Tribute to a Bermuda Hero
By Talbot WilsonThe international match racing community paid Bermuda’s legendary Jordy Walker a well-earned tribute at the prizegiving for the Argo Group Gold Cup. The Match Racing Association (MRA), formerly known as the World Match Racing Association (WMRA), presented the first anual Jordy Walker Trophy to Phil Robertson of New Zealand.
The Jordy Walker Trophy recognizes 24 year-old Phil Robertson as the most improved young match race sailor who competes in World Match Racing Tour events or other events that automaticlly qualify a skipper for a Tour event.
Past Commodore of the Royal Bernuda YC Brian Billings enumerted Robertson’s achievements from his starting days in the New Zealand youth sailing program through his match racing in New Zealand, then on to the USA West coast and on to Europe and the Pacific rim. In 2009 he was 11th in the Argo Group Gold Cup. In 2010 he was 10th and this year he finished 4th. He is a Tour Card holder on the World Match Racing Tour, ranked 10th on the Tour and 7th in the ISAF Open ranklings.
Phil accepted on behalf of his team saying it is a team sport. “It is an honor to receive the first Jordy Walker Trophy. We thank the Walker family for all they have done for Match Race sailing.”
The trophy will be on permanent display in the King Edward VII Gold Cup Trophy display case in the entrance foyer of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.
Mirsky etches name on King Edward VII Gold Cup
By Talbot Wilson- Argo Group Gold Cup
Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, October 8, 2011: The new name on the King Edward VII Gold Cup Trophy is Torvar Mirsky (AUS). Mirsky (AUS) and his team The Wave Muscat won the 2011 Argo Group Gold Cup three races to two over 2006 Gold Cup champion Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team. Entering the Gold Cup, Mirsky was #3 on the World Match Racing Tour.
His position will improve going into the Monsoon Cup, the final event on the tour.
In the Bermuda finals, Mirsky won the first and third flights and Berntsson won the second and fourth. Then in the sudden death, final flight that would bring one of the teams to three points and a win, Mirsky took the start. In spite of constant pressure from Berntsson, his lead was never threatened.
“It is over the moon to win over Johnie today,” Mirsky said following the match. He sailed so fast in both boats used in the match. He kept putting on the pressure.”
This is Mirsky’s second Tour win in a row. “ Winning two events in a row is a great feeling,” he said, and the $50,000 first place prize doesn’t hurt either.” This is Mirsky’s first Gold Cup finals in his third try. He quipped, “This prize helps pay for all the times we tried to win the Gold Cup.”
Wade Waddell (USA): Opti Champion of Champions
By Laurie Fullerton
Hamilton, Bermuda— 10 October 2011: The RenRe Junior Gold Cup wrapped up Sunday afternoon as a true champion of champions event. The world’s best young sailors met each other for some premiere Opti sailing with 11 national champions facing off from 17 countries, including 22 Bermudian sailors. Taking home the Junior Gold Cup this year is American Wade Waddell, 14, of Miami, Florida.
Waddell led the regatta over all four days. After finishing 12 races going in to today, his final race on Hamilton harbor was not his best but he got the job done. Waddell admitted that he protected his lead by banking on second place finisher Astrid Still of Finland, who was also was the top girl sailor of the overall event.
“In some ways I should have sailed my own race but I thought I should also protect my lead and ‘sit’ on Astrid,” Waddell said. “I was focusing a lot on that today. “
Astrid Still, 15, who is a powerful sailor with real great instinct was disappointed she “couldn’t sail my own race” but she said she probably would have done the same thing if she were leading.
Mirsky Wins Tense Final to Take the Gold Cup
Hamilton, Bermuda – 9 October, 2011: Torvar Mirsky won a sudden death final against Johnie Berntsson at the Argo Group Gold Cup in Bermuda to claim his second consecutive victory on the 2011 World Match Racing Tour. A win in the petit final for Francesco Bruni over Phil Robertson means just over six points now separate the trio of Ian Williams, Bruni and Mirsky with only the Monsoon Cup to go.
Going into the final day, Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team was already assured of an automatic qualifying spot for the Monsoon Cup while Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing would retain tenth place overall regardless of his petit final result. They were fired up though, as were their opponents who were both seeking to close the gap on Tour leader Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar sponsored by Argo Group Gold Cup.
At the start of the Gold Cup, Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat and Berntsson were even on head to head wins this season. The final proved no different.
