To Win A Line 7 Squadron Jacket
Current Event
2 - 7 September
St Moritz, Switzerland
2008 World Championship Standings
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| FINALLY, BREEZE-ON IN ROUND ROBIN 2 |
| Thursday, 05 July 2007 |
Magnus Holmberg on day 3 of Match Cup Sweden. Photo © Dan Ljungsvik dan@ljungsvik.com
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Col vs Monnin on day 3 of Match Cup Sweden. Photo © Dan Ljungsvik dan@ljungsvik.com
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Jesper Radich on day 3 of Match Cup Sweden. Photo © Dan Ljungsvik dan@ljungsvik.com
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Marstrand, Sweden – After yet another drizzly morning of light shifty breeze, the wind finally settled and filled in out of the west to provide a great start to the second Round Robin here at Match Cup Sweden. With three flights remaining for Group B and four for Group A, there are only a handful of sure winners who will advance to the Quarter Final round. For several more, there will be all to play for tomorrow in the remaining battles to qualify, with tie-breaking inevitable among this highly competitive field.
On 10 wins, Jesper Radich (DEN) of Desafio Espanol has the most wins in Group B, and will go through even if he loses his remaining three matches. On how he’s done well to get to this point, Radich says “My guys are great, our teamwork has been incredible, and I don’t think we’ve made one mistake in our manoeuvres. This has allowed me to focus and do my own thing, and the spirit on the boat has been great. But when we get into the next round, we know it will be tougher.”
Behind Radich in the standings are previous event champion Magnus Holmberg (SWE) of Victory Challenge on 8 wins, and Tour leader Mathieu Richard (FRA) of Saba Racing and fellow Frenchman Sebastien Col of Areva Challenge on 7 wins. But these four teams are far from assured of going through, as Johnie Berntsson (SWE) on 5 wins could be a spoiler if he wins all his remaining matches against Richard, Holmberg, and Claire Leroy.
“We’ve got some work to do,” said the young Swede, “But we’re improving all the time. Our tacks have gotten better, we have great upwind speed, so we have good confidence for tomorrow.”
With a forecast for tomorrow of continued overcast skies, with the wind shifting back to the north, shifty conditions will likely return to the race course under the rocky cliffs of Marstrand Island.
“This might be good for us,” said Berntsson, who hails from just a few kilometres away, “as it will mean anything can happen.”
The lead in Group A is shared by two teams on 8 wins each, Gavin Brady (NZL) of BMW Oracle Racing, and Mattias Rahm (SWE) of Victory Challenge. But this group has four flights remaining in the afternoon round tomorrow, so its too early to tell if Bjorn Hansen (SWE) and Simon Minoprio (NZL) who follow the leaders on six wins each, will be able to hold these positions after the final finish tomorrow.
A possible spoiler in this group is Torvar Mirsky (AUS), who at 21 years old is the youngest in the field of sixteen teams, and is at his first World Tour event. Mirsky, a youth match race champion from Perth, was given this break into a Tour event by being tapped by his mentor Peter Gilmour to replace him when duties called in Valencia. Mirsky struggled to find a win in the first day’s light and fluky conditions, but has come on to start winning some matches, including both against Hansen.
“Obviously we’ve got a bit on with being new to the event and the boats, but we’re improving every day and just really happy to be here,” he said. “For tomorrow, we’re going to just keep going at it the best we can and see what happens.” On whether he’d like to compete in more Tour events, Mirsky said “We would do everything we can to get invited back.”
CUMULATIVE RESULTS:
GROUP A: (with four flights remaining)
Mattias RAHM – Victory Challenge (SWE) 8-2
Gavin BRADY – BMW Oracle Racing (NZL) 8-2
Simon MINOPRIO (NZL) 6-4
Björn HANSEN – Team Onico (SWE) 6-4
Ian WILLIAMS – Team Pindar (GBR) 4-6
Torvar MIRSKY (AUS) 4-6
Evgeniy NEUGODNIKOV – Lord of the Sail Team (RUS) 2-8
Jenny AXHEDE (SWE) 0-10
GROUP B: (with three flights remaining)
Jesper RADICH – Desafio Espanol (DEN) 10-1
Magnus HOLMBERG – Victory Challenge (SWE) 8-3
Mathieu RICHARD – Saba Sailing (FRA) 7-4
Sebastien COL - Areva Challenge (FRA) 7-4
Johnie BERNTSSON (SWE) 6-4
Eric MONNIN (SUI) 4-6
Claire LEROY (FRA) 2-9
Malin MILLBOURN (SWE) 1-10
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