Mirsky Racing Team keep a close eye on their opponent. Image copyright Gareth Cooke/Subzero Images.
by Kinley Fowler
After some tough racing in fickle winds, and a little bit of good fortune, the Mirsky Racing Team have finished day one of Match Race Germany undefeated.
A slow start to the day saw MRT stepping on in the 4th flight to race fellow SailRacing representative Magnus Holmburg of Victory Challenge. After three attempts, racing finally got under way in very shifty winds. With a substantial lead off the line, the team extended their lead to put their first win comfortably in the bag.
Next up was Radich Racing Team who fought hard in the close battle for the lead, but with a miscommunication on board, they handed the victory to MRT by sailing to the wrong mark.
The race committee then managed to squeeze in one more race in the dying breeze. MRT faced Team Proximo, helmed by Ian Ainslie from South Africa. The team managed to hold onto a tight lead throughout the race, but a small shift favoured Team Proximo, and they stole the lead within metres of the finish line.
"We thought it was all over because they were so close to the line, but we had one last shot at it, and with a perfectly timed gybe we just squeezed back in front" said an elated Tudur Owen after the victory. "There must have been half a foot in it at the most, but we would have been really upset if we had lost it because we put everything into staying in front - not an easy task in today's conditions."
Mirsky Racing Team
Match Race Germany
World Match Racing Tour
