Alinghi's trio (Baird, Schuemann, Holmberg) shines at Saint Moritz Match Race

[Source: World Match Racing Tour] Another day of varying conditions on Lake St. Moritz propelled six crews into the Quarterfinal Round of the 4th annual St. Moritz Match Race, Stage 3 of the 2006-’07 World Match Racing Tour.

Groups A and B today completed their preliminary round robins and two Alinghi helmsmen, Ed Baird (USA) and Peter Holmberg (ISV), were the respective winners. Baird won Group A with a 5-1 record and Holmberg took Group B at 6-0.

Behind Baird in Group A was teammate Jochen Schuemann (GER), 4-2, and compatriot Mark Mendelblatt, also 4-2.

In Group B Holmberg finished ahead of Eric Monnin (SUI), 5-1, and Sébastian Col (FRA), 3-3.

The Maloja wind blew again from the southwest around 12 knots for most of the day, with gusts up to 18 knots on some occasions. As with the every day on Lake St. Moritz there were three windward marks in play. At times the wind was shifted left on the left side, right on the right side and there was nothing in the middle. No lead was safe until the finish.

Ed Baird rounds the windward mark ahead of teammate Jochen Schuemann in Flight 1. Photo copyright Guido Cantini/World Match Racing Tour

“I enjoy racing on a small lake surrounded by tall mountains,” said Mike Drummond, crewing for Baird. “There’s lots of pressure in your decisions. It’s a challenge mentally to figure out what’s causing the shifts and then predict them. I’m not saying I figured it out, but it’s a fun challenge.”

The day began with Group B finishing up its two flights. Holmberg, at 5-0 after yesterday’s racing, won his last match against Flavio Favini (ITA), Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia, to complete a 6-0 record.

Monnin, sailing with brothers Marc and Jean-Claude, had the best cheering section. Family members in the grandstand had giant cow bells that they rang every time Monnin rounded the leeward mark in the lead or won.

Group A began its round robin shortly after 1:00 pm and Mendelblatt, the two-time event champion, showed good form. Sailing with Cameron Dunn of Mascalzone Latino and Ed Smyth of BMW ORACLE Racing, they won their first four matches. But they fell off their stride in the last two matches against Baird and Schuemann, the helmsmen for Alinghi.

“I wish there weren’t so many Alinghi people here,” Mendelblatt said.

Mendelblatt appeared in good shape versus Baird. The reigning champion was penalized in the pre-start when he ran into Mendelblatt’s transom. But Mendelblatt misjudged his layline to the pin end and Baird drove down on him. The pair came off the start line with Baird to windward, and Mendelblatt’s options were mostly eliminated.

Ed Baird (right) covers Mark Mendelblatt up the first beat of their Flight 6 match, won by Baird who was able to complete a penalty turn. Photo copyright Guido Cantini/World Match Racing Tour

In his last match against Schuemann, Mendelblatt led around the first lap and a half of the three-lap race, but his indecision cost him at the beginning of the second run. “I tensed up when the race got close,” said Mendelblatt, who lost last year’s final to Baird. “It’s the same thing with Ed last year. We got around the top in the lead and wait too long to make our move.”

Schuemann took the lead and then never gave Mendelblatt a chance to recover, which gave Schuemann second in the group and placed Mendelblatt third.

In the quarterfinals Baird will race the second-place finisher from the Repechage Round, Mendelblatt will face Monnin, Schuemann races Col and Holmberg takes on the winner of the repechage.

Tomorrow’s repechage round includes Ian Williams (4th Group A, 4-2), Philippe Presti (5th Group A, 2-4), Peter Gilmour (6th Group A, 1-5), Paolo Cian (4th Group B, 3-3), Ian Ainslie (5th Group B, 2-4) and Favini (6th Group B, 1-5). The top two finishers advance to the quarterfinals.

“I thought we had a good day today,” said Williams, who lost a three-way tiebreaker in Group A. “We won a bunch of races, unfortunately we didn’t qualify. We’ll just have to go back out tomorrow and win a bunch more races.”

Also tomorrow will be a sail off for 13th and 14th between Wearn Haw Tan (SIN) and Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI).

St. Moritz Match Race Group A Standings
(After 7 of 7 scheduled flights)

1. Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi, 5-1
2. Jochen Schuemann (GER) Alinghi, 4-2
3. Mark Mendelblatt (USA) Team Kaenon, 4-2
4. Ian Williams (GBR) Williams Sail Racing, 4-2
5. Philippe Presti (FRA) Luna Rossa Challenge, 2-4
6. Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST, 1-5
7. Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI) Team Psaro, 0-6


St. Moritz Match Race Group B Standings
(After 7 of 7 scheduled flights)

1. Peter Holmberg (ISV) Alinghi, 6-0
2. Eric Monnin (SUI) Team SailCom.ch, 5-1
3. Sebastian Col (FRA) Areva Challenge, 3-3
4. Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Viano Mercedes Benz, 3-3
5. Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Shosholoza, 2-4
6. Flavio Favini (ITA) Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia, 1-5
7. Wearn Haw Tan (SIN) China Team, 0-6