TeamWork Geneva Match Race - Lindberg claims victory in Grade 2 event

by MaxComm Communication on 29 Oct 2013 In the 11th edition of the TeamWork Geneva Match Race, Finnish sailor Staffan Lindberg claimed victory with his team Alandia Sailing Team Powered by GP, in front of the title holder and local hero Eric Monnin. The Grade 2 event saw eight top level Match Race teams sail at the Société Nautique de Genève in Switzerland. On-board «Surprise» one-designs, only the talent of the teams made the difference.

Geneva, October 28, 2013 - The Finnish sailor Staffan Lindberg, 15th ISAF Open, and his team Alandia Sailing Team Powered by GP, won the TeamWork Geneva Match Race (Société Nautique de Genève, Switzerland, October 24 - 27). Lindberg and his team of Robert Skarp, Benny Ulveaus and Carl-Johan Uckelstam, beat some of the worlds’ best Match Race sailors, including Nicolai Sehested (DAN), eighth, and Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA), 11th, ISAF Open.

After a very tight finish, Lindberg won the 11th edition of the competition with a 2-1 score against title holder Eric Monnin : 'We are pleased with this week-end in Geneva,' said Lindberg. 'The wind was very light on Friday and Saturday, but we had amazing conditions today. I really enjoyed sailing on the one-designs monohulls «Surprise» and hope to be back next year!'

For his 11th participation in the event, the Swiss sailor Eric Monnin missed victory by a narrow margin : 'We are a little disappointed, but Staffan Lindberg sailed very well,' said Monnin. 'We had everything to play for until the last flight. We managed to come back, but it wasn’t enough!'

Supported by the Geneva-based computer-services company TeamWork, and organised by the Cercle de la Voile de la Société Nautique de Genève, TeamWork Geneva Match Race has become a Grade 2 event this year. The president of the organizing committee, Elodie-Jane Mettraux is very happy with the international competition: 'We are totally satisfied with the event,' she said. 'We had very nice sailing conditions today, and reached our goal : organize a Grade 2 match race in Geneva, the only one at this level in Switzerland.'

After this successful week-end, the organizing committee ambitions to once again organise a Grade 2 Match Race event in Geneva next year, in order to keep top level match race teams on Lake Geneva.

Final ranking :

1. Alandia Sailing Team powered by GP, Staffan Lindberg (FIN)
2. Okalys Corum, Eric Monnin (SUI)
3. Vannes Agglo Sailing, Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA)
4. Westcoast Sailing Team, Antti Luhta (FIN)
5. Realteam, Jérôme Clerc (SUI)
6. Trefor Match Racing, Nicolai Sehested (DAN)
7. Nantes-Saint Nazaire Sailing Team, Christian Ponthieu (FRA)
8. Team Echo, Mark Lees (GBR)