Cream rising at Stena Match Cup Sweden

Marstrand, Sweden (June 30, 2015) – Local favourite Johnie Berntsson (SWE) and his Berntsson Sailing Team took full advantage of the champagne sailing conditions in Marstrand today with six wins out of seven races in Qualifying at Stena Match Cup Sweden, the third World Championship Event of the 2015 World Match Racing Tour (WMRT).

Berntsson joins Ian Williams (GBR) GAC Pindar and Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing with seven points at the top of the leader-board. Defending event champion Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Nautiksa Racing lies in fourth position with six points.

Competing in his first World Championship Event this year, Johnie Berntsson seemed comfortable on his home waters relishing the support from spectators lining the famous Marstrand rocks;

“The conditions today were terrific, for the sailors and for the crowds” commented Berntsson; “We sailed well yesterday but today was important to us as we needed to add points on the leaderboard. The guys have been driving the boat very very fast, and so I am really happy that I could give them some wins.”

Australian Keith Swinton has also some added local talent to his Black Swan Racing team, which proved its worth today as the team notched up four wins beating Bjorn Hansen by a boat length, Anna Ostling (SWE) Team Anna, Simone Ferrerase (ITA) Ferrarese Racing and Sam Gilmour (AUS) Neptune Racing.

“It’s certainly good to start well, but it all starts again at the Quarter Finals” added Swinton. “We’ve got Olaf Lundgren from Sweden on the team this week, he’s sailed with us for many years and it’s great to have him on board. Plus local legend and Volvo Ocean Race sailor Anders Delacose, who told us he has never finished out of the top four at this regatta!”

Young Swedish skipper Nicklas Dackhammar (SWE) Essiq Racing also posted a significant win against former World Champion Taylor Canfield (ISV) US One placing him in a respectable seventh position at the end of Qualifying session two.

“It was a great race [against Canfield] from start to finish and we held the advantage the whole way. With our two wins today we now have a good shot at reaching the Quarter Finals and that’s what we are aiming at.” said Dackhammar.

Racing resumes tomorrow at 1300 after a morning of Pro-Am racing where VIP’s and sponsors get to experience what it’s like to sail with professional teams. The forecast is for sunshine and light winds from the southwest, which will test the skills of sailors and race management alike.

The Round Robin stage concludes by Thursday with the top eight teams advancing to the Quarter-Finals planned to begin on Friday, with the Semi-Finals and Finals scheduled on Saturday, July 4.

QUALIFYING RESULTS After Flight 16
1. Ian Williams (GBR) GAC Pindar 7-0
2. Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing 7-3
3. Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 7-4
4. Björn Hansen (SWE) Nautiska Racing 6-2
5. Eric Monnin (SUI) Team SailBox 6-4
6. Taylor Canfield (ISV) US One 5-3
7. Simone Ferrarese (ITA) Ferrarese Racing 5-4
8. Reuben Corbett (NZL) Corbett Racing 5-4
9. Nicklas Dackhammar (SWE) Essiq Racing 5-5
10. Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN) Aschenbrenner Racing 4-4
11. Phil Robertson (NZL) Team TREFOR 3-5
12. Sam Gilmour (AUS) Neptune Racing 2-9
13. Rasmus Viltoft (DEN) Team Viltof 2-6
14. Anna Östling (SWE) Team Anna 0-11

Tour details – Event site – Scoreboard – Photos

Background: Stena Match Cup Sweden (Jun 29-Jul 4) is the third world championship event on the 2015-16 World Match Racing Tour, the leading professional match racing series sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). The tour has seven world championship events and 19 events in all (details). Prize money is awarded for each event, with event points culminating in the crowning of the “ISAF Match Racing World Champion”. Tour website.