PRESS RELEASE 15 JULY 2001

SAILING -Magnus Holmberg wins the Roberto Trombini Challenge Trophy at Ravenna (3-2 against Dean Barker)
In the finals Peter Holmberg came 3 rd beating James Spithill (2-0)
Final positions for the Italians: Nicola Celon 6th, Cian 8th,
de Angelis 9th, Strocchi 12th
Direct coverage by Italian television, RAI, was a success.
The Swede, Magnus Holmberg, is the winner of the 2001 edition of the Roberto Trombini Challange Trophy after beating the New Zealander Dean Barker 3-2
In a long exciting final.

The races at Marina di Ravenna ended with yet another day of great sailing in medium to light winds.
The 7th Roberto Trombini Challenge Trophy, organised by Progetto Vela in collaboration with Circolo Velico Ravennate, the best match race event ever organised in Italy, has gathered together the best specialists of this category and many skippers from the America's Cup.

All the finals took place in the internal harbour at the port of Marina di Ravenna, and a vast public followed the races from the piers and grandstand erected on the main pier. The five matches of the finals were particularly exciting starting with Dean Barker winning with an ample margin, then Holmberg

Equalised after a hard battle. Again Barker came up 2-1 but the successive matches went again to Magnus Holmberg, always with minimum gaps and spectacular arrivals to the joy of the applauding public on the grandstand situated near to the arrival line.
In the finals 3rd place went to Peter Holmberg who beat James Spithill 2-0.
These races were spectacular for the aggressive fight by Spithill but he had no way out against Peter Holmberg's reliability.
Two Italian helmsmen were in the finals for 5th and 7th places, Nicola Celon was beaten by the champion Russell Coutts, closing however with an honourable 6th place; Paolo Cian was not able to beat Morten Henriksen, thereby taking 8th place in the Trombini 2001.
As is tradition the Roberto Trombini Challenge ended with a spectacular fleet regatta in which the 12 participating skippers raced all together on a course full of buoys, manoeuvres and emotions, very close to the pier and along the canal at the port of Ravenna. This regatta was won by Paolo Cian and crew.

Final results of the Roberto Trombini Challenge 2001

1. Magnus Holmberg (SWE, Victory Challenge)

2. Dean Barker (NZL, Team New Zealand)

3. Peter Holmberg (USA, Oracle Racing San Francisco)

4. James Spithill (USA, One World Seattle)

5. Russell Coutts (SWI, Alinghi Challenge)

6. Nicola Celon (ITA)

7. Morten Henriksen (GER, Illbruck Challenge)

8. Paolo Cian (ITA, Mascalzone Latino)

9. Francesco de Angelis (ITA, Prada Challenge)

10. Andy Green (GBR, RORC Challenge)

11. Luc Pillot (FRA)

12. Federico Strocchi (ITA)