Argo Group Gold Cup - Qualifying Groups set

by Talbot Wilson on 22 Oct 2014 In spite of Hurricane Gonzalo's thrashing of the Onion Patch last week, the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and the people of Bermuda are ready to host the 2014 Argo Group Gold Cup, Stage 6 of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour (AWMRT). All 20 teams have arrived safely from their corners of the world and will practice for a day and race on Wednesday.

Thirteen countries are represented in the 2014 Argo Group Gold Cup. The teams have been divided into two groups of 10 for the Qualifying Session round-robin knockout matches:

Group 1 features Tour leader leader Ian Williams (GBR) GAC Pindar, Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Hansen Sailing Team, Keith Swinton (AUS) Team Alpari FX, Francesco Bruni (ITA) Luna Rossa, Pierre Antoine Morvan (FRA) Equipe de France, Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Stena sailing Team, Arthur Herreman (FRA) Match the World, David Storrs (USA) Pequot Racing Team, Somers Kempe (BER) Raymarine/Ocean Electronics, and Dirk-Jan Korpershoek (NED) Opportunity Team.

Group 2 is led by second on the Tour Taylor Canfield (ISV) Team One, Mathieu Richard (FRA) Luna Jet, Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing, David Gilmour (AUS) Team Gilmour, Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team, Eric Monnin (SWI) Swiss Match Racing Team, Marek Staqnczyk (POL) www.470sailing.org.pl, Chris Poole (USA) Riptide Racing, Lance Fraser (BER) DigiCel Bermuda, and Nathen Outteridge (SWE) Artemis Racing.

Seedings in the groups are based on AWMRT and ISAF rankings and other performance factors. Teams sail a 10-team Round-Robin knock-out elimination within their group. Then the top four teams from each group move on to directly to the knockout phases with Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Finals scheduled. There is no second-chance Repechage sail-off in the Argo Group Gold Cup... 12 teams are beached at the end of the Round-Robin Qualifying matches.

The 2014 Argo Group Gold Cup will be sailed with the same 20-team format used in 2013. This Argo Group Gold Cup format is unique on the Alpari World Match Racing Tour. It starts with Qualifying in two 10-team groups. Skippers in the groups are ranked and divided by Alpari World Match Racing Tour officials and the organizers at the RBYC.

Group 1 Skipper	ISAF Rank	Tour Rank	Nation	Racing Team
Williams, Ian	2	1	GBR	GAC Pindar
Hansen, Bjorn	4	4	SWE	Hansen Sailing Team
Swinton, Keith	9	5	AUS	Team Alpari FX
Morvan, Pierre-Antoine	12	8	FRA	Equipe de France
Berntsson, Johnie	16	18	SWE	Stena Sailing Team
Herreman, Arthur	20	13	FRA	MATCH THE WORLD
Bruni, Francesco	37		ITA	Luna Rossa
Korpershoek,Dirk-Jan	42		NED	Opportunity Team
Storrs, David	43		USA	Pequot Racing Team
Kempe, Somers			BER	Raymarine/Ocean Electronics
Group 2 Skipper	ISAF Rank	Tour Rank	Nation	Racing Team
Canfield, Taylor	1	2	ISV	US One
Richard, Mathieu	3	3	FRA	LunaJets
Robertson, Phil	5	6	NZL	WAKA Racing
Monnin, Eric	6	13	SUI	Swiss Match Race Team
Gilmour, David	10	7	AUS	Team Gilmour
Linberg, Staffan	11		FIN	Alandia Sailing Team
Poole, Chris	19		USA	Riptide Racing
Stanczyk, Marek	32		POL	www.470sailing.org.pl
Fraser, Lance	64		BER	Digicel Bermuda
Nathan Outteridge			SWE	Artemis Racing

2014 Alpari World Match Racing Tour Standings after Stage 5

1 Ian Williams (GBR) GAC Pindar 94pts
2 Taylor Canfield (ISV) US One 88pts
3 Mathieu Richard (FRA) LunaJets 76pts
4 Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Hansen Sailing 63pts
5 Keith Swinton (AUS) Team Alpari FX 58pts
6 Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing 56pts
7 David Gilmour (AUS) Team Gilmour 39pts
8 Francesco Bruni (ITA) Luna Rossa 20pts Event website