Shirley Robertson and her JP MORGAN TEAM have won five of the seven races...

Olympic Gold medallist Shirley Robertson on a roll at the iShares Cup

31 May 2008

Day 2 of the iShares Cup in Lugano belonged to Shirley Robertson, and her crew on JPMorgan Asset Management. The British skipper, the only female racing in the circuit, took three wins in a row on the second day of racing, and has now won five out of the seven races so far. Robertson has built a comfortable advantage over the other eight boats including America's Cup teams Alinghi and TEAMORIGIN, 2007 iShares Cup defending champions.

Double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson's experience clearly showed on a day when she beat the best of the America's Cup and some top Olympic catamaran sailors, but she credited her crew member Chris Main for getting to grips with the conditions of the day, saying: "My tactician has nerves of steel!" CLICK HERE to view full interview.

She also welcomed Alinghi back to the startline after their capsize in Race 1 yesterday that stopped them in their tracks: "I think all the competitors really felt for Alinghi, it could have been any of us. It's good to see them back out today and great to be racing against them."

Shirley Robertson celebrates leading the iShares Cup with Champagne G.H. Mumm

© Vincent Curutchet/DPPI/OC Events

The America's Cup defenders have been fighting hard to get back to winning form, but after a series of fourth and fifth places today they will have to do something special on the iShares Cup final day of racing tomorrow to get on the podium this weekend. "We have found ourselves in a little bit in trouble off the starting line each time for a variety of reasons, but we have been able to catch up a s the race went on, but at some point you run out of time. At some point we need to get off the line better!" said Ed Baird, skipper of Alinghi.

"The boys had a short night last night and we got the rig back in this morning. We went for a look before racing, but we haven't had much wind to check it out. It definitely sets up differently to our previous mast and it makes our mainsail a different shape, so we're trying to fix that. We really just need some time at the dock where we have all the tools and have a bit of time to make it right."

In third at the end of the second day racing is Oman Sail, who have been having a fantastic regatta as newcomers to the Extreme 40 class. The first race of the day was as close as it can be with a photo finish. Oman Sail showed the way off the startline, closely followed by Alinghi, BT and JPMorgan Asset Management all racked up alongside each other. Alinghi came off worst, and at the first mark it was Oman Sail who led the fleet round. But on the second lap Oman Sail had to duck behind half the fleet, dropping them to fifth, whilst iShares made big gains to take the lead.

Chris Draper helming Oman Sail, who are currently third in the iShares Cup overall

© Vincent Curutchet/DPPI/OC Events

After holding second place throughout the race Shirley made her move on the final leg, to win Race 4 of the regatta. Oman recovered to take second, followed by Team Aqua and Alinghi whilst the fleet was too close to call for fifth place - iShares, BT and TEAMORIGIN all crossing the line simultaneously to score equal points.

The tricky conditions of light winds and sudden lulls were proving challenging for many boats, Volvo Ocean Race go t caught out in some windless patches to fall to last place. Arend van Bergeijk said, "There was a pattern in that race - there was wind wherever we weren't! It seems quite random."

In the next iShares got a great start to lead the fleet up the first leg, whilst Alinghi were forced back into eighth place on the first leg. Downwind Shirley opted to head left towards the town, where she found more breeze to overtake iShares and go on to win Race 5. Oman picked up another good result with a third, while Alinghi fought hard to climb back up to fourth place at the finish.

TEAMORIGIN, who went into the day as joint leaders overall, had a shocking race to finish last of the nine boats. But they came back strongly to finish second in the next race and win the last one of the day - they now sit 14 points behind Shirley Robertson and tomorrow will see them battle for the podium.

 

[salute]

Thanks for further details. She is the Talented Sailor.

 

[krispy kreme]

It's nice to see a girl on top (Know what I mean?)

Yes it is. And she's hot as Hades.

 

[Barkley]

You guys are fucked in the head.Danica is great looking and can drive an Indy Car at 226 mph!

No disrespect to Danica, but she beat a fleet that had it's best drivers poached to NASCAR and F1. Shirley is a girl on top of her game beating the world's best, so the talent level is at a minimum equal... being generous to Danica. If that makes me "fucked in the head", so be it. She's hot & she's quick, and I like that combination.

 

[tin man]

You guys are fucked in the head.Danica is great looking and can drive an Indy Car at 226 mph!

Danica is a crying whinning wanna be. She can drive a car. Sad that open wheel racing is in such a sad state that they are using her as thier marketing strategy. She will abandon her roots, try to jump to NASCAR and the good ole boys will hand her her ass. Sailing chicks rock, Danica will sink..

ss

 

[Guitar]

Whether it is on a golf course, race course or on the water, I love seeing women involved in sports. Sexy as hell.

Good on Shirley, would love to shake her hand some day.

 

[mbfarrel]

Whether it is on a golf course, race course or on the water, I love seeing women involved in sports. Sexy as hell.
Good on Shirley, would love to shake her hand some day.

Speaking of Shirleys...

Credit: Allsport

 

[A Florida Redneck]

Danica is a crying whinning wanna be. She can drive a car. Sad that open wheel racing is in such a sad state that they are using her as thier marketing strategy. She will abandon her roots, try to jump to NASCAR and the good ole boys will hand her her ass. Sailing chicks rock, Danica will sink..ss

Danica should do fine in NASCAR then.

 

[Buford]

>"I give it a 7"

IT?

 

[DryArmour]

Shirley Robertson takes Lugano iShares Cup crown

1 June 2008

In brief:

. Shirley Robertson and JPMorgan Asset Management win the first event of the 2008 iShares Cup

. Reigning iShares Cup champions on TEAMORIGIN runners-up

. America's Cup defenders Alinghi recover from a dramatic first day capsize to finish fifth overall

JPMorgan Asset Management win the first event of the 2008 iShares Cup. (L-R) skipper Shirley Robertson, Fraser Brown, Nick Hutton & Chris Main

© Vincent Curutchet/DPPI/OC Events

In detail:

Glorious sunshine, torrential rain, hair-raising gusts and mirror-like calm - the first event of the iShares Cup at Lake Lugano in Switzerland had it all, but it was the sole female sailor of the fleet, Shirley Robertson, who came out on top to win by 10 points.

"For a three day event I feel like we've been racing for a fortnight, I'm quite exhausted," said Shirley after the last race. "Today was quite hard work, it felt like we didn't really get any breaks or sail all that well. Then waiting to see if there was going to be a last race or whether they were going to call it off, the nerves have been going today.

"But I'm absolutely thrilled, my team's done a fantastic job. It's a pleasure to sail with them and fantastic to sail with new tactician Chris Main, he hardly put a foot wron g. Really enjoyed it and can't wait till the next one!"

Click here to see the full interview.

After winning five races over the first two days, double Olympic gold medallist Shirley and her crew of Chris Main, Nick Hutton and Fraser Brown on JPMorgan Asset Management went into the final day of racing with a 15-point lead over British America's Cup challengers TEAMORIGIN, but things got off to a surprising start in the first race of day three when JPMorgan Asset Manageent followed the fleet home in last place and were disqualified after failing to complete the course within the time limit in the zephyr-light breezes. TEAMORIGIN, helmed by 2007 iShares Cup champion Rob Greenhalgh, came home in fourth to pile the pressure on for the overall title, while BT took the race win.

After a postponement which saw several crews cooling off from the scorching sunshine with a swim in Lake Lugano, it was America's Cup defenders Alinghi who rediscovered their fighting form in Race 9, pulling off a tactical stunt that saw them come within inches of the shoreline to steal a winning angle to the second mark and then lead convincingly all the way home.

But all eyes were on the battle between JPMorgan Asset Management and TEAMORIGIN - Shirley Roberston's crew had to take a penalty turn at the second mark, slowing the boat right down, while TEAMORIGIN were back in seventh place. JPMorgan Asset Management recovered to finish in fifth place as TEAMORIGIN followed them home in sixth. After an anxious wait to see if the wind would refill for a 10th race, the race committee signalled three hoots to end all racing - followed by cheers from the crew on JPMorgan Asset Management who had won the first event of the 2008 iShares Cup Sailing Series.

 

[AClass USA 230]

Shirley is a class act - very humble and modest about her accomplishments, very friendly and engaging to be around. What great news to see her and her team do so well in the first major VX40 event of the season especially against all the talent present.

 

[FasterThanYou]

Now maybe some of these hot shots have sailed on a Multihull they might actually support the inclusion of multis in the Olympics.. No didnt think so.

 

[salute]

Something go wrong with your Cornflakes today Solo?