Stena Match Cup Sweden has a celebrity sparkle

by Lars-Ola Nordqvist on 10 Jul 2010 Stena Match Cup Sweden - Stars from across Sweden have flocked to Marstrand to join the World Class Skippers competing at Stage 5 of the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT), for a celebrity race that forms part of the packed programme. The Audi-boat won the race with the alpine national team members Maria Pietilä Holmner and Hans Olsson together with Torvar Mirsky.

Sports stars Kenneth Andersson, who represented Sweden in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Olympic Swimmer Louise Karlsson, alpine skiers Maria Pietilä Holmner and Hans Olsson, hockey players Mikael Håkansson, Andreas Falk, Niklas Torp and referee of the Swedish Hockey League, Elitserien, were amongst the VIP line-up showing the vast appeal of match racing to a range of sports personalities.

In a similar fashion to the ProAm race earlier in the week the stars joined Swedish sailing heroes Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Sigma Racing Team, Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team and representatives from Björn Hansen’s (SWE) Hansen Global Team as well as World Match Racing Tour card holders Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team and Ben Ainslie (GBR) TEAMORIGIN. Swedish skipper couple Linda and Mattias Rahm, who have both been competing at Stena Match Cup Sweden in their respective classes, were joined onboard title sponsor Stena’s yacht by Fredrik Pettersson, Sweden’s up and coming hockey pro who has just been signed for the Atlanta Thrashers in the National Hockey League.

In addition to the sports legends there were lifestyle celebrities a plenty including World renowned chef, Marcus Samuelson who has created a line of African spices, member of globally renowned pop band ‘Ace of Base’, Ulf Ekberg and international artist Peter Jöback.

Peter Jöback, one of the most prolific and respected Swedish artists, sailed for the World Childhood Foundation with his husband Oscar Nilsson. Jöback collaborated with ABBA legends Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson to create the epic musical 'Kristina från Duvemåla' (The Emigrants). Peter created the theme song 'Guldet blev till sand' which broke every record in the Swedish charts. In anticipation of the event Jöback commented 'it is with a mix of fear and delight that I will take part in the races. I have never sailed before but I love the water so I think it’s going to be great fun'.

The teams raced 2 fleet races whilst the sun shone and the sea sparkled with the Audi team managing to take the top spot. The shores were swamped with visitors waiting to catch a glimpse of the stars as they headed back to the pontoons and the VIP hospitality.

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