VENUE PROFILE


Photo: Dan Ljungsvik


“Marstrand really is a unique venue for match racing,” explained STENA Match Cup Sweden event promoter Martin Sohtell. “Marstrand has been a sailing mecca since the 19th century when King Oscar II revamped the island into a resort but it wasn’t until Magnus Holmberg brought racing to the island in 1994 that its full potential was realised.


“The racecourse at Marstrand is like a natural amphitheatre. You can have tens of thousands of people sitting on the cliffs with a great view of the gladiatorial battles taking place on the water. It’s also a great spot for sailing because the wind is steady and predominantly west to east – perfect for the location of the racecourse. That said, it’s not an easy place to sail, and some of the world’s best sailors have struggled in Marstrand. Ben Ainslie had a bad result the first time he sailed in Marstrand, as did 2011 STENA Match Cup Sweden winner Ian Williams. It takes some getting to know!”


Just an hour from Gothenburg, Marstrand


is one of Sweden’s


hottest summer tourist spots – but its success also lies in its appeal to sponsors. Go to any sailing event in Marstrand and its main walkway is transformed into prime promotional real estate lined with stalls and stands. The race boats


MATCH RACING 360° | AUGUST 2011


Photo: Loris Von Siebenthal / myimage


also carry sponsor logos, creating unrivalled brand awareness.


“Exposure is key for sponsors,” Sohtell added, “and all the boats at STENA Match Cup Sweden have sponsors’ logos on them, which are then seen by literally thousands of people. It creates great brand awareness for the sponsors. It is also perfect for corporate hospitality and during this year’s STENA Match Cup Sweden we had around 12,000 corporate hospitality guests in Marstrand.”


So, it’s great for sailing, great for spectators and great for sponsors. What, then, does the future hold for Marstrand?


Do you know of a top match racing venue you’d like to see featured in Match Racing 360°? If so, contact us at info@matchrace.com.


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“Of course the island of Marstrand has


certain limitations to how


many people it can hold so I don’t know whether we will see visitor numbers increase massively in the coming years but certainly we will certainly see Marstrand further cement its reputation as one of the world’s best match racing venues.”


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