World top match racers

Convene for ISAF Worlds on Lake Garda

The ISAF Match Racing World Championship starts off tomorrow, Sunday 24 August, in the main square of picturesque Riva del Garda, where the skippers will have the chance to meet the locals, supporters, tourists and the 14 Optimist teams competing in the Grandoptical European Champion's Cup on Lake Ledro. The meeting is set for 8.30pm in Piazza 3 Novembre, Riva del Garda.

Tomorrow the skippers will also have the chance to complete the formalities of registration and crew weighing and to start practicing on the BluSail24 Sport, the one design boat chosen for the ISAF Match Racing World Championship.

On Monday August 25 there will be more crew weighing, registration and on-the-water practice. A skippers' briefing and umpire meeting will follow. At 6 pm Fraglia Vela Riva will host the opening ceremony where all the competing crews will be presented. Race 1 is scheduled for 9.00 am on Tuesday August 26.

The final entry list, including crew members, is the following:

1. Russell Coutts, New Zealand - 161st in the world ranking list (published on July 8, 2003) and 2003 America's Cup winner
Warwick Fleury
Simon Daubney
Pieter Van Niewenhuyzen

2. Karol Jablonski, Poland - 1st and current world champion
Grzegorz Baranowski
Piotr Przybylski
Jacek Wysocki

3. Jesper Radich, Denmark - 2nd (winner of 2002-3 Swedish Match Tour)
Peter Poulsen
Rasmus Winston
Jann Neergaard

4. Jes Gram-Hansen, Denmark - 3rd
Rasmus Kostner
Michael Arnhild
Christian Kamp

5. Ed Baird, USA - 4th
Andy Horton
Tom Burnham
John Ziskind

6. James Spithill, Australia - 5th
Ben Durham
Joe Newton
Andy Fethers

7. Bjorn Hansen, Sweden - 7th
Fredrik Ekman
Andres Jonsson
Mathias Bredin

8. Mathieu Richard, France - 8th
Greg Evrard
Olivier Herledant
Yannick Simon

9. Staffan Lindberg, Finland - 9th
Daniel Wallberg
Peter Krull
Martin Krite

10. Mikael Lindqvist, Sweden - 10th
Johan Tempelman
Jakob Nilsson
Mathias Ahlmstedt

11. Ian Williams, UK - 11th
Simon Fisher
Joe Llewellyn
Mark Williams

12. Paolo Cian, Italy - 12th
Salvatore Pavoni
Pierluigi Fornelli
Peter Van Niekerk