Main Page | Newsletter | Sailing calendar | America's Cup | Glossary

Holmberg leads Congressional Cup

Holmberg has lost only three races in the Congressional Cup

LONG BEACH, California - American Peter Holmberg will top the leaderboard at the start of the Congressional Cup semi-finals, America's premier match racing event, on Saturday.

After three days of round-robin competition, Holmberg, who sails for Larry Ellison's Oracle Racing America's Cup team, has lost only three of his 13 races.

Tied in second place were American Ken Read from Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes America's Cup team and New Zealander Scott Dickson with eight wins and five losses each.

Holmberg, 40, from the US Virgin Island of St Thomas, has won the last two events in the Swedish Match Tour and is currently ranked world number one.

RESOURCES America's Cup team profiles    YOUR SAY E-mail us with your views  on the world of sailing   MORE STORIES • Full marks to GBR  • OneWorld defeats TNZ  • Design row hits America's Cup

He has also won three of the past four Congressional Cups.

There are a tight group of America's Cup skippers lined up for the fourth semi-final place led by Dean Barker from Team New Zealand, the holders of the America's Cup, Rod Davis and Gavin Brady (Prada Challenge) and Andy Green (Team GBR).

Green will be especially keen to make the semi-final as he is missing the naming ceremony by Princess Anne of Team GBR's America's Cup challenger in Cowes, UK, on Friday.

"We're launching our boat, White Lightning, in Cowes Friday," Green said on Thursday.

"It's a big day in British sailing. That was my biggest worry -- there will be a thousand people in Cowes, and to have me here at the bottom of the heap would send the wrong signal. Now that we're back in the hunt, everybody will get a boost in confidence."

The Congressional Cup's total purse is $25,000. The top eight finishers receive Swedish Match Tour Championship Prize points.

The top eight point leaders at the conclusion of the Swedish Match Tour divide a $200,000 prize purse, with the Swedish Match Tour champion receiving $60,000.

STANDINGS (after 13 of 18 rounds): 1. Holmberg, 10-3; 2. tie between Read and Dickson, 8-5; 4. Barker, 7-6; 5. tie among Davis, Gram-Hansen, Green and Brady, 6-7; 9. Baird, 5-8; 10. Pillot, 3-10.