Jesper Bank unbeaten at the top of Danish Open

(Source: World Match Racing Tour) Local hero Jesper BankSkipper and Helmsman of United Internet Team Germany

Click for more info began his defense of the Danish Open, Stage 2 of the 2006-’07 World Match Racing Tour, with a perfect 4-0 record.

Bank, the Danish skipper of United Internet Team Germany for the America’s Cup, is clear atop the leaderboard, but trailed closely by Frenchman Sébastien ColHelmsman of Areva Challenge

Click for more info. The new helmsman for France’s Cup team Areva Challenge went 4-1 in morning racing. Ian Williams of Great Britain lies third in the 12-team field with a 3-1 record.

The opening day of the 10th annual Danish Open saw a wide range of conditions. Winds in the morning were from the south/southwest between 12 and 14 knots, with gusts slightly higher. The six crews in the morning racing promptly ran off five flights (15 races) within three hours.

Jesper Bank and United Internet Team Germany crew. Photo copyright Per Heegaard/Danish Open

After lunchtime the winds shifted to the west and dropped to around 8 knots, waning to 5 knots later in the afternoon. Only four flights (12 races) were held in about four hours of racing. Bank posted his undefeated record in the shifty afternoon winds.

“It’s a similar field to last year,” said Bank. “I think there were more Cup guys last year, but there are more top 10 teams this year. They’re well-trained and the margins are very small.”

Bank lost six races to Dorte O. Jensen yesterday in practice, but that hardly showed today. “Jesper will be fine,” Jensen predicted this morning before racing began. “He’ll get settled and work his way through the round robin.”

Jensen, 33, of Gudme, Denmark, is the reigning women’s match-racing world champion. Her championship last May was her fourth women’s Worlds title. This week, however, she’s sailing with a male crew instead of her female crew.

Jes Gram-Hansen (right) and Rasmus Kostner of Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia. Photo copyright Per Heegaard/Danish Open

“We put a crew together for the Worlds to see if we could get a good result,” Jensen said. “This is a great opportunity. I’ve been sailing with this team on and off for the past two years. I prefer to sail with a male crew. I have an agreement to sail with them as much as possible.”

Jensen is tied for eighth with Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN), Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia, after going 1-2 in today’s afternoon racing.

“There’s a big difference between male and female crews, aside from the strength issue,” Jensen said. “If you say something positive to a female she tends to acknowledge it and then lets it go. If you say something negative, it stays with her a lot longer. Female crews tend to focus on what they can’t do rather than what they can do. With the male crew I’m able to compete better because of the strength differences, but also because they’ve had so much more races at a high level,” Jensen continued. “I learn from them. They can learn from me because I fleet race. I might do something different tactically and they’ll be wondering why, but it’s because I see things a little differently after the fleet racing.”

Swedish skipper Björn Hansen and the Team Apport.net crew. Photo copyright Per Heegaard/Danish Open

Jensen has primarily raced Yngling dinghies the past four years. She dropped out of women’s match-racing after winning three world championships from 1999 to 2001 to concentrate on the Olympic class. Although she admits it’s a selfish decision to sail with the male crew, she believes the women’s game has made great strides since ’01.

“The women’s game has improved. When I stopped match-racing up to this year there have been a lot of positive developments. They’re better tactically and with maneuvers,” said Jensen.

Danish Open 2006 Provisional Standings
(After 9 of 22 scheduled flights)
1. Jesper Bank (DEN) United Internet Team Germany, 4-0
2. Sebastian Col (FRA) Areva Challenge, 4-1
3. Ian Williams (GBR) Williams Sail Racing, 3-1
4. Björn Hansen (SWE) Team Apport.net, 3-2
T. Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team, 3-2
T. Sten Mohr (DEN) BMW ORACLE Racing, 3-2
7. Simon Minoprio (NZL) Vision Yachting, 2-2
8. Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia, 1-2
T. Dorte O. Jensen (DEN) Team Sjælsø Gruppen, 1-2
10. Mads Ebler (DEN), 1-4
11. Peter Wibroe (DEN) Team Wibroe, 1-4
12. Mathieu Richard (FRA) Saba Sailing Team, 0-4