Spanish Tamara Echegoyen and her team are the new European Champions of Women's Match Racing.

Echegoyen, Angela Pumariega and Sofia Toro took the gold medal in Sunday's final in Helsinki, ahead of Russia's Ekaterina Skudina and her crew (Elena Oblova, Elena Syuzeva).

The conditions at Hernesaari were challenging due to a fickle wind. Early into the day the wind completely died near the shore, which is why the start of Match Racing had to be pushed back until 12:30 from the original 11 o'clock.

Once the finals eventually got underway, it was Echegoyen who had the better start, winning the first match. Skudina came back in the second race but couldn't keep it up in the next two matches. Thus the Spanish team won best-of-five series 3-1.

Meanwhile, Silvia Roca Mata of Spain and Mandi Mulder of the Netherlands faced each other in the petit final. Mulder's team first took the lead, but Roca Mata and her crew evened the score in the second match. In the third and deciding race Mulder came out on top.

Women's Match Racing, results:

1. Tamara Echegoyen (ESP)
2. Ekaterina Skudina (RUS)
3. Mandi Mulder (NED)

Tamara Echegoyen (ESP) vs. Ekaterina Skudina (RUS) 3-1
Silvia Roca Mata (ESP) vs. Mandi Mulder (NED) 1-2

3/7/2011 12:42