Bermuda Gold cup

oct5_2011_talbotpic By Talbot Wilson- Argo Group Gold Cup

Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, October 6, 2011: While Day 1 was a drifter, Day 2 in the 2011 Argo Group Gold Cup was a mad, day-long dash. From 9:00 until after 6:00 in the evening, the race committee got off sixteen races for Group 2, sixteen races for Group 3 and twelve for Group 1 for a total of forty-four on the day.

Sailors in this penultimate event on the World Match Racing Tour have now completed forty-eight races and have three more flights in each group scheduled for today to complete Stage 1, the qualifying round-robin matches. The top two skippers in each group following Stage 1 automatically qualify for the Quarter Finals. The third and fourth ranked skippers in each group move into the Stage 2 Repechage round-robin, also scheduled for Thursday.

The top story Wednesday was the excellent performance for many of the WMRT Tour Card holders and the quality performance of Taylor Canfield (ISV). Of the non-Tour Card Holders, Candfield had the most impressive day in Group 2 defeating #9 ranked Tour Card holder Johnie Berntsson (SWE), #3 ranked Torvar Mirsky (AUS), and Peter Gilmour ranked #4. His only loss on the day was to Tour Cardholder #10 ranked Phil Robertson (NZL). Non-Tour Card holder Eric Monnin (SWI) was impressive in Group 3 and ended the day at 3-1.

In Group 1, Tour Card holders Francesco Bruni (ITA), Jesper Radich (DEN) and Staffan Lindberg (FIN) were all 4-0. In Group 3 Tour Card holders Ian Williams (GBR), Mathieu Richard (FRA), and Damien Iehl were also all 4-0.

Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and Peter Gilmour (AUS) didn’t fare so well and both lost two matches to stand at 2-2, Johnie Berntsson (SWE) is one step ahead of them at 3-1.

Today the Tour Card holders will begin to match up against each other. Group 1 will see matches between Lindberg and Bruni, Radich and Hansen, Radich and Bruni, Lindberg and Hansen, Lindberg and Radich, and Hansen vs Bruni. Group 2 features Robertson and Mirsky, Berntsson and Gilmour, Robertson and Berntsson, and Gilmour vs Mirsky. Group 3 leaders who match up are Monnin and Williams, Richard and Iehl, Richard and Williams, Monnin and Iehl, Monnin and Richard, and Iehl vs Williams.

Canfield, who had some of his toughest matches on Wednesday, is looking good in Group 2. He meets Lance Fraser (BER), Sam Pearson (GBR), and Ruben Corbett (NZL) in the final three flights. Canfield is back in Bermuda for his second year in a row. In 2010 he went 5-1 in Stage 1 and lost to Eric Monnin in the Quarter Finals.

There will be plenty of action on Hamilton Harbor on Thursday. Winds are expected to be 12-15kts so sailing should be fast and furious. The first start is scheduled a half hour earlier, 8:30 ADT to get all the racing schedule finished. Exciting coverage of Argo Group Gold Cup action is available daily, 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.

Results after Qualifying Session Two:
Group One:
Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing 4-0
Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team 4-0
Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners 4-0
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekononmen Sailing Team 3-1
Blythe Walker (BER) Team RenRe 1-3
Jakub Pawluk (POL) Henri Lloyd Racing 0-4
Jordan Reece (AUS) True Blue Racing 0-4
Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing 0-4

Group Two:
Johnie Berntsson Sailing Team 3-1
Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing 3-1
Taylor Canfield (ISV) Team ISV 3-1
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat 2-2
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 2-2
Reuben Corbett NZL) AON Racing Team 1-3
Lance Fraser (BER) Freelance-Digicel 1-3
Sam Pearson (GBR) Team Wight Match 1-3

Group Three:
Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar sponsored by Argo group 4-0
Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 4-0
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 4-0
Eric Monnin (SUI) Oklays Corum Sailing Team 3-1
Simone Ferrarese (ITA) Ferrarese Racing Team 1-3
Laurie Jury (NZL) ZOKE Kiwi Match 0-4
Terry McLaughlin (CAN) Team Commonwealth 0-4
Peter Miller (BER) 0-4

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:
SKYPE: talbotwilson

Argo Group Contact:
Lisa Scannell VP - Mkting & Communications
Email:
Tel: +1 (617) 478 5206
Mobile: +1 (857) 205 9668

Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Contact:
Nicole Butterworth, Sailing Secretary
Email:
Tel: (441) 295 2214 Ex 105
Fax:(441) 295 6361

WMRT Contact:
Audrey Lakai
Mobile: + 6 012 502 2206 Email:

WMRT Press information:
contact Capitalize:
Rupert Hains
Tel: +44 (0) 207 940 1700
Mobile: +44 (0) 7887 993 240
Email:

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.

www.argolimited.com

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