Scandinavian Volvo 60's in Round Gotland Warm-Up

by Fredrik Trahn on 25 Jun 2001 Team SEB will race the Norwegian Volvo Ocean Race-entry Djuice Dragons
in a race to the lineup for the Round Gotland Race. This will present
Gurra Krantz and his crew with the first opportunity to test the new SEB
ocean racer in true competition.

A few days later, two of Team SEB's three-boat fleet will cross the
starting line of the Round Gotland Race.

Team SEB has been based in Gothenburg and training for the Volvo Ocean
Race since mid-May. The crew now faces a period of intense activity,
with three offshore races in just over a week.

First comes the race
against the Norwegian boat Djuice Dragons, from Gothenburg to Sandhamn,
then the Round Gotland Race and, after crossing the finishing line in
the latter, back to Gothenburg in a return race against the Norwegian
boat.

'We consider this an ideal opportunity to test the boat and crew for the
first time under genuine race conditions. Some competitive stimulus is
just what we need right now, as we are in the middle of a period of
intensive training and equipment optimization,' says Gurra Krantz,
skipper of the SEB boat.

The race against Djuice Dragons starts on Tuesday June 26 from
Gothenburg, and the boats are expected to cross the finishing line off
Sandhamn on June 28. The Round Gotland Race starts on Sunday July 1,
with the start of the return race to Gothenburg scheduled for July 5.

Team SEB is entering two boats for the Round Gotland Race. The newly
built SEB, a challenger in the Volvo Ocean Race that starts in the
autumn, will be sailed by Gurra Krantz and his specially selected crew,
which will include fellow Swede Magnus Woxén. Jacob Wallenberg, chairman
of SEB, will also be aboard.

SEB's sparring boat SEB III (the former Silk Cut) has also been entered
for the Round Gotland Race. Thomas Blixt, formerly skipper of Corel 45
Investor, will skipper it. Lars Thunell CEO of SEB, Marcus Wallenberg
Managing Director of Investor, Nils Ingvar Lundin Managing Director
Corporate Relations of Investor, and Jan Wäreby Managing Director Mobile
Communication of Ericsson will on the boat support the official crew.

'The Round Gotland Race is important for Team SEB in several respects.
In strictly competitive terms, of course, but in business terms too. The
Round Gotland Race is the largest and most prestigious offshore race we
have in Sweden. Which is why we have decided to enter two of our three
boats in this race,' says Pelle Norberg, Managing Director of the Team
SEB business syndicate.

Regular bulletins on the progress and results of the race against Djuice
Dragons and of the Round Gotland Race will be posted on Team SEB:s
website at www.teamseb.com