June 25, 1998: Trofeo Day 1

Trofeo Day 1

TEAM CARIBBEAN 5-1 IN ITALIAN MATCH OPENER

Ravenna, Italy - JUNE 25, 1989 - Sailing in light airs -- 3-5 knots in the morning, building to 8-10 knots by afternoon -- on a windward-leeward course set close to the spectator-lined shore of the Marina di Ravenna Yacht Club, defending champion Peter Holmberg fought to retain his Trofeo Trophy by scoring five bullets in Thursday's opening Round-Robin before dropping his sixth match to New Zealander Murray Jones in the Trofeo Challenge Roberto Trombini event that continues through Sunday. "We started with a bang," says Holmberg. "Racing Francesco De Angelis in the first race, we had a major crash with five seconds before the start. A penalty was awarded to Italy, and we were gone! We handed out three more penalties during the day and never received any, so it's been our game so far."

Competing in a new Tom 28 -- one of a fleet of 10 built for especially for the event -- Holmberg's Team Caribbean America's Cup Challenge match racing team performed well. "Considering it's our first event as a team with no training, they are doing a great job," says Holmberg of his all-Caribbean crew that includes Paul Dielemans on main (St. Maarten), Morgan Avery on trim (St. Thomas), and Maurice Kurg handling bow and tactics (St. Thomas).

The Marina di Ravenna Yacht Club-hosted competition features 12 of the world's top-ranked skippers sailing in a single Round-Robin format with the top four teams advancing to Semi-Final and Final rounds. The Grade One event offers a total prize purse of $60,000 for first through twelfth placements.

"They have improved this event from last year to make it one of the best events on the circuit," says Holmberg, the 1997 winning skipper. "Large regatta village built, new boats, major opening ceremony, fireworks, $60,000 prize money, new car to the winner of a ten-boat fleet race, great food -- and they're treating us like celebrities!"

With six more Round Robin races set for Friday, current top-six skippers are: Peter Holmberg (5-1); Dean Barker of New Zealand (5-2); Luc Pillot of France (5-2); Chris Law of Great Britain (4-2); Murray Jones (4-3); and Francesco De Angelis (4-3). Completing the field are Kiwi Gavin Brady, France's Thierry Peponnet, Denmark's Morten Henriksen, and Italy's Mario Celon, Roberto Ferrarese, and Paolo Cian.

Currently ranked sixth in the world, Holmberg is a hot contender on the grand prix circuit after leading Team Caribbean to victory in the Grade One Congressional Cup in March and again at the Golden Gate Invitational last May.

Holmberg's match racing team is sponsored in Italy by its Team Caribbean America's Cup Challenge sponsors and American Airlines. For more information contact Arlene R. Martel at 340-776-0921.