[Photo: Oskar Kihlborg/Victory Challenge]

(3 October 2005, Trapani) They were the results Victory Challenge had been hoping for, with two victories today in extreme weather conditions in Trapani in Sicily.
The Swedish America’s Cup challenger has won five matches so far, which is more than the total in Malmö, with two races remaining.
“Today’s victories were very important. It feels fantastic. The aim for tomorrow is to beat United Internet Team and Mascalzone Latino as well,” says Richard Sydenham, who is backstay on Örn.

However, today’s matches were initially tough. K-Challenge, the first opponent, won start, if barely, and were leading at the top mark by 12 seconds after the first beat.

Team Shosholoza, the second opponent, also won the start, and had a clear lead on the first beat.

Victory Challenge took over the lead from K-Challenge when rounding the bottom gate after the first lap.

“The crew work was brilliant,” says Magnus Holmberg, skipper and helmsman, and adds:

“With Örn we’ve got back the speed on the water in Trapani that we had in Valencia in June, and at the same time we’ve improved the crew work, especially in hard winds. We had problems onboard in the hard winds in Malmö, but here it’s worked very well.”

When Victory Challenge had just taken the lead from K-Challenge in the first match the Frenchmen, like so many other of the boats, had equipment problems. They had problems with the rake to the headsail. While it was being repaired Victory Challenge pulled away to an unbeatable lead and won by two minutes and 59 seconds.

“It’s unfortunate when things like that happen, but it felt as if we were already in control of the match,” says Magnus Holmberg.

The turning point in the match against Team Shosholoza came when the South Africans gave up the position on the advantageous right side during the first beat.

“We also wanted to go there and were surprised when they let us have it,” says Richard Sydenhamn.

“It was then that the match was decided,” says Magnus Holmberg.

He and the crew therefore got their vengeance for their defeat by Team Shosholoza in Malmö.

Victory Challenge sailed safely for the rest of the match against the South African, without taking any unnecessary risks in the high waves, and won by 56 seconds.

The weather conditions were extreme. As the day’s first flight was drawing to a close there were stormy winds, torrential rain and thunder. The morning’s warmth was changed for cold winds. The wind direction shifted 180 degrees.

“It was lucky that it happened between the races and not in the middle of one,” says Magnus Holmberg.

Victory Challenge has now won all their matches so far except those against the top four teams: Alinghi, BMW Oracle Racing, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa. Two matches remain, against United Internet Team, who’ve so far won two matches and Mascalzone Latino that have won one.

Due to today’s two victories Victory Challenge has the same points as K-Challenge, but is ahead in the results table because they won the match between the two of them. K-Challenge has one of the top teams left tomorrow, the undefeated Alinghi.

In Malmö Victory Challenge won, to their disappointment, four matches in the match racing.

The team won six matches in Valencia.

There’s still the chance to surpass the superb results from Valencia in Trapani.

These are the positions in the Trapani Louis Vuitton Act 8 when 9 of 11 flights have been sailed:

1. Alinghi, 9
2. BMW Oracle, 8
2. Luna Rossa, 8
4. Team New Zealand, 7
5. Victory Challenge, 5
6. K-Challenge, 5
7. Desafío Español, 4
8. +39, 2
8. Team Shosholoza, 2
8. United Internet Team, 2
11. Mascalzone Latino, 1
11. China Team, 1

Trapani Louis Vuitton Act 9, five fleet races, begins on Friday.

Bert Willborg/Victory Challenge