Bermuda Gold cup

As top qualifier out of the round robin matches, Adam Minoprio (NZL) should have gotten first choice of his opponent in the Quarter Finals. However, he left the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club before the draw was scheduled to be conducted and his choice went to the next ranking skipper, Taylor Canfield (ISV), Team Chicago Match Race Center.

Hamilton, BERMUDA: Oct. 5, 2012 – Adam Minoprio (NZL) Team Argo Group, the Alpari World Match Racing Tour champion in 2009, came storming out of the Argo Group Gold Cup Qualifier round robin matches. He did not loose a match in the last two days and was the top scoring sailor among the eight skippers moving up. He had eight points with his only loss coming on the first day to Bjorn Hansen (SWE).

As top qualifier out of the round robin matches, Minoprio should have gotten first choice of his opponent in the Quarter Finals. However, he left the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club before the draw was scheduled to be conducted. His choice went to the next ranking skipper, Taylor Canfield (ISV), Team Chicago Match Race Center.

Taking the first pick of opponents, Canfield sailing in his third Gold Cup selected David Chapman (AUS) a newcomer to Bermuda as his Quarter Final opponent.

Chapman was the surprise performer of the top eight. He was ranked 91 by ISAF and seeded ninth in Group 1. Chapman was the only Quarter Final qualifier who was not among the top eight seeds going into the Gold Cup regatta.

Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team got the next choice for his Quarter Final opponent and picked Eric Monnin, Oklays Corum Sailing Team. Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team next picked to sail against his Swedish nemesis Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing.

That left Ian Williams Team GAC Pindar un-chosen, so he matches up with Minoprio by default. This pits the top scoring team from the qualifier round robin stage against the number one match race sailor in the world as ranked by both ISAF and by Alpari World Match Racing Tour points.

Bermuda's two entries, national champion Blythe Walker and college student Lance Fraser were eliminated after the final four Qualifier flights. They had a respectable chance to move up, but suffered from a errors on the windy race course today. Winds of 10-15 came through as predicted and gusts to 20 also rolled down the Hamilton Harbour course.

Full listings of the results in each group and the full pairings for the Quarter Final matches that begin at 10:00 Friday may be found at http://www.argogroupgoldcup.com

The Quarter Final matches are knock outs with first to three in each of the matches moving on the the Semi Finals on Saturday.

Look for good racing again Friday Bermuda Weather predicts Winds north-northeasterly 8 to 12 knots, becoming light and variable by evening...  Isolated showers, mostly in the morning, with mainly fair visibility— Another Bermudaful day. 

The Quarter Finals, semi-finals and finals, are live online and are live scheduled for 14:00 local time (ADT/GMT-3) Saturday and Sunday will be televised live and online.

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/

sept26 2012 3 sThis 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:
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

Alpari World Match Racing Tour Contact:
Audrey Lakai
Mobile: + 6 012 502 2206
Email:

Alpari World Match Racing Tour Press Information
Capitalize: Leigh Ireland
Tel: +44 (0) 207 940 1700
Mobile: +44 (0) 7545 503 579
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, 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.

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 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.