| LANGENARGEN, GERMANY-(6-6-2003) There may be snow on the caps of the Alps on the horizon, but with the line up featuring three of the top four skippers on the Swedish Match Tour, including the defending event champion, and a prodigal son returning with yachting’s greatest prize under his arm, the action on Lake Constance will be hot for the Swedish Match Tour’s eighth event, Match Race Germany, starting tomorrow, Thursday, June 5.
As the second to last event of Swedish Match Tour 2002/2003 and with new Rankings leader James Spithill of Australia not in attendance due to a scheduling conflict, the three skippers just behind him in the Rankings will be looking to unseat the young Aussie helmsman.
Additionally, Denmark’s Jesper Radich is hoping for his second consecutive Swedish Match Tour win while also defending his 2002 Match Race Germany title, which was his first win on the Swedish Match Tour. Perhaps of greatest interest to the crowds lining the promenade of Lake Constance, however, is the return of native son Jochen Schümann who has spent the last two years serving as America’s Cup-holder Team Alinghi’s Director of Sports.
`I am really looking forward to some exciting action on Lake Constance,” said Schümann. “It will be some kind of double home game for me, as Lake Constance does not only represent Germany but also my second home Switzerland. That is one reason why we felt that we simply have to compete in Match Race Germany.`
Lake Constance is located in the middle of the famous triangle where the three countries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria meet. Organizers expect more than 20,000 spectators over the long Whitsun holiday weekend. Match Race Germany represents the only German tour stop on the Swedish Match Tour.
2003 Match Race Germany Skippers
Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN/Team Victory Lane) – Second on current Swedish Match Tour Rankings Leader
Jesper Radich (DEN/Team Radich) – Third on Swedish Match Tour Rankings
Chris Law (GBR/”The Outlaws”) – Fourth on Swedish Match Tour Rankings
Ed Baird (USA/Team Musto) – Eighth on Swedish Match Tour Rankings
Mattias Rahm (SWE/Team Stena Bulk) – Tenth on Swedish Match Tour Rankings
Staffan Lindberg (FIN/Team Musto) – Twelfth ranked skipper on Swedish Match Tour
Markus Wieser (GER) – Former Match Race Germany winner (2001)
Luc Pillot (FRA/Team Pillot) – Former helmsman for Le Defi Areva Challenge
Jochen Schuemann (Alinghi Team) – Director of Sports for America’s Cup holders, Alinghi Team
Henrik Jensen (DEN) - Young Danish helmsman
Mikael Lindquist (SWE) - Competive Swedish helmsman
Andreas Willim (GER) – German qualifier
For all the latest news and information about the Swedish Match Tour and results and photos from Match Race Germany, visit www.swedishmatchtour.com.
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