Hi all from BlackMatch,

Despite a slight hiccup in our 2009 campaign last week in Sweden, the latest ISAF rankings have seen BlackMatch Skipper Adam Minoprio reach a career best number 3 in the world. The latest World Ranking is great news for BlackMatch Racing, as it is not only our goal to win the World Match Racing Tour, but also to be the World Number 1 ISAF ranked team, by the end of 2009.

Although we have surrended our top position on the World Match Racing Tour to the world number 1 Mathieu Richard, we are still well in contention lying in 2nd place and will be looking to regain the top spot at the St Moritz event in 6 weeks time.

This is the debut for Adam Minoprio in the RC44 class. Malcesine, 8 July 2009. Photo copyright Nico Martinez

Our next regatta is in 3 weeks and is the grade 1 International De France, held in Brittany. We finished 5th here last year and are definitely vying for a top placing here this year in the J-80 boats.

Match racing – Open – Wednesday 8 July 2009

1 RICHARD Mathieu (FRA)
2 WILLIAMS Ian (GBR)
3 MINOPRIO Adam (NZL)
4 MIRSKY Torvar (AUS)
5 COL Sébastien (FRA)
6 IEHL Damien (FRA)
7 GILMOUR Peter (AUS)
8 PRESTI Philippe (FRA)
9 CIAN Paolo (ITA)
10 BERNTSSON Johnie (SWE)

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Hello again from BlackMatch,

Day three and the repechage stage of Match Cup Sweden saw mixed form today from BlackMatch. Wins over Ian Williams and local hope Bjorn Hansen may not be enough to keep us in the running, as losses to Mattias Rahm and Sebastian Col have all but sealed our destiny, however there is a slim chance we could still qualify.

After completing four races in the 7 race repecharge series, we now relying on results to go our way if we are to progress through to the quarterfinals. Tomorrow we will take on a winless Francesco Bruni, Dane Peter Wibroe and local Johnnie Berntsson who are both on 3 wins.

Although we only have an outside chance we are still confident and will be giving it our best effort tomorrow to finish on a high note.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Hello again from BlackMatch,

Day two of Match Cup Sweden was one to forget for BlackMatch, it has been a long while since we went a day without out a win but today was a disaster and we had 4 straight defeats to finish last in our group. All is not lost however as we still have the chance to win our way through in a repecharge series which will start tomorrow for the bottom 8 teams.

With only a single win from our 6 matches, we have failed to put things together so far in this event and it would appear we are struggling, but the truth is that we are very much in the game and will come out fighting tomorrow for the two remaining quarterfinal berths. All of our matches today were very close and there are just key moments we can pinpoint that contributed to all of our losses, it is these mistakes that we need to eliminate if we are progress further in this event.

Perhaps a good example of this was in our match up against 6 times Match Cup Sweden Champion Peter Gilmour. We absolutely nailed the veteran in the pre-start, managing to lock him out above the committee boat end of the start-line, however the crafty Australian forced his way in between us and the boat end and although he was given a red flag penalty to be taken immediately, he still was only half a boat length behind after undertaking it. ‘Gilly’ then showed his class to stay in touch up the first beat and was hot on our heals going into the first downwind. He did a great job of initiating the gybe to the bottom mark whereas we held for too long and the following luffing situation saw them roll over the top of us to gain the lead, from here he defended well and took the victory.

We are in very good company in the bottom 8 repecharge series which includes the two previous Match Cup Sweden Champions Mattias Rahm and Bjorn Hansen, World number 1 Sebastian Col and current World Champion Ian Williams. Although we have an uphill battle from here, we are looking forward to the challenge ahead.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Hello from BlackMatch in Sweden,

Match Cup Sweden is the 5th leg of the 2009 World Match Racing Tour and is held on the beautiful island of Marstrand, an hour North-west of Gothenburg. It has been busy times here in Marstrand, playing host to a Volvo Ocean Race stopover a fortnight ago, while this week over 140,000 people are expected to stop by and check out the action on the water.

It is our debut here at one of the most renowned events on the World Tour and it is not hard to see why it has such a good reputation. The volunteer support is unbelievable, combined with the amazing scenery and massive spectator turnout this event is one to be rivaled with.

We were only involved in two matches today managing a win over the World number 1 Sebastian Col, but lost to last year’s runner up Torvar Mirsky. Torvar has a lot of confidence coming into this regatta following his victory last week in Portugal and sailed extremely well today to yet again get the edge over us, this is something we are not planning on making a habit and will be looking to step up our game tomorrow.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: World Match Racing Tour] The beautiful island of Marstrand located an hour north west of Sweden’s second city, Gothenburg, plays host to Match Cup Sweden, the 5th stage of the 2009 World Match Racing Tour, this week. On the occasion of its 15th anniversary the organisers are expecting 140,000 people to enjoy the sights, sounds and carnival atmosphere. Promoter of Match Cup Sweden Pierre Tinnerholm said “It’s going to be another spectacular week of racing and partying. As one of Sweden’s biggest sporting events we look forward to welcoming everyone to the Island to watch the Match Racing and enjoy all the shore-side festivities too.”

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for Swedish sailing with the Volvo Ocean race pitstop here in Marstrand and the 9th leg finish in Stockholm both of which drew huge crowds to welcome the round the world sailors and see them off on their final leg to St Petersburg.

Torvar Mirsky is unbeaten in the opening day of Match Cup Sweden. Marstrand, 29 June 2009. Photo copyright Dan Ljungsvik

The next seven days will see two events intertwined, the 14 team World Match Racing Tour event and an 8 team women’s Grade 1 event, which is sure to be a build up event to the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship being held in the same boats just up the coast in Lysekil at the end of July. As a result of the expanded program the Tour event started today at 8am with practice sessions between 8 and 12. A short break between 12 and 1pm was taken to allow any issues with the boats to be fixed and at 1pm sharp racing got under way. The format sees the 14 teams split into two groups of 7 for a round robin each, the top three of both groups go to the quarter finals, the rest go into a repechage round to select the final two for the knockouts. From there follows the usual semi finals and finals with the finals scheduled for Sunday afternoon. The ladies will race a double round robin followed by semi finals and culminating in the finals on Saturday afternoon.

It was a good day for the French Teams with all four taking 2 wins. Also starting well was Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and his Mirsky Racing Team, fresh from his victory at Portugal Match Cup and the runner up here last year, Mirsky is clearly happy to be back and wants to go one better than his second place position from ‘08. Current World Champion Ian Williams (GBR) and the Bahrain Team Pindar crew had a solid start to the event and returned a 2-1 scorecard for the day.

Sebastien Col leads in the opening day of Match Cup Sweden. Marstrand, 29 June 2009. Photo copyright Dan Ljungsvik

Racing will continue tomorrow along with the women’s teams taking to the water for their practice session.

Results from Day 1

Group A
Sebastien Col, FRA, French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge, 2-1
Torvar Mirsky, AUS, Mirsky Racing, 2-0
Adam Minoprio, NZL, ETNZ/BlackMatch, 1-1
Damien Iehl, FRA, French Match Racing Racing Team, 2-1
Bjorn Hansen, SWE, Team Onico, 1-1
Mattias Rahm, SWE, Stena Bulk Sailing Team, 0-1
Peter Gilmour, AUS, YANMAR Racing, 0-1

Group B
Mathieu Richard, FRA, French Match Racing Team, 2-1
Ian Williams, GBR, Bahrain Team Pindar, 2-1
Philippe Presti, FRA, French Match Racing Team, 2-0
Johnie Berntsson, SWE, Berntsson Sailing Team, 0-2
Peter Wibroe, DEN, Wibroe Racing Team, 0-1
Magnus Holmburg, SWE, Victory Challenge, 1-0
Francesco Bruni, Team Joe Fly Match Racing, 0-1

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: World Match Racing Tour] In having achieved a runner-up performance to Troia Portugal Match Cup winner Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Adam Minoprio (NZL) and his Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch team have earned 20 points for their standing on the World Match Racing Tour leader board. This extends what was a shaky one-point lead to twelve points over a new runner-up, reigning match race World Champion Ian Williams (GBR) and his Bahrain Team Pindar, who finished 3rd in Troia.

But Williams does not enjoy the same buffer to his closest rivals, as only one point separates him from Mathieu Richard (FRA) and his French Match Racing Team in third, and Mirsky is only 3 points behind in fourth.

This is a race which now is looking more promising for the reigning World Champion, who has gotten off to a slow start this year. And having Richard only one point back is reminiscent of two years ago when Richard and Williams were neck-and-neck all season going right into the final event in Malaysia at the Monsoon Cup.

But the ascendancy of fresh new talent in Minoprio and Mirsky has put tremendous pressure on these and other Tour veterans this season. It is remarkable to consider these two teams, with an average crew age in their 20’s, are meeting and beating the world’s best, who have twice as much or more experience on both the World Tour and the America’s Cup.

“The Young Guns have definitely come out blazing this year”, says World Tour Director Craig Mitchell. “Minoprio in Marseille, and now Mirsky in Troia – it’s a testament to their training, focus, and talent to see them doing this well”.

But next week’s Match Cup Sweden, the fifth stage in the 2009 World Tour, may bring surprises for these teams, as some of the same faces seen in Troia will be back to challenge them, this time in the DS 37’s used in this event. There will also be Scandinavian-based teams who are experts in these boats there to provide some spectacular match race action on the Marstrand fiord.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: World Match Racing Tour] In only their second full season on the World Match Racing Tour, Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and his Mirsky Racing Team of Kinley Fowler, Kyle Langford, Tudur Owen, and Graeme Spence have claimed their first win at the Troia Portugal Match Cup. Victory here for the 24-year old skipper puts him in company with other world-famous match racing legends who have been champions at this event, including Peter Gilmour, Chris Dickson, Peter Holmberg, and Ed Baird. And for their efforts, Mirsky and team have won 10,000 Euros of the 50,000 Euro prize money purse.

“It’s been six years in the making, but we’re finally here,” said an exuberant Mirsky. “So many times we’ve been so close, but just unable to get through, and today everything just came together for us. I’m still a bit stunned we’re here!”

Highlights from the final day of the Portugal Match Cup. Troia, 21 June 2009. Video copyright World Match Racing Tour

Mirsky took his fellow antipodean Adam Minoprio (NZL) and his Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch team in just two matches of the first-to-two point Final, displaying a smooth sailing style and impeccable sense of timing both in the pre-starts and around the track. It is this same style that also in only two matches got him past Mathieu Richard (FRA) and his French Match Racing Team in the first-to-two point Semi-Final.

Mirsky Racing Team was not on fire throughout the entire event, however, as they barely qualified to the Quarter-Finals on a 6-6 win-loss record in the Round Robin. That all changed yesterday, however, as they went on to win all but one match in the Quarter-Final, Semi-Final, and Final rounds.

And while the first match of the Final was decided fairly early in the game as Mirsky took and extended on his winning start, the second match was far from easy. At the top mark the Kiwis were at the mark zone on the left, and attempted to force out the Aussies from claiming room with a hard luff. Amidst a heated exchange and calls for room, Mirsky managed to slip inside and around the mark in the lead, which he kept throughout the match to the finish.

Excellent performance by Mirsky Racing Team that score their first ever victory in a World Match Racing Tour event. Troia, 21 June 2009. Photo copyright Wander Roberto

“We enjoy a good rivalry with Adam and his team,” said Mirsky, “and actually trained with him over the past week in Valencia. He’s been doing so well lately, we needed this win just to slow him down!”

Indeed, in the overall World Championship leaderboard Minoprio’s runner-up finish here has earned him another 20 points to maintain a healthy 12 point lead. And on the strength of his exciting 2-1 win over Richard here in the Petite-Finals, Ian Williams (GBR) and his Bahrain Team Pindar have jumped up to the runner-up position, but only a point over Richard. And Mirsky has vaulted 25 points ahead to go from eighth to fourth.

Overall Results
1st Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing
2nd Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch
3rd Ian Williams (GBR) Bahrain Team Pindar
4th Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team
5th Philippe Presti (FRA) French Match Racing Team
6th Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing
7th Sebastien Col (FRA) French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge
8th Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Team Onboard
9th Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing
10th Alvaro Marinho (POR) Seth Sailing Team
11th Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Proximo
12th Andrew Arbuzov (RUS)

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Hello from BlackMatch in Portugal,

Having lost to Gilmour twice previously in the quarterfinal of the 2007 Monsoon Cup and the Final last year, it was a case of 3rd time lucky as we secured our first win against the three time World Match Racing Champion, in a knockout stage of an event. Our quarter final match up with Gilmour was an extremely close affair and went right down to the wire. We took the first match with a text book start and sailed cleanly to victory while the next race saw Gilmour do a similar thing to us, however the third race was an absolute nail biter and saw plenty of action.

Great performance by BlackMatch Racing that gets a berth in the semifinals. Troia, 20 June 2009. Photo copyright Wander Roberto

After trailing off the start line we fought back to stay in touch up the first beat and after an excellent spinnaker hoist we started to roll over the Australian skipper and his Yanmar Sailing Team. We then thought we could complete a gybe so in an attacking move we gybed at him on starboard, but a cool Gilmour held his nerve and his course, which resulted in a collision and a penalty to us. They then gybed off and we followed going straight into an aggressive luff, while they failed to keep clear and they themselves were then handed a penalty. There was a lot of yelling in a heated situation which saw our boat become entangled with Gilmours spinnaker sheet around our bow as his spinnaker ‘flogged’. The gybe back toward the bottom mark was interesting as our boats were locked together with their sheet and by the time they cleared it they had not given us enough room at the bottom mark and were given a red flag penalty to be taken immediately. All of this action made for some adrenalin pumping sailing but by the time Gilmour had completed his penalty we knew defensive sailing would seal a win for us.

The fourth match was an absolute shocker for us as we received a penalty in the pre-start for gybing too close to them and then received a second penalty in a port/starboard incident near the top mark which was the nail in the coffin to set up a fifth decisive match. We got a great start in the final match and sailed well tactically around the course to seal our semi final berth against the current world champion Ian Williams.

It is fantastic to have qualified for the semi finals here in Portugal, especially after the disappointment of Korea a fortnight ago and to do it against such a great competitor was even more satisfying. We are looking forward to the challenge of racing Ian Williams tomorrow in the semi finals while fellow Line 7 sponsored Torvar Mirsky will take on Mathieu Richard in the other semi final.

BlackMatch would like to again thank their sponsors FedEx Express and Line 7 New Zealand. We would also like to thank our yacht club the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Emirates Team New Zealand.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: World Match Racing Tour] After a long first-to-three point Quarter-Final series, four teams have emerged on top to compete in tomorrow’s Semi-Final stage of the Troia Portugal Match Cup, the fourth stage in this year’s World Match Racing Tour. Out of the four pairings of Quarter-Finalists, only one went to five matches before being decided, whilst the others were all completed after four.

The four Semi-Finalists are Adam Minoprio (NZL) and his Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch team, Ian Williams (GBR) and his Bahrain Team Pindar, Mathieu Richard (FRA) and his French Match Racing Team, and Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and his Mirsky Racing Team. All four are currently lying in the top eight of the World Championship standings, holding, respectively, the first, third, fourth, and eight positions on the leaderboard.

Highlights from day 4 of the Portugal Match Cup. Troia, 20 June 2009. Video copyright World Match Racing Tour

There may be some metaphorical value in the fact that the one pair that went to five had the oldest and youngest skippers doing battle against each other, with both also being from the Southern hemisphere. In his matches against Tour veteran Peter Gilmour (AUS) and the YANMAR Racing Team, Minoprio had some highly spirited encounters to keep Chief Umpire Shane Borrell and his International umpire team busy with numerous whistles and penalty flags in nearly all their matches.

One of the reasons for this high level of aggressiveness was not just the usual incentive to win Tour points and a piece of the 50,000 Euro prize money purse, but that the 8-10 knot wind conditions were perfect for tight manoeuvring in the Swedish Match 40’s used in this event. Also, in the Rio Sado course area just north of the Troia Resort venue a strong flood current early followed by a strong ebb later in the day made the pre-start fight for the favoured end all the more intense in each match.

Young guns BlackMatch beat match race veteran Peter Gilmour and advance to the semifinals. Troia, 20 June 2009. Photo copyright Wander Roberto

Another particularly aggressive pair was the match-up between Ian Williams and Sebastian Col (FRA) and his French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge. Col had a good start to the series, winning their first match, but this ignited Williams determination, taking three straight by showing an aggressive style and smooth teamwork appropriate for the reigning two-time World Match Race Champion. Col won this event last year, and finished last year’s Tour overall as runner-up to Williams, but has been having problems finding his stride as yet this year.

Semi Final Pairings
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) v Mathieu Richard (FRA)
Ian Williams (GBR) v Adam Minoprio (NZL)

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: World Match Racing Tour] After a long first-to-three point Quarter-Final series, four teams have emerged on top to compete in tomorrow’s Semi-Final stage of the Troia Portugal Match Cup, the fourth stage in this year’s World Match Racing Tour. Out of the four pairings of Quarter-Finalists, only one went to five matches before being decided, whilst the others were all completed after four.

The four Semi-Finalists are Adam Minoprio (NZL) and his Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch team, Ian Williams (GBR) and his Bahrain Team Pindar, Mathieu Richard (FRA) and his French Match Racing Team, and Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and his Mirsky Racing Team. All four are currently lying in the top eight of the World Championship standings, holding, respectively, the first, third, fourth, and eight positions on the leaderboard.

Highlights from day 4 of the Portugal Match Cup. Troia, 20 June 2009. Video copyright World Match Racing Tour

There may be some metaphorical value in the fact that the one pair that went to five had the oldest and youngest skippers doing battle against each other, with both also being from the Southern hemisphere. In his matches against Tour veteran Peter Gilmour (AUS) and the YANMAR Racing Team, Minoprio had some highly spirited encounters to keep Chief Umpire Shane Borrell and his International umpire team busy with numerous whistles and penalty flags in nearly all their matches.

One of the reasons for this high level of aggressiveness was not just the usual incentive to win Tour points and a piece of the 50,000 Euro prize money purse, but that the 8-10 knot wind conditions were perfect for tight manoeuvring in the Swedish Match 40’s used in this event. Also, in the Rio Sado course area just north of the Troia Resort venue a strong flood current early followed by a strong ebb later in the day made the pre-start fight for the favoured end all the more intense in each match.

Young guns BlackMatch beat match race veteran Peter Gilmour and advance to the semifinals. Troia, 20 June 2009. Photo copyright Wander Roberto

Another particularly aggressive pair was the match-up between Ian Williams and Sebastian Col (FRA) and his French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge. Col had a good start to the series, winning their first match, but this ignited Williams determination, taking three straight by showing an aggressive style and smooth teamwork appropriate for the reigning two-time World Match Race Champion. Col won this event last year, and finished last year’s Tour overall as runner-up to Williams, but has been having problems finding his stride as yet this year.

Semi Final Pairings
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) v Mathieu Richard (FRA)
Ian Williams (GBR) v Adam Minoprio (NZL)

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back