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Omega Auckland Match Race - Team Origin continue on their winning way
British triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie and his Team Origin crew continued to dominate the Omega Auckland Match Racing Regatta today and by the end of racing were the only team to have secured a semi-final berth.
Despite his fairly untroubled progress through to the semi-finals, Ainslie said there were no easy wins. 'This is probably the toughest group of match racers I have ever sailed against in a single regatta,' he said.
Racing was called off early as the wind deserted the course and became too unstable for fair racing – in contrast to yesterday’s predicament when the yachts were sent off the course because of too much wind.
By the end of racing today, six out of the nine scheduled flights in the second round robin had been completed. Ainslie had amassed a combined score over both round robins of 13 wins and 2 losses.
Behind him in second place were Karol Jablonski of Poland on 9-6 and Adam Minoprio (NZL) on 9-7. Bertrand Pace (FRA), Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and Dean Barker (NZL) were all 1pt back on 8-7 – but Minoprio, had sailed one more match than the other front-runners, so the results are slightly deceptive.
With three flights remaining to complete the second round robin, Ainslie had done enough to secure a semi-final slot, but the logjam beneath him left the other three semi-final places up for grabs.
The match of the day once again proved to be a local derby between Barker and his Emirates Team New Zealand crew and reigning world match race champion Minoprio and his young BlackMatch crew.
This was a real cliff-hanger, with Minoprio recovering from a port-starboard penalty to come from behind and win the match by 1 second.
'It was very difficult conditions today,' said Ainslie, referring to the combination of a powerful ebb tide and very light, shifty winds. 'So far we have managed to be on the right side of things, so we are looking forward to racing in the final four.
'Some of the top match racing teams might struggle here, because the conditions are quite unconventional,' said Ainslie, who has plenty of experience of sailing in Auckland from his time with Emirates Team New Zealand in the lead up to the 2007 America’s Cup. He is also familiar with big tides and shifty winds from his home waters on the south coast of England.
Racing is scheduled to resume on the Waitemata Harbour tomorrow with the remainder of Round Robin Two still to complete, plus the semi-final and final.
Skippers who have accepted invitations to compete are: Dean Barker (NZL – Emirates Team New Zealand); Ben Ainslie (GBR – Team Origin); Francesco Bruni (ITA – Azzurra Sailing Team); Sebastian Col (FRA – former Areva Challenge); Karol Jablonski (POL – former Desafio Espanol); Magnus Holmberg (SWE – former Victory Challenge); Chris Dickson (NZL – former BMW ORACLE Racing); Bertrand Pacé (FRA – former BMW ORACLE Racing); Adam Minoprio (NZL – BlackMatch Racing); Torvar Mirsky (AUS – Mirsky Racing Team).
Spectators and fans are able to follow the action live on a dedicated radio station on 103fm organized through RadioLive. International yachtsman and commentator Peter Lester provides expert analysis and blow by blow accounts of the racing. There is also a grandstand at Westhaven marina, where spectators can watch the action.
The Omega Auckland Match Racing Regatta is the opening event of the Auckland Festival of Sailing, which comprises a series of on and off the water events. The Omega Auckland Match Racing Regatta is followed by the Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland (where five of the skippers from the Omega regatta will also compete) and by the BMW Sailing World Cup Final. Also part of the festival is the Auckland International Boat Show.
Round Robin One Results after 15 Flights
Ben Ainslie (GBR) 13-2
Karol Jablonski (POL) 9-6
Adam Minoprio (NZL) 9-7 (having raced one more match)
Dean Barker (NZL) 8-7
Bertrand Pace (FRA) 8-7
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) 8-7
Magnus Holmberg (SWE) 6-9
Francesco Bruni (ITA) 6-9
Sebastien Col (FRA) 5-11(having raced one more match)
Chris Dickson (NZL) 4-11
