Three way fight for World Match Tour title

by Lynn Fitzpatrick Sail-World USA Editor on 30 Nov 2007 The breeze was on when sailors arrived at the Heritage Bay Club in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia for the last six flights of the round robin series to determine who would qualify for the quarter finals of the final stage of the 2006/07 World Match Racing Tour.

Tour scores are so close among the top six going into the regatta that any of the teams can win, so long as they make the first cut and go through to the quarterfinals.

The day started with the match that would elevate even a sloth's heart rate - the face off between the #1 and #2 ranked teams on the World Match Race Tour - Mathieu Richard of Saba Sailing Team (1) and Ian Williams of Team Pindar (2). The pair used every play in the book during the pre-start sequence.

Williams copped a penalty seconds before the start after nearly boxing Richard off at the committee boat. Williams was in hot pursuit throughout the three laps, but never gained enough of an advantage to do his penalty turn before Richard crossed the finish line only a few boat lengths ahead of him.

Three flights were completed in the morning and the fate was sealed for the women and Staffan Lindberg. The women took the stage first after lunch and Katie Spithill won her first, and only, match of the regatta.

In the Mirsky Williams match. Torvar Mirsky and Ian Williams did a dizzying number of circles during the pre-start with each trying to gain the right side advantage at the start.

During the final approach, the boats luffed beam to beam and Williams, who went beyond head to wind, was given a penalty. Williams shot out of the starting area with the speed advantage and Mirsky went left. Williams rounded the weather mark just ahead of Mirsky who went bow down so that Williams couldn't put a lock on him. The boats came together several times and multiple green flags were raised by the judges. Once he took the lead, Mirsky held on. It was a thriller of a race.

With the women eliminated and Staffan Lindberg knocked out with his fifteenth round loss, the feature match was between Sebastien Col and Bjorn Hansen to determine who would make it through to the quarter finals.

Hansen was over early at the pin end of the line in his face off against Col.

Hansen closed the gap and blanketed Col on the second run. The beat was close and the pair luffed up at the weather mark. Hansen popped his chute first and the pair sailed their final run with Hansen in the lead. Hansen's win secured his entry into the quarter finals, while Col was excused from the remainder of the competition.

The quarter finalists will start the day on Saturday with a clean scoreboard, a greater understanding of local conditions, better boat handling and a heightened desire to win every race toward the World Championship Title and the purse for the Monsoon Cup's grand prize.

Among the top three leaders going into the final stage of the World Match Racing Tour's 2006/2007 season, it will come down to who moves on to the next round.

With Sebastien Col eliminated from the series, the young Turks and Peter Gilmour have the potential to be spoilers and knock the top three out of contention for the season's Grand Prize.

In a change to the format, the top competitors chose their initial opponents for the first flight of the quarterfinals. Dato Peter Gilmour will face off against Adam Minoprio; Torvar Mirsky will race Bjorn Hansen; Mathieu Richard chose Paolo Cian leaving Jesper Radich matched with Ian Williams. Report by Lynn Fitzpatrick.

At the end of the Round Robin the results are:

1st Dato' Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST: 9.5-1
2nd Adam Minoprio (NZL) BlackMatch Racing 8-3
3rd Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team: 8-3
4th Mathieu Richard (FRA) Saba Sailing Team: 7-4
5th Jesper Radich (DEN) Radich Racing 7-4
6th Paolo Cian (ITA) Shosholoza 6-5
7th Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Team Apport.Net: 6-5
8th Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar: 5-6
9th Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team: 4-7
10th Sebastien Col (FRA) Areva Challenge: 4-7
11th Katie Spithill (AUS) Team Acuity: 1-10
12th Tiffany Koo (MAS) UK Halsey Gapurna Team: 0-11

About Stage 15
The Monsoon Cup is the final Stage, of the 2006-07 season. In its third year the Monsoon Cup has maintained its prominent position on the World Tour. Offering the richest prize purse for a sailing event, RM1 million ($300,000).

The Monsoon Cup 2007 is the final ISAF Grade WC match race regatta this year and will see a new ISAF Match Racing World Champion crowned. To ensure the Monsoon Cup is an absolute thriller championship points from the event count double and must be included in the series score, guaranteeing a fight to the end with any one of 5 of the top teams able to win the World Championship.

Duyong Island at the mouth of the Terengganu River plays host to the Monsoon Cup where the purpose built sailing facility acts as a grandstand overlooking the racing area making a spectacular setting for this final event. The Monsoon Cup will be sailed in the identically matched and supplied Bakewell-White designed Foundation 36's with 5 crew. Live coverage on Saturday and Sunday between 1400-1600 (UTC +8), including the semi-finals and finals, will be shown on Eurosport, Star Sports Asia, Showtime Arabia and Sky NZ. You wouldn't want to miss it!