Match race Europeans

To be held in Hamburg at the end of this month

Another of this years highlight sport events is coming up in Hamburg. The best European match race sailors will visit the Hanseatic City to challenge each other in tactical duels. And the entry list promises tough racing. The qualification regatta starts on Sunday 30 September.

Andreas Willim from Goltoft near Schleswig and his crew Helge Homann as well as Karsten Happel will represent Germany. He finished seventh at last year's European Championship held in Ekaterinburg (Russia). "We are just amateurs in the professional Match Race scene, but we took part in many events this year so we are well prepared," said Willim.

"It is wonderful to be able to sail the Europeans in our country and my crew lives in Hamburg so it is a home match for us. It is our aim to reach the semi-finals“, adds the 39 year old helmsman.

Staffan Lindberg from Finland, Bjorn Hansen from Sweden and Matteo Simoncelli from Italy will be among the toughest competitors for the German. Peter Wibroe will sail for Denmark and Eric Monnin for Switzerland.

Ole von Beust, major of Hamburg and patron of the event comments: "The European Championship in match racing is an outstanding event for the city of Hamburg. We will see the best European sailors live on the Alster competing for the title. I am especially happy that the Hamburger Segel-Club made it possible to combine the regatta with social activities."

A commentator will explain what is going on on the water and spectators can try their own match racing skills on a computer. "We are looking forward to great sport and many visitors and we are very happy that we could bring the European Championship to Hamburg“, said Rüdiger Schach, president of the Hamburger Segel-Club.

Line-up

Ranking Nation Team Skippers Name Crew
9 SWE Team Apport.net Björn HANSEN, Pontus Meijer, Johan Qviberg
11 ITA Itway match race team Matteo SIMONCELLI
12 FIN Alandia Sailing Team Staffan LINDBERG, Robert Skarp, Carl-Johan Uckelstam
18 FRA Extrem team Morbihan Pierre Antoine MORVAN, Nicolas Pauchet, Dévan Le Bihan
20 GER Team Willim Andreas WILLIM, Helge Homann, Karsten Happel
22 DEN Team Wibroe Peter WIBROE, Jeppe Rasmussen,
24 SUI Eric MONNIN Jean-Claude Monnin, Marc Monnin
34 RUS Maxim TARANOV Dmitriy Gornyy, Oleg Laptev
38 CRO Croatia One Dario KLIBA Damir Nakrst, Nikola Prlenda
47 POL Marek STANCZYK Maciej Kolosinski, Dominik Niskiewicz
49 SLO Slovenia MR Team Jule OREL Davor Glavina, Aleš Boznik
50 GBR Nick CHERRY

Program - European Match Race Championship 2006

Friday, 29th September: 7.00 pm: Opening Ceremony (HSC)
Saturday, 30th September: 11.00 am - 5.00 pm, Qualification
Sunday, 1st October: 10.00 am - 5.00 pm, Qualification
Monday, 2nd. October: 10.00 am - 5.00 pm, Quarterfinals
and repechage
Tuesday, 3rd October: 10.00 am start of the semifinals
15.00 pm Final of the European Championship.

The price giving ceremony will take place around 5.00 pm at the HSC clubhouse. The program is subject to changes due to weather conditions.