Portugal Match Cup opens in 12-knot winds

(Source: World Match Racing Tour) Stage 1 of the 2006-‘07 World Match Racing Tour season, the Portugal Match Cup, kicked off on Wednesday in the Bay of Cascais with the only women’s team scoring a win against Mathieu Richard in Group A.

The 3rd annual Portugal Match Cup features 12 teams competing for a $100,000 prize purse, with $30,000 earmarked for the champion. Racing off the Cascais city front, the event is being held in SM40s, the Pelle Petterson-designed match-racer for the World Tour.

Chris Dickson in the first day of the Portugal Match Cup. Cascais, 19 July 2006. Photo copyright: ImagePress / Portugal Match Cup

The 12 teams have been split into two groups of six. Chris Dickson (NZL), BMW Oracle Racing, and Thierry Peponnet (FRA), Areva Challenge, both went 3-0 in Group A to lead.

In Group B, Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN), Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia, Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Victory Challenge, and Staffan Lindberg (FIN), Alandia Sailing Team, are tied at 2-1.

The groups each sail a five-flight round robin. The top three advance to the quarterfinals and the bottom three to a repechage round, from which the top two advance to the quarters.

Chris Dickson in the first day of the Portugal Match Cup. Cascais, 19 July 2006. Photo copyright: ImagePress / Portugal Match Cup

The wind was blowing from the north around 12 knots. That direction on the Bay of Cascais is very shifty and no lead today was safe. Competitors rolled over the top of each other in private breeze lines.

Meldgaard, who posted a 3-8 record at the 2004 Danish Open, won entry to the event by winning the Portugal Women’s Cup last weekend. The event was plagued by light winds and Meldgaard won on a countback. She dropped her first two races of the PMC, but closed the day with a nice win over Richard, the Frenchman who placed 9th in 2006 World Championship. Meldgaard coverd well at the start, gained on the second windward leg to roll over Richard, taking the ladies to a much celebrated first win.

Jes Gram-Hansen in the first day of the Portugal Match Cup. Cascais, 19 July 2006. Photo copyright: ImagePress / Portugal Match Cup

“I think we had an exciting match,” said Meldgaard. “We were close more or less all the way round the course. It was good to get them at last. We do what we can and that’s it.”

A highlight of Dickson’s three-win day was his match against Law. A lively pre-start saw Dickson win the right side of the racecourse. He played it to win the match for a 3-0 record. Peponnet, tied with Dickson, rolled Law on the run to the finish in the previous flight.

In Group B, long-time Tour competitors Gram-Hansen, Holmberg and Lindberg each went 2-1. Lindberg, however, holds the upper hand among the three with victories against each. The final flight of the round robin will be a teller with Gram-Hansen racing Holmberg and Lindberg against Ian Williams (GBR), Williams Sail Racing. The two placed third and second, respectively, in the 2006 World Championship, an order decided on the last day of the season.

Jes Gram-Hansen in the first day of the Portugal Match Cup. Cascais, 19 July 2006. Photo copyright: ImagePress / Portugal Match Cup

“We won in the first one, we were not very far ahead, but we were ahead all the time, I’d say,” said Lindberg. “Then we lost to the local hero (Alvaro Marinho). He did a good job, he picked the right side of the course and he won. In the third, we were trailing Magnus for a quite a long time but in the end on the last beat we managed to pass him which was very nice and extend slightly on the last run to the finish so we were very happy.”

Portugal Match Cup Provisional Round Robin Standings

Group A (After 3/5 Flights)
1. Chris Dickson (NZL) BMW Oracle Racing, 3-0
T. Thierry Peponnet (FRA) Areva Challenge, 3-0
3. Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST, 1-2
T. Lotte Meldgaard (DEN) HSH Nordbank, 1-2
T. Mathieu Richard (FRA) Saba Sailing Team, 1-2
6. Chris Law (GBR) The Outlaws, 0-3

Group B (After 3/5 Flights)
1. Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) Mascalzone Latino –Capitalia Team, 2-1
T. Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Victory Challenge, 2-1
T. Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team, 2-1
4. Przemek Tarnacki (POL) Tarnacki Racing/Sopot MR Center, 1-2
T. Álvaro Marinho (POR) Quebramar Match Racing Team, 1-2
T. Ian Williams (GBR) Williams Sail Racing, 1-2