Jeppe Borch’s Borch Racing Team from Denmark and Johnie Berntsson’s Berntsson Racing Team from Sweden, advanced to the Quarterfinal Round of the 70th Bermuda Gold Cup.
The two Scandinavian crews placed first and second, respectively in Wednesday’s Repechage Round.
Borch, 23, sailing his first Bermuda Gold Cup, is the youngest skipper remaining in the regatta.
Berntsson, 48, is one of the event’s grizzled veterans: a 12-time competitor, six-time finalist and two-time winner of the King Edward VII Gold Cup.
Quarterfinal Pairings
With Halloween just a few days away, Borch’s dream could quickly turn nightmarish. The event’s top-ranked skipper, Chris Poole of the U.S. and his Riptide Racing Team, chose to race Borch’s team in Thursday’s quarterfinals.
Ian Williams, skipper of Team GAC Pindar, selected Eric Monnin’s Capvis Swiss Match Race Team.
Phil Robertson’s China One Ningbo selected Torvar Mirsky’s Mirsky Racing Team, which left Taylor Canfield’s Team Stars+Stripes to race Berntsson Sailing Team.
The King Edward VII Gold Cup, awarded to the winner of the Bermuda Gold Cup, is the oldest trophy in the world for competition involving one-design yachts.
Sean McNeill