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Holmberg Top US Match Racer in World
PETER HOLMBERG
RANKED TOP U.S. MATCH RACE SAILOR
St. Thomas, USVI-July 7, 1998- Peter Holmberg, co-founder and skipper of Team Caribbean's America's Cup Challenge, has climbed to number 3 in the world on the latest World Match Race Rankings issued today. His new ranking, behind Australia's Peter Gilmour and Great Britain's Chris Law, puts Holmberg at the top of the list of all United States skippers. The only other U.S. skipper ranked in the top ten is Ed Baird, currently number 10.
More than 1,200 match racing skippers throughout the world are ranked on the authoritative list issued by the International Sailing Federation. Ahead of Holmberg is Australian Peter Gilmour in the top spot, followed by Great Britain's Chris Law. Holmberg's jump from 6th to 3rd is largely the result of his victory at the end of June in Italy at the Trofeo Challenge Roberto Trombini, where he bested Law in the finals of the Grade One event.
The international match racing circuit is generally considered a "training ground" for the America's Cup races as the events share the same format of one-on-one races. It also affords stiff competition, especially in the Grade One (top rated) events, in which the best sailors in the world compete. Other America's Cup sailors currently ranked in the top ten are Gilmour (Nippon Challenge), Bertrand Pace (4th, Yaka France), Russell Coutts (5th, Team New Zealand), Jochen Schumann (8th, Switzerland's Fast 2000), and Baird (New York Yacht Club's Young America).
"It's exciting to be ranked this highly," said Holmberg. "This should give a boost to Team Caribbean's America's Cup program. Our team in Auckland will no doubt include some of the guys who've sailed with me on the circuit, just like other Cup teams will be made up of sailors we've raced against in other parts of the world. I have every confidence we'll be ready." Holmberg's next regatta begins July 16 in Kreesborn, Germany at the M & M Lake Constance Cup. A strong field of competitors is expected to contest this Grade One event. |
