Bermuda Gold Cup

by Dana Paxton on 19 Oct 2002 Four skippers will advance from the Quarter-Final Round of the Bermuda Gold Cup to tomorrow’s Semi-Final Round -- Karol Jablonski/Team MK Café, Jesper Radich/Team Radich, Jes Gram-Hansen/Team Victory Lane and Bermudian Peter Bromby.

Today’s racing began in spectacular 12-knot winds under sunny skies that
allowed the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club to run one flight of matches before a
brief squall came through Hamilton Harbour postponing the races until the
afternoon.

When racing resumed, hundreds of spectators had taken to the water and lined
up on the sea wall to see if Bermuda’s favorite daughter Paula Lewin/Team
ACE would prevail against the No. 1 seed Gram-Hansen in what was the most
anticipated match of the day. Gram-Hansen led the “first to three” series
with two wins, but Lewin came back to win the third, giving her one last
chance to advance.

With aggressive pre-start tactics and confidence that comes from years of
experience in the challenging International One Design class yachts used at
this event, Lewin tried to out maneuver Gram-Hansen, but lost the fourth and
deciding race.

Gram-Hansen will face local favorite Peter Bromby, who eliminated Sweden’s
Mikael Lindqvist.
Lindqvist. Lindqvist won the first match-up, couldn’t catch up to Bromby in
the next three races. Against Gram-Hansen, Bromby said, “I feel like I have
some unfinished business.”

In the remaining two matches, Radich trounced Staffan Lindberg winning three
straight races and will face world match racing champion Jablonski tomorrow.
“We try not to think too much about our competition,” said Radich. “It’s too
tough on the nerves if you don’t focus. I try to relax and sail the boat.”

Poland’s Jablonski eliminated Mattias Rahm of Sweden in three straight
matches.

The Bermuda Gold Cup is hosted by the RBYC and the Bermuda Department of
Tourism. Renaissance Reinsurance and Investors Guaranty are the Presenting
Sponsors. Primary Sponsors are Bacardi, Colorcraft, Continental Airlines and
Swedish Match Tour. Supporting sponsors are Cellular One, Coral Beach and
Tennis Club, Horizons and Cottages, Izod, Northrock, Office Solutions, Smatt
’s Cycles, Sonesta, Telecom, Waterloo House and Wedgwood.

The Bermuda Gold Cup is an Octagon-managed event. The website for the
regatta is www.bermudagoldcup.com.

(end)

Quarter-Final Round: October 18
Skipper/Team, Win-Loss Record

Peter Bromby/TeamACE (Bermuda) 3-1
Jes Gram-Hansen/Team Victory Lane (Denmark) 3-1
Karol Jablonski/Team MK Café (Poland) 3-0
Paula Lewin/Team ACE (Bermuda) 1-3
Staffan Lindberg/Team Musto (Finland) 0-3
Mikael Lindqvist (Sweden) 1-3
Jesper Radich/Team Radich (Denmark) 3-0
Mattias Rahm /Team Stena Bulk (Sweden) 0-3

Match Results
Flight 1, Match 1
J. Gram-Hansen def. P. Lewin
M. Lindqvist def. P. Bromby
J. Radich def. S. Lindberg
K. Jablonski def. M. Rahm

Flight 2, Match
J. Gram-Hansen def. P. Lewin
P. Bromby def. M. Lindqvist
J. Radich def. S. Lindberg
K. Jablonski def. M. Rahm

Flight 3, Match 1
P. Lewin def. J. Gram-Hansen
P. Bromby def. M. Lindqvist
J. Radich def. S. Lindberg
K. Jablonski def. M. Rahm

Flight 4, Match 1
J. Gram-Hansen def. P. Lewin
P. Bromby def. M. Lindqvist