Hamilton, Bermuda, 9.10.2009

AINSLIE UNDEFEATED IN QUEST FOR KING EDWARD VII GOLD CUP

Ben Ainslie (GBR) is still undefeated as Argo Group Gold Cup quarterfinal racing got underway Friday afternoon with just two flights being completed. Current World Match Racing Tour leader Torvar Mirsky (AUS) must win three matches in a row tomorrow to keep his team on the top of the Tour leader board.

Ainslie was behind Mirsky once today in their first race, but put a penalty on him at the second windward mark and went on to win that match. “The conditions were tough,” Ainslie said. “In the light shifty winds we just had to keep the boat moving.”

Ian Williams was behind Johnie Berntsson in both races, but managed to come back and win both. “We were on the wrong side of the course several times,” Williams said, “but managed to minimize the losses. When we got the correct side we had stayed close enough to pass.”

After two flights in the quarters today, Eric Monnin leads Blythe Walker in Match 1 by 2-0, Ben Ainslie leads Torvar Mirsky 2-0, Ian Williams leads Johnie Berntsson by 2-0 and Adam Minoprio leads Mathieu Richard 2-0 as well. It is do or die for all the trailing skippers who face a ‘knockout’ when their opponent scores three wins.

There was a pause in the match racing on Friday afternoon for the Argo Group Gold Cup Pro-Am fleet racing regatta. Following the three race Pro-Am the completion of the quarterfinal stage of the World Match Racing Tour event was delayed and scheduled for Saturday morning. Principal Race Officer David Campbell-Jones said the wind was just too light and shifty to have fair racing so late in the day.

Overall winner of the Argo Group Gold Cup Pro-Am regatta was Argo Group CEO Mark Watson and Ian Williams sailing with the Argo Group Team of Diana Mitchell and Ryan Brown. Earlier this summer Watson represented the Royal Bermuda YC at the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup regatta in Newport, Rhode Island.

Looking back on Friday morning, Repechage Flights 3, 4 and 5 were sailed first to decide the final two of the eight teams that moved up the ladder toward the $50,000 first place prize or share of the $100,000 total purse.

Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team came through that round robin with a perfect 5-0 score. For that he faced unbeaten Ben Ainslie in quarterfinal Match 2. Mirsky is the top ranked skipper on the world Match Racing Tour. Course conditions saw an early light and shifty northerly breeze fill in nicely as the morning racing moved into the second flight of the day. Mirsky was in top form finishing the repechage but he now needs to use every trick in his repertoire to win three in a row tomorrow to move past Ainslie.

Bermudian Blythe Walker and his Max Re team pulled a stunning gybe at the finish of his final repechage match against the young kiwi Phil Robertson. Walker won by just a meter and went 3-2. He then faced Eric Monnin (SUI) Swiss Match Race Team who was first in Group 1 in the first quarterfinal Match. Monnin now has two quarterfinal points on the board, so Walker also needs three consecutive wins tomorrow to stay on the water.

Quarterfinal Match 3 featured two Gold Cup champions Johnie Berntsson (SWE), Berntsson Sailing Team and Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar sponsored by Argo Group. Williams is the reigning champion of the World Match Racing Tour and Berntsson is the reigning Gold Cup champ. Williams jumped out to a clean 2-0 lead to put the defending champion’s back to the wall.

Match 4 of the quarterfinals saw Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing skipper Adam Minoprio (NZL) against 2007 King Edward VII Gold Cup winner Mathieu Richard (FRA) representing the French Match Racing Team. Minoprio is the top skipper in the ISAF rankings. Richard finds himself down 0-2 and like the other 0-2 skippers, he must do some fancy sailing to stay alive.

The quarter finals are a knockout round with the first skipper winning three points in the match knocking out the other and moving into the semifinals. It’s fillet or feathers from this point on in the Argo group Gold Cup.

For updates all day, results and photos go to http://www.argogroupgoldcup.com. Daily news highlights are available on www.sail.tv RaceTrax GPS tracking of all the action is available on line. To download the race viewer go to http://www.race-trax.com/downloads/race-trax-race-viewer

Results From Day 4

Quarter Final Standings

QF1 Eric Monnin (SUI) Swiss Match Race Team 2 - Blythe Walker (BDA) 0
QF2 Ben Ainslie (GBR) Team Origin 2 – Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 0
QF3 Ian Williams Team Pindar by Argo Group 2 – Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 0
QF4 Adam Minoprio (NZL) Team Choke 2 – Mathieu Richard French Match Racing Team 0

REPECHAGE
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) 5-0
Blythe Walker (BDA) 3-2
Damien Iehl (FRA) 2-3
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Alandia Sailing Team 2-3
Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing Team 2-3
Dave Perry (USA) 1-4