Any team can win in the new Olympic class

Two Swedish female sailors, Anna Kjellberg and Linda Rahm, are in challenge to be the one team to represent Sweden at the Olympics. In their aspiration for the Olympics, Stena Match Cup Sweden is an important event due to the introduction of the Olympic Elliott boats.

Among the female competitors we find the favorite and the No 1 in the world, Lucy MacGregor from Great Britain, as well as last year’s winner, ranked third, Katie Pellew, who was named Spithill before her marriage. In the lineup for this year, the young German team of Silke Hahlbrook, ranked four in the world, the merited Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen from Denmark, and Ekaterina Skudina from Russia, who won the European Championship against MacGregor in May this year, are all hot candidates to the Finals.

French Olympic candidate Anne-Claire Le Berre has been chosen by the national association to represent France at Marstrand instead of the expected superstar Claire Leroy, who yet hasn’t started her Olympic 2012 campaign. Renee Groeneveld from the Netherlands is one of the new elite sailors in the World Cup. She is a fast climber in the ranks and due to her success in the World Cup so far, she should be considered a dark horse

- This year’s women’s event is different from earlier years since national associations are engaged in the teams and are actively working with their entry into the event. Their campaigns are more professional and of national team character in that they bring coaches, dietists and trainers to Marstrand, says Erik Centerwall, GKSS.

With the new and smaller Elliott boat, the conditions at Marstrand will be completely new for the sailors. It has a lower mast, only three women in the crew and as a boat it demands more physical effort by the team than the 11 meter boat which was used earlier. The women will not be able to fall back on previous experience from the arena in this year’s prestigious event.

- The international interest for the event is greater than ever this year. The women’s event will become a formidable wasp’s nest. With new and more demanding conditions anyone can win, says Martin Sohtell from Brandspot.

Stena Match Cup Sweden starts July 5 at Marstrand with Round Robin series. Finals for the women are sailed Saturday July 10.

Stena Match Cup Sweden 2010
Women skippers:
Lucy MacGregor, GBR ISAF ranking 1
Katie Pellew, AUS ISAF ranking 3
Silke Hahlbrook, GER ISAF ranking 4
Anne-Claire Le Berre, FRA ISAF ranking 7
Anna Kjellberg, SWE ISAF ranking 9
Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DAN ISAF ranking 12
Renee Groeneveld, NED ISAF ranking 14
Linda Rahm, SWE ISAF ranking 20
Ekaterina Skudina, RUS ISAF ranking 22