The DS37 fleet line up ready to go at Match Cup Sweden. Image copyright Dan Ljungsvik.
by Kyle Langford
MRT faced the in-form Frenchman Sebastien Col who battled his way through the repechage to scrape through to the quarter finals in a best of 5 series.
With an extra two days sailing under their belts, the French Match Racing Team came out firing in the first race to win the prestart and defend on the one sided course to sail to victory.
MRT attacked hard but could not force an error on the current world number one team who brought their A-game today.
The following two races were a similar story with the French Match Racing Team gaining the right hand side of the course and essentially the race.
"They simply sailed better than us today, the start was crucial and Seb and his guys had the edge on us. We always knew it would be difficult to go out and race someone who had made it through the repechage round. It’s a pretty big high for them to make it through such a tough round, but again all credit to the French Match Racing Team who are definite title contenders" said MRT's Torvar Mirsky.
Despite the disappointment of not making the semi finals, MRT dominated the celebrity fleet race where they won both races by a considerable distance which entertained the large crowds of Swedish holiday makers who made their way down to watch the racing.
The afternoon saw MRT face the local Berntsson Sailing Team in the all important 5th-8th sail off. With World Match Racing Tour points at stake MRT found their rhythm to inflict a penalty on the Swedes in the prestart then sail comfortably in the fading sea breeze.
Next on the radar was Victory Challenge skipper and recent Match Cup Sweden Hall of Fame inductee, Magnus Holmberg. A close race saw MRT lead for the first lap before Holmberg showed his expertise when he managed to position himself inside MRT at the final top mark and defend down the final run to leave MRT with 6th place.
"We are happy with where we are at at this stage of the year. We are developing as a team and always improving.
We are all really hungry to win so when we dont, it hurts, but its just more motivation to keep on going" said Bowman Graeme Spence.
At the half way stage of the World Match Racing Tour MRT are still in a very strong position to take out the title.
With a two month break before the next event, in Saint Moritz, Switzerland the team will use the time off from the World Tour to persue other sailing projects both as a team, with owners and individually.
Mirsky Racing Team
World Match Racing Tour
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