Danes top 2022 Ficker Cup

Long Beach, CA (April 16, 2022) – Jeppe Borch (DEN) and Team Borch Racing have won the Ficker Cup regatta, in a rousing upset over defending champion Emil Kjaer (DEN) Blue Sails Racing in the finals. Peter Holz’ (USA) Windy City Racing took third and Dave Perry (USA) fourth, in this World Match Racing Tour WS Grade 2 qualifier event hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club.

Both Borch and Kjaer will advance to the Congressional Cup regatta on April 19 to 23, joining a top-notch field of international foes in the battle for the prestigious Congressional Cup trophy and Crimson Blazer.

The Ficker Cup was held on April 14-16, with Kjaer dominating the round robin series, suffering only one loss – to Borch – in the final match. But Borch had come out swinging as well and finished the round robins 10-4.

The Dueling Danes are no strangers: Borch hails from Roskilde Sailing Club and Kjaer from the Royal Danish Yacht Club in Copenhagen, less than an hour apart. The teams have been amiable sparring partners for years and were frequently seen huddled around the same breakfast table at LBYC this week.

Kjaer had won the 2021 Ficker Cup and qualified for Congressional Cup, finishing mid-fleet. But for Borch it remained elusive. “Congressional Cup has been one of our all-time goals, for many years, and if Ficker is how we get there, then that’s what we are here to do.”

Borch admitted the competition was formidable. “This is the first time here for me and the guys on the boat. So we were hoping for a steep learning curve, compared to some of the other teams who’ve been here a few times and have a lot more hours driving the boat.“But our team has been together for some time and we know each other very well. That helps when we get into a new boat and find out how to get good boat speed.”

Paired off against Perry in the semifinals, he noted, “Dave Perry’s fast, especially in the light winds, and we haven’t quite found the speed in the light air yet: so we needed to keep him downwind at the start and stay on top of him for the whole race.”

But light air wouldn’t be a problem today. Although rain threatened early this morning, the skies cleared and the wind turned on.

Principal Race Officer Randy Beers and his Race Committee had commenced the semifinals yesterday afternoon; with Borch winning over Perry, and Kjaer over Holz. But increasing winds in the later afternoon suspended the remaining semifinal races until today; when Kjaer and Borch swiftly dispatched their rivals.

For the Petit Finals stage, for third and fourth places, a solid southwesterly breeze had filled in. Perry favored the right side of the course and extended over Holz to win the first match. But it was Holz who went right in the second flight, after a feisty start with the master of match racing, Perry.

Once again right paid off, this time to Holz’ benefit, and he crossed the finish line with Perry just two boat lengths astern. It came down to a final sudden death race. Trouble at the downwind gate put Perry behind, and Holz stretched his lead to win the match, and take third place in the 2022 Ficker Cup.

Meanwhile Kjaer and Borch had traded places in the finals: with Kjaer taking the first match handsomely, after a stalled hoist at the top mark by Borch; and Borch rebounding to take the second match.

The teams looked smart and well-paired, the identical Danish flags flapping off their backstays in a stiff breeze. The trophy would go to the first team to score three points, so the racing continued as the wind built and clocked further right. In the third match, a tactical error put Kjaer at the wrong windward mark, and he surrendered that race.

PRO Beers called for the teams to change down the jibs. A full-on westerly was sweeping the Congressional Cup racecourse; the flat water now strewn with chop and whitecaps.

After another stirring pre-start, the teams advanced up the course, Kjaer covering Borch on every tack. Borch was just two boat lengths astern at the top mark, when Kjaer rounded-up and lost a spinsheet. Borch took his opportunity to escape, to win the final match and Ficker Cup honors.

At the prizegiving at LBYC the late Bill Ficker’s daughter Deon Macdonald presented the esteemed Ficker Cup trophy to Borch’ team, while Congressional Cup Chair Lisa Meier bestowed invitations to both Borch and Kjaer.

In receiving his third-place accolades, Holz gave a shout-out to Perry, who has coached his crew and several of the other domestic teams, and to his teammates. In addition to third prize, Holz has a prize awaiting him in Chicago: next week he will marry his sweetheart Kelsey.

In the Congressional Cup, Borch and Kjaer will join an all-star lineup including five-time winner and defending champion Taylor Canfield (USA); Ian Williams (GBR) a four-time victor; 2009 champion Johnnie Berntsson; (SWE) Harry Price (AUS); Chris Poole (USA); Nick Egnot-Johnson (NZL); Pearson Potts (USA); and Dave Hood (USA).

Congressional Cup is one of the pre-eminent yacht racing events in the world. A select Grade 1 Event, it is also a flagship of the World Match Racing Tour and organized by LBYC.

Racing takes place at the Congressional Cup stadium, a designated racecourse adjacent the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier. Spectators are invited to watch the action at 11:30AM daily.

Event details – Results – Crew lists

2022 World Match Racing Tour ScheduleApril 14-16 – Ficker Cup – Long Beach, CA, USAApril 18-23 – Congressional Cup – Long Beach, CA, USA*April 28-May 1 – Szczecin Match Race – Szczecin, PolandMay 6-8 – Porto Montenegro Match Race – Tivat, MontenegroMay 20-22 – NJK Open Spring Cup – Helsinki, FinlandMay 24-29 – Island Match Cup – Puerto Rico (cancelled)June 4-5 – GKSS Spring Cup – Gothenburg, SwedenJune 16-19 – OM International Ledro Match Race – Ledro, ItalyJuly 4-9 – GKSS Match Cup Marstrand – Marstrand, Sweden* (cancelled)August 12-14 – Chicago Grand Slam – Chicago, IL, USAAugust 18-21 – International Match Race for the Detroit Cup – Detroit, MI, USAAugust 25-29 – Oakcliff International – Oyster Bay, NY, USAAugust 30-September 3 – Thompson Cup – Oyster Bay, NY, USASeptember 7-11 – Baltic Match Race – Tallin, EstoniaSeptember 29-October 3 – Match Race Germany – Langenargen, GermanySeptember 30-October 3 – DBS Marina Bay Cup – Marina Bay, SingaporeOctober 7-9 – Polish Open – Szczecin, PolandOctober 17-22 – Bermuda Gold Cup – Hamilton, Bermuda* (cancelled)December 6-11 – Shenzhen Bao’an Match Cup: WMRT Finals – Shenzhen, China**World Championship (WC) Events

WORLD MATCH RACING TOURFounded in 2000, the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) promotes the sport of match racing around the world and is the longest running global professional series in the sport of sailing. The WMRT is awarded ‘Special Event’ status by the sport’s world governing body – World Sailing – and the winner of the WMRT each year is crowned World Sailing Match Racing World Champion.

Previous champions include Sir Ben Ainslie (GBR), Taylor Canfield (USA), Peter Gilmour (AUS), Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Peter Holmberg (ISV), Adam Minoprio (NZL), Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Bertrand Pace (FRA), Jesper Radich (DEN), Phil Robertson (NZL) and Ian Williams (GBR).

Since 2000, the World Match Racing Tour and its events have awarded over USD23million in prize money to sailors which has helped to contribute to the career pathway of many of today’s professional sailors. www.wmrt.com

Source: Betsy Senescu