Solid opener for World Match Racing Tour Championship Final

Marstrand, Sweden (July 3, 2019) – The twelve teams competing in the World Match Racing Tour championship finals revelled in spectacular conditions today for fleet race Qualifying stage of the five day event. 2016 Match Racing World Champion Phil Robertson (NZL) and his China One Ningbo team finished the day on top of the fleet leaderboard with a solid 2-1-2-1 performance.

Sailing under a single reef in a 20-22 knot WNW breeze with gusts to 30 knots at the windward gate in the afternoon, the trio of Match Racing World Champions – Phil Robertson (China One Ningbo), Ian Williams (GAC Pindar), and Taylor Canfield (US One) – were quick to post scores on the board, along with last year’s GKSS Match Cup Sweden winner Yann Guichard (Spindrift Racing).

Defending World Match Racing Champion Torvar Mirsky (Cetilar Mirsky Racing Team) had a more disappointing day lying 8th after Day 1.

After two 3rd place finishes, Australian Harry Price (Down Under Racing) found his boat without a rig while practicing for his third race. “We were just bearing away during the practice between races and the rig just fell forward,” said a surprised Price after the incident. Fortunately, the rig remained fully in tact during its fall and, despite having to take average points for the race, Price and team were quick to retrieve the rig with the on-water support team.

The GKSS Match Cup Sweden event celebrates its 25th year in 2019, a long term flagship event of the World Match Racing Tour since its inception in 2000, then named the Swedish Match Grand Prix Sailing Tour.

Tomorrow’s forecast is for strong winds ahead of clearer conditions for July 5 through 7. Racing is scheduled to start at 10am.

The GKSS Match Cup Sweden, which is doubling as the winner-take-all Match Racing World Championship, is scheduled for July 3-7.

Day One Results:

For more information on WMRT, visit www.wmrt.com
For more information on GKSS Match Cup Sweden, visit www.gkssmatchcupsweden.se

Confirmed skippers with World Sailing Ranking*
• Ian Williams (GBR) GAC Pindar – #1
• Harry Price (AUS) Down Under Racing – #2
• Nicklas Dackhammer (SWE) Essiq Racing Team – #6
• Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team – #9
• Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Cetilar Mirsky Racing Team – #13
• Yann Guichard (FRA) Spindrift Racing – #19
• Mans Holmberg (SWE) Stratsys Racing Team – #23
• Taylor Canfield (USA) US One – #27
• Phil Robertson (NZL) China One Ningbo – #33
• Pieter-Jan Postma (NED) Sailing Team NL – #134
• Markus Edegran (USA) Team Torrent – #194
• Daniel Björnholt (DEN) Youth Vikings Denmark – #342
* Ranking as of June 12, 2019

Background: Founded in 2000, the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) promotes the sport of match racing around the world and is the longest running global professional series in the sport of sailing. The World Tour represents a series of independently organized and officially sanctioned match racing events which are used to award prize money and the Match Racing World Championship title.

Source: World Match Racing Tour