Off with their heads

King Harald loses first place in rescore at IMS European Championship. Bob Fisher speaks to Einar Sissener

King Harald V of Norway led the IMS European Championship with only the long offshore race, the Eurocard Gotland Runt, to come, until a re-scoring of the entire regatta reversed the first two places. Principal beneficiary of the re-score was Einar Sissener (see below) with the Grand Soleil 42R Al Capone III who retained the lead he had held overnight.

The earlier scoring, which also affected the first four races, gave a fourth place in the 8.9 mile inshore race today to King Harald and his crew on the Farr 53 Fram XV putting him 3.75 points clear of Sissener.

In a slowly fading breeze that was 9-10 knots at the start Fram XV majestically carved her way to the front of the fleet, extending her lead as the race progressed. It was an ideal day for the biggest boat in the 37-strong fleet to show her paces, with a flat sea and warm sunshine.

Al Capone III appeared buried just after the start and could not shake off the attentions of the other two Grand Soleil 42Rs, Emil Wiberg’s Scandinavian Arena Race (SWE), which as Holmatro won the Gotland Runt last year, and Eskil Degsell’s Hagstromer & Qviberg (SWE), both of which have a slightly better handicap and initially had beaten Sissener. But when all the races were re-scored Al Capone III had leapfrogged into fifth place, from ninth and Fram XV dropped from fourth to fifth. This gave Al Capone a 3.25 points lead over Fram XV.

The race winner was Peter Rudback’s IMX-40 Imagine (SWE), by three seconds from Horst Mann’s JV-42, L+M Hispaniola (GER). Ralf Aspholm’s Sinergia 40 Data Communication (SWE) was originally third and dropped to fourth behind Al Capone III, and occupies the third position in the overall standings before the Gotland Runt, which starts tomorrow from noon.

Overall:
1. Al Capone III Einar Sissener(NOR) 1-1-2-2-3 9.25points
2. Fram XV King Harald V (NOR) 2-2-1-1-5 12.5
3. Data Communication Ralf Aspholm (SWE) 6-4-3-14-4 37
4. Scandinavian Arena Race Emil Wiberg (SWE) 6-11-5-6-6 38
5. Hagstromer & Qviberg Eskil Degsell (SWE) 4-3-6-16-7 40
6. Imagine Peter Rudback (SWE) 10-5-14-5-1 44.75

Gangsters in Paradise

Einar Sissener is completely unstoppable; at 76 years old he is a highly competitive yachtsman who says: "I enjoy sailing and young people in the crew inspire me." He added: "age has to do with attitude; you can say, “I am an old man,” but I don’t." His sailing plans would confirm that.

Leading the European IMS Championship going in to the last race, Sissener revealed that he plans to attack three major championships this year. Following the IMS Europeans, he will tackle the IMS German Open Championship and follow that with the IMS World Championship, in Germany.

His preparation, that seems to be bearing fruit, included taking delivery of one of the five Grand Soleil 42Rs released this year on 22 May, making sure that it was optimised to the latest changes in the IMS Rule, and assembling a top-class crew.

"We have boat speed, good sails and an excellent crew; it’s the ultimate secret of our success," said Sissener. "I sit at the back and shout good advice." At which, he burst into laughter. "This is a good, amateur, Norwegian crew, and we are beating the King!"

Sissener describes his relationship with King Harald of Norway, one that has stood the test of time and competition. "Last year, when Norway was celebrating its centenary [freed from union with Sweden in 1904], the IMS World Championship coincided with the 17 May date when the King had to stand on the palace balcony and wave to the crowd, and he asked me to take his boat to the World Championship in Capri."

Things went sufficiently well for Sissener and the crew of the 1991-built Farr 53 footer that they finished third. "Yes, I want to do better than that this year in my own boat," he admits. And the boat is the third of his to bear the name Al Capone and the reason for that is somewhat tortuous.

"I am the Chairman of the Alpharma Company that is quoted on the New York Stock Exchange," he said by way of explanation as to where the 'Al' comes from. "The Cap is me, the Captain, and I am number one; put them together and you have 'Al Capone'."

The crew have taken the name one step further as Sissener displayed when he stood up and took off his jacket. There, right across the back of his shirt was the legend, 'Gangsters in Paradise'. By the way they are sailing, this crew is certainly capable of 'stealing' all the silverware available to it at this regatta, and probably more down the line.