Two escape acts that would make Houdini proud were the feature of the day at the Swedish Match Cup, the final event of the 2003-’04 Swedish Match Tour.

Peter Gilmour’s (AUS) Pizza-La Sailing Team and Jesper Bank’s (DEN) crew advanced to the quarterfinal round after narrowly averting defeat in the Stage 2 knockout series held today.

Russell Coutts (NZL), Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Chris Law (GBR) and Lars Nordbjerg (DEN) also advanced to the quarterfinal round, scheduled for tomorrow. Karol Jablonski (POL) and Ed Baird (USA) advanced straight to the quarterfinals after winning the Group A and B round robins, respectively.

“If you can get to the quarterfinals here, there are all good teams,” said Baird, who won the Group B round robin this morning with a 7-0 mark. “If the conditions suit your strong points you’re going to do well. But you have to go with whatever comes.”

STAGE 2 KNOCKOUT SERIES (First to 2 points wins)

Flight 1 : Lars Nordbjerg def. Mattias Rahm - Chris Law def. Luc Pillot - Peter Gilmour def. Gavin Brady

Flight 2: Mattias Rahm def. Lars Nordbjerg - Chris Law def. Luc Pillot - Gavin Brady def. Peter Gilmour

Flight 3 : Lars Nordbjerg def. Mattias Rahm - Peter Gilmour def. Gavin Brady

Flight 4 : Russell Coutts def. Johnie Berntsson - Jesper Bank def. Peter Holmberg - Magnus Holmberg def. Björn Hansen

Flight 5 : Russell Coutts def. Johnie Berntsson - Peter Holmberg def. Jesper Bank - Magnus Holmberg def. Björn Hansen

Flight 6 : Jesper Bank def. Peter Holmberg

GROUP B (Flight 7)

Flight 7 : Russell Coutts def. Björn Hansen - Peter Holmberg def. Staffan Lindberg - Peter Gilmour def. Lars Nordbjerg - Ed Baird def. Luc Pillot