World Match Tour - Danish Open - the young guns T-bone

9:05 PM Sat 12 Sep 2009 GMT

'Australia’s MRT crash into NZ’s BlackMatch Racing at Danish Open 2009' Jeff Spence

World Match Tour Danish Open. After a full on day of racing, Australia's Mirsky Racing Team (MRT) are now sitting one up in the semi finals over Sweden's Mattias Rahm.

MRT had to win three races from their remaining six of the round robin, which they just managed, putting them through to the semi finals.

Tensions rose however in the final race of the round robin when there was a big collision with Adam Minoprio's New Zealand boat BlackMatch Racing in their heated duel, as the possibility of a half-point deduction loomed.

Skipper Mirsky explained 'We came up quite late into him at the mark on starboard aiming at his mid-ships and we hit him as we turned inside him and went around the mark. But the umpires ruled in favour of Adam.'

MRT’s Skipper, Torvar Mirsky - Photo by Per Heegaard - World Match Tour Danish Open 2009 - Per Heegaard - www.heegaardfotografi.dk

The boats were mostly unharmed however, and the Australian team cruised into the semi finals, along with Peter Gilmour (AUS), Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) and Mattias Rahm (SWE).

In typical crowd pleasing fashion, Gilmour chose to race local hero Jes Gram-Hansen who stood out as an early favourite in the event.

This left MRT with Mattias Rahm's Stena Bulk Racing Team who had won in their close round robin match, despite having lost their trimmer Oscar Angerwall to a head injury.

The first race of the semi finals ran smoothly however, as the Australians started ahead and defended their lead through to the finishing line.

'Even without his trimmer, Mattias was hard to beat, we faced him in the finals of Match Cup Sweden last year where he beat us so it would be good continue on and get back on him tomorrow' said MRT bowman Graeme Spence after the long day on the water.

Tomorrows racing will see the completion of the semi finals, 5th to 8th race offs, and eventually the crowning of the Danish Open champion.

Results:

Semi Finals:
Mirsky Racing Team, Torvar Mirsky (AUS) 1 - Stena Bulk Racing Team, Mattias Rahm (SWE) 0
Trifork Racing Team, Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) 1 - Yanmar Racing, Peter Gilmour (AUS) 0

After Round Robin
5th Ian Williams (FRA) Team Pindar 5 - 6
6th Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 5 -6
7th Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 5 - 6
8th Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing 5 -6
9th Sebastien Col (FRA) French Match Racing Team 5 - 6
10th Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing 4 - 7
11th Peter Wibroe (DEN) Wibroe Sailing Team 4 - 7
12th Jonas Warrer (DEN) 3 - 8