Marseille opens the match-race season

by Cup in Europe on 11 Mar 2004 (source: YCPR)

Like last year, with the cancellation of the Steinlager Line 7 Cup, the Marseille International Match Race is the first ISAF Grade 1 event of the year.

The event, which came into the limelight of international sailing only a year ago, has immediately gained a reputation in the international match racing circuit and has again attracted an outstanding field of international skippers.

Great media interest will be focused on Bertrand Pacé, who replaced Kiwi Hamish Pepper as tactician aboard NZL82 during the last America’s Cup and who hasn't sailed for a long time in a match race event.

The starter’s list is also topped by France's Mathieu Richard and Luc Pillot, currently ranked 4 and 24 in the world match race rankings of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).

Other prominent match racers such as the reigning champion Karol Jablonski from Poland (first on ISAF rankings), Sweden's Björn Hansen and Mattias Rahm, British Match Racer Ian Williams and Lars Nordjberg from Denmark will make this event very difficult to win for any of the competitors.

Rounding out the field of competitors are Alinghi's Allan Coutts and native son Dimitri Deruelle.

After a practice day, the event, to be sailed in Beneteau J80, starts on Thursday. The series will feature a Round Robin and semi-finals, followed by final on Sunday.

Competitors (Skipper/ISAF Rankings)

Karol Jablonski (POL), n° 1

Mathieu Richard (FRA), n° 4

Björn Hansen (SWE), n° 8

Ian Williams (GBR), n° 10

Mattias Rahm (SWE), n° 13

Lars Norjdberg (DEN), n° 14

Luc Pillot (FRA), n° 24

Dimitri Deruelle (FRA), n° 213

Bertrand Pacé (FRA), n° 239

Allan Coutts (NZL), n° 912

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