A royal affair

Anne Hinton previews tomorrow's match race between the new Danish royal couple

A short match race series, to be screened live on Danish television, will take place tomorrow, 9 May, between John Bertrand (Australia) and Jesper Bank (Denmark). This is part of the celebrations of the royal wedding on 14th May between the popular heir to the throne of one of the world’s oldest monarchies, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, who has been voted ’Dane of the Year’ on several occasions, and Tasmanian Mary Donaldson.

In a change to the original arrangements, the Crown Prince, who is a world top-ranked Dragon sailor, will steer the ’Danish’ boat, while Jesper Bank will act as tactician. Bertrand will steer the ’Australian’ boat, with Mary Donaldson trimming. The other crew on the ’Australian’ boat are from Denmark, led by National Olympic coach Theis Palm. Sadly, Danish sailing legend Paul Elvström has withdrawn from the event.

Prior to the match racing, which commences at 12.30 local time, Bank and Bertrand will race each other in two old 12 metre yachts. Racing will be held just off the Langelinie Quay in central Copenhagen.

Bertrand was out practising on the Øresund today in the DS match racers. Suggestions that a winged keel might be seen on the Australian boat tomorrow were negated by race officer Morten Lorenzen, who pointed out that the two actual DS match racers to be used in the racing tomorrow had so far been kept beyond the reach of the competitors.

The weather today in Copenhagen is grey and damp with 10-12 knot breezes. The forecast for the racing tomorrow is better, with sunshine and northeasterly winds expected.

Odds on the racing are being offered by a local betting agency with a return of 2-1 if Mary Donaldson’s boat is successful and slightly shorter odds of 1.7-1 for her husband-to-be, Crown Prince Frederik.

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