The 2009 ISAF Match Racing World Championship was at stake on morning four of the Monsoon Cup, the final round of the World Match Racing Tour in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia.When this regatta started Australian Torvar Mirsky and his Match Racing Team crew were number two ranked on the Tour leader board and 12 points behind New Zealander Adam Minoprio and his Emirates Team New Zealand BlackMatch Racing. Mirsky was down 0-2 against the defending Monsoon Cup champion, America’s Cup and World Match Racing Tour veteran Peter Gilmour. The maths showed that if Mirsky was eliminated in the Monsoon Cup quarter finals and Adam Minoprio was to win his battle with Mathieu Richard, Minoprio would become the World Match Racing Champion. Entering the starting box Minoprio had his game face on... he nailed the start and was two lengths ahead on the left of the course. After contact at the top mark Minoprio was given a penalty and Richard a red flag, meaning he had to take an immediate penalty. Minoprio extinguished his penalty and went on to win the match.
Mirsky beat Gilmour in the third race; the scoreline was now 1-2. Mirsky had to win the next match in order to earn a fifth and final match that he would also need to win. Coming towards the top mark Gilmour was ahead by half a boat length. Mirsky decided to follow Gilmour, hoping to stay close enough to pounce when Gilmour did his penalty turn. On the third beat Gilmour was 45 metres ahead, looking to do his penalty turn in the best tide. Mirsky closed to 40 metres giving Gilmour no option but do a finishing line spin. Mirksy finished first, but was penalised and Gilmour won the match. Adam Minoprio is the new ISAF Match Racing World Champion.
Ben Ainslie and Adam Minoprio met at the Monsoon Cup final, Sunday 6 December. The drama started even before the pre-start when the New Zealand skipper Minoprio sailed out of the sailing area and ran aground. Crew member Dave Swete stripped to his shorts and went into the water to check the keel for damage and to clean off any of the river mud that may have stuck. In the first match of the final, Minoprio entered on port but headed to the starboard end of the box and had the pre-start advantage. Ainslie was over early and was penalized for failing to keep clear. Minoprio too was over early but was able to duck back while Ainslie almost stalled and was slow to get back. Minoprio had a massive advantage; he was in the current and steaming around the top mark while Ainslie was 18 seconds behind. Minoprio extended and headed for home with a massive ten boat length lead and crossed the finish line first.
It got worse in the second match as Minoprio timed his start perfectly and headed left, leaving Ainslie staggering. Minoprio crossed the line to go two up in the first to three. Regroup was what TeamOrigin certainly needed to do. Just seconds before the third race start, Minoprio saw pressure coming in from the right and did not contest the previously favoured left hand side. Ainslie hit the current on the left but it was not enough, Minoprio was around the mark two lengths ahead. On the third lap and on the right, Minoprio had private current and the best breeze. Adam Minoprio and his BlackMatch Racing team won the Monsoon Cup.
Semi Final ResultsBen Ainslie (GBR) Team Origin vs Sebastien Col (FRA) French Match Racing Team/ALL4ONE 3-2Adam Minoprio (NZL) Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing vs Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 3-1
Quarter Final ResultsBen Ainslie (GBR) Team Origin vs Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 3-0Sebastien Col (FRA) French Match Racing Team/ALL4ONE vs Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing Team 3-2Adam Minoprio (NZL) Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing vs Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 3-0Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing vs Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 3-1
