Nicolai Sehested takes the last wildcard to Stena Match Cup Sweden

by Fabian Bengtsson on 24 Jun 2014 Stena Match Cup Sweden 2014 - Nicolai Sehested and his team Trefor Match Racing have received the last entry ticket to Stena Match Cup Sweden, the second stage of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour 2014. The young Danish team now completes the line-up for the 20th anniversary of the event – 14 elite teams will come to Marstrand in less than a week and fight for one of the most prestigious awards in match racing.

Trefor Match Racing have been climbing the ISAF international match racing ranking the last couple of years and are currently on seventh place. Their journey to the top ten started as a match racing project for a few friends to have fun with. But, after a couple of good results the Danish energy company Trefor stepped in as sponsors for the team, and one year ago they strengthened their commitment to the campaign. This allowed Nicolai Sehested and his crew to travel to more events abroad, where they took the opportunity to show their potential on the international stage.
'We did really well last season and we won three Grade 2 events in 2013. A good result at the end of this season should make us likely candidates for a Tour Card in 2015, but we also want a great result this year – we are ready to fight the other teams on the Tour', says Nicolai Sehested.

The 25 year old skipper aimed for a Tour Card to the Alpari World Match Racing Tour 2014, which would have guaranteed entry to all Tour events. But when that didn’t happen the team instead decided to do all the qualifying events and that investment has paid off. Trefor Match Racing have secured a spot in five Tour events so far in 2014. The first regatta was Match Race Germany in the beginning of June where the Danes had a rough week and ended up on last place.

'We had a really difficult time in Germany but now we are looking forward to some tight match racing at Marstrand and we are really hungry to show what we can do', says Sehested who will come well prepared to Stena Match Cup Sweden 2014.

'We have been practicing quite a lot in the DS37:s in Copenhagen. Also, this week I’m racing in the Extreme Sailing Series in Russia and everyone in the team will be on the water every day until Marstrand. Every team needs to be at their best, and if we are at our very best we can dream about the semis and then the finals.'

The line-up for Stena Match Cup Sweden 2014 is now complete and the 14 teams entering the regatta all have the potential to reach the finals. Sailing legends Magnus Holmberg (SWE) and Ed Baird (USA) are both back at Marstrand to celebrate the event's 20th anniversary.

Ian Williams (GBR) and his team, winners of the tour opener in Germany, and the reigning World Champion Taylor Canfield, are two of the favourites. Swedish skipper Björn Hansen has won Stena Match Cup Sweden two years in a row and has a chance to complete a hat-trick at Marstrand. The highlight of the Swedish sailing season is just a couple of days away – don’t miss Stena Match Cup Sweden June 30th – July 5th 2014.

Trefor Match Racing
Nicolai Sehested (DEN) - skipper
Peter Popp Wibroe (DEN) - Mainsheet
Jesper Blom (DEN) – Trimmr-Pit
Søren Secher (DEN) – Pitman-Trim
Jonas Hviid-Nielsen (DEN) - Bowman

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. Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN)
10. Viktor Ogeman (SWE)
11. Johnie Berntsson (SWE)
12. Magnus Holmberg (SWE)
13. Ed Baird (USA)
14. Nicolai Sehested (DEN)

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 oraganized by Brandspot together with the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club and this year's edition will take place June 30th – July Sailing Sweden, official blogg of Stena Match Cup Sweden