Volvo Spring Cup - Tough competition

by Fabian Bengtsson on 19 May 2014 Volvo Spring Cup is organized by The Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club and was sailed in Gothenburg on the 17th - 18th of May. Volvo Spring Cup, the qualifying event for Stena Match Cup Sweden, was decided this weekend at the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club. The young Danish team skippered by Joachim Aschebrenner excelled and won the event against tough competition from some of the best match racing teams in the world

Light conditions on Saturday turned to stronger winds on Sunday afternoon as the excitement grew heading in to the deciding matches of the Volvo Spring Cup. Johnie Berntsson’s Stena Sailing Team and Joachim Aschenbrenner’s Team Trifork were the strongest crews in the Medal Round Robin, and the race between them became the deciding match of the regatta.

Johnie received a penalty in the prestart against the Dane and although he tried to recover and equalized the penalty at the last rounding, Aschenbrenner could control the match and win the ticket to Stena Match Cup Sweden ’14.

'We had good speed and boat handling the whole weekend, in the final races we did some really good starts and were able to keep cool and in control, says Joachim who received a wildcard to Marstrand 2012 when he was only 18 years old. 'We really look forward to getting back to Marstrand and now we want to make it to the quarterfinals'.

One qualifying spot was also given to the best Swedish youth team in the Volvo Spring Cup. The three Swedish Youth crews competing for the prize had a disappointing start of the event and were knocked out after the Round Robin which led to a sail-off where they raced each other again. It all came down to a duel between to teams from the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club in which Viktor Ogeman’s team got off to a good start against Nicklas Dackhammar. An advantage they kept until the finish and they are now awarded a spot in the line up of the World Tour event at Marstrand.

'We were very aggressive in the prestart against Nicklas and got the position we wanted on the first leg with better pressure on the right side of the course. After that we could control the race, says Ogeman who is currently ranked 17th on the ISAF match racing ranking.

'It feels great to win this qualifying ticket to Marstrand but it has been a weekend of mixed feelings for us. We came to the event with a lot of confidence but didn’t perform as well as we hoped. But, now we are going to Stena Match Cup Sweden and we want to show that we can be competitive against the best teams in the world. We have a chance to surprise as underdogs'.

Gold Group								W	%
Rasmus Viltoft			0	1	0	1	0	2	40%
Staffan Lindberg		1		0	0	1	0	2	40%
Magnus Holmberg		0	1		0	0	0	1	20%
Joachim Aschenbrenner		1	1	1		0	1	4	80%
Reuben Corbett		0	0	0	1		0	1	20%
Johnie Berntsson		1	1	1	0	1		4	80%

Group A								W	%
Nicolai Sehested			0	1	1	1	0	3	60%
Reuben Corbett		1		1	0	1	0	3	60%
Viktor Ogeman		0	0		0	0	0	0	0%
Rasmus Viltoft		0	1	1		1	1	4	80%
Lucas Lier		0	0	1	0		0	1	20%
Magnus Holmberg		1	1	1	0	1		4	80%

Group B								W	%
Staffan Lindberg			1	0	1	1	1	4	80%
Joachim Aschenbrenner		0		1	1	1	1	4	80%
Johnie Berntsson		1	0		1	1	0	3	60%
Mark Lees		0	0	0		1	1	2	40%
Hampus Appelgren		0	0	0	0		0	0	0%
Nicklas Dackhammar		0	0	1	0	1		2	40%

Sail-Off Swedish youth teams

Viktor Ogeman - Hampus Appelgren 1-0?
Viktor Ogeman - Nicklas Dackhammar 1-0

Medal Round Robin

1. Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN) - 4p?
2. Johnie Berntsson (SWE) - 4p?
3. Staffan Lindberg (FIN) - 2p?
4. Rasmus Viltoft (DEN) - 2p?
5. Magnus Holmberg (SWE) - 1p?
6. Reuben Corbett (NZL) - 1p

Grundomgång Grupp A

1. Rasmus Viltoft (DEN) - 4p?
2. Magnus Holmberg (SWE) - 4p?
3. Reuben Corbett (NZL) - 3p?
4. Nicolai Sehested (DEN) - 3p?
5. Lucas Lier (DEN) - 2p?
6. Viktor Ogeman (SWE) - 0p

Grundomgång Grupp B

1. Staffan Lindberg (FIN) - 4p?
2. Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN) - 4p?
3. Johnie Berntsson (SWE) - 3p?
4. Mark Lees (GBR) - 2p?
5. Nicklas Dackhammar (SWE) – 2p?
6. Hampus Appelgren (SWE) – 0p

Besides the eight Tour Card Holders of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour and the two teams qualifying in the Spring Cup, four teams will also be given wildcards to enter the Open Class of Stena Match Cup Sweden 2013. The 20th anniversary edition of Stena Match Cup Sweden will take place June 30 – July 5 2014.