Sunday, May 2, 2010

VII Match Race Open de España


French skipper Damien Iehl is crowned winner at the VII Match Race Open de España in Calpe

Calpe, May 2nd , 2010 - French specialist Damien Iehl, fifth in the World's Match Racing ranking, conquered the VII Open de España. Second-placed Australian Torvar Mirsky gets silver while fellow Frenchman Pierre-Antoine Morvan completes the podium

The very light wind was somehow the main actor in the second part of the VII Open de España series too. While on the third day the teams had favourable conditions, sunny weather and at least 6 to 7 knots to guarantee good racing in the quarter finals, unfortunately on the last scheduled day the breeze never reached enough strength for fair racing and despite the Race Committee waiting until well into the afternoon, at 5 p.m. organizers and sailors were forced to give up.

As no semifinals were sailed, the scoreboard was unchanged and the overall result was based on the quarter finals points. It was then the French team lead by Damien Iehl to win the regatta, valid also as qualifying for the World Match Racing Tour. Australian Torvan Mirsky got to the second step of the podium and the other French crew, skippered by Pierre-Antoine Morvan was third.

Damien Iehl's victory comes after three days of very close racing, where he and his team showed particular consistency and finished with a clear score while the Australians recorded 10 wins and only one loss, yet costing them the final top spot.

Next week the Real Club Nautico Calpe will still be in the spotlight, hosting another regatta, the XII Criterium Femenino, a women's match-race series considered as one of the most relevant events on an international level. Once more the Spanish location will host the best skippers from the World's Top Ten Ranking, who will be also battling to get points to qualify for the London 2012 Olympic Games. http://www.rcnc.es/