BlackMatch Racing reports from Italy on the 2008 Blurimini Sailing Week

Hi all from BlackMatch in Italy,

Today was the final day of racing in Blurimini and it saw us taking on the World #8 Australia's Torvar Mirsky, in a best of five final series to see who would be the 2008 Blurimini Sailing Week Champion.

It was a very eventful day that involved a protest against the race committee, us getting caught up in a fishing net and some very exciting racing in perfect 8 knot conditions, that eventually saw us take the final out convincingly, 3-0.

In our first match against the Western Australians, we received a very tough penalty in the pre-start but managed to gain a clear advantage off the start-line. The only problem was that when our countdown timers read zero and we crossed the line, the start gun did not go until another 5 seconds and we were both judged 'over at the start'. On returning to start Torvar had gained a big lead and we protested the race committee for their error. The race committee had done an excellent job throughout the week and although we were not the most popular team following an hour long hearing in the pooring rain, it was decided that we were to re-race. We were glad that the outcome of the protest was to redo the race as although we had received a penalty, we had managed to claw our way back and gain a significant lead going into the final run, only to get entangled in a fishing net that was set on our course. We had to cut the net off our keel, before finishing the race and going through with protesting the committee.

The re-match certainly lived up to all expectations, in a clean pre-start we again found ourselves with a clear advantage off the start, we maintained this lead to the top mark and then until a bottom mark incident where we received two penalties. Upon receiving two penalties you must complete one of the turns immediately, this left us in the unenviable position of being behind going into the final downwind and also with an outstanding penalty. We rounded 2 boats lengths behind but gybe set inside the Australians to better wind pressure, Torvar matched us in a defensive move but equal to the task, we gybed back and crossed behind him to get to the favoured side. When we came back at them we had gained significantly and also had the starboard right of way, they gybed away and kept clear while we held them out to the side of the course above the pin lay-line. When we knew we could gybe back and lay the finish line we bore away and 'dummy gybed', the talented Australians fell for it hook line and sinker and we hotted our angle up straight back at them, they failed to keep clear and received a penalty, in doing so exonerating us and allowing us to sail away making it 1-0.

The second match was a little more one sided and after gaining a small lead off the start, we made small gains throughout the race, making it 2-0.

In a similar situation to the Open Match Cup a fortnight ago, the third match was ours to win, facing a 2-0 deficit all of the pressure was on the Australians. Torvar definitely stepped up his pre-start game and managed to have the advantage off the start-line. A tacking duel ensued, we found we were gaining in every tack and also going to the better side of the course for wind pressure which meant by the top mark we had a small lead. On the next downwind run they brought pressure up from behind us, we did our best to defend our lead but they lead going into the final upwind. Once again though, we found ourselves tacking better and generally going faster upwind, we rounded the top mark with a three boat length lead and sailed a good final downwind to take out the 2008 Blurimini Sailing Week.

It was great to get our second win in consecutive regatta's and also to beat Torvar who has had the upper-hand on us recently. Although Mirsky Racing Team did a season in Europe last year, they are the other 'young team' on the tour and it was always going to be a grudge match. It is good to know we can compete with them with so few regatta's under our belt and we hope we can keep improving to take on the big guns next week in Korea.

From Adam, Dave, Tom and Nick we would like to send a big thank you to all of our friends and family back home, it was great to come away with a victory here in Italy and we appreciate all of the support that we have received from everyone.

BlackMatch would like to again thank our sponsors: FedEx Express, Ross Munro from Line 7 and Waiwera Infinity, it is great to get our second win on our European Tour and their ongoing support is helping make this opportunity possible for the BlackMatch boys. To the RNZYS and everyone else, thank you for your support.

BlackMatch Racing

by BlackMatch Racing

Newsfeed supplied by