Sailing at the highest level in Lysekil Women’s Match

The international elite has now gathered for this week’s races in Lysekil, which are part of the world’s largest match racing event for women with a prize purse of SEK 400,000. In addition to last year’s winner, another two Swedish women will participate with their teams. A total of 12 of the world’s foremost female match racing skippers will participate, including the current world champion Claire Leroy from France and Lotta Meldgaard Pedersen from Denmark, ranked number two by the International Sailing Federation. Preem Petroleum and Stena Bulk are the main sponsors of the popular summer event in Lysekil.

“For some time now, we have been supporting Linda Rahm, who won the competition last year here in Lysekil. In fact, we’re very much involved in the whole Rahm family and we were thus very pleased when Mattias Rahm triumphed in this year’s Match Cup Sweden in Marstrand. We are eagerly looking forward to this week’s races”, says Ulf G. Ryder, President and CEO of Stena Bulk AB.

“Lysekil Women’s Match is one of the summer’s highlights here on the Swedish West Coast and has proved to be a very successful event for both the participants and the general public. The competitions are very important not only for the Municipality of Lysekil but also for us since we are a large employer in the area. We are looking forward to exciting and crowd-pleasing races”, says Michael G:son Löw, CEO of Preem Petroleum AB.

Lysekil
Lysekil Women’s Match is being held for the fourth time. The event has attracted increasing interest and the number of spectators is expected to exceed last year’s more than 70,000 visitors by a wide margin. The sailing conditions are most often good and because of the currents, the competitors have to risk sailing close to the rocks. As a result, sail racing is very spectator friendly with the rocks as natural stands for the spectators.

The competition
Prior to this year’s races in Marstrand, a new trophy was introduced, Marstrand Lysekil Women’s Double, which will go to the best placed female team in Marstrand and Lysekil. Next year, 2009, Lysekil Women’s Match will have World Championship status, which should result in even greater interest.

Program
The races are held everyday with the final on Saturday, while entertainment every evening is provided by well-known artists such as Tommy Nilsson, E.M.D. and Eric Gadd. On Tuesday, 29 July, the Municipality of Lysekil will arrange a debate with the theme ”Sun, wind and water” attended by several Swedish MPs.

Match racing
Match racing is the form of sail racing that is easiest to understand – at least for the spectators. Only two boats to keep an eye on and the winner is the first boat to cross the finishing line. The boats sail twice round a course and the matches are short and intensive. Here, the teams’ tactical ability and skill are decisive.


The arrangers in Lysekil are Sailnet Lysekil AB in collaboration with Lysekils SS Gullmar. The main sponsors are Preem and Stena Bulk (together with its sister company Concordia Maritime), while Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden, Ridderhejms Delikatesser, Evidens and Musto are partners.


For more information, please contact:
Ulf G Ryder
President And CEO
Mobile +46 704 85 50 01

Lena T Alvling
Stena Bulk AB
Mobile +46 704 85 50 20

Helene Samuelsson
Preem Petroleum AB
Mobile +46 704 50 12 12

See also www.lysekilwomensmatch.se