The skipper from Aarhus, Denmark, defeated Team New Zealand’s Harrap 2-1 to win the 8th annual Danish Open, Stage 2 of the 2004-’05 Swedish Match Tour.

Sailing with crewmembers Michael Arnhild (Aarhus), Christian Kamp (Copenhagen), Rasmus Kostner (Aarhus) and Chresten Plinius (Copenhagen), the win was Gram-Hansen’s second at the Danish Open, and his first on Tour since winning this event two years ago.

Gram-Hansen advanced to the final by defeating Frenchman Mathieu Richard 2-0, and Harrap advanced by beating Staffan Lindberg of Finland by the same score.

In the Petit Final, Richard beat Lindberg 2-0 to win third, while Lindberg finished fourth.

Day 4 Results (Finals and Semifinals)

Final : Kelvin Harrap (NZL) def. Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) - Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Kelvin Harrap (NZL) - Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Kelvin Harrap (NZL)

Petit final : Mathieu Richard (FRA) def. Staffan Lindberg (FIN) - Mathieu Richard (FRA) def. Staffan Lindberg (FIN)

5th-6th Place : Peter Gilmour (AUS) def. Peter Wibroe (DEN) - Peter Gilmour (AUS) def. Peter Wibroe (DEN)

Semifinals 1 : Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Mathieu Richard (FRA) - Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Mathieu Richard (FRA)

Semifinals 2 : Kelvin Harrap (DEN) def. Staffan Lindberg (FIN) - Kelvin Harrap (NZL) def. Staffan Lindberg (FIN)

7th-8th Place : Philippe Presti (FRA) def. Chris Law (GBR)

Peter Wibroe, Lotte Meldgaard and Jes Gram-Hansen featured prominently in the day’s action. Young up-and-comer Peter Wibroe, 19 years old, scored consecutive wins over America’s Cup Class helmsmen Chris Law (GBR), Philippe Presti (FRA) and Peter Gilmour (AUS), the reigning Swedish Match Tour champion.

Jes Gram-Hansen, the 2002 Danish Open champ, is the provisional winner of the round robin with a 9-2 record and advanced to the semifinals. He finished one race ahead of another Scandinavian, Staffan Lindberg of Finland. Lindberg finished with an 8-2 record.

They’re joined in the next round by New Zealander Kelvin Harrap, who’s sailing with Danes Sten Mohr, Tim Nielson, Mikkel Røssberg and Jonas Wackenhuth. Harrap finished at 8-3 to place third in the round robin.

The fourth semifinalist will be decided tomorrow morning after the re-sail of Match 1 from Flight 7 between Lindberg and Law. Law successfully filed for redress yesterday when he became confused by the exclusion zone buoys off the Skovshoved seawall.

If Law wins the re-sail he advances to the semifinals. If Lindberg wins Frenchman Mathieu Richard would advance to the semis with a 6-5 record.

FINAL ROUND ROBIN STANDINGS (After 22/22 flights)

1. Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN), 9-2
2. Staffan Lindberg (FIN), 8.5-2*
3. Kelvin Harrap (NZL), 8-3
4. Mathieu Richard (FRA), 6-5
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5. Peter Gilmour (AUS), 6-5
6. Peter Wibroe (DEN), 5-6
7. Chris Law (GBR), 5-6
8. Philippe Presti (FRA), 5-6
9. Lars Nordbjerg (DEN), 4-7
10. Ulf Jonson (SWE), 4-7
11. Lotte Meldgaard (DEN), 3-8
12. Michael Dunstan (AUS), 2-9

*Lindberg penalized .5-point for causing damage in a collision

Day 3 Results (Flight 10 to 22)

Flight 10 : Kelvin Harrap (NZL) def. Chris Law (GBR) - Staffan Lindberg (FIN) def. Peter Gilmour (AUS) - Philippe Presti (FRA) def. Michael Dunstan (AUS)

Flight 11 : Staffan Lindberg (FIN) def. Lotte Meldgaard (DEN) - Michael Dunstan (AUS) def. Peter Wibroe (DEN) - Kelvin Harrap (NZL) def. Mathieu Richard (FRA)

Flight 12 : Mathieu Richard (FRA) def. Michael Dunstan (AUS) - Kelvin Harrap (NZL) def. Lotte Meldgaard (DEN) - Staffan Lindberg (FIN) def. Peter Wibroe (DEN)

Flight 13 : Michael Dunstan (AUS) def. Lotte Meldgaard (DEN) - Staffan Lindberg (FIN) def. Mathieu Richard (FRA) - Lindberg penalized .5-point for causing damage - Kelvin Harrap (NZL) def. Peter Wibroe (DEN)

Flight 14 : Chris Law (GBR) def. Ulf Jonson (SWE) - Peter Gilmour (AUS) def. Lars Nordbjerg (DEN) - Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Philippe Presti (FRA)

Flight 15 : Ulf Jonson (SWE) def. Philippe Presti (FRA) - Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Peter Gilmour (AUS) - Chris Law (GBR) def. Lars Nordbjerg (DEN)

Flight 16 : Philippe Presti (FRA) def. Lars Nordbjerg (DEN) - Peter Gilmour (AUS) def. Ulf Jonson (SWE) - Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Chris Law (GBR)

Flight 17 : Mathieu Richard (FRA) def. Peter Gilmour (AUS) - Peter Wibroe (DEN) def. Chris Law (GBR) - Philippe Presti (FRA) def. Lotte Meldgaard (DEN)

Flight 18 : Peter Gilmour (AUS) def. Lotte Meldgaard (DEN) - Peter Wibroe (DEN) def. Philippe Presti (FRA) - Chris Law (GBR) def. Mathieu Richard (FRA)

Flight 19 : Peter Wibroe (DEN) def. Peter Gilmour (AUS) - Mathieu Richard (FRA) def. Philippe Presti (FRA) - Lotte Meldgaard (DEN) def. Chris Law (GBR)

Flight 20 : Kelvin Harrap (NZL) def. Lars Nordbjerg (DEN) - Staffan Lindberg (FIN) def. Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) - Ulf Jonson (SWE) def. Michael Dunstan (AUS)

Flight 21 : Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Kelvin Harrap (NZL) - Lars Nordbjerg (DEN) def. Michael Dunstan (AUS) - Ulf Jonson (SWE) def. Staffan Lindberg (FIN)

Flight 22 : Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Michael Dunstan (AUS) - Kelvin Harrap (NZL) def. Ulf Jonson (SWE) - Staffan Lindberg (FIN) def. Lars Nordbjerg (DEN)

Gram-Hansen and his crew of Michael Arnhild, Christian Kamp, Rasmus Kostner and Chresten Plinius, lead the weather-plagued event with a 4-1 record. They’re one win ahead of Peter Gilmour (AUS) and the Pizza-La Sailing team, including Rod Dawson, Mike Mottl, Alan Smith and Yasuhiro Yaji.

Denmark’s Lars Nordbjerg holds third with a 3-2 record, while Frenchman Mathieu Richard is fourth, also with a 3-2 mark. Nordbjerg, however, defeated Richard in a light-air match this morning for the tiebreak advantage.

Although the wind returned to Oresund today, the body of water between Denmark and Sweden featured many windshifts and rain squalls that dropped the wind to 0 knots on two occasions.

A total of 24 matches were sailed in eight flights. The wind blew between 4 and 10 knots from anywhere between the northeast and south.

Day 2 Results (Flight 2 to 9)

Flight 2 : Mathieu Richard (FRA) def. Peter Wibroe (DEN) - Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Lotte Meldgaard (DEN) - Lars Nordbjerg (DEN) def. Ulf Jonson (SWE)

Flight 3 : Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Peter Wibroe (DEN) - Lotte Meldgaard (DEN) def. Lars Nordbjerg (DEN) - Mathieu Richard (FRA) def. Ulf Jonson (SWE)

Flight 4 : Peter Wibroe (DEN) def. Lars Nordberg (DEN) - Lotte Meldgaard (DEN) def. Ulf Jonson (SWE) - Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Mathieu Richard (FRA)

Flight 5 : Lars Nordbjerg (DEN) def. Mathieu Richard (FRA) - Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) def. Ulf Jonson (SWE) - Peter Wibroe (SWE) def. Lotte Meldgaard (DEN)

Flight 6 : Staffan Lindberg (FIN) def. Kelvin Harrap (NZL) : Chris Law (GBR) def. Michael Dunstan (AUS) - Philippe Presti (FRA) def. Peter Gilmour (AUS)

Flight 7 : Staffan Lindberg (FIN) def. Chris Law (GBR) - Kelvin Harrap (NZL) def. Philippe Presti (FRA) - Peter Gilmour (AUS) def. Michael Dunstan (AUS)

Flight 8 : Staffan Lindberg (FIN) def. Michael Dunstan (AUS) - Chris Law (GBR) def. Philippe Presti (FRA) - Peter Gilmour (AUS) def. Kelvin Harrap (NZL)

Flight 9 : Peter Gilmour (AUS) def. Chris Law (GBR) - Kelvin Harrap (NZL) def. Michael Dunstan (AUS) - Philippe Presti (FRA) def. Staffan Lindberg (FIN)

The winners were Mathieu Richard (FRA) over Lotte Meldgaard (DEN), Ulf Jonson (SWE) over Peter Wibroe (DEN) and Lars Nordbjerg (DEN) over Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN).

The winds were so light on Oresund, north of Copenhagen between Denmark and Sweden, that the body of water resembled a reflecting pool, the only waves made by water skiers.

Day 1 Results (Flight 1)

Mathieu Richard (FRA) def. Lotte Meldgaard (DEN)
Ulf Jonson (SWE) def. Peter Wibroe (DEN)
Lars Nordbjerg (DEN) def. Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN)

The Danish Open is one of five events that have featured on the schedule in each of the Tour’s first five seasons. This year the event offers DKK200,000 (approximately $32,900) in prize money, with DKK60,000 (approximately $9,850) slated for the winner.

The top eight finishers also earn points towards the Tour championship, which awards $60,000 and a BMW 545i Touring to the champion.

Reigning champion Magnus Holmberg (SWE), skipper of the SeaLife Rangers crew, won’t be in attendance as he’s taking a break from match-racing until at least November.

The list of entries includes reigning Swedish Match Tour champion Peter Gilmour of Australia, the skipper of the Pizza-La Sailing Team, who placed third last year, as well as 2002 Danish Open champion Jes Gram-Hansen of Denmark.

Gram-Hansen and his crew of Michael Arnhild, Christian Kamp and Rasmus Kostner spent the month of July crewing for three-time America’s Cup champion Russell Coutts.

They won the Swedish Match Cup at the beginning of the month, and placed second on two other occasions, including the Portugal Match Cup, which kicked off the Swedish Match Tour season two weeks ago.

For the first time in Danish Open history the field features a female entry. Lotte Meldgaard-Pedersen (DEN), skipper of Team Gerimax, is the world’s No. 1-ranked women’s match-racer. Medgaard-Pedersen and crew placed sixth last weekend in the Lysekil Women’s Match Race, billed as the largest women’s match-race regatta in the world.

The field also includes Michael Dunstan (AUS) of the OzBoyz Challenge, Kelvin Harrap (NZL) of Team New Zealand, Ulf Jonson (SWE), Chris Law (GBR) of “The Outlaws”, Staffan Lindberg (FIN), Lars Nordbjaerg (DEN), Philippe Presti (FRA) of le Défi Français, Mathieu Richard (FRA) and Peter Wibroe (DEN).

Racing begins Thursday, Aug. 12, and continues through Sunday, Aug. 15., and is scheduled to start daily at 9:30 a.m.