World Match Racing Tour, in Portogallo la spunta Torvar Mirsky
Match RaceVelaWorld Match Race Tour 21 Giugno 2009 Zerogradinord 1
[singlepic id=2856 w=300 h=204 float=left]World Match Racing Tour – Troia – Era forse la finale meno attesa, ma i due volti nuovi del match race internazionale non si sono certo tirati indietro davanti alle difficoltà di un duello che li ha visti contendersi i 10.000 Dollari e i 25 punti validi ai fini della classifica iridata destinati al trionfatore nel Troia Portugal Match Cup, evento valido come quarta prova del World Match Racing Tour. Protagonisti della contesa Adam Minoprio e Torvar Mirsky, che dopo essersi allenati insieme nelle acque di Valencia nel corso della passata settimana, si sono dati battaglia nell’atto conclusivo dell’evento lusitano.
Ad avere la meglio, conquistando così il suo primo successo in un evento di tale importanza, è stato Mirsky. Il timoniere australiano, giunto in finale dopo aver eliminato il dominatore del Round Robin Philippe Presti e grazie al successo per 2 a 0 su Mathieu Richard in semifinale, ha battuto Minoprio, arteficie dell’eliminazione dell’esperto Peter Gilmour prima e del due volte iridato Ian Williams poi, con un secco 2 a 0.
Grazie ai 20 punti raccolti con il secondo posto, Adam Minoprio ha comunque rafforzato la sua leadership nel circuito. Ora, il portacolori di Emirates Team New Zealand vanta 12 punti di margine su Williams. Il timoniere britannico, infatti, battendo Richard nella finalina di consolazione ha sopravanzato il francese in classifica generale, seppur di una sola lunghezza.
Finale
Mirsky vs Minoprio, 2-0
Finalina
Williams vs Richard, 2-1
Semifinali
Mirsky vs Richard, 2-0
Minoprio vs Williams, 2-1
Quarti di Finale
Mirsky vs Presti, 3-1
Richard vs Hansen, 3-1
Col vs Williams, 1-3
Gilmour vs Minoprio, 2-3
Round Robin Results
1st Philippe Presti (FRA), French Match Racing Team
2nd Mathieu Richard (FRA), French Match Racing Team
3rd Peter Gilmour (AUS), Yanmar Racing
4th Ian Williams (GBR), Bahrain Team Pindar
5th Adam Minoprio (NZL), ETNZ/BlackMatch
6th Sebastien Col (FRA), French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge
7th Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mirsky Racing
8th Bjorn Hansen (SWE), Team Onboard
9th Phil Robertson (NZL), Waka Racing
10th Alvaro Mourinho (POR), Seth Sailing Team
11th Ian Ainslie (RSA), Team Proximo
12th Andrew Arbuzov (RUS)
MIRSKY WINS TROIA PORTUGAL MATCH CUP
[World Match Racing Tour Press Release] 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!”.
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.
“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.
Final
Mirsky vs Minoprio, 2-0
Petit final
Williams vs Richard, 2-1
Semifinals
Mirsky vs Richard, 2-0
Minoprio vs Williams, 2-1
Quarter Finals
Mirsky vs Presti, 3-1
Richard vs Hansen, 3-1
Col vs Williams, 1-3
Gilmour vs Minoprio, 2-3
Round Robin Results
1st Philippe Presti (FRA), French Match Racing Team
2nd Mathieu Richard (FRA), French Match Racing Team
3rd Peter Gilmour (AUS), Yanmar Racing
4th Ian Williams (GBR), Bahrain Team Pindar
5th Adam Minoprio (NZL), ETNZ/BlackMatch
6th Sebastien Col (FRA), French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge
7th Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mirsky Racing
8th Bjorn Hansen (SWE), Team Onboard
9th Phil Robertson (NZL), Waka Racing
10th Alvaro Mourinho (POR), Seth Sailing Team
11th Ian Ainslie (RSA), Team Proximo
12th Andrew Arbuzov (RUS)
