Stena Match Cup Sweden
Finals in Match Cup Sweden 2016 between Phil Robertson (NZL) och Taylor Canfield (USA).
OrganizerRoyal Gothenburg Yacht Club
Brandspot
Typematch racing final on the World Match Racing Tour
ClassesM32
VenueMarstrand, Sweden
Competitors20
ChampionBjörn Hansen
Most titlesPeter Gilmour (6)
Websitewww.matchcupsweden.com

Match Cup Sweden (previously Swedish Match Cup, Stena Match Cup Sweden) is a sailing event on the World Match Racing Tour held in Marstrand, Sweden in the beginning of July every year. Organizers of Match Cup Sweden are The Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club and Brandspot.

The tournament consists of an open class and a women’s class, both of which compete in match race sailing. It is one of the pivotal events on the World Match Racing Tour, being among the longest running events on the tour. The event has attracted well over 100.000 spectators [1] on an annual basis.

History

The first edition of Match Cup Sweden was held in 1994, then as Swedish Match Cup. The initiator of the event was Swedish sailing legend Magnus Holmberg,[2] who with the help from The Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club and Swedish Match arranged the first event in Marstrand, Sweden.

Between 1994 and 2002 the tournament used the DS 37 Matchracer boat, until the introduction of the Swedish Match 40 in 2003. The new boat was designed by another sailing legend, Pelle Petterson, specifically for the Swedish Match Tour, which was the equivalent of today’s World Match Racing Tour.

Due to a change of the Swedish legislation prior to the 2006 event, Swedish Match, being a tobacco company, were prohibited of sponsoring the event. Losing its title sponsor, the 2006 event had to be cancelled, only to return in 2007 under the new name ’’’Match Cup Sweden’’’. The organizers then decided to go back to the original DS 37 Matchracer boats.[1]

Hall of Fame

For the 15th edition of Match Cup Sweden in 2009, the organizers set up a Hall of Fame for to celebrate the already rich history of the event. Two inductees were elected for the opening of the Hall of Fame; Magnus Holmberg and Peter Gilmour.

Magnus Holmberg, Sweden, was inducted for his vital role in the founding and upbringing of the event, arguably being the most important individual of its history. Along with stellar performances on the water, his place in the Hall of Fame was meant to be.

Peter Gilmour, Australia, is, among many big names victorious in Marstrand, the biggest of them all. He celebrated his induction by winning his seventh Match Cup Sweden, meaning that he had won almost half of the editions in the history of the event. A pioneer in matchracing, Gilmour is now both a household name in Marstrand as well as the current acting president of the World Match Racing Tour.

Marstrand seen from the East

Location

One of the most popular locations among the sailors, Marstrand offers a unique combination of world class sailing and an extraordinary spectators’ arena. The narrow waters on the South side of Marstrand brings the audience within meters from the boats, still providing enough wind to create intense sailing. The picturesque environments that Marstrand and its surroundings offer has single-handedly attracted a great number of both world-class sailors and spectators to the event throughout the years.

Results

Open class

Year Champion Runner-up Third place Fourth place
1994Australia Peter GilmourUnited States Ed BairdSweden Magnus HolmbergNew Zealand Russell Coutts
1995Australia Peter GilmourUnited States Ed BairdFrance Bertrand PacéSweden Magnus Holmberg
1996France Bertrand PacéNew Zealand Russell CouttsAustralia Peter GilmourUnited States Ed Baird
1997Australia Peter GilmourUnited States Ed BairdDenmark Jesper BankSweden Magnus Holmberg
1998Japan Peter Gilmour[lower-alpha 1]Denmark Sten MohrNew Zealand Dean BarkerFrance Bertrand Pacé
1999Japan Peter Gilmour[lower-alpha 1]United States Ed BairdCroatia Tomislav BasicSweden Magnus Holmberg
2000New Zealand Dean BarkerFrance Bertrand PacéDenmark Sten MohrSweden Magnus Holmberg
2001Switzerland Russell Coutts[lower-alpha 2]France Luc PillotSweden Magnus HolmbergSweden Björn Hansen
2002New Zealand Dean BarkerSwitzerland Russell Coutts[lower-alpha 2]United States Ed BairdNew Zealand Bertrand Pacé
2003United Kingdom Chris LawPoland Karol JabłońskiUnited States Virgin Islands Peter HolmbergDenmark Jesper Bank
2004New Zealand Russell CouttsAustralia Peter GilmourSweden Magnus HolmbergUnited Kingdom Chris Law
2005Australia Peter GilmourSweden Magnus HolmbergNew Zealand Dean BarkerUnited States Virgin Islands Peter Holmberg
2006no races
2007Sweden Björn HansenSweden Magnus HolmbergDenmark Jesper RadichSweden Mattias Rahm
2008Sweden Mattias RahmAustralia Torvar MirskySweden Magnus HolmbergFrance Mathieu Richard
2009Australia Peter GilmourFrance Mathieu RichardFrance Sebastien ColFrance Damien Iehl
2010United Kingdom Ben AinslieDenmark Jesper RadichSweden Magnus HolmbergAustralia Torvar Mirsky
2011United Kingdom Ian WilliamsSweden Björn HansenDenmark Jesper RadichAustralia Peter Gilmour
2012Sweden Björn HansenAustralia Peter GilmourUnited Kingdom Ian WilliamsUnited Kingdom Phil Robertson
2013Sweden Björn HansenUnited Kingdom Phil RobertsonItaly Simone FerrareseAustralia Keith Swinton
2014Sweden Björn HansenUnited Kingdom Ian WilliamsUnited States Virgin Islands Taylor CanfieldItaly Francesco Bruni
2015Sweden Björn HansenUnited Kingdom Ian WilliamsAustralia Keith SwintonUnited States Virgin Islands Taylor Canfield
  1. 1 2 under Japanese nationality.
  2. 1 2 under Swiss nationality.

Women’s class

Year Champion Runner-up Third place Fourth place
1999Denmark Dorte O. JensenFrance Christine BriandUnited States Betsy AlisonSweden Marie Björling
2000Denmark Dorte O. JensenUnited States Betsy AlisonSweden Malin KällströmSweden Marie Björling
2001Denmark Dorte O. JensenSweden Malin KällströmSweden Malin MillbournNew Zealand Sharon Ferris
2002Sweden Marie BjörlingDenmark Dorte O. JensenSweden Malin MillbournUnited States Betsy Alison
2003Sweden Marie BjörlingSweden Malin KällströmDenmark Annette StrömSweden Malin Millbourn
2004Sweden Marie BjörlingDenmark Lotte Meldgaard PedersenFrance Claire LeroyUnited States Betsy Alison
2005Sweden Malin MillbournSweden Marie BjörlingFrance Claire LeroySweden Linda Rahm
2006no races
2007no women's class
2008France Claire LeroySweden Anna KjellbergSweden Linda RahmSweden Jenny Axhede
2009Australia Katie SpithillSweden Anna KjellbergSweden Linda RahmUnited Kingdom Lucy MacGregor
2010Russia Ekaterina SkudinaNetherlands Renee GroeneveldUnited Kingdom Lucy MacGregorAustralia Katie Spithill
2011France Claire Leroy
2012no women's class
2013United States Stephanie Roble
2014no women's class
2015no women's class

References

  1. 1 2 WMRT.com, Event information.
  2. ↑ A Perfect Match, written by Joakim Hermansson, p. 26-29.
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