BlackMatch Racing (Adam Minoprio) cross tacks ahead of YANMAR Racing (Peter Gilmour) during their quarter-final. Image copyright Wander Roberto/World Match Racing Tour.
by Dobbs Davis
After a long first-to-three point Quarter-Final series, four teams have emerged on top to compete in tomorrow’s Semi-Final stage of the Troia Portugal Match Cup, the fourth stage in this year’s World Match Racing Tour. Out of the four pairings of Quarter-Finalists, only one went to five matches before being decided, whilst the others were all completed after four.
Spinnaker take-down for BlackMatch Racing against Peter Gilmour's YANMAR Racing Team. Image copyright Wander Roberto/World Match Racing Tour.
The four Semi-Finalists are Adam Minoprio (NZL) and his Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing team, Ian Williams (GBR) and his Bahrain Team Pindar, Mathieu Richard (FRA) and his French Match Racing Team, and Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and his Mirsky Racing Team. All four are currently lying in the top eight of the World Championship standings, holding, respectively, the first, third, fourth, and eight positions on the leaderboard.
Ian Williams lufss Seb Col during the quarterfinals. Image copyright Wander Roberto/World Match Racing Tour.
There may be some metaphorical value in the fact that the one pair that went to five had the oldest and youngest skippers doing battle against each other, with both also being from the Southern hemisphere. In his matches against Tour veteran Peter Gilmour (AUS) and the YANMAR Racing Team, Minoprio had some highly spirited encounters to keep Chief Umpire Shane Borrell and his International umpire team busy with numerous whistles and penalty flags in nearly all their matches.
Ian Williams' Bahrain Team Pindar competing in Portugal. Image copyright Wander Roberto/World Match Racing Tour.
One of the reasons for this high level of aggressiveness was not just the usual incentive to win Tour points and a piece of the 50,000 Euro prize money purse, but that the 8-10 knot wind conditions were perfect for tight manoeuvring in the Swedish Match 40s used in this event. Also, in the Rio Sado course area just north of the Troia Resort venue a strong flood current early followed by a strong ebb later in the day made the pre-start fight for the favoured end all the more intense in each match.
Seb Col (FRA) leads Ian Williams (GBR) downwind during the quarterfinals in Portugal. Image copyright Wander Roberto/World Match Racing Tour.
Another particularly aggressive pair was the match-up between Ian Williams and Sebastian Col (FRA) and his French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge. Col had a good start to the series, winning their first match, but this ignited Williams determination, taking three straight by showing an aggressive style and smooth teamwork appropriate for the reigning two-time World Match Race Champion. Col won this event last year, and finished last year’s Tour overall as runner-up to Williams, but has been having problems finding his stride as yet this year.
Ian Williams is all concentration during the quarterfinals. Image copyright Wander Roberto/World Match Racing Tour.
So, Sunday will be the final day of match race action on the Rio Sado at Troia Resort.
Semi-Final Pairings
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing v Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team
Ian Williams (GBR) Bahrain Team Pindar v Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch
Round Robin Results
1st Philippe Presti (FRA) French Match Racing Team
2nd Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team
3rd Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing
4th Ian Williams (GBR) Bahrain Team Pindar
5th Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing
6th Sebastien Col (FRA) French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge
7th Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing
8th Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Team Onboard
9th Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing
10th Alvaro Mourinho (POR) Seth Sailing Team
11th Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Proximo
12th Andrew Arbuzov (RUS)
Tour Standings
(After 3 of 10 events)
1. Adam Minoprio (NZL), ETNZ/BlackMatch 41 points
2. Ben Ainslie, (GBR), Team Origin 40 points
3. Mathieu Richard (FRA), French Team 35 points
4. Ian Williams (GBR), Bahrain Team Pindar 34 points
5. Damien Iehl (FRA), French Team 32 points
6. Paolo Cian (ITA), Shosholoza 32 points
7. Peter Gilmour (AUS), YANMAR Racing 23 points
8. Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mirsky Racing Team 21 points
World Match Racing Tour
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