Lengthy Seashore, CA (April 25, 2024) – The primary stage of the 59th version of the Congressional Cup concluded with the double spherical robin sequence and the highest 4 groups – Ian Williams (GBR), Jeppe Borch (DEN), Dave Hood (USA), and Gavin Brady (USA) – advancing to the Quarter-final stage of the occasion.
The remaining eight groups will compete in a repechage stage tomorrow, the place the highest 4 finishers will even be a part of the Quarter-finals.
After an overcast begin to the day, the clouds burned off and the breeze constructed for an additional spectacular day in Lengthy Seashore with an 8-10 knot southwesterly breeze which shifted persistently to the appropriate all through the afternoon.
Denmark’s Jeppe Borch and his Borch Racing have been the primary to verify their spot for the Quarter-finals, shedding solely two races to complete the round-robin stage at 8.5 factors, with a half-point deducted for harm. Nice Britain’s Ian Williams and his Gladstone’s Lengthy Seashore workforce completed the stage with 9 wins and two losses, successful the round-robin.
Going into the thirteenth flight late within the day, there was nonetheless a lot to play for to qualify for the Quarters. With Borch by, Williams, Brady, Berntsson, and Hood all had a powerful likelihood to additionally get to the knock-out rounds. It started a number of the closest racing of the day.
Hood and his DH3 Racing wanted yet another win to safe their place into Quarters, and fellow USA skipper Scotty Dickson’s Dickson Racing was not going to offer it up simply. The 2 locals acquired up shut and private with one another, in addition to a brush with the Race Committee boat. The motion continued up the course, with contact on the windward mark, which cleared all penalties as they got here down the ultimate run bow to bow. In the end, Hood clinched the win.
Remembering the “race of the day,” Dickson talked by the tight racing: “It felt like the 2 boats have been held collectively by bungee. It was actual ‘hammer and tongs’ type of stuff. We had a scenario on each leg with the umpires closely concerned. Credit score to Dave [Hood] and his workforce for getting it executed in the long run.”
A notable end between Sweden’s Johnie Berntsson and USA’s Chris Poole was the epitome of what strategic forward-thinking and on-board coordination is required at this degree of the game.
“We got here into the end with a penalty and took it down on the pin finish, simply forward of them,” stated Berntsson. “Truly, we have been nervous for a second as a result of they have been coming in shut they usually have been yelling and pointing… we thought they’d steering points or one thing due to the entire shouting, luckily we managed to clear the penalty and win the race.”
For the eight groups within the repechage, racing begins once more from zero tomorrow, as the highest 4 finishers from the spherical robin – Ian Williams (GBR), Jeppe Borch (DEN), Dave Hood (USA) and Gavin Brady (USA) could have a bye day and rejoin the Quarter-final on the penultimate day.
Racing is being held April 24-28, starting with a spherical robin stage to advance the highest 4 groups for Semi-Remaining and Remaining matches.
Tour information – Event details – Results – Facebook
Based in 2000, the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) promotes the game of match racing world wide and is the longest operating world skilled sequence within the sport of crusing. The winner of the WMRT annually is topped World Crusing Match Racing World Champion.
Earlier champions embody Sir Ben Ainslie (GBR), Taylor Canfield (USA), Peter Gilmour (AUS), Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Peter Holmberg (ISV), Adam Minoprio (NZL), Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Bertrand Tempo (FRA), Jesper Radich (DEN), Phil Robertson (NZL), and Ian Williams (GBR).
Since inception, the World Match Racing Tour and its occasions have awarded over USD23million in prize cash to sailors which has helped to contribute to the profession pathway of a lot of right now’s skilled sailors.
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