By Talbot Wilson- Argo Group Gold Cup
Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, October 7, 2011: Following Wednesday's 44-race marathon, Thursday was a little less hectic with only 36 matches sailed to conclude Stage 1 of the 2011 Argo Group Gold Cup. World Match Racing Tour leader and #1 ranked open match race sailor Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar/Argo Group had one of the best performances in any Stage 1 group, coming away with six points and an automatic slot in the Quarter finals.
"Eric Monnin gave us some lessons about going around the course," Williams said about his one loss to the young Swiss sailor. " Then we had close matches with the two Frenchmen, getting a penalty against Richard and then being lucky to beat Iehl." Iehl had passed Wiliams twice in their three-lap match.
" We feel lucky to be getting into the Quarter Finals," Williams added.
The other automatic slot from Group 3 went to Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team. He and Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team were tied on 5 points each. Richard had defeated Iehl in the round robin, so Iehl and Eric Monnin will have to fight it out with four other third and fourth place group finishers in the Stage 2 Repechage.
The battle for the top two slots in Group 1 went to Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team who looked as strong as Williams with six points and to Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners, 2010 runner-up, also at 6 points but with a loss to Lindberg. The repechage slots in Group 1 went to Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing with 5 points and to Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team with 4 points.
Group 2 saw heated battle in most of its matches. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat came out on top with 5 points. Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing came out best of three teams on 4 points to take the second automatic qualifier. Taylor Canfield (ISV) was third and Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team was fourth and both move into the Repechage. Three-time Gold Cup winner, Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing was eliminated after the loss to Berntsson on a penalty for sailing into a buoy - marked 'keep-away' zone.
The Stage 2 Repechage round robin and Quarter Finals are scheduled next for Hamilton Harbor. Pairings for the Quarter Finals will be determined when the repechage is completed.
Winds are expected to be 20-25 kts from the Northeast, so sailing should once again be fast and furious. The first start is scheduled a half hour earlier, 9:00 ADT. Exciting live 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 Three:
Group One:
Q - Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team 6-1
Q - Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners 6-1
R - Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing 5-2
R - Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekononmen Sailing Team 4-3
Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing 3-4
Blythe Walker (BER) Team RenRe 3-4
Jakub Pawluk (POL) Henri Lloyd Racing 1-6
Jordan Reece (AUS) True Blue Racing 0-7
Group Two:
Q - Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat 5-2
Q - Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing 4-3
R - Taylor Canfield (ISV) Team ISV 4-3
R - Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 4-3
Reuben Corbett NZL) AON Racing Team 3-4
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 3-4
Lance Fraser (BER) Freelance-Digicel 3-4
Sam Pearson (GBR) Team Wight Match 2-5
Group Three:
Q - Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar sponsored by Argo group 6-1
Q - Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 5-2
R - Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 5-2
R - Eric Monnin (SUI) Oklays Corum Sailing Team 4.5-2
Simone Ferrarese (ITA) Ferrarese Racing Team 4-3
Laurie Jury (NZL) ZOKE Kiwi Match 2-5
Terry McLaughlin (CAN) Team Commonwealth 1-6
Peter Miller (BER) Miller Match Racing 0-7
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