World Match leader board tightens as three times Gold Cup winner exits

12:58 AM Fri 7 Oct 2011 GMT

'Canfield v Gilmour - Argo Group Gold Cup - World Match Racing Tour 2011' PPL Photo Agency Click Here to view large photo

Four times ISAF World Match Racing Champion Peter Gilmour, whose YANMAR Racing Team is currently fourth on the 2011 World Match Racing Tour leader board, crashed out of the Argo Group Gold Cup in Hamilton Bermuda today.

Four of the big teams - Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Gilmour, Johnie Berntsson (SWE) and Phil Robertson (NZL) were all in one of the three round robin groups. Four teams were locked together; one was going home, two would go through to the quarter finals and one would have to fight through the repecharge.

Mirsky lifted his game, the 2010 WMRT runner up winning all three of his matches to pull himself into top spot, his last win at the cost of Peter Gilmour (AUS) and his YANMAR Racing crew, who had to win the match to survive and go into the repechage.

Gilmour, the three-time Gold Cup winner said 'It was an important day today and we had to do a lot of winning and we didn't. Our races were against Berntsson, Robertson and Mirsky.

'We started well. In the first match we were about 10 boat lengths in front of Johnie Berntsson but we received an unexpected penalty because the boundary mark had drifted out of place. That seemed fairly tough but in the end we were unable to convince the jury so we were one down.

'We beat Phil Robertson, who has been continuing his good form, and then Torvar did us over. Overall we feel we are sailing well, just without any luck at this event.

'Certainly we are very pleased with our new tactician Simon Shaw, who is now with us as Cameron Dunn is heading off in the Volvo Ocean Race fleet. And we are very much looking forward to the Monsoon Cup. in Malaysia.

'We will receive average points from the (cancelled) Denmark event. Our average event placing has been 4.25 and as Francesco Bruni had selected not to sail in Denmark, we are better placed on the WMRT leader board as a result.

'So when that score is added, the board tightens up, so we are still in the hunt.

'Just who has a chance of winning the Tour hinges on the next few days; if the winner of this event is Ian Williams, then he will take a good lead into the Monsoon Cup. If not, the title could still be wide open so the next few days are going to be both exciting and critical.'

Gilmour continued. 'While we are out, we have enjoyed this regatta.

'There is a unique element to this event; previously the seeded skippers, 16 teams, used to do double round robins and eight used to go against seeds. Now three groups of eights do round robins.

'This means we get to talk to and race against many more of the young teams. To see sailors like Taylor Canfield having a red hot go is wonderful. There is some impressive new talent in this group, they are fearless and they certainly represent the future.

'Tour CEO Jim O'Toole did a presentation for 2012 to potential Tour card holders and there was a huge amount of interest from young sailors; there are opportunities for them.'

Results after Qualifying Session Three:

Q - Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar sponsored by Argo group 6-1
Q - Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team 6-1
Q - Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners 6-1
Q - Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 5-2
Q - Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat 5-2
Q - Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing 4-3
R - Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing 5-2
R - Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekononmen Sailing Team 4-3
R - Taylor Canfield (ISV) Team ISV 4-3
R - Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 4-3
R - Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 5-2
---------------
Overall Championship Standings - after six stages:
1 Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar - 90pts
2 Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing - 89pts
3 Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat - 84pts
4 Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing - 74pts
5 Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team - 73pts
6 Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team - 67pts
7 Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team - 63pts
8 Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners - 61pts
9 Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team - 48pts
10 Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing - 43pts

World Match Racing Tour website

For more news and information on YANMAR Racing, please visit www.yanmar.co.jp/en/racing/

And to discover more about YANMAR Marine go to www.yanmarmarine.com/

by Yanmar Racing Media

Newsfeed supplied by

#News #Sailing

Sailing

Reefing: Read the Signs, Act Early

Sailing

Reefing Early: Shorten Sail Before It's Too Late

Sailing

Overnight at Anchor: Setting Up Right

Sailing

Reefing Early: Shorten Sail Before You Must

Sailing

QLD Coast in Winter: Dry Season Tactics

Sailing

Read the Wind: Judge Its Force Without a Gauge

Nearby
Merimbula (Coastal), NSW	4 kn NNW	11°
Green Cape, NSW	4 kn SW	14°
Windiest in Australia
Marion Reef, QLD	28 kn SE	21°
Most Windless in Australia
Fawkner Beacon, VIC	Calm
Hottest in Australia
Marble Bar, WA	7 kn WNW	32°
Coldest in Australia
Butlers Gorge, TAS	Calm	3°
Wettest in Australia
Cowley Beach (Defence), QLD	17.2 mm

World Match leader board tightens as three times Gold Cup winner exits

VHF Radio on the Water: Channels and Calls

The Beaufort Scale: How We Learned to Rank Wind

Heave-To: Sailing's Emergency Pause Button

Live Weather

Nearby

Windiest in Australia

Most Windless in Australia

Hottest in Australia

Coldest in Australia

Wettest in Australia

Sailing Articles

Buy & Sell

2022 Destination Travel Board Bag

2024 Epic V5

2022 Duotone Dice Sls

2024

2025 Ensis Spin

2015 North Dice

2023 Cygnet 20

Weather

Activities

About

Other

Support