In a day of challenges produced by light, patchy winds and intermittent rain showers, Gavin Brady (NZL) and his team from Oracle Racing and Jesper Radich (DEN) from Desafio Espanol managed to emerge with unbeaten records in the first day of racing at Match Cup Sweden. The two are ahead on three and four wins each to lead their respective groups of eight in the first day of round robin racing.

Both Brady and Radich are recent veterans of the Louis Vuitton Semi-Final round in Valencia, but their America’s Cup programmes have kept them too busy from being recently active on the World Tour. However, both are pleased to be back in battle against some of the world’s best in Marstrand.

“It’s great to be back racing on the Tour,” said Brady, who continues to train Oracle syndicate head Larry Ellison in match race sailing. “We intend to use the Tour events to learn about the latest moves and interpretations in the rules, and bring them back to practice with Larry in San Francisco on the two SM40’s we’ve been training with there.”

About the morning session’s racing, Brady said: “Today was a real mixed bag for us: we led in the first race from start to finish, changed leads twice in the second, and were behind and then caught up and passed on the last leg in the last.” About the DS 37’s used in the competition here, he said: “These boats are highly manoeuverable, especially compared to America’s Cup boats, so this has been a real eye-opener for us coming from Valencia. There are things you’d never dream of doing in a Cup boat that are no problem here.”

Having competed as a skipper at last October’s Allianz Cup, would Ellison make another appearance at a Tour event? “I think he would be keen,” said Brady. “He really loves sailing in San Francisco, and had a lot of fun at the Allianz Cup.”

“We’re not sure right now about Oracle Racing’s future interest in the America’s Cup,” Brady continued, “that will depend on many things we just don’t know right now, but Larry does really love the event despite our obvious disappointment in the results for us. In the meantime our intent is to keep working on our match racing skills, as we saw that slip as a team in Valencia.”

Round robin racing resumes today, with Group B racing three flights in the morning, followed by Group A racing four flights in the afternoon.

Results after day 1

Group A

Gavin Brady 3-0
Mattias Rahm 2-1
Simon Minoprio 2-1
Torvar Mirsky 1-2
Jenny Axhede 1-2
Bjorn Hansen 1-2
Evgeniy Neugodnikov 1-2
Ian Williams 0-3

Group B

Jesper Radich 4-0
Magnus Holmberg 3-1
Sebastien Col 3-1
Mathieu Richard 2-2
Johnie Berntsson 2-2
Claire Leroy 1-3
Malin Millbourne 1-3
Eric Monnin 0-4

ISAF World Match Racing Championship Standings (After Stage 7 of 16)
1. Mathieu Richard (FRA) Saba Sailing Team, 70 points
2. Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Shosholoza, 66 points
3. Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar, 62 points
4. Jesper Bank (DEN) United Internet Team Germany, 45 points
5. Sébastien Col (FRA) Areva Challenge, 41 points
6. Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi, 40 points
7. Peter Holmberg (USVI) Alinghi, 37 points
8. Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing 37 points