Mathieu Richard, Johnie Berntsson grab quarter-final spots: 2011 Portimão Portugal Match Cup
Mathieu Richard of French Match Racing Team and Johnie Berntsson of Berntsson Sailing Team have surged into the quarter-finals of 2011 Portimão Portugal Match Cup after beating Siragusawa Sailing
Team’s Olli-Pekka Lumijarvi and Alvaro Marinho of Seth Sailing Team on Friday, June 24. The duo will meet Australia’s Torver Mirsky and Ian Williams of Team GAC Pindar in the quarter-finals.
Mirsky of The Wave Muscat is leading the standings with a 7-1 score followed by Great Britain’s Ian Williams with 7-4. Richard and Berntsson sailed up to the mark on the fifth day of the regatta and
made their way to the final stage scoring 6.5-4 and 6-5 respectively.
Mariniho faced his ultimate defeat at the hands of ISAF World Match Racing Tour leader, Francesco Bruni, and now will be going back home along with Lumijarvi and Reuben Corbett.
Richard sailed sensibly under perfect weather conditions to nudge Lumijarvi in the pre-quarter-final race and placed himself on third position with just a 0.5-point difference from Team GAC Pindar
skipper, Williams. Fourth place was occupied by Berntsson.
However, The Wave Muscat skipper, Mirsky, is in safe zone among all six sailors who will race for next stage on June 25 and is also one of the hot favourites to grab the title. However, he still needs
an extraordinary effort to beat the likes of the Italian sailor, Bruni and take the overall victory of ISAF World Match Racing Tour.
The overall results at the end of fifth day are:
Standings after the third Qualifying Session
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat 7-1
Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar 7-4
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 6.5-4
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 6-5
Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 5-3
Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners 5-3
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 4-4
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team 4-4
Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing 4-4
Alvaro Marinho (POR) Seth Sailing Team 3-8
Reuben Corbett (NZL) Aon Racing Team 3-8
Olli-Pekka Lumijarvi (FIN) Siragusawa Sailing Team 2-9
2011 ISAF World Match Racing Tour Standings (After Stage 3)
1 Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing – 59pts
2 Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing – 48pts
3 Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team – 41pts
4 Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat – 31pts
5 Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners – 28pts
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