| A NORTHERLY CHANGE |
| Friday, 17 August 2007 |
Eric Monnin. St moritz Match Race. Copyright photos: Max Ranchi www.maxranchi.com
|
Lake St Moritz. Photo WMRT/Craig Mitchell
|
Thunderstorms overnight have given way to occasional showers broken up by the odd streak of sunshine in St. Moritz on Friday morning. And the wind has shifted to the Northeast meaning the sailors competing in the St. Moritz Match Race will be racing on the opposite side of Lake St. Moritz today.
The light breezes in evidence this morning are forecast to pick up and remain out of this quadrant for the rest of the day. It is noticeably cooler lakeside this morning and the odd thunderstorm can be heard in the distance.
Race Officer Christian Scherrer has briefed the skippers of Quarter Finalist groups A and B this morning, who will be sailing their first matches. The two Swiss teams in the St. Moritz Match Race are both in action this morning.
World Match Racing Tour leader Ian Williams (GBR) and his Team Pindar will be facing Repechage qualifier Matthias Renker (SUI) in Group A.
“We’re very comfortable,” Williams said, referring to his 5-0 record in the Round Robin. “That was a great Round Robin for us. We always love coming here and we’re having a good time so far this year.”
And the Alinghi team of Jochen Schuemann, with Peter Evans (NZL) still subbing for the injured Schuemann, takes on Eric Monnin (SUI). Both teams had 3-2 records in their Round Robin groups.
Peter Evans has done an admirable job helming for the Alinghi team, after being pressed into service when Jochen Schuemann was unable to sail.
“I wasn’t expecting to be helming, but unfortunately, Jochen is injured,” Evans said on Thursday afternoon as the teams drew for boats in the Quarter Finals. “I’ve done a lot of match racing as tactician but the guys were asking me earlier how many match race regattas I’ve done as a helmsman. I had to think quite hard, but it’s only two, and one of those was back in 1985…so I’m feeling a bit old too!”
First up on the water are Quarter Final Groups A and B, who haven’t raced yet. Then, later this afternoon, Groups C and D will finish their competitions. The first team to score three points in each pairing will advance to the Semi Finals.
Quarter Final Pairings and Results
(First to three points advances to Semi Final)
A
Ian Williams vs. Matthias Renker
B
Eric Monnin vs. Jochen Schuemann (Peter Evans)
C
Match 1 - Mark Mendelblatt beat Sébastien Col
Match 2 - Mark Mendelblatt beat Sébastien Col
D
Match 1 - Paolo Cian beat Mathieu Richard
Match 2 - Mathieu Richard beat Paolo Cian
Match 3 - Paolo Cian beat Mathieu Richard
|
|
Email this page to a friend
|
