MySkipper.com interviewed the five times world champion

«With more wind we are candidates to the title»

Already considered a legend in the 505 class, the swede Krister Bergstrom, five times world champion, is in Portugal to defend the title he won last year in Durban, South Africa.

In a short conversation with MySkipper.com, we got to know that, at the moment, he prefers not to assume himself as the main candidate to the victory of this Quebramar - 505 World Championship, that starts on saturday, 22th of September, in Cascais.

MySkipper.com – Is this your first time in Portugal?
Krister Bergstrom – No, I came here like a tourist at the occasion of Expo-98 but it's the fisrt time I'm here to sail.

MS.com – What do you think about the conditions here in Cascais?
K.B. – Untill now, the wind has been very soft but, from what I got to know the last time I came here, it use to be good winds in this region.

MS.com – Do you feel in condition to defend the title you won last year?
K.B. – Well, I think it's going to be very difficult. We are going to give our best but it's always hard to win two years in a row... If the wind gets stronger we'll might succeed but with the wind like it is now it will be very complicated.

MS.com – Yesterday, in the "Pre-World" race, you got the second place...
K.B. – Yes, we started very well but we are not that good with soft winds so we got quite surprised with the result.

MS.com – Who are your main opponents in this event?
K.B. – If the wind is soft or medium, I think that some of the americans, like Howard Hamlin and Mike Martin, are favourits, and, if the wind is soft and strong,the german Wolfgang Hunger is sure to be in the front positions. There are also some good swedish sailors here, like Johan Barne and Johan Molund.

MS.com – How do you describe this boat?
K.B. – It's a little bit bigger than the 470 but they belong to the same generations of boats. They are very similar in the tunings and navegation. It's only a bit bigger and heavier e have more flexible rules.
And we are allowed to make the tunings we want to with the boat already in the water.

MS.com – Do you think that the fact that the 505 is not a olympic class it's a little more "relaxed" class?
K.B. – It is true that the 505 is not a olympic class but there are many good sailors. Last year, for example, one of the Olympic Games silver medalists ended in fifth place.

MS.com – And what do you think about the portuguese sailors?
K.B. – I don't know who they are but i've heard there are some olympics with 470 experience.

MS.com – One is sailing 470 and the other Star...
K.B. – It's obvious they are good sailors and they should learn all they can about the boat and how to tune it correctly. As good sailors they certainly are, I guess they will be on the first half of the classification.

Aires Afonseca