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World Match Racing Tour - YANMAR Racing
Portugal Match Cup: YANMAR Racing - Its all about Starts
Portugal Match Cup. Breeze aplenty for the Round Robin battles in this
fourth event on the 2010 ISAF World Match Racing Tour.
Day three started early to everyone's relief, with a solid 12-14 knot
south-westerly under overcast skies. As the day progressed the cloud
disappeared leaving postcard sailing conditions, with both sun and wind.
Australian Peter Gilmour and his YANMAR Racing team, mainsheet-tactician
Cameron Dunn, trimmer Thierry Douillard, pitman Yasuhiro Yaji and bowman
Kazuhiko Sofuku, had two wins and two losses in some important Round Robin
matches today.
The first match of the day for YANMAR Racing was against Alvaro Marinho
(POR) Seth Sailing Team.
Thierry Douillard commented dockside, 'Today was all about starts. Against
Marino we had a very good start. We locked him in near the Race Committee
boat, leaving him no place to go. He hit us hard in the stern, received a
penalty and was late to the line. From there it was an easy race.
'Our second match was against Francesco Bruni (ITA) Azzurra.
'We had a shocking prestart. 45 seconds from the gun we were both head to
wind, close to the Committee boat and we tried to build speed on port but we
could not. We had to gybe to avoid the Committee boat. Bruni started at the
favoured pin end and we were six to seven lengths back. We closed up over
the race with speed and only finished three lengths back, so at least we
showed him we were still alive.
'Then we beat Manuel Weiller (ESP) Team Iberdrola, after another good start.
'Against Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Victory Challenge, YANMAR Racing had another
bad start. This time we were OCS at the pin and had to gybe back. Magnus
sailed well and was never going to let us back into the match from there.
'Tomorrow is going to be a huge day for us, our matches are against some
quality opponents - Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mathieu Richard and Bjorn Hansen
(SWE). If we can secure a win or two then YANMAR Racing should be into the
quarter finals.
'So far in this regatta we have been doing well on the course. We've been
good tactically and had speed but now we have to manage much better starts.'
'So that is our challenge.'
On another tack YANMAR Racing media can report that as the World Cup
football continues, Japan has more supporters with Thierry Douillard (FRA),
Cameron Dunn (NZ) and Peter Gilmour (AUS) now barracking for Japan along
with Yasuhiro Yaji and Kazuhiko Sofuku.
Day 3: Current Round Robin Standings
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 7-1
Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar 7-1
Francesco Bruni (ITA) Azzurra 7-4
Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Victory Challenge* 7-4
Manuel Weiller (ESP) Team Iberdrola 6-5
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing* 5-3
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 5-3
Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing 4-4
Bertrand Pace (FRA) Aleph Sailing Team 4-7
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Hansen Global Team 3-5
Alvaro Marinho (POR) Seth Sailing Team 1-10
Eugeny Neugodnikov (RUS) Team Synergy 1-10
* Deducted 0.5 point for damage
Portugal Match Cup - http://www.portugalmatchcup.com
For more news and information on YANMAR Racing, please visit
http://www.yanmar.co.jp/en/racing/
To discover more about the World Match Racing Tour see
http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com
Images are available at http:www.wmrt.com or
http://www.yanmar.co.jp/en/racing/gallery/index.html
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