WMRT: Tough Day for MRT in Bermuda

Mirsky Racing Team on Day One of the Argo Group Gold Cup in Bermuda. Image copyright Charles Anderson.

by Kinley Fowler

A lot of boat breakages and strong winds kept competitors on their toes and with regatta organisers doing well to catch up on the missed flights of yesterday racing is now on track.

Facing Frenchman Damien Iehl, MRT was unable to make any significant gains in the blustery 20knot breeze and took their first loss for the regatta.

Keen to avenge their result in race one, MRT then faced current world champion Ian Williams and his team, Bahrain Team Pindar. After dominating the prestart MRT made a judgement error and was called OSC.

Sailing strongly MRT made big gains and at the last top mark trailed Team Pindar narrowly, unfortunately they could not pass on the downwind and Pindar took the win.

"We sailed well to catch back up, but with the strong winds the race committee put up the no spinnaker flag which meant it was very difficult to pass on the downwind" said Graeme Spence.

With one final race in the round robin, MRT must secure a win in order to proceed to the next stage of the competition and keep their hopes alive for the 2009 Gold Cup.

Results after Day Two:
Group 1
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 4/2
Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar by Argo Group 6/1
Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 4/3
Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing 2/3
Eric Monnin (SUI) Search.ch 4-1
Reuben Corbett (NZL) 3/3
Robbie Allam (GBR) 1/5
Ian Evans (USA)1/5

Group 2
Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing 3/1
Sebastien Col (FRA) French Team/K Challenge 3/1
Ben Ainslie (GBR) Team Origin 4/0
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Alandia Sailing Team 3/1
Alvaro Marinho (POR) Seth Sailing Team 1/3
David Perry (USA) 2/2
Rasmus Viltoft (DEN) 0/4
Paula Lewin Crews (BDA) 0/4

Group 3
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 4/0
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 3/1
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 3/1
Mattias Rahm (SWE) Stena Bulk Sailing Team 2/2
Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing Team 2/2
Blythe Walker (BDA) 1/3
Donald Wilson (USA) 1/3
Charlie Enright (USA) 0/4

Mirsky Racing Team
World Match Racing Tour