2011 World Match Racing Tour

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10 June, 2011 – Gyeonggi Province, Korea: Current World Match Racing Tour leader Damien Iehl kept his hopes of winning the 2011 Korea Match Cup title alive today defeating Peter Gilmour in one of only three races sailed. The victory moves Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team back up into the top half of the rankings and on to equal standings with Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing with four wins and three losses.

There was also disappointment for last year’s Korea Match Cup runner-up Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar, one of the favourites to lift the 2011 Cup, who had his plans for glory put on hold by Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team who scored only his second win of the regatta.

For an analysis of all the action from the third Qualifying Session, visit www.wmrt.com

Standings after the third Qualifying Session:
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 6-2
Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing 6-2
Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar 5-2
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat 5-3
Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 4-3
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 4-3
Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing 4-4
Bjorn Hansen (DEN) Mekonomen Sailing Team 3.5-3
Paul Campbell-James (GBR) Dream Team 3-4
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 2-5
Reuben Corbett (NZL) AON Racing Team 1-7
Sung Wook Kim (KOR) Busan Match Team 1-7

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11 June, 2011: Gyeonggi Province, Korea: Defending Korea Match Cup champion Mathieu Richard’s dreams of retaining his title were shattered today after being knocked out in the Quarter Finals by come-back kid Bjorn Hansen. The twelve Korea Match Cup competitors were whittled down to four in a dramatic day of fraught battles which saw current Tour leader Damien Iehl and Torvar Mirsky among the skippers to be sent home empty-handed.

Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team now joins Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing, four times Match Racing World Champion Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing and highest scoring qualifier Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar in the Semi-Finals. Former double World Champion Williams automatically progressed to the Semi-Finals after notching up an impressive nine victories in 11 matches.

For an analysis of all the action from the final Qualifying Session and the Quarter-Final, visit www.wmrt.com

Quarter-Final Results:
Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing beat Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 2-1
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team beat Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 2-1
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing beat Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat 2-1

Standings after the Final day of the Qualifying Session:
Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar 9-2
Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing 8-3
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 7-4
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat 7-4
Bjorn Hansen (DEN) Mekonomen Sailing Team 7-4*
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 6-5
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 6-5
Paul Campbell-James (GBR) Dream Team 5-6
Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing 5-6
Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 4-7
Sung Wook Kim (KOR) Busan Match Team 1-10
Reuben Corbett (NZL) AON Racing Team 1-10
* deducted 0.5pts

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12 June, 2011 – Gyeonggi Province, Korea: Bjorn Hansen was named king of the Korea Match Cup for the first time today beating Francesco Bruni in a thrilling finale to the third stage of the World Match Racing Tour. Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team held onto his nerve as the Final went to sudden death, eventually defeating Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing by three wins to two.

It is Hansen’s first win on the World Match Racing Tour since he claimed Match Cup Sweden in 2007 and only his second ever Tour victory. Despite losing out to Hansen, Bruni also had reason to celebrate as the result moves him to the top of the World Match Racing Tour overall standings.

“We had a tough start to the World Match Racing Tour, coming last at Match Race France and then third to bottom at Match Race Germany so we knew we had to really raise our game,” Hansen said. “We also knew we love this event and had a good chance to get a result here in Korea. Fransceco has been sailing really well this season and we knew we were going to have to sail really well to beat him. To beat him round the course we knew we had to win the starts and thankfully we did that three times in the Final.”

He added: “To win the Korea Match Cup feels fantastic. My team have done a great job this week. I’m so happy, it has been four years since we won an event on the World Match Racing Tour. It feels like we really earned this win.”

For an analysis of all the action from the finals of Korea Match Cup, visit www.wmrt.com

2011 Korea Match Cup results:
Final
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team beat Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing 3-2

Petit Final
Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar beat Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 2-0

Final Positions at the 2011 Korea Match Cup:
1 Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team
2 Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing
3 Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar
4 Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing
5 Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team
6 Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat
7 Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team
8 Paul Campbell-James (UK) Dream Team
9 Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing
10 Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team
11 Sung Wook Kim (KOR) Busan Match Team
12 Reuben Corbett (NZL) AON Racing Team

2011 ISAF World Match Racing Tour Standings (after 3 stages):
1 Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing – 59pts
2 Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing – 48pts
3 Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team - 41pts
4 Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat – 31pts
5 Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners – 28pts
6 Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team – 27pts
7 Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing – 27pts
8 Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team – 24pts
9 Bertrand Pace (FRA) Aleph Sailing Team – 22pts
10 Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar - 21pts

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Williams Wins First Tour Event Since 2008 With Victory at 2011 Portimão Portugal Match Cup

26 June 2011 - Portimão, Portugal: Ian Williams won his first World Match Racing Tour event in three years today sailing to victory at the Portimão Portugal Match Cup. The last time Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar tasted victory was at the Danish Open back in 2008, the same year that he was crowned World Champion for the second consecutive year.

Williams’ victory over Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing in Portugal means there has been a different winner in each of the four completed stages of the 2011 Tour which is shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested seasons in recent years.

Williams took down current Tour leader Bruni with two back-to-back wins in a wet and wild Final. The win shoots Team GAC Pindar up the World Match Racing Tour standings from tenth to third place, which at the halfway stage of the Tour is a huge boost for the 2007 and 2008 World Champion.

“To win here is a fantastic feeling,” Williams said. “We struggled a bit with some matches and we had some really close calls so to walk away with a win is amazing. Although we have come close to winning events in recent years it has been a few years since we won an event so it’s great to have another one under our belt. It’s a great result for us – now we need a few more.”

Results from 2011 Portimão Portugal Match Cup:
1 Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar
2 Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing
3 Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team
4 Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team
5 Torvar Mirsky (AUS)The Wave Muscat
6 Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners
7 Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing
8 Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team
9 Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team
10 Alvaro Marinho (POR) Seth Sailing Team
11 Reuben Corbett (NZL) Aon Racing Team
12 Olli-Pekka Lumijarvi (FIN) Siragusawa Sailing Team

2011 ISAF World Match Racing Tour Standings (after 4 stages):
1 Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing – 81pts
2 Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing – 58pts
3 Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar - 46pts
4 Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team - 45pts
5 Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat – 45pts
6 Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team – 43pts
7 Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners – 40pts
8 Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team – 35pts
9 Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing – 31pts
10 Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team - 30pts

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Berntsson and Marinho Seize Early Advantage at Stena Match Cup Sweden

6 July, 2011 – Marstrand, Sweden: Swedish skipper Johnie Berntsson kicked off scoring at the Stena Match Cup Sweden with two wins on his home turf. Tour Card Holder Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team finished day one of the Stena Match Cup Sweden at the head of the leaderboard alongside Portuguese wildcard Alvaro Marinho (POR) Seth Sailing Team after a short first Qualifying Session.

Berntsson shrugged off the poor form he has shown on the opening days of the previous World Match Racing Tour events this season with a win over Danish rival Rasmus Viltoft (DEN) Team Viltoft in the first of two flights raced today on the waters of Marstrand Fjord. In a recreation of his epic win in the Quarter Finals of the Portimao Portugal Match Cup Berntsson dispatched Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat in his second match of the day.

“We couldn’t have had a better start to the competition,” Berntsson said. “We are more comfortable with the boats and we seem to have gelled better as a team. For us these wins are important because they get us into the winning mindset.”

Marinho opened his scorecard with a win over Swedish skipper Mattias Rahm (SWE) Stena Bulk Sailing Team but it was in his second match where he really excelled, taking down last year’s Tour star Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team. Marinho led off the start line and defended the right side of the course, rounding the first mark just ahead of Richard. However the Frenchman wasn’t going to let Marinho slip away easily, reducing the gap to a few metres as the pair started the second upwind leg.

As the pair traded blows up the right hand side of the course Richard appeared to get the upper hand forcing Marinho to take left thanks to a great lee bow manoeuvre, but Marinho managed to cling on to his lead to start the final run to the finish line with the slightest of margins. Despite his best efforts Richard couldn’t pass the Portuguese skipper, who snuck over the finish line first to take the win.

Marinho said: “We did a good job out there today. We were under a lot of pressure in both races but we managed to stay the distance in both. We always aim to make the Quarter Finals however we know it’s hard because we are still learning on these boats. We’re just focussed on keeping our points tally ticking over.”

The second Qualifying Session, kicking off tomorrow at 0900 local time (GMT+2), will see more Tour Card Holders including Tour leader Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing and Portimao Portugal Match Cup winner Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar hit the water for their opening matches. For a preview of tomorrow’s action don’t miss The Morning Show with Hannah White at www.wmrt.com. Live streaming of all the action will take place (weather permitting) between 1400 and 1600 followed by The Today Show at 2030.

Results after the first Qualifying Session:
Alvaro Marinho (POR) Seth Sailing Team 2-0
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 2-0
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team 1-0
Rasmus Viltoft (DEN) Team Viltoft 1-1
Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing 1-1
Phil Robertson (NZL) Waka Racing 1-1
Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing 0-0
Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 0-0
Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar 0-0
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 0-0
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 0-1
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat 0-1
Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners 0-1
Mattias Rahm (SWE) Stena Bulk Sailing Team 0-2