Korea Match Cup at Gyeonggi, South Korea - Day 4

Current Korea Match Cup Champion Bjorn Hansen's (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team is on course to retain his title at the Korea Match Cup © Andrew Carter / AWMRT

Hansen closes in on back-to-back Korea titles

Korea Match Cup 2011 Champion Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team has booked his place in the Semi-Final of this year’s Alpari World Match Racing Tour event whilst Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing lost out to Ian Williams (GBR) GAC Pindar in their feisty Quarter-Final battle.

Bjorn Hansen was in fine form in his match against William Tiller (NZL) Full Metal Jacket Racing, as he looks to retain his crown and take a second consecutive victory in one of his favoured events. A 2-0 lead could have easily become 3-0 for Hansen but he was denied a crucial umpiring decision in his third match against the young New Zealander.

Hansen picked up a pre-start penalty but crossed the start line slightly ahead of Tiller, who took the commanding right side of the course. After managing to pass his opponent midway through the match, Hansen maintained his advantage all the way through to the finish line but didn’t extend his lead enough to take his penalty. By controlling the course to the finish, Hansen thought he had done enough, forcing Tiller past the line and employing a late luff to try and offset the penalty. Hansen did manage to tag Tiller but this offset their penalties rather than getting the red flag immediate penalty that Hansen thought it deserved and in the dive for the line Tiller was victorious taking the score line to 2-1.

Hansen managed to cool his frustrations for the fourth flight and confirmed his progression to the Semi-Final, winning 3-1. He said: “It was four tight matches but we were very happy with the way we sailed and we’re looking forward to a bit of a break before the next round.”

“It was really frustrating after the 3rd match but that’s just part of the sport. We cooled down and managed to close the game in the next match. Everyone on board was very focused, so I’m happy.”

“The event feels similar to last year. We have a good feeling and familiarity with these boats and can sail on a much calmer level.”

Match Racing heavyweights Ian Williams (GBR) GAC Pindar and Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing were paired in the second of the day’s Quarter-Finals, the reigning Champion taking the brave choice of picking the Australian match racing legend, whose record four Tour titles he is aiming to equal this season.

Williams took the first match, which was followed by a lengthy enforced break due to damage on the boat of Gilmour’s YANMAR Racing. The contest was punctuated by aggressive manoeuvres and the final 3-0 score line didn’t truly reflect the three tight matches. Williams, said “The score line can sometimes be deceptive because it was a tight race and in the first one we were a long way behind at one point. In the second we were far ahead and he started coming back at us with some nice sailing and put a lot of pressure on our handling and our boat speed but great sailing by the all of my team GAC Pindar.

“It’s important to make the Semi-Final of this regatta, it’s a super regatta and high point scoring too; so it’s critical for us to make the Semi-Final. I think if we can do the same in Sweden and St. Moritz, we’ll be in the mix [for the series title] at the end of the year.”

Gilmour, responded: “We’re a little bit surprised, it’s not like us to go down three nil but it’s happened.

“I think Ian felt comfortable against us in the round-robin so perhaps that’s why he picked us. Over the years I’ve always had a little bit of space and respect when it comes to the picks but they got a good win against us in qualification so I guess that was the rationale. It was a calculated risk from their point of view but they’ve got us out.

“I’m pleased with my YANMAR Racing team, we fought hard and had some opportunities but were unable to capitalise on them.”

“Ian and his team are sailing fairly well and they put themselves in the position to get it and good on them.

A tight contest between Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Team Korea and Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA) Vannes Agglo Sailing Team went all the way to an exciting winner-takes-all fifth match. Mirsky, who held a Tour Card in 2011 eventually managed to get the better of his less experienced opponent, taking victory after two early penalties effectively ended the hopes of his French challenger. Mirsky, said: “We’re growing as a team and getting stronger and stronger. I think that we’re going to be a tough competitor through these knockout stages.”

Top qualifier Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing took first pick of qualifying opponents and lined up a tie with Simeone Ferrarese (ITA) Ferrarese Racing Team, the youngest skipper with a Tour Card in 2012. Ferrarese took the fight to Robertson in the opening exchanges but the selection ultimately paid off, Robertson taking a 3-2 victory and the advantage of picking his opponent for the next round once again.

In the final four, Robertson chose to face defending Korea Match Cup Champion Bjorn Hansen, with the match drawn 1-1 at the close of sailing. The other Semi-Final match sees Ian Williams already in a commanding position against Torvar Mirsky’s Team Korea, the Brit taking a 2-0 lead at the end of the day’s racing. Both matches will continue at 1000 KST on Sunday 3rd June.

Robertson, said: “It was brilliant to come through the Quarters against Simone [Ferrarese] because we were 2-1 down at one stage.”

“It was a tough call on who to pick for the semi’s. We’ve seen the other guys [Williams & Mirsky] quite a lot this week so we thought Bjorn’s [Hansen] form might not be quite up to theirs.

“It’s started tight, we had a really good first race then made a mistake in the second. I think it’ll be very tight tomorrow for sure. It might be down to the starts and who can get off the line the quickest.”

Semi-Finals will continue on Sunday 3 June, to be followed by the Final from 1000 local time (KST). Live TV will be broadcast 1400 – 1600 local time on Sunday 3 June.

Live coverage and highlights packages will be available online throughout the event, to watch go to new.livestream.com/WorldMRT

For live updates and Twitter feeds visit www.wmrt.com/live.html

Quarter-Final Results:
Phil Robertson (NZ) – WAKA Racing v Simone Ferrarese (ITA) – Ferrarese Racing Team 3-2
Ian Williams (GBR) – GAC Pindar v Peter Gilmour (AUS) – YANMAR Racing 3-0
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) – Mekonomen Sailing Team v William Tiller (NZ) – Full Metal Jacket Racing 3-1
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) – Team Korea v Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA) - Vannes Agglo Sailing Team 3-2

Semi-Final Current Score:
Phil Robertson (NZ) – WAKA Racing v Bjorn Hansen (SWE) – Mekonomen Sailing Team 1-1*
Ian Williams (GBR) – GAC Pindar v Torvar Mirsky (AUS) – Team Korea 2-0*
*Matches in progress

YANMAR Racing’s Rollercoaster Ride Ends (from YANMAR Racing)

After a rollercoaster ride through the Korea Match Cup, YANMAR Racing finally bowed out at the quarter final stage of the second event on the 2012 Alpari World Match Racing Tour. They were pitted against reigning title holder and three-time world champion, Ian Williams – a man looking to match the four-title record of YANMAR Racing’s skipper, Peter Gilmour.

The match started with YANMAR Racing in the ascendancy, they won the start and held a solid lead to the first turning mark, extending it to 50m by the end of the lap. But there was another race just underway as they started the second lap, making it impossible to match their opponent’s moves.

Ian Williams split to the left-hand side of the race course, found some extra wind and passed YANMAR Racing before the turning mark. Gilmour and his crew came back into it one leg later, but picked up a penalty in their overtaking move, losing the lead for the second and final time as they tried to do the penalty – first race to Williams.

The second race began with an exchange of penalties during the pre-start. YANMAR Racing were in a slightly better position off the line, but the pair again got split by other boats on the course. When they came back together Ian Williams had a finger-tip control of the match, which they held to the first mark and then converted to the second race win.

Now at match point, YANMAR Racing lost the start this time, but kept the gap down with a lot of manoeuvres up the first beat. They found some better wind on the run and were side-by-side with Williams at the end of the first lap. Unfortunately, the umpires then intervened again as YANMAR Racing went for the pass at the turning mark, with Gilmour picking up another penalty. This time it was decisive, and Williams went on to win the race and the quarter finals 3-0.

Reflecting on the match and the event afterwards, Peter Gilmour said, ‘We get an eighth place for the event; summing up, I think we can be happy with the way that Fred (Fred Guilmin, Tactician, FRA) has integrated with the team after joining us for the first event in Germany. We felt strong today, I don’t think the score really reflected the way we sailed, a few things rolled Ian’s way that might not have. So we’re positive going forward, and looking forward to Sweden.’

The Tour resumes in July at the Stena Match Cup Sweden, starting in Marstrand on the 2nd July. Gilmour added, ‘It’s an old favourite of ours, we’ve won it a few times, but between then and now we’ll be deeply examining our strengths and our weaknesses. A couple of things in particular came up here – one is being able to adjust appropriately to the changing conditions. The young guys sail a very loose game in the light winds, but experience has taught us to sail close to the opponent – just out of the fear from all those bad experiences. But there’s definitely a time to loosen up in the lighter winds and that’s a lesson to take away.’

Gilmour also had some thoughts on the Tour’s new rules changes. ‘We’ll also be thinking about the new rules that the Tour have introduced, in particular with (ISAF) Rule 17 going, it’s changed the game dramatically. Now, a leebow tack has to be well to leeward, and downwind, you can’t defend by gybing in front any longer. It’s making for much more interesting racing, more overtakes and lead changes, but from the sailor’s point of view it’s a learning experience. We’re going to go away and spend some time thinking about it, and finding the right tools for the job.’

The other quarter final winners were Bjorn Hansen, Phil Robertson and Torvar Mirsky, two flights of the semi-finals were sailed before racing ended today, with Hansen and Robertson even with a race each, and Williams leading Mirsky two races to nil.

The Korea Match Cup is the second event on this year’s Tour, is held in Jeongok and Jebu which are part of the Gyeonggi Province, and runs from the 29th May to the 3rd June. Racing will recommence with flight three of the semi-finals at 10:00 local time on the 3rd June.