Swedish Match Tour leader Jes Gram-Hansen of Team Victory Lane tops the list of competitors this year and while he didn’t helm an entry in last year’s inaugural Toscana Elba Cup – Trofeo Locman, he is familiar with the boats and conditions off Elba’s Portoferraio, having crewed for Great Britains’s Chris Law in 2002.

“It’s always good to know the sailing area and the boats,” said Gram-Hansen. “I’m looking forward to being here with my own crew, this is one of the top events on the Swedish Match Tour, and we’re well prepared and very confident.”

Among the ten other competitors lining up in Elba, defending champion Ed Baird can’t be counted out. Baird, who is returning to the Swedish Match Tour after a hiatus due to his commentating duties at the America’s Cup, currently sits in sixth place on the Swedish Match Tour 2002/2003 Rankings, due largely to his runner-up finish at last July’s UBS Challenge in Newport, RI, USA.

“There are a number of challenges in this venue,” hinted Baird. “You’ve got to balance the standard match racing tactics against some geographic quirks, and if last year is any indication, there may be an odd cargo ship or ferry that will come into play before the week is out.”

As far as catching up with some of his peers who have been doing a bit more racing, Baird is unfazed. “I have some familiar faces with me this week, so we’re feeling pretty good. The field this week is full of great sailors, so it should be some really exciting racing.”

Another skipper to watch this week will be Paolo Cian of the Riviera di Rimini Sailing Team. Cian was helmsman for the Mascalzone Latino challenge for America’s Cup 2003 and is intimately familiar with the conditions around Elba as the island served as the training base for the “Latin Rascals.”

“The breeze builds up after mid-day and we should have good conditions this week, 10-12 knots,” said Cian. “It’s very patchy out on the bay, however and strategy is very important.”

The 2003 Toscana Elba Cup – Trofeo Locman features a single round robin followed by quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. The event has a total prize purse of 206,500 Euros with 77,500 Euros, as well as the specially designed event trophy, being awarded to the winner.

2003 Toscana Elba Cup – Trofeo Locman competitors: Jes Gram-Hansen, DEN/Team Victory Lane – Swedish Match Tour 2002/2003 Rankings Leader Jesper Radich, DEN/Team Radich – Second on current Swedish Match Tour Rankings James Spithill, AUS/Team Spithill – Third on current Swedish Match Tour Rankings Chris Law, GBR/ “The Outlaws” – Fourth on current Swedish Match Tour Rankings Ed Baird, USA/Team Musto – Sixth on current Swedish Match Tour Rankings Defending Toscana Elba Cup – Trofeo Locman Champion Karol Jablonski, POL/Jablonski Sailing Team – Helmsman for Polish 2007 America’s Cup Challenge Magnus Holmberg, SWE/Team Holmberg – Former Swedish Match Tour Champion (2001) Helmsman for 2003 Victory Challenge Paolo Cian, ITA/Riviera di Rimini Sailing Team – Helmsman for Mascalzone Latino in 2003 Andy Beadsworth, GBR Challenge – Helmsman for 2003 GBR Challenge Luc Pillot, FRA/Team Pillot – Helmsman for 2003 Le Defi Areva Challenge Sebastien Destramau, France – Tactician for 2003 Le Defi Areva Challenge

Source: Shawn McBride