Johnie Berntsson gets wildcard to Stena Match Cup Sweden 2014

by Meltwater Press on 12 Jun 2014 Stena Match Cup Sweden 2014 - Gothenburg: Skipper Johnie Berntsson and his Stena Sailing Team have received a Wildcard to Stena Match Cup Sweden 2014. The team aims to go all in at their home event with a tailor made training schedule leading up to the 20th anniversary of Sweden’s biggest sailing event.

Stena Sailing Team have had a good start to this year’s mach racing season – winning GKSS Icebreaker Cup, as runners up at the Volvo Spring Cup and reaching the semis at both the Congressional Cup and a Grade 2 event in Szczecin, Poland.

Even though the team missed out on a Tour Card to the Alpari World Match Racing Tour 2014, they have a busy racing schedule ahead and a clear plan for how to climb the international ranking. Tactician Robert Skarp has stepped joined the team and added his experience to the afterguard as well as new energy to the team.

'The spirit in the team is really good and we are looking forward to doing a great season. We didn’t get the results we hoped for in 2013 but it feels like a new start for the team, and now we just have to fine tune the communication onboard', says Johnie Berntsson.

With the home event at Marstrand only three weeks away, the team has entered a hectic training schedule that will boost their performance in time for the first race of Stena Match Cup Sweden.

'We are going to train a lot in the DS37:s and try to do as much sailing as we can at Marstrand. We think warming up on the Race Arena will be a great help for us, since that's where everything will be determined during the first week of July. We will get great sparring from other teams from the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club and that will hopefully help us bring our best performance when the event begins'.

Stena Match Cup Sweden celebrates its 20th anniversary this summer and Johnie Berntsson has plenty of fond memories from competing in the event since 2001: 'Of course I remember the first time my team beat sailors like Bertrand Pacé and Russell Coutts because that was a really big feeling' says Johnie and adds that the home event is always the highlight of the year.

'We have reached the quarterfinals a couple of times but we know we can do better and it would be fantastic to stay in the race all the way to the finals. Our families, sponsors, fans and friends are all on the cliffs supporting us and we want to give something back to them and get a great result. Everybody aims at the big trophy and of course we do as well'.

14 teams will enter Stena Match Cup Sweden 2014, the eight Tour Card Holders of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour, two qualifiers from the Volvo Spring Cup and four Wildcards. The remaining three wildcards will be disclosed the coming weeks.

Line-up Stena Match Cup Sweden 2014
1. Ian Williams (GBR)
2. Björn Hansen (SWE)
3. Phil Robertson (NZL)
4. Keith Swinton (AUS)
5. Taylor Canfield (USA)
6. Francesco Bruni (ITA)
7. David Gilmour (AUS)
8. Mathieu Richard (FRA)
9. Wildcard 1 - Johnie Berntsson (SWE)
10. Wildcard 2
11. Wildcard 3
12. Wildcard 4
13. Qualifier Volvo Spring Cup - Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN)
14. Qualifier Volvo Spring Cup - Viktor Ogeman (SWE)

Stena Match Cup Sweden 2013 attracted 118 000 visitors to Marstrand and the crowds followed the Swedish team behind Björn Hansen on their way to defend their title in the regatta. The event is organized by Brandspot together with the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club and this year's edition will take place June 30th – July Official blog of Stena Match Cup Sweden