The competition is the world’s largest match racing event for women with prize money of about SEK 400,000. For 2009, Lysekil Women’s Match has been awarded world championship status in competition with such Meccas of sailing as American Newport and Spanish Vigo, something that will undoubtedly enhance the prestige of this year’s races.
Twelve of the world’s top-ranked match racing crews have been invited and the current world champion, Clair Leroy from France, and world number two Meldgaard Pedersen from Denmark have announced their participation. Sweden will be represented by last year’s winner Linda Rahm, Team Stena Bulk, Jenny Axhede and Anna Kjellberg, all with the ambition to defend the Swedish colours.
“Together with Preem, we have taken an active interest in the races in Lysekil since they began four years ago. In addition, Stena Bulk will be sponsoring Linda Rahm and her crew for the second year in a row. This will make the event extra exciting as Linda won last summer and is thus the title defender. The races have been a resounding success with the public and we are looking forward to some fantastic match racing”, says Ulf G. Ryder, President and CEO of Stena Bulk AB.
“Our activities mean that we are closely linked with Lysekil and are thus naturally very much involved when it comes to supporting the races. We hope that they will attract as much interest as they have in the past and wish the participants and arrangers all the best”, adds Michael G:son Löw, President and CEO of Preem Petroleum AB.
Match racing
Match racing is the form of sail racing that is easiest to understand – at least for the spectators on the rocks. Only two boats to keep an eye on and the winner is the first boat to cross the finishing line. Normally, the boats sail twice round a course that starts with a windward tack and finishes in a following wind. How fast the boats sail round the course is thus unimportant. Crossing the finishing line first is all that matters. Here, the teams’ tactical ability and skill are decisive.
Ulf G. Ryder
President and CEO
Stena Bulk AB
Mobile: +46 704 85 50 01
Lena Alvling
Stena Bulk AB
Mobile: +46 704 85 50 20
Helene Samuelsson
Communication Manager
Preem Petroleum AB
Mobile +46 704 50 12 22
See also www.lysekilwomensmatch.se
Stena Bulk – With offices in six countries, Stena Bulk is one of the world’s leading tanker shipping companies. Our resources include our own design department, which enables us to provide our customers with innovative solutions that meet their transportation and logistics needs. The company controls a fleet of around 70 tankers and is active in every segment of the tanker market. Stena Bulk is also responsible for the marketing and operation of Concordia Maritime’s fleet. Stena Bulk is part of the Stena Sphere, which has more than 17,000 employees and sales of SEK 46 billion. www.stenabulk.com
Preem Petroleum AB (publ) is the largest oil company in Sweden and accounts for 80 per cent of the Swedish refinery capacity and 30 per cent of the Nordic refinery capacity. A total of more than 18 million m3 of crude oil are refined at its two wholly owned refineries, making Preem the largest refiner in the Nordic region. Preemraff Lysekil and Preemraff Göteborg are two modern and highly efficient refineries, which are leading producers of environmentally classed petroleum products. More than 65 per cent of our production, with a value exceeding SEK 40 billion, is exported, making us one of the major exporters in Sweden. Preem has a nation-wide service network with 480 Preem filling stations and 215 diesel filling stations for heavy traffic. Preem Petroleum AB has more than 1,300 employees, 900 of which work at the refineries. Together with the personnel employed by dealers and partners, there are some 3,400 employees who meet our customers under the Preem brand. Invoiced sales in 2007 totalled SEK 63.9 billion. More information can be found on our website
www.preem.se