Korea Match Cup Qualifier 2011 win to AON Racing team

by WMRT on 1 May 2011 Korea Match Cup qualifier 2011 for the ISAF World Match Racing Tour Korea Match Cup was held in Gyeonggi Province, Korea on Sunday 1st May 2011.

The qualifier has produced four-days of outstanding competition yet again. Reuben Corbett (NZL) and his AON Racing team won the qualifier and an entry to compete in the Korea Match Cup to be held from 7-12 June 2011. The World Match Racing Tour is the professional sailing series with championship events across the globe, sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) with 'special event' status. The very nature of the Tour qualifying events ensures the toughest competitive environment to gain entry into the global championship events on the Tour.

23 year old Corbett, who started sailing at the age of 13 in his native New Zealand and developed his skills through Optimist, Sunbursts and 420s class events, has participated previously in Tour events, and is certain future star in the international match racing circuit. In an interview with the Tour shortly after winning the Korea Match Cup Qualifier, Corbett who trains on home waters in New Zealand said, 'We’re a brand new team, AON Racing, and we’ve been training for some time now, targeting this event in particular. We are thrilled to have won the Korea Match Cup Qualifier against some tough competition from William (Tiller) and Laurie (Jury). The guys performed really well out there today and didn’t make too many mistakes. We really enjoy sailing these boats and are now looking forward to returning for the main event in a month’s time.'

Corbett topped the leader board for the Korea Match Cup Qualifier with his AON Racing team after seeing of strong charges from fellow New Zealanders William Tiller (in the final) and Laurie Jury (in the semi-final) and puts his success at the 2011 qualifiers down to ‘excellent preparation and great team work’.

After the prize giving at Jeongok Marina, Dong Young Kim, Event Promoter of the Korea Match Cup and Qualifier explained the importance of this qualifying event, 'Now in its fourth year, the Korea Match Cup Qualifier provides an excellent platform of competition where the winner not only achieves a hard-fought regatta victory but also the coveted opportunity to participate in the main Tour event, racing against the elite World Match Racing Tour Card Holders. This is a real achievement for these young, talented individuals in the world of competitive match racing.'

Corbett is set for a very active 2011 racing season with his AON Racing team, and is backed by new principal sponsor AON insurance brokers. Other sponsors on board the team this year include Club Marine and Allianz, as well as Myogenics, NZ Solutions Web Design and Corbett’s home club The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

AON Racing are skipper Reuben Corbett (Helm), Adrian Short (Main/Tactics), Tom Blampied (Pit), Tom Bentham (Trim) and Benny Butcher (Bow).

Korea Match Cup Qualifiers 2011 - Final Standings
1. Reuben Corbett (NZ) AON Racing
2. William Tiller (NZ) Full Metal Jacket Racing
3. Evan Walker (AUS) KA Match
4. Laurie Joy (NZ) ZOKE Kiwi Match
5. David Chapman (AUS) 33 South Racing
6. Natsuki Motoyoshi (JPN) Albatros Racing
7. Koralev Nikolay (RUS) Koralev Team
8. Sungwook Kim (KOR) Busan Team
9. ByeongKi Park (KOR) Geoige City Hall
10. Bongjin Chae (KOR) Buan Gun Team
11. Taejung Kim (KOR) Pyeong-Taeck City Hall
12. Cheul Yoon (KOR) Gyeonggi-Do Sailing WMRT website