By Talbot Wilson- Argo Group Gold Cup 
Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, October 4, 2011
The first day of the 2011 Argo Group Gold Cup saw Bermuda’s top match racer Blythe Walker (BER) Team RenRe fall to Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners on a day when rain and shipping movements blotted out much of the programme.
In that opening match, both Walker and Radich were over the line when the start gun fired, and had to turn back to re-start. Radich made a clean dip and Walker thought he had also, but as the local team headed towards the windward mark, they were recalled again when Principal Race Officer David Campbell-James ruled he had not cleared the line correctly.
That mistake, and Walker's attempt to split downwind on a long-shot flyer that didn’t pay, handed the match to Radich. Jesper won the Gold Cup in 2002 and was runner up in 2010 - his reuturn year to the match racing circuit.
Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing got an early penalty in Match 2 against Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team. He tried to wipe it off near the committee boat, by pushing Lindberg into a penalty move, but was unable to make it stick. Lindberg went on to win the match in the only race of the day with any drama.
In the other two matches in Flight 1, Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team handily defeated young Jordon Reece who came to Bermuda through the Detroit Cup qualfier event. Franchesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing defeated Jakob Pawluk (POL) Henri Lloyd Racing, another young match racer earning his stripes in the 24-team Bermuda match race series.
Racing was initially delayed as a weather front brought a downpour and strong shifting winds to the harbour. Two cargo ships then passed through and the Race committee waited for a cruise ship that then decided to anchor out. By then the wind had died for the day and the remaining flights for Group 1 and all those in Group 2 and 3 were postponed until Wednesday or Thursday.
Bermudian Adam Barboza, main trimmer for Blythe Walker, summed up the condtions best, saying, "The only good thing about the morning was that the rain filled the Walker’s swimming pool!"
Winds are expected to improve through the week. Steady breezes of 8-12 kts are predicted for Wednesday and Thursday and up to 22 kts on Friday. Organizers expect to make up for lost time in the next few days.
Racing starts daily at 09:00 ADT. These initial qualifying rounds decide two automatic qualifiers from each group who move into the quarter-finals. Then third and fourth places in each group enter another six-boat Repacage round-robin Thursday, , to select the final two for the quarter final slots.
The Argo Group Gold Cup schedule, skipper bios, groups and pairings for the Qualiying Rounds are posted on the web at www.argogroupgoldcup.com.
Live coverage of Argo Group Gold Cup action will be available daily, starting Wednesday afternoon at www.wmrt.com. The ‘WMRT Morning Show’ and ‘WMRT Today Show’ with Hannah White are also shown on www.wmrt.com, providing a preview and wrap up of the racing each day from Hamilton Harbour.
Daily press conferences at the Royal Bermuda YC are open to the public and start at 5:00 PM Tuesday through Sunday.
The Argo Group Gold Cup is followed on the World Match Racing Tour by their prestigious season ending finale, The Monsoon Cup, sailed in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia.
The Argo Group Gold Cup schedule, skipper bios, groups and pairings for the Qualiying Rounds are posted on the web at www.argogroupgoldcup.com.
Live coverage of Argo Group Gold Cup action will be available daily, starting Wednesday afternoon at www.wmrt.com. The 'WMRT Morning Show' and 'WMRT Today Show' with Hannah White are also shown on www.wmrt.com, providing a preview and wrap up of the racing each day from Hamilton Harbour.
Daily press conferences at the Royal Bermuda YC are open to the public and start at 5:00 PM Tuesday through Sunday.
The Argo Group Gold Cup is followed on the World Match Racing Tour by their prestigious season ending finale, The Monsoon Cup, sailed in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia.
For more information on WMRT, please visit: www.wmrt.com
For more information about the Argo Group Gold Cup, go to
www.argogroupgoldcup.com
Argo Group Gold Cup Media Contact:
Talbot Wilson, Talbot Wilson & Associates, Inc.
Tel: +1 (850)432-8170 Fax: +1 (850)432-8050
Mobile: +1 (850)217-7138
Email: [email protected]
SKYPE: talbotwilson
Argo Group Contact:
Lisa Scannell VP - Mkting & Communications
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +1 (617) 478 5206
Mobile: +1 (857) 205 9668
Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Contact:
Nicole Butterworth, Sailing Secretary
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (441) 295 2214 Ex 105
Fax:(441) 295 6361
WMRT Contact:
Audrey Lakai
Mobile: + 6 012 502 2206 Email: [email protected]
WMRT Press information:
contact Capitalize:
Rupert Hains
Tel: +44 (0) 207 940 1700
Mobile: +44 (0) 7887 993 240
Email: [email protected]
About Argo Group:
Working Together to Serve Specialty Markets
Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. (NasdaqGS: AGII), is an international provider of specialty property and casualty insurance, reinsurance and managed risk solutions. The companies that make up Argo Group share a firm commitment to working together with our independent agents and wholesale and retail brokerage partners to deliver innovative products for niche markets.
Argo Group clients and shareholders alike benefit from our deep understanding of the markets we serve, our ability to manage through all insurance cycles, our well developed and prudent risk management practices and controls, and our track record of growth and profitability. Through our operating companies, we offer a comprehensive line of high-quality products and services designed to meet the unique coverage and claims-handling needs of our clients in four business segments: Excess and Surplus Lines, Commercial Specialty, Reinsurance and International Specialty, which includes our Lloyd's syndicate.
At Argo Group, we've built a company with a fundamental purpose of securing the future and a straightforward vision to achieve outstanding results realized together.
Organization-wide, our strategy—easy to define and rewarding to deploy—is to grow hand-in-hand with our clients.
About Bermuda
Although Bermuda is an Atlantic island paradise in its own right, many people mistakenly believe Bermuda is part of the Caribbean. In fact, the island rests hundreds of miles north of the Bahamas, a mere 650 miles east of North Carolina. Flights from New York and other eastern US cities are less than two hours. From London, direct flights are about seven hours. All of Bermuda fits in a cozy 20.7 square miles surrounded by 75 miles of dramatic coastline. Bermuda is famous for hospitality and sparkling pink-sand beaches. Activities include racquet sports, dramatic golfing, spectacular spas, and cultural festivals in all seasons. Of course Bermuda is famous for sailing as a destination for ocean races from Marion, Newport, and Charleston, for Cruising rallies for other East Coast ports and as host to many national and international competitive events.
From chic international cuisine in posh dining rooms to conch stew and local Rockfish at a roadside café, we have a taste to please every palate and budget. While Bermudians do value island tranquility, we like to have a bit of fun, too. From swanky clubs to friendly neighborhood pubs, these after-hours establishments satisfy every thirst. Cocktail in hand and warm sea breeze at your back, set sail on one of our evening cruises along our famous coastline.
For details on all the excitement and events Bermuda has to offer, call your travel agent or visit us at www.bermudatourism.com
About the ISAF World Match Racing Tour
The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) is the leading professional sailing series featuring 8 World Championship events across the globe, sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) with "Special Event" status.
The World Tour awards over US$1.75million in prize money with points awarded at each event culminating in the crowning of the "ISAF Match Racing World Champion". The prize fund includes a US$500,000 overall prize pool for the top nine teams in the Championship.
Events take place in identically supplied racing yachts to place the focus on team work and skill. Racing takes place close to the shore for the general public to follow the races as virtual on-the-water stadiums.
Media and television highlights coverage reaches in excess of 183 countries around the world.
For more information, please visit: www.wmrt.com