01.07.2010
Team GAC Pindar heads to Stena Match Cup Sweden
The stage is set for the Stena Match Cup Sweden in Marstrand next week, where leading British skipper, Ian Williams and his Team GAC Pindar crew will join a total of 16 crews for the fifth round of the World Match Racing Tour.
Williams, who currently lies fifth in the Tour standings, will be looking for another strong performance having finished fifth, second and fourth in his three outings so far this season. He currently stands at 42 points, 29 points behind current Tour leader Mathieu Richard (French Match Racing Team).
Now in its 16th year, The STENA Match Cup Sweden is the country's largest sailing event and one of the most vibrant events on the tour calendar. The action will take place from 5-11 July at the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club, on the picturesque island of Marstrand, north of Gothenburg. Over 150,000 spectators are expected to attend the event to watch the crews battle it out on identical DS 37 boats, for a share of the prize purse totalling $100,000.
The 16 crews will be divided into two groups of 8 for the round robin stages, after which the top four from each group will advance to the quarter-finals on Friday, followed by the semi-finals and final on Sunday.
Competing alongside twice previous ISAF World Match Racing Tour Champion, Williams, is a stellar line up of skippers, including reigning Tour Champion, Adam Minoprio (ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing) Mathieu Richard (French Match Racing Team) and fellow British skipper, three-time Olympic gold medallist, Ben Ainslie.
Speaking ahead of the event, Williams commented: "We don't have the best track record at the Match Cup Sweden, however we'll certainly be doing our best to change that this week. With the halfway point of the 2010 Tour fast approaching, every point is more crucial than ever. The Stena Match Cup Sweden is one of the most enjoyable events on the calendar - the location is stunning and there's always great support from the spectators. We're looking forward to an exciting week."
The Stena Match Cup Sweden has become a key meeting spot for Sweden's leading corporations and their clients. An estimated 6,500 corporate guests have been invited to the event, allowing sponsors to host meetings and business forums in an exclusive setting, overlooking the racing arena.
Williams will be sailing under the 'Team GAC Pindar' banner - a unique partnership between independent sailing company Team Pindar and global shipping, logistics and marine services provider GAC Group. Jointly, the two leading brands aim to leverage the synergies from their combined strengths and networks to build brand awareness and generate business opportunities in the exciting sailing arena.
The GAC Group has a strong connection to Sweden. The company was founded when two Kuwaiti businessmen, Abdul Aziz al-Kazemi and Jassim Mohammed Thuneyan Alghanim, travelled to Sweden in 1955 to buy cement. Kuwait lacked any modern ports so they needed to find help to unload the shipments. They met Bengt Lindwall, owner of Sweden's largest travel agency, who helped them to establish a travel and shipping venture 'Gulf Agency Company', as a joint venture with Swedish shipping agency 'Nyman & Schultz'. Today the GAC Group employs more than 9,000 people in more than 300 offices worldwide.
Captain Peter Gronberg, Managing Director of GAC, Bahrain said: "It is great to be competing in Sweden where the GAC Group enjoys a rich heritage. We are looking forward to welcoming a number of guests throughout the week, whilst also following Ian's progress on the water. "
Running in conjunction with the men's event next week is the Women's Stena Match Cup Sweden, where ten female crews will race on the new Elliott 6 boats - the same design that has been confirmed for the 2012 Olympic Sailing competition.
Team GAC Pindar crew: Ian Williams (Skipper), Mark Cassidy, Mark Nicholls, Richard Sydenham and Mal Parker.
-ends-
To follow all the action from the Stena Match Cup Sweden, please visit, www.wmrt.org or www.matchcupsweden.com
For more information about Team GAC Pindar, please visit: www.teampindar.com
|
