Tuesday, March 21 will mark the kickoff of the eight-event series known as the Swedish Match Grand Prix Sailing Tour. Eight of the world?s most prestigious match-racing regattas comprise the tour, which begins in Auckland, New Zealand with the Steinlager/Line 7 Cup, and terminates in late October at the King Edward VII Gold Cup in Bermuda.

According to Tour Director Scott McCleod, over $400,000 in prize money will be distributed throughout the eight events. And, says McCleod, Swedish Match will award $150,000 to the top eight skippers on the Tour. The prize money will be apportioned based upon a point system that factors in the skippper?s top six finishes in the series.

After the March 21-25 regatta in Auckland, the Tour moves immediately to Perth, Australia for the Sun Microsystems Australia Cup (March 27-April 2), and then on to Split, Croatia for the ACI Cup/Match Racing World Championship (May 23-27). It then moves to Lake Constance, Germany of the Lake Constance Match Cup (June 7-12). After a break of several weeks, the action will resume on July 3 at the Swedish Match Cup in Marstrand, Sweden. The following week the Tour moves to Ravenna, Italy for the July 11 Trofeo Challenge Roberto Trombini, and then to Skovshoved, Denmark for the 2000 Danish Open in mid August. The Tour culminates in Bermuda with the King Edward VII Gold Cup.

Sixteen sailors will compete in the Steinlager/Line 7 Cup in Auckland, eight of whom will be representing America?s Cup syndicates. The roster of skippers includes Peter Gilmour, Dean Barker, Cameron Appleton, Peter Holmberg, James Spithill, Gavin Brady, Magnus Holmberg, Marcus Wieser, Chris Dixon, Phil Douglas, Murray Jones, Lars Nordberg, Bjorn Hansen, Andy Green, Jes Gram-Hansen, and Luc Pilliot.