NZ Match Racing- Minoprio, Murdoch, Park and Hazard take Round Robin

by Mel Benton, RNZYS on 16 Nov 2013
The four top seeded teams after Round Robin will go through to the Semi Finals of the RNZYS New Zealand Match Racing tomorrow morning after light winds caused racing to be delayed a number of times in the first three days of the regatta.

Murdoch and Minoprio are both at the top of the table with eleven wins and two losses each.

Both teams had battles on their hands in the shifty breeze which refused to fill in enough to allow a quarter final. Minoprio beat Murdoch on the first day of racing and the pair will be looking at ensuring all their crew work and tactical decisions are on form for the finals series.

Korean Gunwoo Park has been a consistent winner only losing to Chris Steel, Tim Coltman and Andrew Murdoch during the regatta. The team have shown their form and have been enjoying the regatta and it’s tough competition. With a smile on his face Park said today was a good day. Park won against Hazard and Pyatt with a loss to Coltman today and that will boost his confidence knowing he has already a point against hazard.

Dave Hazard and his crew are quietly confident having watched the racing today, missing out on the worst of the wind shift. Sister Stephanie Hazard said they were excited about tomorrow. It was great racing and great to be out with all the other teams on the changeover boat ‘Playbuoy’. Their win against Minoprio was only 6 seconds but Hazard gave away nothing.

For Chris Steele, RNZYS YTP member, on nine points the day has been long and dissapointing. With no quarter finals his regatta is over. Steele started to find great form yesterday, however the final flight against Minoprio meant the end to his comeback. In what appears to have been a hotly contested start between the two top teams in one of the final matches of the day, Steele made a tactical error causing him to be disqualified.

David Chapman will also be dissapointed in not having a quarter final series, however the team from Australia have not ever found form. Losing to the top five skippers only and none of those by large margins, can be heart breaking, however in true Australian style Dave Chapman and his crew always have a smile. Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron can be proud of them.
Peter Waring and his Murrays Bay Sailing Club crewthey also had three great wins today and only one loss. Too late. A team that is coming back to racing having finished university, gotten married and started families, this is a great effort and had the breeze been kinder they may have done some damage. We look forward to seeing them in many more regattas.

Tim Coltman from Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, beat park this afternoon resoundingly by 44 seconds showing his skill and determination not to let the score board beat them after suffering a huge defeat to Minoprio of 1m 48s.
The winds were not kind to the fleet and with 180 degree wind shifts during the matches, picking the wrong side of the course meant the end of a match time after time. For some the lead changes went their way but for others it just wasn’t enough. The race management have had a tough three days and unfortunately the forecast for Sunday is light, again.

We wish all the teams great racing for the final day and congratulations to all competitors.

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