The ISAF Grade WC Match Cup Sweden, stage 8 of the World Match Racing Tour, will be crowded with the best sailors of the world from 2-8 July. Peter GILMOUR (AUS), reigning World Champion and coach of America's Cup Defender Alinghi, will be amongst the star names lining up.
Magnus HOLMBERG (SWE), skipper of Victory Challenge, and Gravin BRADY (NZL) from BMW ORACLE Racing, have both also given the green light and will come to Sweden directly from the America's Cup in Valencia. Seven of the top ten skippers from the ISAF World Match Race Rankings will be there, as well as three of the world's best female match racers.
'We are very pleased that heavy weight sailor Peter GILMOUR, coach of European top team Alinghi in America's Cup, has announced that he will race,' said Erik CENTERWALL from GKSS (Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club), project manager of sports in Match Cup Sweden.
GILMOUR won the last Swedish Match Cup back in 2005, his fifth career victory at the event. Now he comes to Sweden to defend his title, just like Alinghi are defending the America's Cup.
Stars Line Up
But it will be much more than just the GLIMOUR show. Marstrand will be teeming with America's Cup and top ranked match race sailors. Along with HOLMBERG, Bjorn HANSEN (SWE) also lines up for the host nation. World #1 Ian WILLIAMS (GBR) will be looking to make up for a disappointing showing at Match Race Germany, whilst the new leader of the World Championships Standings, Mathieu RICHARD (FRA) is also set to line up. Other top-ranked sailors are Sébastien COL (FRA) and Eugeniy NEUGODNIKOV (RUS), along with Eric MONNIN (SUI).
The world's best women will get the chance to challenge their male counterparts in Marstrand. Women's world #1 Claire LEROY (FRA), 2003 ISAF Women's Match Racing World Champion Malin MILLBOURN (SWE) and world #7 Jenny AXHEDE (SWE) all line up to take on the boys.
'We are very proud of Peter GILMOUR coming back to Marstrand again, and it feels super to have such a strong and international group of skippers competing. This will truly be a world class match race,' commented Peter KLOCK, director of GKSS.
All races will be held on a course in the middle of Marstrand with identical boats, the DS37 Match Racer, a 11.25 metre keelboat specially developed for match racing.
ISAF Match Racing World Championship Standings
(After Stage 7)
| Pos |
Skipper |
Nation |
ISAF World
Match Race
Ranking |
Team |
Pts |
| 1 |
Mathieu RICHARD |
FRA |
2 |
Saba Sailing Team |
70 |
| 2 |
Paolo CIAN |
ITA |
5 |
Team Viano Mercedes Benz |
66 |
| 3 |
Ian WILLIAMS |
GBR |
1 |
Team Pindar |
62 |
| 4 |
Jesper BANK |
DEN |
11 |
United Internet Team Germany |
45 |
| 5 |
Sébastien COL |
FRA |
3 |
Areva Challenge |
41 |
| 6 |
Ed BAIRD |
USA |
24 |
Alinghi |
40 |
| 7 |
Peter HOLMBERG |
ISV |
28 |
Alinghi |
37 |
| 8 |
Staffan LINDBERG |
FIN |
9 |
Alandia Sailing Team |
37 |
World Match Racing Tour Schedule
(2006-2007 Season)
| Stage |
Event |
Venue |
Date |
| Stage 1 |
Portugal Match Cup |
Cascais, Portugal |
18-23 July 2006 |
| Stage 2 |
Danish Open |
Copenhagen, Denmark |
9-13 August 2006 |
| Stage 3 |
St. Moritz Match Race |
St Moritz, Switzerland |
15-20 August 2006 |
| Stage 4 |
Bermuda Gold Cup |
Hamilton, Bermuda |
10-15 October 2006 |
| Stage 5 |
Allianz Cup |
San Francisco, USA |
24-29 October |
| Stage 6 |
Monsoon Cup |
Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia |
28 November-3 December 2006 |
| Stage 7 |
Match Race Germany |
Langenargen, Germany |
23-28 May 2007 |
| Stage 8 |
GKSS Match Race |
Marstrand, Sweden |
2-8 July 2007 |
| Stage 9 |
Portugal Match Cup |
Cascais, Portugal |
24-25 July 2007 |
| Stage 10 |
Danish Open |
Copenhagen, Denmark |
8-12 August 2007 |
| Stage 11 |
St. Moritz Match Race |
St Moritz, Switzerland |
14-19 August 2007 |
| Stage 12 |
Latium Match Cup |
Fiumicino, Italy |
11-16 September 2007 |
| Stage 13 |
Locman Cup - Elba Island |
Porto Azzurro, Elba Island, Italy |
25-30 September 2007 |
| Stage 14 |
Bermuda Gold Cup |
Hamilton, Bermuda |
9-14 October 2007 |
| Stage 15 |
Brasil Sailing Cup |
Angra dos Reis, Brazil |
23-28 October 2007 |
| Stage 16 |
Monsoon Cup |
Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia |
28 November-2 December 2007 |
The World Match Racing Tour is an ISAF Special Event. Skippers earn points towards the World Championship at the nine events of the World Tour and the highest scoring skipper at the end of the season is the ISAF Match Racing World Champion.
The World Tour Partner and Official Car is BMW AG (Munich, Germany). World Tour sponsors include Sebago (Rockford, USA), the Official Footwear Supplier, Travel Places (West Sussex, Great Britain), the Official Travel Partner and Wedgwood (Cheshire, Great Britain) the Official Trophy Supplier.
For more information on the World Match Racing Tour, its competitors and events, visit the official World Tour website - www.WorldMatchRacingTour.com. World Match Racing Tour television programmes may be viewed on demand by clicking on the television icon on the home page of the website.
For all the news on the World Match Racing Tour CLICK HERE.
Emelie Berg (As Amended By ISAF). Image, Peter GILMOUR will return to Marstrand for this year's Match Cup Sweden:© Guido Cantini
