Sailor legend and three times World Match Racing Tour champion Peter Gilmour from Australia is now confirmed to participate in Match Cup Sweden 2008, June 30 to July 6. One of the great surprises from the opening of the present Match racing season, French Damien Iehl, has filled the last and twelfth spot after winning the qualification event, GKSS Spring Cup.

Ten of the best sailors in the world were recently presented as confirmed for the world championship sailings in Marstrand during Match Cup Sweden this summer. The two final spots that were vacant in the men’s starting field have now been filled.
Sailor legend Peter Gilmour has confirmed his participation. Besides three titles on the World Match Racing Tour, he is the only one who has ever defended a title, the Australian has also carried out five America’s Cup projects.

- It’s a great honour for us that Gilmour chooses to come to Match Cup Sweden. Besides being one of the world’s best sailors, he also has a tremendously successful history at Marstrand, says Jan Torstenson, managing director of Brandspot, organiser of Match Cup Sweden in sports cooperation with GKSS.

Iehl won the qualification event
French sailor Damien Iehl got his ticket to Marstrand by winning the qualification event, GKSS Spring Cup. After the Round Robin, three sailors ended up on the same score of nine points; Damien Iehl, Staffan Lindberg and Mattias Rahm. Iehl finally met Lindberg in the finals, which he won convincingly by 2-0. At the prize ceremony Iehl received an official invitation to Marstrand and Match Cup Sweden 2008.

- Our starting field is complete and it’s great to have Peter Gilmour back with us after a few years of absence. His name and presence is a great strength for the whole event and he will be one of the top favourites to win this race, says Erik Centerwall, sports project manager at GKSS.

The three top ranked women in the world, Claire Leroy, France, Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, Denmark, and Katie Spithill, Australia, are also confirmed for the event, and they will be challenged by Swedish candidates Linda Rahm, Jenny Axhede and Anna Kjellberg.

Match Cup Sweden is the Swedish and fourth stage of the world championship in Match racing, World Match Racing Tour, and is organised by Brandspot in sports cooperation with GKSS.

Skippers Match Cup Sweden 2008

Men

Paulo Cian (M1), Italy

Björn Hansen (M2), Sweden

Ian Williams (M3), Great Britain

Magnus Holmberg (M4), Sweden

Mattias Rahm, (M5), Sweden

Torvar Mirsky (M5), Australia

Ben Ainslie (M), Great Britain

Mathieu Richard (M), France

Sebastien Col (M), France

Jes Gram-Hansen (M), Denmark

Peter Gilmour (M), Australia

Damien Iehl (M), France

Women

Claire Leroy (D1), France

Lotte Medlgaard Pedersen (D2), Denmark
Katie Spithill (D3), Australia
Linda Rahm (D9), Sweden
Jenny Axhede (D10), Sweden
Camilla Ulrikkeholm (D14), Denmark
Sandy Hayes (D16), USA
Anna Kjellberg (D23), Sweden