Editorial- All Hail BlackMatch Racing!
by . on 9 Dec 2008
Welcome to Sail-World.Com's NZ newsletter for 9 December 2008
In the annuals of New Zealand sailing, second place in the 2008 Monsoon Cup will certainly get a worthy mention, but it's not in the same league as some others this year.
What will be remembered will be the stellar performance of the BlackMatch crew in obtaining a season pass, or Tour Card for the 2009 World Match Racing Tour, inside just three years, and all while attending University.
In this issue we feature an interview with Adam Minoprio, helmsman and skipper of BlackMatch who tells the story of how four friends put their heads together and decided to take on the world's best.
Last Sunday they cracked the inner sanctum of the world match racing circuit. And, to underline attaining the Tour Card, they gave the re-crowned world champion, Ian Williams a sailing lesson, coming from two down in their semi-final to score three unanswered wins and make the final.
After the last race, Williams would have been pleased to see the dock at the Monsoon Cup, having been forced into situations which resulted in him being penalised three times by the umpires. To Williams credit, he very adept at the difficult art of taking a penalty without losing too much, and was able to keep the pressure on Minoprio and friends right to the end.
That last semi-final will be right up there with the great races of 2008, along with the 49er Olympic medal race.
The BlackMatch team definitely earned their World Tour spurs with that performance.
The Foundation 36 yachts designed specifically for this event by www.bakewell-white.com!Bakewell-White_Yacht_Design, of Auckland, were emblazoned with great graphics and looked superb for their difficult task - even if the close up shots did show some battle scars. As we said previously the design responded admirably to a very challenging ask from the world's top match racers and played a vital part in the spectacle and success of the regatta.
Full marks to the BlackMatch sponsors, FedEx and www.line7.co.nz!Line_7 along with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron who have backed this team right form the beginning.
As we go to air the latest PR salvo in the America's Cup has been fired, with the announcement from BMW Oracle Racing that they will NOT be entering an America's Cup organised by Societe Nautique de Geneve, as they 'do not consider (it to be) a legitimate America's Cup'. We have feature the full text in this edition, and will comment in a new opinion column, 'Gladwell's Scan', which will be posted on www.sail-world.com/nz later this evening (NZT).
In this issue, we have also covered the reversal of the ISAF decision on the recognition of Outright SpeedRecord by kitesailers. The record which did stand at 50.57kts, then dropped back to 49.09kts, before reverting to 50.57kts. In our story on this ISAF flip-flop we have included links for the video of the record run. This unnecessary shuffle will also be covered in 'Gladwell's Scan'.
Good sailing!
Richard Gladwell
NZ Editor
nzeditor@sail-world.com
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