Largest starting line ever in Stena Match Cup Sweden

Stockholm, Sweden – June 24, 2010 – Three new skippers are ready for this year’s sailing highlight at Stena Match Cup Sweden, July 5-11 at Marstrand. Damien Iehl, France, and Reuben Corbett, New Zealand, have qualified to start in the fifth stage of the ISAF World Match Racing Tour.

The tenth lady skipper, Trine Abrahamsen from Denmark is also gearing up for the start. A total of 26 skippers are in the line up, the largest ever starting field for this event, Stage 5 of the Tour. The two final men qualified through Sails of White Nights in St Petersburg, an ISAF Grade 1 regatta. Last year’s winner in St Petersburg, Frenchman Damien Iehl, 35, ranked fifth in the world, this year lost to 22 year old New Zealander Reuben Corbett in the semi final. Corbett’s young team then won their first ever grade 1 event when they beat Eugeny Neugodnikov in the final and thereby qualifying to compete at the World Match Racing Tour event in Marstrand. Damien Iehl, who was fourth in last year’s Stena Match Cup Sweden also qualified to compete this year.

"I am extremely happy, it was our first Grade 1 event, which we succeeded to win, and then we also qualified for our first World Match Racing Tour event. It is just fantastic!" said the very happy Reuben Corbett. Qualifying for the Tour event was his first aim, now he is aiming for his second, to win in Marstrand!

"He will be a dark horse in Marstrand, in the wake of his native fellow sailor, ruling champion Adam Minoprio, but with a record number of 16 men on the starting line anyone can win", says Erik Centerwall, GKSS, Sports manager of Stena Match Cup Sweden. Björn Hansen, third in Korea Match Cup recently, defends the Swedish colours together with Magnus Holmberg, Mattias Rahm, and Johnie Berntsson.

The ladies line up, also with record numbers, is now complete with the tenth sailor, Trine Abrahamsen, who is one of Denmark’s promising match racing sailors and aiming for the Olympics. News in this year’s Ladies race is that the Olympic race boat, the Elliott 6, with crews of three will be used and a Quarter Final has been added to the ladies program.

Stena Match Cup Sweden 2010 – Skipper Line Up
Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team
Damien Iehl (FRA)
Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing
Francesco Bruni (ITA) Azzurra
Björn Hansen (SWE) Hansen Global Team
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team
Keith Swinton (AUS)
Mattias Rahm (SWE)
Staffan Lindberg (FIN)
Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Victory Challenge
Jesper Radich (DEN) Radich Racing Team
Reuben Corbett (NZL)