AINSLIE Wins Match Race Germany

Great Britain’s three-time Olympic gold medal winner Ben AINSLIE got his 2009 World Tour season off to a winning start by scoring victory in today’s final at Match Race Germany over French rival Damien IEHL.

An estimated 45,000 people have experienced the sights and sounds of Langenargen this week as the town played host to the second stage of the World Match Racing Tour. Match Race Germany ended today with Ben AINSLIE (GBR) and Team Origin taking first place in a first to three points final against Damien IEHL (FRA) and his French Match Racing Team.

AINSLIE drew first blood in the final. He then went on to defeat IEHL in the second match, however IEHL was not going to let his Match Race Germany title go without a fight. He secured the third match only to be out mastered by AINSLIE in the fourth and final match. This is the first event for Team Origin on the Tour this year and the win catapults AINSLIE to fourth place on the World Tour standings with 25 points.

AINSLIE’s crew included Iain PERCY (GBR) on tactics, Christian KAMP (DEN) as trimmer, Mike Guy MOTTL (AUS) on mainsheet and Matt CORNWELL (GBR) on the bow. They finished the regatta with 25 points towards the Tour standings and won $10,000 of the $50,000 prize purse.

AINSLIE was delighted with his team’s performance, “It’s been difficult conditions all week with the shifty breeze but I have a great team around me and it’s all been about team work. The competition has been tough but it has been a great week. We look forward to coming back next year.”

The 20 points gained for being runner up takes IEHL to joint first place with fellow country man Mathieu RICHARD (FRA) on the Tour standings. “Ben made the right decisions on picking the shifts and winning the starts and it is disappointing to not have won but we are still number one on the Tour standings” said a delighted IEHL.

In the petit-final Peter GILMOUR (AUS) defeated RICHARD 2-0.

RICHARD commented, “I am very happy I am tied for first place on the Tour with my very good friend Damien, this is great for the French Team.”

The prizegiving was held in the sunshine on the shores of Lake Constance in the midst of the thousands of spectators who have enjoyed the racing this week. “I am extremely content with the how the event has gone. The conditions have been the best we have ever seen at Match Race Germany. We have made thousands of people, young and old very happy. We have seen great sportsmanship and a wonderful display of match racing at its best,” commented event organizer Eberhard MAGG. This was also echoed by the competitors, MOTTL of Team Origin has competed at the event on many occasions and he said, “This is the best Match Race Germany I have ever competed at.”

With the second stage of the Tour now complete, sailors could be seen hot footing it to the airport en route to the Korea Match Cup where the third stage will start in a couple of days time.

Final Standings

1. Ben AINSLIE (GBR), Team Origin
2. Damien IEHL (FRA), French Match Racing Team
3. Peter GILMOUR (AUS), YANMAR Racing
4. Mathieu RICHARD (FRA), French Match Racing Team
5. Ian WILLIAMS (GBR), Bahrain Team Pindar
6. Francesco BRUNI (ITA), Joe Fly Match Race
7. Adam MINOPRIO (NZL), ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing
8. Sébastien COL (FRA), French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge
9. Bjorn HANSEN (SWE), Team Onboard
10. Torvar MIRSKY (AUS), Mirsky Racing Team
11. Eric MONNIN (SUI), Team Search.ch
12. Carsten KEMMLING (GER)

Results

Final

Ben AINSLIE (GBR) d. Damien IEHL (FRA), 3-1

Semi Finals

Damien IEHL (FRA) d. Mathieu RICHARD (FRA), 3-1.5
Ben AINSLIE (GBR) d. Peter GILMOUR (AUS), 3-2

Quarter Finals

Damien IEHL (FRA) d. Francesco BRUNI (ITA), 3-1
Ben AINSLIE (GBR) d. Ian WILLIAMS (GBR), 3-2.75

Round Robin

1. Mathieu RICHARD (FRA), French Team
2. Peter GILMOUR (AUS), YANMAR Racing
3. Francesco BRUNI (ITA), Team Joe Fly
4. Ian WILLIAMS (GBR), Bahrain Team Pindar
5. Ben AINSLIE (GBR), Team Origin
6. Damien IEHL (FRA), French Team
7. Adam MINOPRIO (NZL), ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing
8. Sébastien COL (FRA), French Team/K-Challenge
9. Bjorn HANSEN (SWE), Team Onboard
10. Torvar MIRSKY (AUS), Mirsky Racing Team
11. Eric MONNIN (SUI), Team Search.ch
12. Carsten KEMMLING (GER)

ISAF Match Racing World Championship Leaderboard
(Top eight teams after Stage 1 of 10)

1. Adam MINOPRIO (NZL) Emirates Team New Zealand/Black Match Racing, 25
2. Mathieu RICHARD (FRA) French Match Racing Team/ French Team Spirit, 20
3. Torvar MIRSKY (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team, 15
4. Damien IEHL (FRA) French Match Racing Team, 12
5. Ed BAIRD (USA) Alinghi, 10
6. Sébastien COL (FRA) French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge, 8
7. Paolo CIAN (ITA) Team Shosholoza, 6
8. Ian WILLIAMS (GBR) Bahrain Team Pindar, 4 points 

The winner of the annual World Match Racing Tour is crowned as ISAF Match Racing World Champion. Find out more at www.sailing.org/matchworlds.