Minoprio beats Ainslie 3-0 and wins the 2009 Monsoon Cup

Watching Adam Minoprio race in very light and shifty conditions and beat Team Origin's, 3-time gold Olympic medalist, Ben Ainslie with such ease it is still hard to believe he was struggling to finish the round robin and make it to the quarterfinals. Still, Minoprio and the BlackMatch Racing team entirely deserved their three-nil victory in the Monsoon Cup finals. Crew work was flawless, their tactics smack right while Ainslie's crew simply didn't have their day.

Race 1 / Minoprio 1 - Ainslie 0
As Ben Ainslie put it in the press conference, it seemed it was one of those races where nothing his team did was right. The breeze was very light and as a result, the current was to play an important role in the race. The two teams had completely different strategies. Ben Ainslie and the Team Origin crew were ready to fight hard for the right while Adam Minoprio and BlackMatch Racing were convinced the left was favored. For the kiwis the strategy was very clear: Go left, almost to the red buoy delimiting the obstruction zone and then tack and be carried by the very strong current up to the weather mark. Not only were they able to carry it out smoothly, Ben Ainslie got a penalty in the prestart in his attempt to protect the right side and then was over the line early. They implemented their strategy and with Ainslie lagging from the start and with a penalty to offload they had no problems winning the first race.

Tight incident at the prestart of race 1 of the finals. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Ainslie gets a penalty as hes was the windward boat and failed to tack. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Adam Minoprio goes left, a move that will richly pay out. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

BlackMatch Racing are riding the current "highway" to the 1st top mark. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Adam Minoprio leads comfortably in the first run. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Once again, in the 2nd beat Minoprio goes on the left to catch the current, as does Peter Gilmour in the petit final against Sébastien Col. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Final stretch of the race and Team Origin's can do nothing to catch BlackMatch. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Race 2 / Minoprio 2 - Ainslie 0
The second race of the finals was a copy of the first one. After an uneventful prestart, Minoprio hit the start line at the pin end with better speed, opting again for the left hand side of the course. At the same time, Ainslie went to the right and when the two yachts converged at the 1st weather mark Minoprio was ahead. In the 1st run Ainslie managed to stay close behind Minoprio but at the last beat the two teams repeated the exact same tactics. Ainslie paid a heavy price for that and in the last run trailed Minoprio, giving the kiwis another point.

Prestart of the 2nd race. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Minoprio opts again for the left. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The current again pushes Minoprio to the 1st weather mark. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Ainslie is trailing Minoprio in the 1st run. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Team Origin pay the price of their tactical choice in the 2nd beat as Minoprio increases his lead. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Not a lot of smiling face onboard Team Origin as they cross the finish line behind Minoprio. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Race 3 / Minoprio 3 - Ainslie 0
As the afternoon went on, the breeze picked up slightly and shifted to the right and the two teams devised their tactics for the final race. As the two skippers stated in the press conference, the strategies differed. On the Team Origin yacht there was a consensus that the shift was not significant and that despite the race committee's change of course the left would still be favored. On the other hand, on Blackmatch opinions were split 50-50 and it wasn't until 1:30 minute before the start that they decided to opt for the right after seeing Ainslie determined to go left.

Minoprio helmed the yacht to the committee boat end of the line and hit the line at full speed. The two yachts separated in the 1st beat, the British on the left and the Kiwi on the right. Well, Ainslie took the wrong decision at the wrong time. Minoprio sailed into much better breeze and was ahead at the 1st weather mark. From there on, the young world match racing champion controlled his opponent and at the end of the 3-lap race, Minoprio added the Monsoon Cup in his collection of trophies.

Start of the 3rd race. Ainslie is confident the left will be the favored side in this race while Minoprio makes a last-minute decision to opt for the right. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Ainslie goes to the left hand side of the course. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Unfortunately for Ainslie, Minoprio sails into better breeze on the right. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Minoprio holds on to his advantage in the first run... Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

... and extends it into the 3rd one. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

Adding to their mishaps, Team Origin suffered from a broken halyard. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

The world's match racing champions and winners of the 2009 Monsoon Cup. Kuala Terengganu, 6 December 2009. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing