Monday, September 19, 2016

The “Crow's” Become Swedish Sailing League Champions

J/70s sailing Swedish Sailing League (Gothenburg, Sweden)- The Swedish Sailing League held its grand finale last weekend in Göteborg. The overall winner was Cape Crow Yacht Club, the team performed consistently well in every regatta this season and the title was well deserved.  Kongelig Svenska Segelsällskapet (KSSS Royal Swedish YC) took 2nd and Ekolns Segelklubb was 3rd.  It was an exciting weekend racing in the area off Långedrag/Göteborg, with conditions ranging from flat calm to full on fresh breezes!

All weekend long, the KSSS Royal Swedish YC team was determined to repeat their championship title from 2015.  However, despite the fact they dominated the regatta, they still could not accumulate enough points over the Cape Crow YC team to pull off the overall win.

In the end, for the club from Hönö outside of Gothenburg, it was truly a team victory. They used 13 sailors in the season's four Acts and after the first weekend in Långedrag had a safe lead.  CCYC brought in Anna Östling for the final Act IV, who is currently ranked number one in the world in women's match racing tour, to be one of their top helms.

Cape Crow YC wins J/70 Swedish Sailing League“I’m glad I got a chance here. The others in the team had set it up so well for us.  Going into the last round our team had a good lead, so for me it was just great to be a part of this awesome team,” Anna said after the victory.  “It has been an exciting weekend on the water off Långedrag with sometimes a lot of wind and sometimes no wind at all.”

Royal Swedish Yacht Club (KSSS), who were second in the overall series, were hoping to challenge for the overall victory.  Indeed, they sailed well all weekend and won the weekend's Act IV.  But, the Cape Crow team also sailed well and finished second in the regatta- where they always kept a watchful eye on the Royal Swedish Yacht Club.

“It has been very fun to meet the Royal Swedish Yacht Club. They had also mixed many different people into the team, just as we did,” said the Cape Crow sailing team after the race.

Royal Swedish Yacht Club skipper Mikael Lindqvist commented, “We are pleased with our performance, winning the fourth act and the way we won the regatta in the medal race. We did what we had to do, but it was not enough for overall victory this time, so we take our hats off to the ‘Crows’!”

Third place in the Allsvenskan was taken by Ekolns Sailing Club from Uppsala - i.e. one position worse than last year when they were second, very close behind Royal Swedish Yacht Club.  For more J/70 Swedish Sailing League information