The first day of the Monsoon Cup started with pomp and ceremony as the fourth edition of the Monsoon Cup was officially launched today in Terengganu, Malaysia. On the water three flights were conducted in the late afternoon breeze with tactics and strategy the key factor in achieving success on a race course with challenging tidal conditions and shifting breezes.
The toughest match of the day was between defending Monsoon Cup champion Ian Williams and his old foe Paolo Cian. Cian went into the match unbeaten in the regatta with two wins already to his name. Cian won the start with Williams squeezed under the start boat. A red flag penalty on the start did not deter Cian from hunting Williams around the course as the breeze softened and shifted. On the last leg Williams covered Cian gybe to gybe to win his first match in the 2008 Monsoon Cup.
There was clearly some difference of opinion on the incident between Williams and Cian on the start of their match. Italian Paolo Cian and his Team Shosholoza lead the field with four wins in the second day of racing in the 2008 Monsoon Cup being held in Malaysia. Cian is one place ahead of defending match racing world and Monsoon Cup champion Ian Williams’ Bahrain Team Pindar and Torvar Mirsky’s Mirsky Racing Team, both with three wins, at the half way mark in today’s racing.
The starts have been a lot fairer in the second day, with the start line being moved in towards to the regatta dock and out of the tidal stream.
In the first flight of the day Sebastien Col defeated Mathieu Richard, Paolo Cian beat Adam Minoprio, Mirsky defeated Nurul Ain and in the match of the flight, Ian Williams defeated Peter Gilmour.
In the Williams versus Gilmour match Gilmour started brilliantly, but with a luffing duel before the top mark, found himself carrying a penalty and Williams taking the lead. A rip in the spinnaker had Williams looking nervous, but it held until race end. It was not until the final beat that Williams then took a left hand shift and extended his lead. By the final rounding of the top mark Williams was five lengths ahead.
In the second flight of the day Cian defeated Mirsky, Williams defeated Nurul Ain, Magnus Holmberg defeated Gilmour and Adam Minoprio defeated Keith Swinton.
A third match for the day went underway afterwards, with a further two matches scheduled for the afternoon.
