The world’s eyes focus on Marstrand
Stena Match Cup Sweden is regarded as a template for new WMRT-cities
The match racing world championship series, the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) set out on a new path almost one year ago. The vision was to create the world’s leading mono-hull match racing series. With new boats, new venues and increased professionalism many steps towards that vision have already been taken. Next week the sailing circus hits Marstrand and Stena Match Cup Sweden, an event that is communicated to new venues as a template to learn from and look up to.
“When Brandspot partnered with GKSS as organizing partner back in 2007, the event was taken to a whole new level, which still develops each year. We want the new venues that are joining the WMRT to fully understand the importance of combining what happens on and off the water, just as we see in Sweden”, says Jim O'Toole, Managing Director, World Match Racing Tour.
Off the water means integrating the world class sailing with the local community, business society, family entertainment and a sailing interested crowd. An important goal for the WMRT is to provide the existing and future organizers with a healthy business model. The boats used for the event need to be utilized all year around and not only during the event week. To make this happen the tour encourages corporate sailing, seminars and training sessions among others.
The WMRT has set up a goal of 15 events for 2013, a brave but achievable target. To get there, a bidding-process was initiated where over 65 venues around the globe joined in. Today seven live up to the demands of providing the right financials, an engaged city and most important, the right wind conditions to provide tight match racing for the audiences. These cities have representatives coming to Stena Match Cup Sweden 2011 to see, learn and soak up the atmosphere on the island.
“When the America’s Cup changed from mono to multi-hull we came to the conclusion that we believe that match racing should be done in mono-hull boats, which we think is the way of the future. Our vision is to create the leading professional sailing series, where the world’s top sailors can make a living and compete against the best sailors in the world. Our progress in that direction during the last year shows that we are on the right track for the future”, concludes Jim O'Toole.
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matchcupsweden.com, Facebook - Match Cup Sweden, Twitter – MatchCupSweden.
For more information, please contact
Lars-Ola Nordqvist, Press manager Stena Match Cup Sweden, +46-70-689 11 20, lars@comvision.se
Jan Torstenson, CEO Brandspot, +46-706-68 55 73, jan@brandspot.com
Stena Match Cup Sweden is the largest sailing event in northern Europe. It is also one of eight World Championship events in the World Match Racing Tour. The event is held on Marstrand between July 4-10, 2011 and normally attracts 100 000 visitors every year. Stena Match Cup Sweden is arranged by GKSS in cooperation with Brandspot. GKSS is responsible for the sports related parts and Brandspot is responsible for the commercial rights concerning the event.
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