Williams, Richard, Hansen and Mirsky Smash into Semis
Semi finalists at Korea Match Cup. (L-R) Ian Williams, Mathieu Richard, Torvar Mirsky, Bjorn Hansen. Korea Match Cup 2010. World match Racing Tour. Gyeonggi, Korea. 12 June 2010. Image copyright Gareth Cooke/Subzero Images.
by Cailah Leask
The torrential downpours experienced on Day 4 of Korea Match Cup were not part of the event brochure for Stage 3 but the additional wind speeds that came with the change in weather were hugely welcomed by the ISAF World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) teams going into the quarters and ultimately deciding on slots for the semi finals.
Casualties of today’s Korea Match Cup cuts after the initial round robin were the non-tour card holders; Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Italia, Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing, Johnnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team, and local hero Park GunWoo (KOR) Busan Match. Additional victims after the quarter final matches were Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZBlackMatch Racing, Francesco Bruni (ITA) Azzurra, Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing and Bertrand Pacé (FRA) Aleph Sailing Team.
These Korea Match Cup skippers have been sacrificed for the tour card holders to continue. Cruising on through into the semi-finals is Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team, Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar, Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team and Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Gill Global Team.
Hansen who is on cloud nine going into Korea Match Cup’s final day tomorrow said, “It is a fabulous feeling to go through to the final 4 teams. At Match Race Germany my team wondered if this event was really what we should be doing this year”. Hansen has bounced back from last position at Stage 2 of the 2010 Tour.
Mirsky also enjoyed his day in the elements having defeated a close rival in age and ability on the Tour, Minoprio, “To take down the world’s No.1 today and to do it 2-0 is something we are really proud of”, said Mirsky who finished in 4th at Stage 2 of the Tour behind 1st placed Minoprio.
Video of first TV umpire moment in the world at Korea Match Cup:
Korea is in a sporting mood this evening as their nation is due to play Greece at the Football World Cup in South Africa. The World Match Racing Tour sailors donned red outfits, Korea’s national colour, in a post race parade round Jeongok Port in support of the football celebrations. Engagement with sport in Korea is growing dramatically since the initial 1988 Seoul Games which inspired the nation and then attracted the 2002 FIFA World Cup to its shores.
The semi-final is going to produce guaranteed high octane matches with Williams already a double ISAF Match Racing World Champion against the Swedish skipper, Hansen that is a definite player at the Korea Match Cup and the current, No.1 WMRT ranked helm, Richard versus the young Australian with a multi-national team, Mirsky.
Video of Korea Match Cup Day 3 Highlights:
Semi Finalists
Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Gill Global Team
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team
Quarterfinals
Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar v Bertrand Pacé (FRA) Aleph Sailing Team (3-0)
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Gill Global Team v Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing (3-2)
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team v Francesco Bruni (ITA) Azzurra (3-1)
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team v Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing (2-0)
Overall Round Robin Standings
1 Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar 8-3
2 Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 7-4
3 Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 7-4
4 Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 6-5
5 Francesco Bruni (ITA) Azzurra 6-5
6 Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing 6-5
7 Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Gill Global Team *6-5
8 Bertrand Pacé (FRA) Aleph Sailing Team 5-6
9 Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 5-6
10 Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Italia 4-7
11 Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing Team 4-7
12 Park GunWoo (KOR) Busan Match 2-9
* 0.5 points deducted for damage
Korea Match Cup
World Match Racing Tour
