This new Victory Challenge carries the benefits from that 2002 campaign, with two solid America's Cup Class boats to serve as a design and testing platform, along with all the knowledge and experience gained by returning team members.
Magnus Holmberg has been appointed to recruit and lead the sailing team, and to skipper and steer the boat. Designer German Frers Jr. is a strong addition and there is every chance that Victory Challenge will benefit from a boat that is at least the equal of the strongest teams.
Victory Challenge had every reason to be proud of its performance in Valencia in June. The team beat the Spanish squad on the last day of match racing to secure fifth place on the points table. The Swedes followed that up with some spectacular performances in the fleet races. Victory Challenge would have won the regatta had it not been disqualified from a race on a technical measurement issue, dropping to sixth after the Jury ruling. That disappointment shouldn't mask a very strong first regatta for Victory Challenge.
Unfortunately, the Swedes couldn't repeat that success on home waters at the Malmö-Skåne Louis Vuitton Acts. Switching to SWE 73, the team felt it would be sailing a faster boat, but it didn't turn out that way. Victory Challenge struggled during the entire event, salvaging an eighth place finish in the match races, despite a humbling loss to Shosholoza. The Swedes then sank to 11th place in the fleet racing, and immediately announced they would ship SWE 63 to Trapani in an effort to re-claim their early promise.
Sailing SWE 63 the team recovered to sixth place in the match racing and eighth in the fleet contest in Trapani - good for sixth on the season championship table.
2006 was a difficult year on the scorecard for Victory Challenge. The Swedes could only manage an eighth place finish on the 2006 Louis Vuitton ACC season championship table, and slip to sixth on the challenger ranking.
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