Taylor Canfield stands out on Day 1 of the Match Cup Australia

by John Roberson on 20 Mar 2017 Taylor Canfield and his US One team are the standout performers on the first day of the Match Cup Australia, the first event on the 2017 World Match Racing Tour. Canfield, from the US Virgin Islands, chalked up three wins and a second place to dominate his group in the day’s fleet racing.

“It was a lot of fun,” he commented, “it’s been a while since we’ve been match racing or fleet racing these boats. Today was a little bit experimental with a new team, and it was good to get out there and mix it up with some other boats.” Though he admitted it is a bit early in the event to be reading too much into the results.

Also at the top of the scoreboard in their respective groups were Kiwi Chris Steele in group one, and Frenchman Yann Guichard in group three.

Steele and his 36 Below Racing team also scored three first places, with a third place their other score, but they were penalized a further point for a collision.

Group three produced the closest result of the day, with Guichard and his Spindrift team just one point ahead of joint second place held by Ian Williams and Torvar Mirsky. By the time group three got on the race course the wind had become light and shifty, which really challenged the teams.

Torvar Mirsky, one of the local skippers, said he was very happy with his results, “after four years away from the Tour, and new boats, we’re really happy to be in equal second place, and just one point off the lead.”

The day started with a steady easterly breeze on a sparkling Freshwater Bay, but the wind became lighter and more shifty at the day progressed. The event is being hosted by the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, and concludes on Saturday.

Results:

Group 1
1 Chris Steele NZL 7pts
2 Phil Robertson NZL 9pts
3 Matt Jerwood AUS 14pts
4 Pieter-Jan Postma NED 17pts
5 Sam Gilmour AUS 20pts
5 Nicklas Dackhammar SWE 20pts

Group 2
1 Taylor Canfield ISV 5pts
2 David Gilmour AUS 11pts
2 Steven Thomas AUS 11pts
4 Sally Barkow USA 18pts
4 Jonas Warrer DEN 18pts
6 Nicolai Sehested DEN 21pts

Group 3
1 Yann Guichard FRA 11pts
2 Ian Williams GBR 12pts
2 Torvar Mirsky AUS 12pts
4 Evan Walker AUS 14pts
5 Mans Holmberg SWE 15pts
6 George Anyon NZL 20pts