No Wind Means No Racing In St Moritz

The changeable weather brought cooler temperatures, along with periods of rain, but not very much wind to Lake St Moritz, forcing the Race Committee to hold off from starting any races on Friday at the ISAF Grade WC St Moritz Match Race, the latest stop on the World Match Racing Tour.

That doesn’t mean there was no competition on the water however. While conditions were too light for the professionals to continue, the ‘pro-am’ race was completed in torturously fickle conditions during the afternoon.

The ‘Corviglia Challenge’ saw all 12 teams at the St Moritz Match Race scheduled to take on board two or three special guests and compete in fleet races. The teams were divided into two groups of six, but the weather only allowed the first group to race. The other six teams did have a short time on the water, but the wind was not strong enough to race.

In the extremely light conditions, it was Michael HESTBEK (GER) and his United Internet Team Germany squad who was best able to navigate around the patchy wind conditions on the race course. With his special guests on board, Andreas INEICHEN and René FÜLLEMANN, the German sailor was able to get away clean from the starting line and sail away from the fleet.

He was closely pursued by Matteo SIMONCELLI’s (ITA) team with Mathieu RICHARD (FRA) close behind in third position. The sailors along with their guests on the top three finishers were presented with a prize of Kaenon sunglasses, in anticipation of the more promising weather forecast for the weekend.

Despite the overcast and cool conditions, there was a festive feel to the day with the guests enjoying their close contact with some of the world’s best match racers.

The remainder or the quarter-final matches are first up on the schedule when racing resumes on Saturday morning. With World Match Racing Tour points at stake, along with 150,000 Swiss Francs in prize money, the teams are motivated to get racing as soon as possible.

Paolo CIAN (ITA) vs. Mathieu RICHARD (FRA), 2-1
Mark MENDELBLATT (USA) vs. Sebastien COL (FRA), 2-0
Ian WILLIAMS (GBR) vs. Matthias RENKER (SUI)
Eric MONNIN (SUI) vs. Jochen SCHUEMANN (GER)

1. Mathieu RICHARD (FRA), 4-1
2. Matthias RENKER (SUI), 3-2
3. Michael HESTBEK (GER), 3-2
4. Matteo SIMONCELLI (ITA), 2-3
5. Staffan LINDBERG (FIN), 2-3
6. Evgeny NEUGODNIKOV (RUS), 1-4

1. Ian WILLIAMS (GBR), 5-0
2. Sebastien COL (FRA), 4-1
3. Jochen SCHUEMANN (GER), 3-2
4. Evgeny NEUGODNIKOV (RUS), 2-3
5. Michael HESTBEK (GER), 1-4
6. Matteo SIMONCELLI (ITA), 0-5

1. Paolo CIAN (ITA), 4-1
2. Eric MONNIN (SUI), 3-2
3. Mark MENDELBLATT (USA), 3-2
4. Staffan LINDBERG (FIN), 2-3
5. Matthias RENKER (SUI), 2-3
6. Mathieu RICHARD (FRA), 1-4

(After Stage 10)

(2006-2007 Season)

World Match Racing Tour Schedule

The World Match Racing Tour is an ISAF Special Event. Skippers earn points towards the World Championship at the nine events of the World Tour and the highest scoring skipper at the end of the season is the ISAF Match Racing World Champion.

The World Tour Partner and Official Car is BMW AG (Munich, Germany). World Tour sponsors include Sebago (Rockford, USA), the Official Footwear Supplier, Travel Places (West Sussex, Great Britain), the Official Travel Partner and Wedgwood (Cheshire, Great Britain) the Official Trophy Supplier.

For more information on the World Match Racing Tour, its competitors and events, visit the official World Tour website – www.WorldMatchRacingTour.com. World Match Racing Tour television programmes may be viewed on demand by clicking on the television icon on the home page of the website.