WMRT Stena Match Cup Sweden - Yanmar Racing ready for combat

by Mark Chisnell on 2 Jul 2012 The Alpari World Match Racing Tour’s Stena Match Cup Sweden is set to take place 2-7 July in Marstrand. The 2012 Tour got underway with back-to-back events in Germany and Korea. When the spray had settled on an intense two weeks of sailing, Sweden’s Bjorn Hansen shared the Tour lead with Pierre-Antoine Morvan of France. The reigning champion, Ian Williams was in third place with Peter Gilmour and the Yanmar Racing team in fifth.

The Tour now moves onto Marstrand and Hansen will seek to defend his lead in front of the home crowd at the Stena Match Cup Sweden. But Peter Gilmour (AUS, Skipper) and the Yanmar Racing team are ready to step up their challenge at an event where they have an excellent record. The team has won the event an incredible total of seven times – and the Yanmar Racing team gathered early in Sweden to practice and make sure they have the best possible chance at title number eight.

Stena Match Cup Sweden is famous on the Tour for its atmosphere and the great crowds. Marstrand is a small island of about five kilometres circumference, and a very popular holiday spot. The organisers expect about 50,000 sailing fans to come from all over the world to watch, and they will see a fabulous spectacle from the rocks around the harbour.

The Yanmar Racing team are keeping the core crew together from the first two events, with Japan’s Yasuhiro Yaji in the pit and his countryman Kazuhiko Sofuku on the bow. While in the cockpit it will be all France with Thierry Douillard trimming and Fred Guilmin on the mainsheet and doing tactics.

After a final practice before qualifying begins on Monday 2nd July, Peter Gilmour commented, ‘We got here early to get the work in before this event, one at which we’ve got a strong track record. A couple of skippers have got off to a good start to the Tour and it’s important to haul them in and make our own challenge. Hansen and Williams both look strong, but we’ll be just focusing on our processes and trusting that the results will follow.’

The Stena Match Cup Sweden is held in Marstrand and runs from the 2nd to the 7th July.

Alpari World Match Racing Tour After Two Events:
1. Björn Hansen Mekonomen Sailing Team 31pts
2. Pierre-Antoine Morvan Vannes Agglo Sailing Team 31pts
3. Ian Williams Team GAC Pindar 28pts
4. Laurie Jury Kiwi Match Sailing 27pts
5. Peter Gilmour Yanmar Racing 26pts
6. Phil Robertson, Waka Racing Team 24pts

Yanmar Marine website
WMRT website