The Swedish Match Tour's Australia Cup has been cancelled by event organizer the Royal Perth Yacht Club after unsuccessful attempts to secure sponsors in the current economic climate in Australia.
Additionally, the Swedish Match Tour announces the Congressional Cup, April 7-13, in Long Beach, CA, has joined the world's leading professional sailing tour.
"We thank the Royal Perth Yacht Club for their commitment on behalf of the Swedish Match Tour the past two years" said Scott MacLeod, Swedish Match Tour Director. "We are also very excited to continue the growth of the Swedish Match Tour by adding our first event in the United States. The Congressional Cup is a great event with a long standing tradition and history."
The Australia Cup, originally scheduled for March 12-17, was to have been the fourth event of Swedish Match Tour 2001-02. As a result, the Steinlager Line 7 Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, March 19-24, is now the fourth event on the schedule, with the Congressional Cup following two weeks later.
"We are very pleased to join the Swedish Match Tour," said Mike Elias, Commodore, Long Beach Yacht Club. " The international exposure the Swedish Match Tour will provide the Congressional Cup, the Long Beach Yacht Club and the City of Long Beach will show the world what competitors and spectators alike have known for many years: there's no place better to sail than sunny California."
The Congressional Cup is one of the oldest and most prestigious match racing events in the world and is currently one of only two Grade 1 match race regattas in the United States. Organized by the Long Beach Yacht Club, the Congressional Cup is managed by club member volunteers.
Previous winners of the Congressional Cup who have donned the "Crimson Blazer", emblematic of a Congressional Cup victory, include Dennis Conner, Bill Ficker, Ted Turner, Terry Hutchinson, Chris Law, Peter Gilmour, Gavin Brady, Peter Holmberg, Chris Dickson and Dean Barker. The Congressional Cup will be the fifth event of Swedish Match Tour 2001-02.
The top eight finishers at the Congressional Cup receive Swedish Match Tour Championship Prize points. The top eight point leaders at the conclusion of the eight event Swedish Match Tour divide a US$200,000 prize purse, with the Swedish Match Tour Champion receiving US$60,000. The final event of Swedish Match Tour 2001-02 is the Swedish Match Cup in Marstrand, Sweden, July 1-8, 2002.
With average prize purses at a record level, a highly competitive atmosphere and all the America's Cup syndicates participating as part of their preparation for the next Cup, 2002 promises to be an exciting year on the Swedish Match Tour.