Alpari World Match Racing Tour : Team Alpari FX storm through to semis

Adam Minoprio and Team Alpari FX at the start in the quarterfinals at Match Race Germany. Image copyright Brian Carlin/AWMRT

by Dave Swete

Team Alpari FX came storming through the quarterfinals over Bjorn Hansen today, in similarly stormy conditions of 20-25 knots and miserable rain, while the afternoon offered up a more sedate 5-8knots and beautiful sunshine where we are currently in the box set with a score line of 2-1 over Frenchman Mathieu Richard.

In the ‘first to 3 wins’ quarterfinal we came from a 2-1 deficit to beat our Swedish opposition in some of the tightest action packed racing we have encountered on the tour. Big breeze and a choppy sea state meant for extreme conditions for each of the 5 man crews on the powerful Bavaria 40’s. Our penultimate race saw us take the victory by mere centimeters as both teams hurled down the course, a small wipeout from the Swedes proving the difference as we rolled them into the finish. The decider was equally as close as we got the better of them up the final beat to leave them high and dry at the top of the course, struggling to fetch the mark while we rolled on by and extended to take the victory and send us through to the semi finals.

After a lunch break ashore, it was chalk and cheese back out on the Lake; flat water, 5-8knots breeze and beautiful sunshine meant a change of gears for all the teams. We were perhaps guilty of not fully taking into account the new weather conditions as our opposition Mathieu Richard took a narrow victory in the first race. Although not having things entirely our way, we took the next two victories to set up a match point for tomorrow morning. In the other semifinal it’s Johnnie Berntsson 2-1 up against reigning World Champion Ian Williams.

Adam Minoprio calls for a penalty. Image copyright Brian Carlin/AWMRT

After a long break from match racing the team are slowing getting up to speed with things, still steadily improving and in the process learning how to win again. There is a great vibe onboard and we hope we can keep sailing the way we have been right through until the final.

Team Alpari FX would like to thank Alpari and Line 7 Events Clothing for their support. Team Alpari FX are Adam Minoprio, Chris Main, Tom Powrie, David Swete and Nick Blackman. For more info please visit www.wmrt.com or follow us on twitter @TeamAlpariFX.