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Holmberg Advances to Trofeo Semi-Final
Ravenna, Italy - JUNE 26, 1989 - Peter Holmberg and the Team Caribbean Match Racing Team got another step closer to defending the Trofeo Trophy by posting a 3-2 score in Friday's final five Round-Robin races at the Trofeo Challenge Roberto Trombini event that continues through Sunday in Ravenna,
Italy.
Sailing on a windward-leeward course in lighter winds (5-10 knots) and bigger seas than yesterday, No. 6 world-ranked Holmberg battled Luc Pillot in a close Race One start, then bested the No. 12-ranked Frenchman on the first beat, and maintained a three boat length lead to the finish line.
No. 10-ranked Kiwi, Gavin Brady, turned the tables in Race Two, edging out Holmberg at the start and sailing off with the win. Paired against France's No. 11-ranked skipper, Thierry Peponnet, Holmberg took the start then easily extended his lead to capture Race Three.
The Team Caribbean winning formula - control the start, leave the opponent looking at your stern, then sail across the finish line first was repeated in the Race Four match against Denmark's Morten Henriksen, currently ranked at No. 13.
Holding a No. 3 world ranking, Great Britain's Chris Law held Holmberg to an even Race Five start and led to the half-way mark on the first beat. "We passed Law on the beat, then led by three lengths downwind," says Holmberg, but Law passed us at the leeward mark." An exciting tacking duel ensued up the next beat to windward, but Law maintained his lead to finish by a few lengths.
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.
After 11 Round-Robin races, the four top skippers advancing to Friday's Semi-Finals include Peter Holmberg (8-3), Chris Law (7-4), New Zealand's Dean Barker (7-4) and Luc Pillot (7-4). Posting the best win-loss record in the preliminaries, Holmberg gets to select his Semi-Final Round opponent and is rumored to favor a face-off with Pillot.
Battling for the fifth through twelfth place share of the prize purse will be Kiwi Gavin Brady (7-4), Italian Paolo Cian (6-5), Morten Henriksen (6-5), Italian Francesco De Angelis (6-5), Italian Mario Celon (5-6), New Zealander Murray Jones (5-6), Thierry Peponnet (2-9) and Italian Roberto Ferrarese (0-11).
Sailing a new Tom 28 -- and his first match with a new crew that includes Paul Dielemans on main (St. Maarten), Morgan Avery on trim (St. Thomas), and Maurice Kurg handling bow and tactics (St. Thomas) -- helmsman Holmberg seemed satisfied with Friday's performance. "The team's done an excellent job," says Holmberg. "We might be a bit loud, look a little ugly at times, but we're getting the job done, and having a good time. Our speed has been really good, so we just need to sail smart. We should do fine."
Holmberg is the designated skipper for the Team Caribbean America's Cup Challenge. His international 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. |
