As the conditions for the second day of the Toscana Elba Cup – Trofeo Locman were especially light and shifty, poland’s Karol Jablonski sailed flawlessly in Group B on Portoferraio Harbor today to advance to the quarterfinals.

In addition to his core crew, Jablonski has a couple of familiar faces sailing with him this week, German skipper Markus Wieser, former winner of Match Race Germany, is serving as tactician and Eberhard Magg, event organizer of Match Race Germany, is working the pit. For Jablonski, the "German engineering" has paid immediate dividends.

Joining Jablonski as an automatic qualifier is Paolo Cian of the Riveria di Rimini Sailing Team who avoided the repechage round by advancing on count-back over defending champion American Ed Baird of Team Musto, who posted an identical 2-2, record on the day.

Rounding out the day’s results, France’s Luc Pillot and Great Britain’s Chris Law of "The Outlaws" registered score lines of 1-3.

The Toscana Elba Cup – Trofeo Locman continues tomorrow with the round robin repechage.

Group B Leaderboard (Skipper/Wins/Losses)

1. Karol Jablonski (POL/Jablonski Sailing Team), 4/0*
2. Paolo Cian (ITA/Riviera di Rimini Sailing Team), 2/2*
3. Ed Baird (USA/Team Musto), 2/2
4. Luc Pillot (FRA/Team Pillot), 1/3
5. Chris Law (GBR/"The Outlaws"), 1/3

*Advance to Quarterfinals

Group B Results

Flight 1 : Cian def. Pillot - Jablonski def. Law (Bye – Baird)

Flight 2 : Jablonski def. Baird - Pillot def. Law (Bye – Cian)

Flight 3 : Law def. Cian - Baird def. Pillot (Bye – Jablonski)

Flight 4 : Jablonski def. Pillot - Cain def. Baird (Bye – Law)

Flight 5 : Baird def. Law - Jablonski def. Cian (Bye – Pillot)

Prior to yesterday’s opening ceremonies for the Toscana Elba Cup – Trofeo Locman, Swedish Match Tour leader Jes Gram-Hansen of Team Victory Lane said he was feeling very confident heading into the regatta.

That confidence showed through today, as Gram-Hansen and crew put on a dominating performance, posting a 5-0, record to advance to Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Posting four wins on the day, and also advancing to the quarterfinals, was Sweden’s Magnus Holmberg, helmsman for the Victory Challenge. Back with Holmberg this week is his long-time tactician Stefan Rahm, who was absent from the Congressional Cup as he recuperated from knee surgery.

The light air, which peaked at six knots, contributed to a quiet first day for the umpires as well. There were no penalties assessed today, but chief umpire Gerard Bosse is certain that the action as well as the wind will increase.

"The breeze will be a bit stronger tomorrow and continue to build throughout the week," said Bosse. "The clouds we had today affected the sea breeze, but we’re going to see more wind, and more action, as the crews get more comfortable in the boats."

The 2003 Toscana Elba Cup – Trofeo Locman, wich continues tomorrow with Group B taking to the water for their round robin, operates under a repechage format and features a single round robin followed by quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.

Group A Leaderboard (Skipper/Wins/Losses)

1.Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN/Team Victory Lane), 5/0*
2.Magnus Holmberg, (SWE/Team Holmberg), 4/1*
3.James Spithill (AUS/Team Spithill), 3/2
4.Sebastien Destremau (FRA/Le Défi Areva), 2/3
5.Jesper Radich (DEN/Team Radich), 1/4
6.Andy Beadsworth (GBR/United Airlines Sailing Team), 0/5

*Advance to Quarterfinals

Group A Results

Flight 1 : Spithill def. Beadsworth - Holmberg def. Radich - Gram-Hansen def. Destremau

Flight 2 : Holmberg def. Beadsworth - Gram-Hansen def. Spithill - Destremau def. Radich

Flight 3 : Gram-Hansen def. Holmberg - Spithill def. Destremau - Radich def. Beadsworth

Flight 4 : Holmberg def. Destremau - Gram-Hansen def. Beadsworth - Spithill def. Radich

Flight 5 : Destremau def. Beadsworth - Holmberg def. Spithill - Gram-Hansen def. Radich

The Toscana Elba Cup – Trofeo Locman, the sixth event on Swedish Match Tour 2002/2003 scheduled for May 10 – 18, brings together the top four current Swedish Match Tour Rankings leaders as well as marquis names from the recent America’s Cup challenger series.

With the island of Elba a candidate to host the next America’s Cup, the Toscana Elba Cup – Trofeo Locman, a first-time event on the Swedish Match Tour, promises an exciting week of world-class competition.

Definitive list of competitors :

Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN), SMT 2002/2003 Rankings Leader
Jesper Radich (DEN), Second on current SMT Rankings
James Spithill (AUS/OneWorld Challenge), Third on current SMT Rankings
Chris Law (GBR), Fourth on current SMT Rankings
Ed Baird (USA) - Sixth on current SMT Rankings, defending Toscana Elba Cup Karol Jablonski (POL/Polska 1 2007)
Magnus Holmberg (SWE/Victory Challenge), 2001 SMT Champion
Vincente Onorato (ITA/Mascalzone Latino, Synd. head), first SMT appearance Paolo Cian (ITA/Mascalzone Latino)
Andy Beadsworth (GBR/GBR Challenge)
Luc Pillot (FRA/Le Défi Areva)
Sebastien Destremau (FRA/Le Défi Areva)

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Peter Holmberg is the winner of the debut race of the Alpe Adria Sailing Tour 2003. The American Skipper dominated the first leg of the race which started in Venice, and after 22 days will proceed through three countries- Italy, Slovenia and Croatia- and will bring the twelve teams to the final port of Dubrovnik, Croatia.

"I am very excited about this new event which combines racing with touring some of the beautiful coasts of three different countries - Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia", he said. "Match racing is my primary focus, but I enjoy applying the details we perfect in short races, to the longer races offshore."

To his "BMW Tomic Team", he chose to bring his right hand man, Michael Sanderson, who raced with him in the America's Cup.

The route of this event follows Trieste, Muggia, Koper, Porec, Pula, Sibenik, Split, Makarska, and will end in Dubrovnik after completing 500 nautical miles.

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Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker and veteran Stars and Stripes navigator Peter Isler will be on Pyewacket in the 42nd Transpacific yacht race from Los Angeles to Hawaii in July.

Meanwhile, Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts is one of several America's Cup helmsman who will compete in the King Edward VII Gold Cup in Bermuda in October.

The event, which is the second on the Swedish Match Tour 2003/4, has attracted former OneWorld skipper Peter Gilmour, Oracle sailors Chris Dickson and Peter Holmberg, and Stars and Stripes skipper Dennis Conner.

Some of the best skippers who participated in the world's most important sailing competition will meet again for the second edition of the "Toscana Elba Cup ­ Trofeo Locman", to be held in the Elba waters from 10 to 18 May.

The Elba Island will offer an exciting setting to the first important chance of revenge for the America's Cup teams after their performances in New Zealand.

The Elba event, which came into the limelight of international sailing only a year ago, has immediately gained a reputation in the international match racing circuit due to its technical level as well as the natural beauty of its location.

As a result the organisers of the "Swedish Match Tour", the top world matchracing circuit, decided to include the Elba event in their prestigious schedule, that comprises also Bermuda, Newport, Long Beach and Marstrand.

In addition to America's Cup big names, this important recognition will enable to have among the competitors also the top two sailors of the international match racing ranking list, the Danish outsiders Jes Gram-Hansen and Jesper Radich.


Confirmed skippers (nationality/AC Syndicate)

Andy Beadsworth (GBR/GBR Challenge)
Luc Pillot (FRA/Le Défi Areva)
Sebastien Destremau (FRA/Le Défi Areva)
James Spithill (AUS/OneWorld Challenge)
Magnus Holmberg (SWE/Victory Challenge)
Karol Jablonski (POL/Polska 1)
Flavio Favini (ITA/Mascalzone Latino)
Vasco Vascotto (ITA/Mascalzone Latino)
Paolo Cian (ITA/Mascalzone Latino)
Ed Baird (USA) - Winner of the Toscana Elbacup Edition 2002
Chris Law (GBR)
Jes-Gram Hansen (DEN)
Jesper Radich (DEN)