Hansen And Swinton On Semi Final Match Points

Marstrand, Sweden (3rd July, 2015): The final four skippers emerged today at Stena Match Cup Sweden with defending event champion Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Nautiska Racing and Australia’s Keith Swinton, Black Swan Racing each heading into the final day at match point in their respective Semi Final matches against opponents Taylor Canfield (ISV) US One and Ian Williams (GBR) GAC Pindar. Stena Match Cup is the third World Championship Event of the 2015 World Match Racing Tour (WMRT).

Earlier in the day, Hansen and Williams both made short work of their Quarter Final opponents, Italian Simone Ferrarese, Ferrarese Racing and Reuben Corbett (NZL) Corbett Racing respectively ending their hopes of Stena Match Cup glory 3-0.

Racing today was held in a southerly wind of 12-15 knots, which meant the course was placed across the fjord forcing the race management team to run three lap matches.

In the third Quarter Final Taylor Canfield’s US One team faced Phil Robertson (NZL) Trefor Match Racing. In one of the most fiercely contested knockouts former ISAF World Champion Canfield was pushed hard by the Kiwi skipper, this week standing in for usual Trefor helm Nicolai Sehested (DEN) who has had prior commitments with Team Vestas Wind in the Volvo Ocean Race. Robertson was fast out of the blocks taking the first race, but Canfield came back and in a measured display of match racing took the following three wins and booked his slot in the Semi Finals.

Said Canfield "It’s good to make the Semi Finals and to be pressed along the way as it only gets harder from here. The plan for tomorrow is the same as today, nothing has changed - we're just going to get out there and sail."

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