2015 Stena Match Cup Sweden – Rising star gets wild card

by Fabian Bengtsson on 12 Jun 2015 2015 Stena Match Cup Sweden – Four time ISAF Match Racing World Champion Peter Gilmour has earned his part of Marstrand’s history and David Gilmour made an impressive debut in Stena Match Cup Sweden 2014. Now it’s Sam’s turn to test his wings at one of the best sailing arenas in the world.

At 21, Sam Gilmour has a promising sailing career ahead of him. Like his father Peter and brother David, he has shown great skills as a match racing skipper and done his best to live up to the family name.

He started out sailing dinghies in his hometown Perth and has enjoyed match racing since he first tried it three years ago. Together with his team Neptune Racing – Adam Negri, Chris Smith and Jack Breislin – the goal is to get a Tour Card to the World Match Racing Tour in the near future. Competing in their first Tour Event in Sweden this summer is a step in the right direction.

“Competing at Stena Match Cup Sweden has been one of our goals in reaching the World Match Racing Tour, so we are absolutely stoked having received a Wild Card. I think we can put in a good showing at the event, and it will be great to match up against the top sailors in the world”, says Sam Gilmour.

Peter Gilmour is an icon in the sport and after his seven victories in Stena Match Cup Sweden; he has earned the title of being “King of Marstrand”. His son, and Sam’s older brother, David entered the event in for the first time last year and made it to the Quarter Finals where his team was knocked out by Francesco Bruni. Sam says he looks forward to racing in the arena at Marstrand and that he doesn’t mind the expectations that spectators will have when they see the name “Gilmour” on the mainsail.

“My Dad’s involvement and success at the event is a pretty incredible feat. I don’t really feel like it’s something I need to ‘live up to’, but rather a goal to aim for. I have been reviewing some old videos of him amongst others at the event, and I will definitely be picking his brain in the coming weeks.

But make no mistake, Sam Gilmour and his team have earned their spot in the line-up. Neptune Racing have climbed from 75th to 14th place on the ISAF World Match Race Ranking since 2013. And, they have also claimed several podium finishes in events in Australia this spring, including the Hardy Cup and Warren Jones Regatta.

14 teams will join the fray in Marstrand. Seven of these are Tour Card holders, two have qualified for the event at the Volvo Spring Cup and the remaining spots in the line-up will be Wild Card entries.

Stena Match Cup Sweden 2014 attracted over 118 000 visitors to Marstrand and the crowds followed Björn Hansen's Swedish team on their way to win their third consecutive title in the regatta. The event is organized by Brandspot together with the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club and this year's edition of the event will take place on June 29th – July 4th.