Swedish Match Tour - Nippon Cup 2003 Added To Swedish Match Tour

STAMFORD, CT, USA (September 15, 2003) – The Swedish Match Tour is pleased to announce the addition of the Nippon Cup 2003, November 17-23, in Hayama, Japan, to the Swedish Match Tour 2003/2004 schedule.

Hosted by the Hayama Marina Yacht Club, the Nippon Cup 2003, the third event on Swedish Match Tour 2003/2004, will be raced on Hayama’s Shinjuku Bay in Yamaha 30S racing yachts, offering a total prize purse of USD50,000.

“We’re very pleased to welcome the Nippon Cup 2003 to the Swedish Match Tour,” said Scott MacLeod, Swedish Match Tour Director. “The Nippon Cup opens up a new market, exposing a whole new audience of sailing fans to the excitement and drama of the personalities and racing on the Swedish Match Tour.”

The format for the Nippon Cup 2003 will featured 12 teams, nine international skippers and crews and three Japanese teams, competing in a single round robin, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinal round to be followed by a first-to-three wins final.

The addition of the Nippon Cup grows Swedish Match Tour 2003/2004 to eight events on three continents.

The next event on Swedish Match Tour 2003/2004 is the Investors Guaranty presentation of the King Edward VII Gold Cup in Hamilton, Bermuda, October 18-26.

For all the latest news and information about the Swedish Match Tour, visit www.swedishmatchtour.com.

About the Swedish Match Tour
· The Swedish Match Tour is comprised of nine of the world's leading professional sailing events and is proving to be the ultimate battleground of sailing.
· In addition to more than US$800,000 in individual event prize money, the Swedish Match Tour awards US$200,000 to the top eight sailors on the Swedish Match Tour, with the first-place skipper netting US$60,000.
· In addition to a US$60,000 first prize, the winner of the Swedish Match Tour receives the official Swedish Match Tour Championship Trophy, 15" (30 cm) high with 22 carat gold gilding, produced by Swedish Match Tour sponsor Wedgwood. Additionally, Wedgwood supplies runner-up prizes for second and third places as well as commemorative plaques to each event organizer.
· The Swedish Match Tour produces 155 hours of television coverage reaching more than 427 million households worldwide.
· Swedish Match Tour partners include Swedish Match, Octagon and the Match Race Association.
· Swedish Match Tour sponsors include Colorcraft, Champagne Mumm, Musto, Selden and Wedgwood.