Swedish Match to end involvement with tour

50th event scheduled for Malaysia will conclude seven-year title sponsorship

Swedish Match, the Stockholm conglomerate that for seven years has been a partner in the professional match-racing tour, is concluding its association with the Swedish Match Tour at the end of the year.

Swedish Match, a niche tobacco group, has decided to end its association due to a new Swedish law that prohibits tobacco companies from sponsoring sports events.

“We’re disappointed by this turn of events,” said Bo Aulin, Senior Vice President of Swedish Match and Chairman of the Swedish Match Tour. “It’s not a shock because we knew it was coming. We knew it would come to some kind of restriction or ban, but we hoped it would be limited to trademarks, not corporate branding.”

Tour officials are in negotiations with several companies regarding sponsorship.

“It’s extremely unfortunate that we are losing such a great partner and supporter of the sport,” said Tour Director Scott MacLeod. “We are currently seeking a new title sponsor for the Tour, but the series will continue either way next year. We have developed a very strong series of events and television package that will help carry the Tour forward.”

Swedish Match has been a sponsor of sailing events other than just the Swedish Match Tour. The company also sponsored an entry in the 1997-’98 Whitbread Round the World Race (now the Volvo Ocean Race) and were title sponsor of the Swedish Match Cup in Marstrand for 12 years.

Earlier this summer Swedish Match concluded its sponsorship of the Swedish Match Cup, the yearly concluding event of the Tour. This year’s event was spectacular with crews led by Peter Gilmour and Magnus Holmberg repeatedly testing each other’s resolve in a thrilling five-set finale. It culminated a weekend of racing that saw an estimated 100,000 people visit Marstrand Island over three days.

“We regret we won’t be there anymore,” said Aulin. “We’re happy and proud we’ve been able to support the GKSS in building the greatest match-race event in the world and one of the biggest events in Sweden. What more can you ask? This was a non-existing event, now it’s a major event.”

The 50th event of the Swedish Match Tour – the Monsoon Cup in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia (Nov. 29-Dec. 4) – will be the final event for Swedish Match as title sponsor of the Tour. After the Monsoon Cup the seventh Tour season continues next March with the Brazil Match Cup in Angra dos Reis, Brazil (Mar. 14-19, 2006).

After Brazil Tour stages include the ACI H1 Match Race Cup (Split, Croatia, May 23-28, 2006), Match Race Germany (Langenargen, June 1-5, 2006) and the Toscana Elba Cup – Trofeo Locman (Elba Island, June 27-July 2, 2006) before concluding in Marstrand (July 4-9, 2006).

The seventh season began with the Portugal Match Cup (won by Peter Holmberg, ISV), Danish Open (won by Jesper Bank, DEN) and St. Moritz Match Race (won by Ed Baird, USA).

Ben Ainslie (GBR), a helmsman for the Emirates Team New Zealand syndicate for the America’s Cup and a four-time Finn Gold Cup champion, leads the Tour standings with 30 points. He’s 1 point ahead of Holmberg, of Cup champion Alinghi, on a leaderboard that sees the top eight separated by 10 points.

Swedish Match Tour partners include Swedish Match and BMW. Swedish Match Tour Official Sponsors include Musto, Sebago and Travel Places.

For more information on the Swedish Match Tour, its competitors and events, please visit the official Tour Web site, www.SwedishMatchTour.com. Swedish Match Tour television programs may be viewed by clicking on the Tour television button on the home page of the Web site.