Gilmour into quarters at Match Race Germany

by Sean McNeill on 14 May 2005 The proceedings at Match Race Germany, Stage 6 of the 2004-’05 Swedish Match Tour, ground to a halt on Friday local time when the wind disappeared from Lake Constance.

After yesterday’s glorious opening day, sailed in fresh winds, Friday's winds were much lighter and more fickle.

Jesper Bank (DEN), of United Internet Team Germany, and Bertrand Pacé (FRA), of BMW Oracle Racing, showed that they have a fine touch no matter the conditions.

The two skippers converted the leads they established yesterday to win their respective groups. Bank won the five-flight Group A round robin with the perfect score of 5-0, while Pacé posted a 4-1 mark at the head of Group B.

They advanced to the quarter-finals, along with six other crews, led by skippers Ben Ainslie (GBR), of Emirates Team New Zealand, Ed Baird (USA), of Team Alinghi, Peter Gilmour (AUS), of Pizza-La Sailing Team, Staffan Lindberg (FIN), Sten Mohr (DEN) and Ian Williams (GBR).

They will begin the round robin Quarter-final Round tomorrow morning. Each crew will sail seven flights, with the top four advancing to the Semi-final Round.

The four skippers eliminated from advancing – Jan Eike Andresen (GER), Ian Ainslie (RSA), of Team Shosholoza, Sébastian Col (FRA), of K-Challenge, and Mathieu Richard (FRA) – sailed a one race sail off this afternoon for places 9 to 12.

Col beat Ainslie to finish ninth, with Ian Ainslie placing 10th. Richard beat Andresen for 11th, with the German placed 12th.

Although racing was conducted, it was difficult to call some of it fair. This morning, in particular, resumption of the Group B round robin was sailed in extremely light winds - less than 4 knots.

Conditions might be better described as
'drifters'. Winds came and went throughout the day before completely dying away around 3.00pm.

With a single round robin of five races, the margin for error was slim and it frustrated Gilmour, the reigning champion of the Swedish Match Tour and Match Race Germany, who voiced his frustration at the evening press conference.

'We all like to sail in good match-racing conditions,' said Gilmour.

'When the conditions go light and extreme, the races aren’t fair. I always favor abandoning a race rather than sailing in light conditions. When a race is abandoned it’s still fair for both teams.'

Gilmour didn’t mince his words because he nearly got eliminated after five races. He lost his first race of the day against Pacé by a large amount, because the match was a driftathon.

According to Gilmour, there was no skill involved.

That set up a scenario where Gilmour had to win his final race to advance, which he did, but that race was also held in light winds.

'They don’t use their discretion enough,' Gilmour said. 'If I’d gotten eliminated after five races, I’d be doing some pounding.

'The point is that the young guys aren’t getting enough experience. Four teams only sailed five races, and now they’re going home.

'The only fair way is a double round robin followed by semis and final. That way the cream rises to the top.'

In past years Match Race Germany has struggled to get racing in because of the light conditions and the boat used was a 24-footer.

Now the boat is a 35-footer, with a much taller rig and more sail area. The pressure to run races is not as strong.

'He’s right,' said Principal Race Officer Rudi Magg, who has run the races at the event since its beginning in 1996. 'A double round robin is fairer.'

After the racing for ninth through 12th was finished, the wind died away completely and Magg abandoned racing for the day at 4.50pm.

Ten minutes later, the best wind of the day, an 8-knot westerly, filled in for more than an hour. So ended Friday the 13th at Match Race Germany.

'’m not superstitious,' said Gilmour.

Swedish Match Tour partners include Swedish Match, BMW and the Match Race Association. Swedish Match Tour Official Sponsors include Musto, Sebago, Travel Places, Trident Studio and Wedgwood.

For more information on the Swedish Match Tour, and a link to the Tour’s broadband TV channel, please visit the official Tour Web site, www.SwedishMatchTour.com.

Match Race Germany 2005 Final Round Robin Standings:

Group A (After 5/5 Flights)

1. Jesper Bank* (DEN), 5-0
Crew: Henrik Blakskjær, Michael Haestbeck, Thomas Jacobsen, Markus Wieser

2. Staffan Lindberg* (FIN), 4-1
Crew: Nils Bjerkås, Johan Karlsson, Carl-Johan Uckelstem, Robert Sharp

3. Ed Baird* (USA), 3-2
Crew: Nils Frei, Yann Gouniot, Piet Van Nieuwenhuyzen, Dean Phipps

4. Ian Williams* (GBR), 2-3
Crew: Chris Gowers, Steve Mitchell, Mark Nichols, Mark Williams

5. Ian Ainslie (RSA), 1-4
Crew: Charles Nankin, David Rae, Alexander Runciman, Mark Sadler

6. Jan Eike Andresen (GER), 0-5
Crew: Tobias Aulich, Eric Hoeger, Carl Noel, Florian Weser


Group B (After 5/5 Flights)

1. Bertrand Pacé* (FRA), 4-1
Crew: Dirk De Ridder, Eric Doyle, Zack Hurst, Brad Webb

2. Sten Mohr* (DEN), 3-2
Crew: Jeppe Blak, Niels Gramkau, Thomas Hartwig, Henning Lambertsen

3. Peter Gilmour* (AUS), 3-2
Crew: Rod Dawson, Mike Mottl, Kazuhiko Sofuku, Yasuhiro Yaji

4. Ben Ainslie* (GBR), 2-3
Crew: Ray Davies, Andy Hemmings, Richard Meacham, Chris Salthouse

5. Sébastian Col (FRA), 2-3
Crew: Tanguy Cariou, Matt Cornwell, Gilles Favennec, Teva Plichart

6. Mathieu Richard (FRA), 1-4
Crew: Greg Evrard, Olivier Herledant, Frédéric Rivet, Yannick Simon

(* Advances to Quarterfinal Round)