Chris Poole and Anna Östling victorious at the GKSS Match Cup Sweden and the Nordea Women’s Trophy

Chris Poole and Anna Östling victorious at the GKSS Match Cup Sweden and the Nordea Women’s Trophy

by World Match Racing Tour 8 July 16:42 HKT
1-6 July 2024

This weekend, American Chris Poole/Riptide Racing became the first American skipper to win the GKSS Match Cup Sweden, the founding event of the World Match Racing Tour, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

Sweden’s Anna Östling and her team Wings successfully defended their Nordea Women’s Trophy title by defeating Renee Groeneveld and her Dutch Women’s Match Racing team in a thrilling final. It is the first year that the GKSS Match Cup Sweden has hosted an official leg of both the World Match Racing Tour and the Women’s World Match Racing Tour in the same week.

After the race in Marstrand had to be postponed on Friday due to strong winds, the chief race director Annika Ekman and the GKSS race committee team started promptly on Saturday morning with the semifinals for the first to second point in the open and women’s division.

Popular Swedish sailor and World Match Racing Tour veteran Johnie Berntsson and his team quickly put their local knowledge to good use, defeating Denmark’s Jeppe Borch/Borch Racing 2-0 in the first semi-final, putting Berntsson through to the final.

The US-American Chris Poole and the Riptide Racing Team also defeated their semi-final opponent Eric Monnin/Capvis Swiss Match Racing 2-0 and secured their place in the final.

In the final for the first two points, Berntsson led Poole in the first race, but the teams met in a windward duel at the top mark, from which Poole managed to stay ahead despite several protests from his opponent, which were dismissed by the referees with a green flag. Poole was able to control the lead until the finish line.

After changing course due to a change in wind direction, Poole and his team were in the lead at the second start and were able to build a four-boat length lead over Berntsson after the first leg, which they again held until the finish to secure the Match Cup title with a score of 2-0.

“It’s just fantastic,” commented Poole from the finish line. “Match Cup Sweden is one of the most famous match races in the world and to win it is great, but to be the first American to do it is even better – the team sailed phenomenally and we are very happy with the result.”

At the Nordea Women’s Trophy event, which was held parallel to the GKSS Masters Cup Sweden, Sweden’s Anna Östling/Team Wings and Renee Groeneveld/Dutch Match Racing Team met in the final after both teams had defeated their respective semi-final opponents Julia Aartsen (NED)/Team Out of the Box and Pauline Courtois (FRA)/Match in Pink.

After Groeneveld won the first race, the Wings team was determined to stay in the game and equalized 1-1 in the second race.

In the three-lap decider on the shorter course, the teams were separated by less than a boat length on the final leg, but it was the Wings team that jibed first and narrowly broke away from Groeneveld to cross the finish line first – much to the delight of the loyal fans lined up on the Marstrand rocks.

“I’m so exhausted!” cheered Östling as he crossed the finish line. “This is the craziest finale we’ve ever driven, three laps with such a gusty breeze and lots of lead changes. Renee was a very strong opponent, but we as a team never give up and today was our day – we’re thrilled and I’m so happy for the whole team who worked so hard for this result!”

GKSS Match Cup Sweden 2024, final results:

1. Chris Poole/ Riptide Racing, USA
2. Johnie Berntsson/ Berntsson Sailing, SWE
3. Jeppe Borch/ Borch Racing, DEN
4. Eric Monnin/ Capvis Swiss Match Racing, SUI
5. Nick Egnot-Johnson/ Knots Racing, NZL
6. Aurélien Pierroz/ Match in Black, FRA
7. Marius Westerlind, SWE
8. Theo Westerlind, SWE
9. Matti Sepp/ Clean Energy Racing, EST
10. Rocco Attili/ RBYS Racing, ITA

Final results of the Nordea Women’s Trophy 2024:

1. Anna Östling/ Team WINGS, SWE
2. Renee Groeneveld/ Dutch Match Racing, NED
3. Pauline Courtois/ Match in Pink, FRA
4. Julia Aartsen/ Team Out of the Box, NED
5. Martina Carlsson/ Beyond Racing, SWE
6. Celia Willison/ EDGE Racing NZ, NZL
7. Kristine Mauritzen/ Those Seagulls, DEN
8. Megan Thomson/ 2.o Racing, NZL

For full results, visit the GKSS Match Cup Sweden page at WMRT.com and the Nordea Women’s Trophy page at Women’s WMRT.

For more information, visit wmrt.com and womenswmrt.com and follow us on social media on Facebook and Instagram at @wordmatchracingtour and @womenswmrt.