Mirsky Racing Team updates from Korea Match Cup
Updates from the Mirsky Racing Team, competing at the Korea Match Cup Hwaseong City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. 
'Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mirsky Racing Team and Sebastien Col (FRA) - Korea Match Cup'
Chris Cameron/World Match Racing Tour ©
Korea Match Cup - Day Three
Having finished the Round Robin with seven wins and four losses, we came up against Sebastian Col in a best of three Quarter Final. Only one race was completed of this series, thick in the Korean sea mist.
When we stepped onto the boat in the afternoon for our last races of the Round Robin, we knew we had already qualified for the Quarter Finals. It was important for our team to build on yesterday's performance, so we took these races as a chance to push ourselves and further prepare for the Quarters that lay ahead.
Our last four races of the Round Robin were very close. We were happy with our boat speed and boat handling (despite getting 5 penalties and a black flag across our first two races) managing to Defeating Bjorn Hanson, and Sebastien Col, whilst losing narrowly to Ian Williams and Mattieu Richard.
The PRO elected to continue straight into the quarter finals despite finishing the round robin late in the afternoon. Shortly after beginning our first quarter final match against Sebastien Col a thick fog rolled across the race course reducing visibility to 50 metres. We won the start and led around the top mark, but the Frenchmen were able to reduce our lead and we rounded the bottom mark in by the narrowest of margins. Col and his team gained slightly in a close tacking dual up the right hand side of the course and rounded the final top mark with a narrow lead. We were able to close his lead early in the final run and overtake. Unfortunately we lost out with a bad gybe and Col was able to roll over the top of us half way down the run, sailing on to win the first match of our quarters.
Following this loss racing was suspended for the day because of the mist. We will sail the second (and must-win) match of our quarter final against Col tomorrow morning. Hopefully blue skies are on the way!
Korea Match Cup - Day Two
After a day at the hotel playing Squash yesterday, the teams were eager to race today. The conditions were light when we first stepped onto the boats for our first match up against Match Racing veteran Peter Gilmour from Pizza-La Sailing Team, but the wind strengthened throughout the day before settling in at a steady 11 knots. Once again there was a huge public following, creating a festive atmosphere around the venue, making the racing all the more exciting!
We managed to get 5 races out of 7 today, putting ourselves in a fairly strong position to get a spot in the Quarter Finals. We displayed some dominant sailing throughout the day, but most impressive was against Jesper Radich of Desafio Espanol in our last race of the day, where Torvar once again proved his ability to control his opponent in a pre-start, nailing Radich with two penalties and leading into the line with a boatlength's lead.
Our other victories were over Peter Gilmour, Magnus Holmburg, Paolo Cian, and Korean qualifier Seung Chul Lim. Tomorrow we have to race World number 1 Mathieu Richard, current Tour champion Ian Williams, Areva Challenge skipper Sebastian Col and Swedish sailor of the year Bjorn Hansen. We have some tough races to look forward to tomorrow, but are eager to continue our winning form into the quarter finals and beyond!
Kinley Fowler
Day One Korea Match Cup
The Mirsky Racing Team arrive in Korea to compete against the worlds top match racers in international sailings richest event, Korea Match Cup.
The Mirsky Racing Team have arrived in the Gyeonggi Province in Korea, for the third stage of this years world match racing tour, Korea Match Cup. Held out of the purpose built Jeongok Marina in Hwaseong city, the event is part of the inaugural 'Korean International boat show' and boasts the largest prize purse in sailing of 300 million Won, or $300,000US. As part of the boat show this event has a huge public following creating a festival feel around the venue, making competing all the more exciting!
Our team is looking forward to lining up against the worlds top match racers including America's cup skippers Paulo Cian of team Shosholoza, Sebastien Col of Areva, Jesper Radich of Desafio Espanol and Magnus Holmberg of Victory Challenge. Also competing in Korea is match racing superstar Peter Gilmour, world number one Mathieu Richard, and defending tour champion Ian Williams.
All involved in this event are very proud of their fleet of Bakewell and White designed 36ft racing yachts named KM 36's. These are the first production racing yachts to be built in Korea and feature wheel steering and large asymmetric spinnakers set from bow poles. On first impressions following our practice day we are looking forward to competing in these fast and responsive yachts, everything seems to work as it should and we quickly became comfortable in our mechanical sailing roles.
Following the competitors parade, Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo officially opened the event in front of thousands of spectators and international media. This spectacular event featured traditional Korean drumming, fire-crackers, and pirotechnics. Tomorrow we will begin racing and MRT is looking forward to providing an equally thrilling on water spectacle as our Korean hosts presented ashore this afternoon.
Graeme Spence
For more information on Mirsky Racing Team go to their website - www.mirskyracingteam.com/
by Kinley Fowler and Graeme Spence 
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Stockton, NSW
