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Forum Index : Discussion: Event Reports: Troia Portugal Match Cup 2008

The Publisher ***** Sep 24, 2008, 6:10 PM Post #1 of 9 (1059 views) Shortcut Troia Portugal Match Cup 2008 Log-In to Post 24 September 2008 Richard and Mirsky on a roll at Troia Portugal Match Cup Troia, Portugal - Mathew Richard from the French Match Racing Team/Team French Spirit, the number one ISAF ranked sailor in the world, continued his excellent form after winning the recent World Tour event in Switzerland with a storming day at the Troia Portugal Match Cup, winning four of his five matches on the opening day. With many of the world’s best match racing stars here sailing the SM40’s, the competition for the $125,000 prize money event has already proven fierce in the opening flights of the Round Robin phase. Richard defeated Manual Weiller from Spain, then local hero Alvaro Marinho in a close match, Kiwi Adam Minoprio, and rising Aussie star Torvar Mirsky, finalist in Match Cup Sweden, who had his wings clipped by a masterful French display in the first flight of the day. However, this seemed to only spur on the young antipodian, who went on to match Richard’s winning ways in the shifty 6-8 knot breeze, taking the next four matches. In his final race of the six man group, Mirsky was brilliant, shutting out Manual Weiller in the closing seconds before the start who then incurred a double penalty from the umpires in trying to recover his position – game over. Mirsky was naturally delighted with his performance in tying Richard’s result and commented, “Today has been a great day. The wind is really good, the water is flat and the current makes for interesting racing. The conditions are perfect for sailing SM40’s and it’s been a fun day”. Racing started mid-afternoon after a misty, breathless morning, the wind gradually filling from the west into the mouth of the bay into which the Troia peninsular juts, south of Setubal near Lisbon. As a beautiful nature reserve, Troia provides a spectacular setting to the contest, its sandy beaches and lush greenery a huge draw for visitors, with a championship golf course and a new luxury hotel completing the scene. The second group managed only one flight before both the wind and the light faded, with reigning World Match Racing Tour Champion and current leader, Ian Williams from the UK, winning the battle of the Brits, taking down newcomer Nick Cherry in his very first Tour race. Frenchman Seb Col again showed his class having won the biggest event of the year in Korea, he defeated the hugely experienced Magnus Holmberg from Sweden in a spirited opening match. Meanwhile another America’s Cup veteran, Paolo Cian from Italy kicked off his challenge for the Troia Portugal Match Cup by beating Bjorn Hansen from Sweden, with a stunning sunset rounding off the day. Everyone is looking forward to tomorrow with the anticipation of some top class sailing, as this strong group moves through their flights, every match promising to be a classic, such as the first one – Col v Cian while Williams takes on Holmberg. Quite a day in store with racing planned to start mid-morning once the breeze builds. Results: 1. Mathieu Richard (FRA),French Match Racing Team/Team French Spirit 4 - 1 2. Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mirsky Racing Team 4 – 1 3. Damien Iehl (FRA), French Match Racing Team 3 - 2 4. Alvaro Marinho (POR), 2 - 3 5. Adam Minoprio (NZL), Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing 1 - 4 6. Manuel Weiller (ESP), 1-4 7. Ian Williams (GBR), Team Pindar 1 - 0 8. Paolo Cian (ITA), Team Shosholoza 1 – 0 9. Sebastian Col (FRA), French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge 1 – 0 10. Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Victory Challenge 0 – 1 11. Bjorn Hansen (SWE), Alandia Sailing Team Team 0 – 1 12. Nick Cherry (GBR), Cherry Racing 0 - 1 Results and Flight schedule: http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/da/88113

The Publisher ***** Sep 25, 2008, 4:34 PM Post #2 of 9 (1025 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] Troia Portugal Match Cup 2008 [In reply to] Log-In to Post IMMEDIATE RELEASE 25 September 2008 RICHARD’S ROLL CONTINUES AFTER DAY TWO AT TROIA PORTUGAL MATCH CUP Young Australian Mirsky also maintains position as runner-up after 13 flights of racing Troia, Portugal – After yet another picture-perfect day of match race sailing off the Troia resort venue, three French teams have emerged among the top four of the standings after 13 flights of racing at the seventh stage of the World Match RacingTour. ISAF number one-ranked Mathieu Richard (FRA) and his French Match Racing Team/Team French Spirit continued their winning ways from yesterday, adding three more wins to his score card, and losing only once to team mate Damien Iehl (FRA), who lies in fourth. And another team mate, Sebastian Col (FRA) and his French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge, has had an even better day, winning five matches to earn a 6-1 score to lie in third among the field of twelve teams at Troia Portugal Match Cup . The day’s racing started leisurely, with the westerly seabreeze filling in about midday to a perfect 8-10 knots before shifting around a bit as PRO Miguel Allen and his race management team did their best to adjust the courses. A strong ebb tidal flow cutting left to right across the course area also made for interesting tactics on both upwind and downwind legs, with long starboard tack beats and early gybes favoring those who could take and hold this position. Spoiling the all-French sweep at the top is 22-year old Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and his Mirsky Racing Team, who has been sailing well on an impressive 6-2 record earned thus far, including a win against current Tour leader Ian Williams (GBR) and his Team Pindar. In this match, Mirsky benefited from a massively damaged spinnaker on Williams’ SM40, torn at its first hoist and thus slowing the Brits on both runs of their match. “We just were not having a good day,” said Williams, who is also the reigning World Match Race Champion but had lost four matches, “but it was great to win a close one against Bjorn and our last one against Iehl.” The match against Hansen (SWE) and his Alandia Sailing Team was one of the more exciting of the day, with Hansen and Williams trading the lead twice on the first two legs of the course. At the top mark Williams, carrying a penalty from the pre-start, managed to take and hold the right, and forced Hansen approaching on port tack to give way. With both boats drifting up-tide away from the mark, Williams and Hansen both had to bear away and gybe towards the mark. Hansen thought he had gotten to the two-length zone first to be entitled to room at the mark, but Williams approaching on starboard tack persuaded the umpires otherwise, and Hansen’s blue flag was flown, thus erasing Williams’ outstanding penalty and bringing the two to even up on the final run to the finish. The tide favored starboard gybe, so Williams managed to stay just ahead to take the match. A brief delay and course readjustment in the late afternoon allowed racing to continue in a new fresh westerly, with genoas traded for jibs in the last two flights. In these, Hansen managed to snap a losing streak by defeating Mirsky, but then Mirsky’s next win against Nick Cherry (GBR) helped him stay amongst the French in the top ranks. Match race action resumes tomorrow morning with the re-sail of the Paolo Cian (ITA) and Magnus Holmberg (SWE) match from Flight 9 before continuing into Flights 14 – 22 to complete the First Stage of the event. Results: Mathieu Richard (FRA),French Match Racing Team/Team French Spirit 7 – 1 Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mirsky Racing Team 6 – 2 Sebastian Col (FRA), French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge 5 – 1 Damien Iehl (FRA), French Match Racing Team 4 - 4 Paolo Cian (ITA), Team Shosholoza 4 – 2 Ian Williams (GBR), Team Pindar 3 – 4 Bjorn Hansen (SWE), Alandia Sailing Team Team 2 – 4 Alvaro Marinho (POR), 2 – 3 Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Victory Challenge 2 – 3 Adam Minoprio (NZL), Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing 1 – 4 Manuel Weiller (ESP), 1 – 4 Nick Cherry (GBR), 1 – 6 Results and Flight schedule: http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/da/88113

The Publisher ***** Sep 25, 2008, 4:45 PM Post #3 of 9 (1020 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] Troia Portugal Match Cup 2008 [In reply to] Log-In to Post Mirsky Racing Team Please visit http://www.mirskyracingteam.com for more information. Day One - September 24 You couldn’t ask for better conditions than those delivered to us on the first day of racing here in Portugal. Flat waters and 12 knots of breeze settled in just after midday and stayed through until late in the evening. We finished the day on 4 wins from 5 races, and are looking to be in a fairly comfortable position for the Quarter Finals. We started the day paired up against current world number 1 Matthiu Richard, and after being beaten off the line, we were forced to follow on his tail around the race track. We then managed to step up our game, and go on to do to our opponents what Richard had done to us, and won the next four races consecutively. After doing four regattas in a row, our team is starting to click, and it couldn’t come at a better time. The 2008 World Tour is coming to a close, with only one more event left before the final in Malaysia at the Monsoon Cup. We had a really good feeling on the boat today, and hopefully we can continue the momentum on to get some much needed Tour points to finish the season off on a high. Day Two - September 25 The day’s racing started leisurely, with the westerly seabreeze filling in about midday to a perfect 8-10 knots which lasted until late in the evening, allowing the race committee to complete 7 more flights of the round robin. We dropped only one race, putting us on 7 wins and 2 losses, just one point off Matthiu Richard in first. We only lost one race against Swedish Sailor of the year Bjorn Hansen in an intensive battle which saw 2 lead changes and 2 penalties. Unfortunately, both penalties were against us, firstly for hitting the top mark, and the second for gibing in Hansen’s water on the final run. We managed to bounce back however, and defeat the UK’s Nick Cherry as the wind strengthened to a shifty 15 knots as the sun began to sink. We have three more races left of the round robin and are quite eager to add a few more wins to the tally as the possibility of scrapping the quarterfinals is looming. At the moment we are sitting in 2nd, however we have done more races than most, so anything could happen.

The Publisher ***** Sep 28, 2008, 12:39 PM Post #4 of 9 (910 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] Troia Portugal Match Cup 2008 [In reply to] Log-In to Post FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 26 September 2008 FRENCH TEAMS STILL DOMINATE LEADERBOARD AT TROIA PORTUGAL MATCH CUP Light air delayed racing until late afternoon, so teams raced into the darkness to complete four more flights Troia, Portugal – Light fluky breeze and strong tides delayed the start of racing today in Day Three of Troia Portugal Match Cup, with the resumption of the Round Robin not commencing until mid-afternoon and extending right up to sunset. But once the late seabreeze did finally fill, it provided the opportunity for great match race action in all flights, with multiple lead changes, penalties, and early starts keeping the assembled shore side spectators on edge. Since new teams rotate through the three pairs of SM40’s in every flight, it took an accurate score sheet to track who was rising and who was falling through the ranks of the 12 teams entered for the event. But once the dust settled, it became clear the French Match Racing teams led by Mathieu Richard on Team French Spirit and Sebastian Col on K-Challenge were continuing their dominance of the event, with Richard on a nearly undefeated record of 9 wins in 10 matches sailed, and Col on 7 wins in 9 matches sailed. In fact, in the dying light of the last flight, these two engaged in a battle royale which may have been one of the most exciting of the series, and maybe pivotal in the inevitable tie-breaks that lie ahead on the path to the Semi-Finals. It all started on the start, where Richard earned a penalty, but Col was over the start early in the strong current and had to return to the start. Normally this margin might be enough for the leader to extend the margin and do their penalty turn before finishing, but Col kept it close, gaining back ground on the long runs downwind against the current and constantly challenging Richard for the lead. The two repeatedly locked horns in multiple luffing matches, with Col getting the lead but not without getting his own penalty to even the score. And when Richard closed the gap enough to have a go at Col once more, Col failed to keep clear, and earned yet another penalty, but never with enough time nor space to prevent Richard from getting to the finish line first. According to their coach Marc Bouet, these two are very tough competitors despite their mild demeanors on shore, so it didn’t surprise him that neither would give in throughout their close-fought match. “This was a very exciting match, and maybe we will see them again,” referring of course to the likelihood that these two will advance forward to the next stage. Other teams that excelled today included Magnus Holmberg (SWE) and his Victory Challenge team, winning 4 of their 5 matches including a successful re-sail match from Flight 9 against Paolo Cian (ITA) and his Team Shosholoza. Holmberg’s now gone from being deep in a tie-break for 7th to tied in points with Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and his Mirsky Racing Team on six wins in 10 matches sailed. With the long delay today and only two days remaining in the program, PRO Miguel Allen has asked teams to return to racing tomorrow morning at 0800hrs in order to complete the remaining 5 flights of the Round Robin. Results: Mathieu Richard (FRA),French Match Racing Team/Team French Spirit 9 – 1 Sebastian Col (FRA), French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge 7 – 2 Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Victory Challenge 6 – 4 Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mirsky Racing Team 6 – 4 Damien Iehl (FRA), French Match Racing Team 5 - 5 Paolo Cian (ITA), Team Shosholoza 4 – 3 Ian Williams (GBR), Team Pindar 4 – 4 Adam Minoprio (NZL), Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing 3 – 4 Alvaro Marinho (POR), 2 – 5 Manuel Weiller (ESP), 2 – 5 Bjorn Hansen (SWE), Alandia Sailing Team Team 2 – 6 Nick Cherry (GBR), 1 – 8 Results and Flight schedule: http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/da/88113

The Publisher ***** Sep 28, 2008, 12:40 PM Post #5 of 9 (908 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] Troia Portugal Match Cup 2008 [In reply to] Log-In to Post Troia Portugal Match Cup Day Three (Sept. 26, 2008) - The laziest day so far saw the wind fill in late in the afternoon, and the race committee pushed hard to get through as many flights as possible in order to keep the full format. However only 4 flights were completed, and with 5 races left, the chance of holding the quarterfinals is slimming rapidly. We are sitting in 4th now after losing both matches today, and with one race left, things are getting tight to hold on to the top 4 spot. We had two tough matches against Sebastian Col and Magnus Holmburg, and in the tricky tidal conditions, it wasn’t easy to jump into it after the whole day off. However, we were sailing well and if it weren’t for two unforced penalties upon entering we could have been singing a different tune. We are still very confident in our speed and tactics at this event, and all we need to do is keep sailing how we have been sailing and we will be able to post a good result. With 7 teams still in contention for the top 4 spots, tomorrow’s racing is going to be tight. A special thanks to Line7, Harken and the Royal Perth Yacht Club for their support. Kinley Fowler MirskyRacingTeam www.mirskyracingteam.com

The Publisher ***** Sep 28, 2008, 12:41 PM Post #6 of 9 (907 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] Troia Portugal Match Cup 2008 [In reply to] Log-In to Post FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 27 September 2008 RICHARD, COL, AND HOLMBERG GO THROUGH TO SEMI-FINALS AT TROIA PORTUGAL MATCH CUP, BUT FOURTH PLACE LEFT UNDECIDED In conditions which varied from calm to boisterous, all but last flight of the Round Robin concluded with 4th place position left undetermined until tomorrow’s final flight Troia, Portugal – On a 12-hour day which featured breeze conditions flip-flopping between land and sea, and varying from nearly nothing to a 40-knot rain squall, race managers here at the Troia Portugal Match Cup managed to conclude four of the remaining five flights of the Round Robin to yield three of the final four teams to advance to tomorrow’s Semi-Final and Final stages. On the strength of 9 wins each, two members of the French Match Racing Team took the top two spots, with Mathieu Richard on Team French Spirit winning the tie-break with Sebastian Col of K-Challenge to get the top spot. And on a late streak of winning four of his last five matches, Magnus Holmberg (SWE) of the Victory Challenge slid into the third place on seven wins, one point clear of a possibly massive tie-break situation in the final flight between five teams vying for the fourth and final spot for the next stage. And as if on cue to underscore this drama, in the last few minutes of the next-to-last flight the seabreeze died and shifted quickly and briskly to the southeast in response to a menacingly massive cloud approaching the venue packing lightning, thunder, rain and wind. Just as the teams dropped the sails on their SM40’s and were put in tow, the squall blew through hard, packing gale-force winds and rain, sending the spectators and waiting teams on shore scrambling for cover. Luckily, a dozen young Optimist sailors out on their course competing for the Portugal Junior Cup were also hastily gathered and hustled to safety. With sunset approaching once again and the storm taking its time to abate, PRO Miguel Allen decided to put off the final flight until the morning. Allen feels confident on completing the format tomorrow, as this storm heralded the start of an approaching cold front to provide good breeze from the east to funnel down the Rio Sado. So, coming into this final flight there are no less than five teams eligible to move through, depending on who beats whom. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and his Mirsky Racing Team are in the strongest position, being on six wins versus five for the others, but if he loses to Paolo Cian (ITA) from Team Shosholoza in this final flight, and Ian Williams (GBR) and his Team Pindar make a late rally to defeat regatta leader Richard, this will initiate a massive tie-break to determine the final spot, with Damien Iehl (FRA) and Adam Minoprio (NZL) also possibly in the hunt. In fact, there are only four positions in the field of twelve teams now determined, with all remaining places from 4th to 11th left to play for in the morning. Current standings: Mathieu Richard (FRA),French Match Racing Team/Team French Spirit 9 – 1 Sebastian Col (FRA), French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge 9 – 2 Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Victory Challenge 7 – 4 Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mirsky Racing Team 6 – 4 Ian Williams (GBR), Team Pindar 5 – 5 Alvaro Marinho (POR), Seth Sailing Team 5 – 6 Damien Iehl (FRA), French Match Racing Team 5 – 5 Adam Minoprio (NZL), Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing 5 – 6 Paolo Cian (ITA), Team Shosholoza 5 – 5 Bjorn Hansen (SWE), Alandia Sailing Team Team 3 – 8 Manuel Weiller (ESP), 3 – 8 Nick Cherry (GBR), 1 – 10 Article provided by Dobbs Davis Results and Flight schedule: http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/da/88113

The Publisher ***** Sep 28, 2008, 12:43 PM Post #7 of 9 (905 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] Troia Portugal Match Cup 2008 [In reply to] Log-In to Post MRT One Win Away From Semi Finals at the Portugal Match Cup (Sept 28, 2008) - Unfortunately for most involved, today’s wind was not cooperating. Only four matches were completed in very fickle winds and strong tide. Despite not racing today, our situation still remains the same, with tomorrow morning’s race, and the last race of the round robin against Paolo Cian, being a must win to qualify for the semi finals. A special thanks to Line7, Harken and the Royal Perth Yacht Club for their support. Kinley Fowler MirskyRacingTeam www.mirskyracingteam.com

The Publisher ***** Sep 28, 2008, 4:32 PM Post #8 of 9 (894 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] Troia Portugal Match Cup 2008 [In reply to] Log-In to Post FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 28 September 2008 COL WINS TROIA PORTUGAL MATCH CUP IN TIDE-STREWN BLUSTERY FINALE Second win on the 2008 World Tour, earned 2-0 against runner-up Magnus Holmberg Troia, Portugal – After a long day that started with having to defeat one of his own team mates from the French Match Racing Team, Sebastian Col (FRA) and his crew of Gilles Favennec, Christophe Andre, Philippe Mourniac, and Olivier Douliard have won the Troia Portugal Match Cup. Getting past Magnus Holmberg (SWE) and his Victory Challenge team 2-0 in an exciting Final series, Col and crew have taken the top prize of US$30,000 of the $125,000 purse and earned 25 points on the 2008 World Tour leaderboard. “We started the day with a lot of pressure on us,” said the mild-mannered Col, “since we felt that any of us could win, so we didn’t sail very well. But after beating Damien Iehl, we relaxed and started to really focus, and I think we sailed much better against Magnus in the Finals.” Col and his French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge crew had to get better, as the conditions became increasingly challenging throughout the day for the remaining teams in the competition. Besides the fresh 15-22 knot easterly blowing straight down the Rio Sada in front of the Troia Resort Marina, the other huge factor today was the strong tidal current, which reached a staggering 4 knots at its peak. This made pre-start and mark rounding tactics interesting and at times unconventional: for example, against the strong ebb current which lie nearly parallel to the wind, it was almost always better to tack than gybe in the pre-starts, and the mark roundings became tricky maneuvers at best. Windward legs were long, drawn out affairs, while runs were over in a flash. But the day didn’t start with this strong ebb – in fact, it started with a weak flood and a cloud of uncertainty, as three teams in the morning’s final flight of the Round Robin had a shot for the last remaining spot in the Semi-Finals. With Paolo Cian (ITA) from Team Shosholoza defeating Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and the Mirsky Racing Team in the second match, all eyes were on the final run of the third match, where Bjorn Hansen (SWE) and his Alandia Sailing Team were fully entangled in a furious, spinnaker-flogging luffing match with Damien Iehl (FRA) and his quartet of crew from the French Match Racing Team on the final run to the finish. Just metres short of the line, Iehl’s one last luff managed to get his SM40 across by what PRO Miguel Allen said was “20 centimetres,” thus earning him the win and the tie-break to the Semis. Since yet another member of the French Match Racing Team, Mathieu Richard, was on top from the Round Robin, he was free to choose Holmberg to play, the only non-French team in the stage. It didn’t start well for the mostly-Swedish team (which includes US-based trimmer Charlie McKee): down 2-0 in the first-to-three point series, and with an all-French final looking imminent, Holmberg rallied in the third match to lead Richard around the track and even draw a penalty on his French rival at their bottom mark turn. In a close fourth match, Richard got managed to get past Holmberg on the run towards the bottom mark, but the building ebb tide and an aggressive and clever defense of the inside position took the pair past the mark and had them both sailing back upwind to it in the face of wind and tide. A disastrous kite drop by the French allowed Holmberg to waltz through into a convincing win to bring the series even. In the last match, Holmberg chose the right side of the beat, Richard the left, and while right was initially favored, it soon caved in, so when Holmberg tacked to cover the closing French, he did so a little too close, earning him a penalty. He still kept the lead by tacking back left, getting to the top and bottom marks first, and extending enough on the beat to do his penalty turn before Richard closed to within only 2 lengths at the finish downwind. And while Col and Iehl tangled horns in all their matches, Col emerged from the series with his required three points in only four matches, with a collision to Iehl’s stern in a misjudged cross and resultant penalty being the only blemish to his record. With a major wind shift requiring course realignment and a new boat to rig, the decision was made to shorten the Finals and Petit-Finals to first-to-two points. So, under increasing clouds, breeze, tide, and approaching rain, the stage seemed to have more fireworks among the two French teams in the Petit-Final, with Iehl and Richard taking one each under the watchful eyes of match umpires Manuel Santos Silva (POR) and Pedro Rodrigues (POR) before Richard finally prevailed in a relatively benign third match. And in the Finals, Holmberg and Col initially split off to different sides of the first beat, with a shoal area on the left side providing a little more relief from the gushing tide than the beach side on the right. Since Col got there and controlled that side better, he led throughout the first match and even managed to extend enough to wipe off a pre-start penalty levied by match umpires Bill Edgerton (GBR) and Alfredo Ricci (ITA) in the second to take the overall win. The Troia Portugal Match Cup was the seventh of nine stages on the World Match Racing Tour. “This was a great regatta for us,” said event Director Justino Machado, “and we look forward to having the construction completed here at Troia Resort for an even better event next year.” OVERALL RESULTS 1. Sebastian Col (FRA), French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge $30,000 2. Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Victory Challenge $20,000 3. Mathieu Richard (FRA), French Match Racing Team/Team French Spirit $18,750 4. Damien Iehl (FRA), French Match Racing Team $13,750 5. Paolo Cian (ITA), Team Shosholoza $10,000 6. Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mirsky Racing Team $8,750 7. Ian Williams (GBR), Team Pindar $7,500 8. Alvaro Marinho (POR), Seth Sailing Team $6,250 9. Adam Minoprio (NZL), Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing $2,500 10. Bjorn Hansen (SWE), Alandia Sailing Team $2,500 11. Manuel Weiller (ESP) $2,500 12. Nick Cherry (GBR), Cherry Racing Team $2,500 Article provided by Dobbs Davis Results and Flight schedule: http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/da/88113 ISAF Match Racing World Championship Leaderboard (Top 8) (After Stage 7 of 9) 1. Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar, 98 2. Sebastien Col (FRA) French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge, 92 3. Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team/ French Team Spirit, 87 4. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team , 53 5. Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Victory Challenge, 51 6. Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Shosholoza, 43 7. Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Alandia Sailing Team, 40 8. Mattias Rahm (SWE) Stena Bulk Sailing Team, 34

The Publisher ***** Sep 28, 2008, 4:36 PM Post #9 of 9 (891 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] Troia Portugal Match Cup 2008 [In reply to] Log-In to Post Press release: Sebastien Col Troia, Portugal – 28/09/2008 SEBASTIEN COL WINS THE TROIA PORTUGAL MATCH CUP!! Seb Col wins the Troia Portugal Match Cup after his final match against Magnus Holmberg (2-0). It is the second time that Seb Col wins an event of the World Match Racing Tour this season, after the Korea Match Cup last June. The end of the season will be very intense in the fight for the World Match Racing Tour’s champion title. Seb Col is now 2nd of the World Match Racing Tour’s season’s provisional general ranking, only 6 points away from the leader (Ian Williams), and 5 points ahead of the number 3 (Mathieu Richard). This victory is more than special, because we have to remember that Seb Col changes his crew almost for each event that he takes part to. So he can’t rely on a “routine” for the manoeuvres or the communications on board, unlike most of the other teams competing on the World Match Racing Tour, and who are used to sail together all the time. But his method is efficient, and it allows Sebastien to test and to select crew members that he will recruit for K-Challenge’s season next year, with the next America’s Cup still as the ultimate target, but also in particular for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series in the short term – February 1-14 2009. (K-Challenge is officially confirmed as a competing team for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series). Sebastien Col from Troia, (and very enthusiastic after he won the Portugal Match Cup with this team): “this is great!!! We just finished our final against Holmberg, 2-0. The 2 matches have been tight. With almost 3 knots of current on the starting line, it was sometimes just IMPOSSIBLE to start on the starboard side. We win the first match because we made a good use of the wind. For the second match, we start with a penalty, and after 2 legs, we are leading at the downwind mark. The rain comes up, and we protect the left. We gained enough lengths to be able to complete the penalty on the finish line. The semi-final has been more difficult, against Damien Iehl. It was special as we both managed to anticipate all of our opponent’s actions. It’s been almost 10 years that we train together, so… We won 3-1, but we didn’t particularly sail well. Especially me with the starts. Fortunately, Christophe, Gilles, Olivier and Philippe did a great job to keep close, and sometimes taking over the lead from our opponents. We really did progress all the week, but I have to recognize that yesterday I was not very confident about us. But by keeping our approach of the matches simple, and by playing with the important parameters of the day (current, laylines approach, use of the rain), we managed to sail really well in the final. A big thank you to Olivier Douillard and Philippe Mourniac, it was our first world tour event together. Of course I do not forget Christophe André and Gilles Favennec! And of course our coach, Marc Bouet.” http://sebastiencol.blogspot.com/

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