Gold Cup Quarter final pairings announced

by Talbot Wilson on 10 Oct 2009
From this point on, Argo Group Gold Cup action centres on the knockout first-skipper-to-three, quarter, semi and final stages. Repechage Flights 3, 4 and 5 were sailed first today to decide the final two of the eight teams that moved up the ladder toward the $50,000 first place prize or even a share of the $100,000 total purse.

Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team came through that round robin with a perfect 5-0 score. and now faces the unbeaten Ben Ainslie in quarter-final Match 2. Mirsky is the top ranked skipper on the world Match Racing Tour. Course conditions saw an early light and shifty northerly breeze fill in nicely as the morning racing moved into the second flight of the day. Mirsky was in top form and will need to continue at that level to move past Ainslie

Bermudian Blythe Walker and his Max Re team pulled a stunning gybe at the finish of their final repechage match against the young Kiwi Phil Robertson. Walker won by just a meter and went 3-2. He will face Eric Monnin (SUI) Search.ch who was first in Group 1 in the first quarterfinal Match.

Quarter-final Match 3 will feature two Gold Cup champions - Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team and Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar sponsored by Argo Group. Williams is the reigning champion of the World Match Racing Tour and Berntsson is the reigning Gold cup champ.

Match 4 of the quarter-finals features Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing skipper Adam Minoprio (NZL) against 2007 King Edward VII Gold Cup winner Mathieu Richard (FRA) representing the French Match Racing Team. Minoprio is the top skipper in the ISAF rankings.

Competition in Stage 2 quarter-finals, begins immediately, following the boat draw scheduled for 11:30 a.m. The quarter-final round consists of head-to-head match race sailing with the first skipper winning three points to knock out the other and move into the semi-finals.

It’s filet or feathers from this point on in the Argo group Gold Cup.

Results from Day 3

GROUP 1
Eric Monnin (SUI) Search.ch 6-1
Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar sponsored by Argo Group 6-1
Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 4-3
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 4-3
Reuben Corbett (NZL) 3-4
Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing 2-5
Ian Evans (USA) 1-6
Robbie Allam (GBR) 1-6

GROUP 2
Ben Ainslie (GBR) Team Origin 7-0
Adam Minoprio (NZL) Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing 4-3
Dave Perry (USA) 4-3
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Alandia Sailing Team 4-3
Sebastien Col (FRA) French Match Racing Team/K Challenge 4-3
Rasmus Viltoft (DEN) 3-4
Alvaro Marinho (POR) Seth Sailing Team 2-5
Paula Lewin Crews (BDA) 8-0

GROUP 3
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 6-1
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 6-1
Blythe Walker (BDA) 4-3
Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing Team 4-3
Mattias Rahm (SWE) Stena Bulk Sailing Team 3-4
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 3-4
Charlie Enright (USA) 1-6
Donald Wilson (USA) 1-6

Tour Standings
(After 7 of 9 events)

1. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 88 Points
2. Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing 86 Points
3. Mathieu Richard (FRA), French Match Racing Team 72 Points
4. Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 71 Points
5. Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar 70 Points
6. Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 48 Points
7. Sebastien Col, (FRA) French Match Racing Team 41 Points
8. Ben Ainslie, (GBR) Team Origin 40 Points

For updates throughout the day, results and photos, go to click here
Daily news highlights are available click here
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World Match racing Tour website click here