Semi Final matches Continue Sunday
Adam Minoprio (NZL) came through the knock out consolation matches Friday to finish fifth in the Argo Group Gold Cup. He defeated Aussie David Chapman and Bjorn Hansen (SWE) who ended sixth. Staffan Lindberg (FIN) came in seventh and Chapman was eighth.
Before the wind died and cut off Semi Final racing after two flights, Johnie Berntsson (SWE) took two races off Ian Williams (GBR). Taylor Canfield (ISV) and Eric Monnin (SUI) are knotted at one each. The Semis will continue Sunday morning at 10:00AM Bermuda Time.
Hamilton, BERMUDA: Oct. 6, 2012 – In racing Saturday morning at the Argo Group Gold Cup, skippers 5-8 from the Quarter Finals sailed a knock-out series to determine their finishes. Adam Minoprio (NZL) Team Argo Group got to choose his opponent and selected the young Aussie David Chapman. That left Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team to race Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team in the other consolation match.
In the first to one point series, Minoprio handily defeated Chapman. He moved on to the second flight against Hansen, who had defeated Lindberg in their match. The conditions were once again light and shifty. The winners were those who won the starts and then played the puffs up and down the course.
In Flight 2, Minoprio defeated Hansen, ranked second on the Alpari World Match Racing Tour, and won $5,500 of the $100,000 purse for the Gold Cup. Minoprio was on his game Saturday after loosing three straight to Ian Williams in the Quarter Finals Friday.
Bjorn Hansen finished in sixth place for $4,000, Lindberg was seventh for $2500 and Chapman took eighth for $1,000.
After getting in just two flights, the Semi Final first to three series was postponed until Sunday. At the start of Flight 3, the wind shifted from Southeast to South and then mostly died and became too shifty for fair sailing.
Taylor Canfield (ISV) Team Chicago Match Race Center with the best record in the finals four chose to race Eric Monnin (SUI) Oklays Corum Sailing Team. In the first flight there were several lead changes on the shifty course. Sometimes the racers seemed to be going almost the same direction on different tacks. Canfield took the first race by a good margin.
“It was very difficult today to even see the breeze or where it was coming from,” Canfield said. “I think Eric Monnin did an excellent job coming from behind in the second race to take the win.”
Canfield had taken the lead from Monnin in Flight 2, but Monnin got it back on a wind shift up the right side of the course where the direction and pressure seemed to be best in both races. Monnin took the win in a close finish as Canfield was charging in on a fresh downwind puff.
Monnin commented on the day saying, “Today was a bit too much of what we wanted because we do generally like light air. This was a little too light. What we noticed was as soon as we were in the lead, there was actually more opportunity for the person behind to catch up so there were a lot of lead changes today between Taylor and us. The 1-1 score today reflects what was happening on the water.”
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team took two wins from Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar, the current Tour leader. Berntsson’s performance was nearly flawless as he won both starts and pushed Williams to the left both times and took the middle and right side of the course upwind. Williams will need to win the last three in a row to move on to the Finals.
Berntsson commented, “I am happy to be sitting here 2-0 going into the remainder of the semi-finals. It was very light wind and we needed to come back and keep control today. We did not always get to be where we wanted to be at the starts. We are just glad to have the 2-0 and we are looking forward to good racing tomorrow.”
Williams made the second race close as he rode a fresh breeze down the final leg. Berntsson finally got the same puff and was able to protect his lead and finish first.
“It wasn’t a great day for us, Williams admitted. “Throughout the week we have had good days and bad days. Today just wasn’t a good day. The conditions today were very hard because we could not see the breeze forming on the water. We put too much emphasis on trying to see the breeze on the water and that is where we should have focused elsewhere I think.
The overall winner picks up $50,000 of the $100,000 prize purse. Second place gets $20,000, third gets $10,000 and fourth takes $7,000.
Look for a better day for the conclusion of racing. Sunday’s forecast is for winds south-southeasterly 5 to 10 knots... Isolated showers with mainly fair visibility.
The semi-finals will continue at 10:00AM Sunday. One race of the Petite Finals will be sailed before noon and then the Junior Gold Cup final race will be sailed on Hamilton Harbour. The remainder of the Petite finals and Finals will start at 2:00PM local time (ADT/GMT-3). The schedule is available pre-event www.wmrt.com/live and on www.argogroupgoldcup.com
October is a perfect month to vacation in Bermuda and the Argo Group Gold Cup is a showcase event culminating in the finals weekend October 5th-7th. Special rates for Gold Cup week are available at the Hamilton Princess Hotel. Please use the special code ARGO0912_001 when booking rooms. www.fairmont.com/hamilton-bermuda/
This year will mark the 62nd staging of the King Edward VII Gold Cup, with previous winners including some of the greatest names ever to match race. Since the event was reformatted to be an event under the Match Racing Association in 1985, multiple winners include Chris Dickson (NZL), Russell Coutts (NZL), Peter Gilmour (AUS), and Ben Ainslie (GBR).
The 2012 Argo Group Gold Cup runs from October 2nd with Finals scheduled for October 7th. Spectator friendly racing is held in Hamilton Harbour, adjacent to the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Marina, a spectacular attraction for tourists and Bermuda residents alike.
The Argo Group Gold Cup is the penultimate seventh stage of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour, in which the teams compete for the ISAF Match Racing World Championship. Match racing for The King Edward VII Gold Cup is recognized as one of the classic heritage events on the Alpari World Match Racing Tour.
Argo Group Gold Cup Media Contact:
Talbot Wilson, Talbot Wilson & Associates, Inc.
Tel: +1 (850)432-8170
Fax: +1 (850)432-8050
Mob: +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
Alpari World Match Racing Tour Contact:
Audrey Lakai
Mobile: + 6 012 502 2206
Email: [email protected]
Alpari World Match Racing Tour Press Information
Capitalize: Leigh Ireland
Tel: +44 (0) 207 940 1700
Mobile: +44 (0) 7545 503 579
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, International Specialty and Syndicate 1200 at Lloyd's.
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 Alpari World Match Racing Tour
The Alpari World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) is the leading professional sailing series featuring nine 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 teamwork and skill. Racing takes place close to the shore so that spectators and fans can follow the racing in a virtual on-the-water stadium.
Media and television highlights coverage reaches in excess of 183 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.wmrt.com
About Alpari
With a history dating back to 1998, the Alpari companies are among the world's fastest growing providers of online Forex trading services. The companies provide cutting edge technology, low-cost trading, comprehensive market research tools, advanced educational programes and world-class customer service.
The association of Alpari companies has offices in over 20 countries. Locations include London, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, Dubai, Moscow, Mumbai and Frankfurt. Combined, the companies look after over 170,000 active trading accounts, generating monthly trading volumes in excess of USD210 billion and employ over 630 people worldwide.*
*May 2011.