Match Race Germany Day 1 - YANMAR Racing 2-1 show plenty of speed

YANMAR Racing finished day 1 of Match Race Germany on Lake Constance, Langenargen with two wins and one loss.

The first day of racing was cold and grey with low cloud and rain. As the ever witty Mark Chisnell wrote in the live World Match Racing Tour commentary blog 'A little update on the weather - still light winds, still drizzling, and still freezing cold - who stole summer? I know the Grinch stole Christmas, but I've no idea who's responsible for exiting stage left with the summer...'

In the third flight of the day, in their first match, Peter Gilmour and his YANMAR Racing crew were up against the newly crowned European champion Mats Ebler (Ebler Matchracing). YANMAR Racing trailed Ebler around the first lap, but managed to keep the game close.

Coming into the bottom mark rounding, Gilmour was right at Ebler's stern with very good speed and when Gilmour tacked after the rounding, Ebler was not able to follow. At the next crossing Gilmour was on starboard tack and Elber had to keep clear. From this point YANMAR Racing controlled the match and extend their lead to the finish.

The Swede Bjorn Hansen (Gill Global Team) was YANMAR Racing's opponent in their second match.

Hansen was penalised in the prestart for not keeping clear as the windward boat. The two boats started on split tacks and at the first crossing YANMAR Racing were ahead. They then extend the lead around the course and finished with comfortable distance between the two boats.

YANMAR Racing then faced Mathieu Richard (French Match Racing Team), winner of Match Race France and current leader of the World Match Racing Tour.

In light conditions, Richard came in from starboard.

YANMAR Racing trimmer Nils Bjerkas reported 'Richard and his team did a good job in the prestart and we never managed to get out of his grip. Yes, we had a small collision and got a penalty, but there was no damage to the boats.

'Both boats were on the course side of the line and turning back. We had a longer way to go with lower speed and therefore ended up four or five boat lengths behind Richard after the start.

'Christian Ponthieu made some good tactical decisions on the first upwind and close to the top mark we were just behind Richard.

'Peter made a great manoeuvre, which gave us an inside overlap at the mark and we managed to bear away and hoist the spinnaker ahead of them.

'However on the downwind run in very light breeze, the Frenchmen rolled us in a gybe and we lost the lead but the game was still very tight.

'A few gybes later both teams stretched out on opposite tacks for a while and when we met again, it unfortunately turned out that they had chosen the more favoured side and we were again some boat lengths behind. Game over.'

Peter Gilmour said 'A good day over all. 2-1 is OK. We had good upwind tactics, but we have some work to do on our downwind tactics; still ... good speed.'

Mathieu Richard (French Match Racing Team), the Tour leader and Torvar Mirsky (Mirsky Racing Team) currently lead Match Race Germany with three wins and no losses.

Peter Gilmour and his YANMAR Racing crew finished the day on two wins and one loss.

Day 1: Round Robin Results

Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 3-0
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 3-0
Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing 2-1
Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar 2-1
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 2-1
Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Proximo 2-1
Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Italia 1-2
Kathrin Kadelbach (GER) EWE Sailing Team 1-2
Mads Ebler (DEN) Ebler Matchracing 1-2
Jesper Radich (DEN) Radich Racing Team 1-2
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Gill Global Team 0-3
Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Victory Challenge 0-3

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