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 FINAL RANKING
1. JESPER RADICH
1. (DEN)
2. ED BAIRD
2. (USA)
3. JES GRAM-HANSEN
3. (DEN)
4. ANDREW ARBUZOV
4. (RUS)
5. KAROL JABLONSKI
5. (POL)
6. CAMERON APPLETON
6. (NZL, Team New Zealand)
7. MARKUS WIESER
7. (GER)
8. IAN WALKER
8. (GBR, GBR Challenge)
9. HENRIK JENSEN
9. (DEN)
10. MICKAEL LINDQVIST
10. (SWE)
11. MORTEN HENRIKSEN
10. (GER)
12. STEFAN MEISTER
10. (GER)
13. CHRIS LAW
10. (GBR)
14. ALEXANDER HAGEN
10. (GER)


 Jesper Radich wins the Match Race Germany (05/20/02)
 (source : swedishmatchtour.com)
The Swedish Match Tour’s Match Race Germany crowned a new champion today, a first time winner on the world’s premier professional sailing series.

Denmark’s Jesper Radich a full-time student, has had an up-an-down year, first losing his sponsor but then rattling off victories in three straight regattas, Match Race Germany being his most recent and most special.

“We followed up the European Championships with a win at the MRC Challenge in Copenhagen last week but this is by far the toughest field we’ve faced,” said Radich. “Its very special to win our first Swedish Match Tour event against top competition.”

It was a hard fought win for the Danish crew. After early success in the first round robin Radich ran the table, winning all seven of his matches in the quarterfinals to clearly establish himself as the favorite.

Due to light winds, the race committee decided to eliminate the semifinals in favor of a first-to-three-wins final and first-to-two-wins “petit finals” for the third and fourth place finishers in the quarterfinals. Radich carried his momentum into his finals match up with Ed Baird and Team Musto, winning the first two matches against the American and his local German crew.

Shifty conditions resulted in several course changes and the delay in racing appeared to cool off the red-shot Radich. Baird battled back to take matches three and four, setting up a winner-take-all fifth and deciding match.

Unfortunately for Baird, former skipper of the Young America Challenge for the 2000 America’s Cup, some confusion ensued with the location of the start line which he crossed over early resulting in an advantage for Radich which the Dane would never yield.

“On the start of the last race we made the most basic error possible, we forgot which of the two buoys was the starting buoy and we went to the wrong one,” said Baird. “It’s like walking down the stairs and forgetting to take the first step, from there on out it’s a doozy.”

Denmark’s Jes Gram-Hansen and his Team Marienlyst rallied after losing their first match to defeat Russia Andrew Arbuzow 2-1, in the “petit finals.”

The third place finish moved the Danes past Prada Challenge’s Gavin Brady, who did not contest the regatta, into third place overall in the Swedish Match Tour Championship Rankings.

With Brady not scheduled to compete in next week’s ACI HT Cronet Cup in Split, Croatia, a good result there can create some space between Gram-Hansen and the Italian skipper.

“Racing on a lake is difficult and even harder mentally because conditions change so quickly. We’re very pleased to come in third because at one point it looked like we would finish much worse,” said Gram-Hansen. “We’re now looking ahead to the ACI Cup and Swedish Match Cup to build on our third place Swedish Match Tour ranking.”

For Arbuzow the result against Gram-Hansen was disappointing but the Russian had a good experience at his first Swedish Match Tour event. “We enjoyed our time here very much this week,” said Arbuzow. “We learned quite a bit each day. Sailing against these quality sailors makes us better and this is definitely the highest-level sailing in the world.”

The Swedish Match Tour’s next event is the ACI HT Cronet Cup in Split, Croatia, May 28-June1.

FINALS

Final : Radich def. Baird - Radich def. Baird - Baird def. Radich - Baird def. Radich - Radich def. Baird

Petit Final : Arbuzow def. Gram-Hansen - Gram-Hansen def. Arbuzow - Gram-Hansen def. Arbuzow

QUARTERFINAL LEADERBOARD (Skipper/Wins/Losses)

Jesper Radich (DEN), 7 0
Ed Baird (USA), 4 3
Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN), 3 4
Andrew Arbuzow (RUS), 3 4
---
Cameron Appleton (NZL, Team New Zealand), 3 4
Karol Jablonski (POL), 3 4
Markus Wieser (GER), 3 4
Ian Walker (GBR, GBR Challenge), 1 6

QUARTERFINALS RESULTS

Flight 5 : Gram-Hansen def. Appleton - Walker def. Baird - Radich def. Arbuzow

Flight 7 : Radich def. Jablsonski - Appleton def. Walker - Wieser def. Arbuzow

Flight 8 : Radich def. Wieser - Gram-Hansen def. Walker

Flight 10 : Radich def. Gram-Hansen - Baird def. Jablonski - Appleton def. Arbuzow
 
 Quaterfinals continue in Germany (05/19/02)
 (source : swedishmatchtour.com)
Umbrellas have replaced sunscreen as the accessory of choice at the Swedish Match Tour’s Match Race Germany. After the first two days of the regatta were marked by sunshine and bright blue skies, thunderstorms and constantly threatening skies have been the norm for the second half of the event.

As a result, competitors have dealt with varying conditions forcing them to react quickly whether to the latest puff of wind on the race course or the race committee’s announcement that racing is to commence immediately to take advantage of a passing weather pattern. Midway through the quarterfinal round robin the leaderboard is beginning to take shape.

Leading the charge is Denmark’s Jesper Radich with a spotless record of 3-0. Just behind Radich is Russia’s Andrew Arbuzow, competing in his first Swedish Match Tour event.

“This is the best competition that I have ever faced,” said the humble Russian. “To think that Chris Law has already been eliminated but I am continuing to sail is really something!”

In a three-way tie at 3-2, are American Ed Baird of Team Musto, Poland’s Karol Jablonski of Team MK Café and defending event champion Markus Wieser of Germany.

Team New Zealand’s Cameron Appleton has a level record at 2-2, but is confident about his chances. “We had the best conditions of the regatta today but they were still tricky,” said Appleton. “I’m looking forward to making some adjustments and getting a few more wins tomorrow.”

At the bottom of the leaderboard are Denmark’s Jes Gram-Hansen of Team Marienlyst with a record of 1-3 and GBR Challenge’s Ian Walker who is winless at 0-4.

QUARTERFINALS LEADERBORD (Skipper/Wins/Losses)

Jesper Radich (DEN), 3 0
Andrew Arbuzow (RUS), 3 1
Ed Baird (USA), 3 2
Karol Jablonski (POL), 3 2
Markus Wieser (GER), 3 2
Cameron Appleton (NZL, Team New Zealand), 2 2
Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN), 1 3
Ian Walker (GBR, GBR Challenge), 0 4

QUARTERFINALS RESULTS

Flight 3 : Baird def. Arbuzow - Appleton def. Jablonski - Gram-Hansen def. Wieser

Flight 4: Jablonski def. Walker - Baird def. Wieser

Flight 6 : Jablonski def. Wieser - Radich def. Appleton - Arbuzow def. Gram-Hansen

Flight 9 : Jablonski def. Gram-Hansen - Wieser def. Walker - Radich def. Baird
 
 Quaterfinals begin with a bang (05/18/02)
 (source : swedishmatchtour.com)
Poland’s Karol Jablonski started quarterfinal action at the Swedish Match Tour’s Match Race Germany with a bang this afternoon when the MK Café skipper’s mast burst before his eyes in his match with Russia’s Andrew Arbruzow.

“It was the D-1 sidestay and the bolt just disappeared,” said Jablonski. “Really, its just bad luck and I don’t think the conditions had too much to do with it. Unfortunately, we were leading at the time but tomorrow is another day and we still have a lot of races to win.”

After the first two rounds of the quarterfinals American Ed Baird and Team Musto are undefeated with two wins. Tied with Baird is Arbuzow who bumped off GBR Challenge boss Ian Walker following his victory over Jablonski.

Lake Constance changed quickly between the conclusion of the round robin and the commencement of quarterfinal action. Strong winds of up to 18 knots and heavy chop replaced the light breezes and placid conditions of the first two days of the regatta.

As a result, following the dismasting of Jablonski’s Diamont 2000 the race committee ordered that spinnakers not be used in the day’s remaining matches. Quarterfinal action resumes on Sunday morning.

QUARTERFINALS RESULTS

Flight 1 : Jesper Radich def. Ian Walker - Andrew Arbuzow def. Karol Jablonski (DNF) - Ed Baird def. Cameron Appleton

Flight 2 : Arbuzow def. Walker - Baird def. Gram-Hansen - Appleton def. Wieser
 
 The quaterfinalists set at Match Race Germany (05/17/02)
 (source : swedishmatchtour.com)
The quarterfinalists have been set at the Swedish Match Tour’s Match Germany, the sixth event on the world’s premier professional racing series, with the two America’s Cup teams in attendance as well as the defending champion among those advancing to challenge for the 2002 title.

Leading the way into the quarterfinal round robin portion of the regatta are Denmark’s Jesper Radich, recently crowned European Match Racing champion, and American Ed Baird, a match racing veteran and former America’s Cup skipper, who each registered records of 5-1, in the open round robin portion of the regatta.

“My crew has been excellent the last two days, we have been working very well together and getting used to the boats which require you to be very athletic,” said Radich. “We have been very aggressive in the starts and it has paid off so far.”

Posting records of 4-2, and securing places three through seven in the quarterfinals are Cameron Appleton, leading Team New Zealand’s entry in the regatta, Denmark’s Jes Gram-Hansen and his Marienlyst match race team, Poland’s Karol Jablonski of team MK Café and Russia’s Andrew Arbuzow.

The remaining two quarterfinalists with records of 3-3, are defending Match Race Germany champion Markus Wieser who hopes of defending his hometown title remain, and GBR Challenge’s Ian Walker, making his first appearance in the round of eight at a Swedish Match Tour event.

The opening round robin was completed in the light conditions that characterized the first two days of the regatta. However, as the draw for boats was announced under the “Breeze Inn” which serves as the regatta center and site for evening hospitality, the long-anticipated front moved over the Bodensee with winds increasing and bright blue skies being replaced by ominous thunderclouds.

ROUND ROBIN LEADERBOARD

Group A-1 (Skipper/Wins/Losses)

Karol Jablonski (POL), 4 2
Cameron Appleton (NZL, Team New Zealand), 4 2
Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN), 4 2
Ian Walker (GBR, GBR Challenge), 3 3
Morten Henriksen (GER), 2 4
Henrik Jensen (DEN), 3 3
Chris Law (GBR), 1 5

Group A-2 (Skipper/Wins/Losses)

Jesper Radich (DEN), 5 1
Ed Baird (USA), 5 1
Andrew Arbuzow (RUS), 4 2
Markus Wieser (GER), 3 3
Mikael Lindquist (SWE), 2 4
Stefan Meister (GER), 1 5
Alexander Hagen (GER), 0 6

RESULTS

Group A-1

Flight 5 : Jensen def. Gram-Hansen - Law def. Walker - Jablonski def. Henriksen

Flight 6 : Walker def. Appleton - Jensen def. Jablonski - Gram-Hansen def. Henriksen

Flight 7 : Appleton def. Law - Jensen def. Henriksen - Gram-Hansen def. Jablonski

Group A-2

Flight 6 : Wieser def. Hagen - Baird def. Arbuzow - Radich def. Lindquist

Flight 7 : Meister def. Wieser - Baird def. Lindquist - Arbuzow def. Radich
 
 Match Race Germany underway (05/16/02)
 (source : swedishmatchtour.com)
Event organizers of Match Race Germany, the Swedish Match Tour’s sixth event, moved up the start of round robin competition to take advantage of Lake Constance’s afternoon breeze on Thursday and provide a possible cushion for later in the week.

For a short period of time the strategy paid off as the first round of group A-1 was completed. However, the light breeze quickly dissipated to little more than sporadic puffs and the second round was abandoned.

Undefeated after two races was Cameron Appleton of Team New Zealand. Match Race Germany is Appleton’s first appearance on the Swedish Match Tour in more than a year and also his first experience sailing on a lake.

“You have to have a bit of luck and then you have to create your own luck,” said Appleton. “Jeremy (Lomas) has been here before and is working the bow and calling tactics so he’s going to be very helpful for us this week trying to figure out the breeze and finding the good puffs to create some speed.”

Completing Appleton’s Team New Zealand crew here is Adam Beashel. Lomas and Beashel are also part of Appleton’s core match team back in Auckland.

The Diamont 2000 racing yachts are quite different from those ACC boats that Appleton drives and take some getting used to. “The boats here are a handful and made for agile people. They are small and we have three man crews so there’s a lot happening at once and everyone is active and important to the success of a match.”

Round robin racing continues tomorrow morning on the shores of Lake Constance.

ROUND ROBIN LEADERBOARD Group A-1 (Skipper/Wins/Losses)

Cameron Appleton (NZL, Team New Zealand, 2 0
Karol Jablonski (POL), 1 0
Morten Henriksen (GER), 1 1
Henrik Jensen (DEN), 1 1
Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN), 0 0
Ian Walker (GBR, GBR Challenge) 0 1
Chris Law (GBR), 0 2

RESULTS

Flight 1 : Henriksen def. Law - Appleton def. Jensen - Jablonski def. Walker - Bye: Gram-Hansen

Flight 2: Jensen def. Law - Appleton def. Henriksen - Walker v. Gram-Hansen – Abandoned Bye: Jablonski
 
 Only two cuppers for Match Race Germany (04/29/02)
 (source : swedishmatchtour.com)
The Swedish Match Tour’s Match Race Germany, the sixth of eight events on the world’s premier professional sailing series, has announced the 12 teams who will contest the regatta on Lake Constance in the town of Langenargen, May 15-20.

Highlighting the list of competitors are two America’s Cup syndicates including Cup holder Team New Zealand who will send a crew skippered by Cameron Appleton. Appleton has competed in several Swedish Match Tour events and recently won the Steinlager Line 7 Cup feeder series but was unable to compete in the main event due to commitments with Team New Zealand’s defense efforts.

The other America’s Cup syndicate entry comes from the GBR Challenge. Skipper Ian Walker will be appearing at his second Swedish Match Tour event. Walker previously finished eleventh at last month’s Steinlager Line 7 Cup.

Morten Henriksen, tied for seventh on the Swedish Match Tour Leaderboard with Jesper Bank of the Victory Challenge, is scheduled to compete after not participating in the previous two Swedish Match Tour events. Henriksen was affiliated with Germany’s illbruck Challenge whose operations were suspended recently. Henriksen finished eleventh at last year’s event.

Denmark’s Jes Gram-Hansen and his Team Marienlyst match race crew, currently fourth on the Swedish Match Tour Leaderboard will also be lining up in Langenargen. Gram-Hansen enters the regatta under full sail with a runner-up finish at the Steinlager Line 7 Cup, a fifth place finish earlier this month at the Congressional Cup and a third place finish at last week’s European Match Racing Championships among his recent results.

Fellow Dane Jesper Radich meanwhile, a regular on the Swedish Match Tour and newly crowned European Match Racing Champion, will be looking to improve his eighth place finish at last year’s regatta.

Defending regatta champion Markus Wieser returns to the scene of his greatest success on the Swedish Match Tour. Last year Wieser defeated Jochen Shumann, a local favorite, who is unable to avenge last year’s loss due to scheduling conflicts with his Alinghi Challenge for the 2003 America’s Cup.

American Ed Baird, who advanced to the Steinlager Line 7 Cup through its feeder series, and finished ninth at the Congressional Cup, brings his Team Musto to Lake Constance. Another match racing veteran, Chris Law of Great Britain, will also be competing.

Rounding out the list of entrants are teams led by Russia’s Andrew Arbuzow, eleventh on the most recent ISAF rankings; Germany’s Alex Hagen; Poland’s Karol Jablonski, who finished fifth last year; Sweden’s Mikael Lindquist and Henrik Jensen, ranked 14th and 16th by ISAF, respectively; and Stefan Meister an Olympian in the 470 class for Germany.

2002 Match Race Germany Skippers :

Cameron Appleton (NZL, Team New Zealand)
Andrew Arbuzow (RUS)
Ed Baird (USA)
Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN)
Alex Hagen (GER)
Morten Henriksen (GER)
Karol Jablonski (POL)
Henrik Jensen (SWE)
Chris Law (GBR)
Mikael Lindquist (SWE)
Stefan Meister (GER)
Jesper Radich (DEN)
Ian Walker (GBR, GBR Challenge)
Markus Wieser (GER)
 
 The last big test for America's Cupper (03/06/02)
 (source : yachtandyachting.com)

The hottest sailing season in a long time starts in the middle of May 2002 with a big bang. The International Match Race Elite sets course to Langenargen/Lake Constance/Germany. In Langenargen the best America´s Cup skippers and match racers meet for the 5th edition of Match Race Germany.

Match Race Germany, as a so called Grade 1 event, is one of 7 Swedish Match Tour events, which are the best in terms of quality and international acceptance/ recognition, and starts especially in Germany a Super-Sailing Year, which incorporates the final endspurt of the Volvo Ocean Racers (Finish approx. July 9th in Kiel) with a German Yacht leading at the moment as well as the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger series.

And because of the fact that America´s Cup Syndicates have to sharpen their weapons, they like to use this world class event as a preparation in order to check out the opposition. The organisors are expecting a prominent field of participants. Match race is the name of the game in both the America´s Cup and the Match Race Germany, which guarantees for spectacular manouvres as well as close racing combined with a 30.000+ spectator land event on the shores of Langenargen (GER).

Already months before the closing date for the entries the organisors expect more than 5 America´s Cup syndicates to take part in the event. With Oracle Racing (Peter Holberg World Ranking 2), or Jesper Radich Johansen the number 2 and 3 in the world will be present! With Ed Baird a former Match Race World Champion and winning America´s Cup Coach, who dominated the game of match racing for a long time another star showed his interest!

Chris Law (Great Britain) and Markus Wieser (Defending Champion-Germany) 2 skippers will meet , who at the end of the 90´s battled out a permanent duell on and partly off the water! Local hero Wieser, once the world´s number 3 with his old teammate Eberhard Magg (Event Organisor), wants to repeat the strong showing of last year again.

He says " I am sailing match races now only for fun, now I am more into big boat sailing, but we will give our best and fight till the end!" In his team he will have the silver medal winning crew of Jochen Schümann (3 times Gold Medallist-2nd in 2001) from Sydney, Ingo Borkowski and Gunnar Bahr who also crewed for him in 2001 Match Race Lake Constance.

The name of the event changed to Match Race Germany to position it as the number 1 Match Racing Event in Germany.