Omega Auckland Match Racing Regatta

Omega Auckland Match Racing Regatta

March 2 – 6, 2010

MEDIA RELEASE

Fierce duels on the Waitemata Harbour during a practice session for the Omega Auckland Match Racing Regatta today gave notice that fireworks can be expected over the next four days as the invited field of top international match racers do battle for the top honours.

A mix of America’s Cup experience plus rising young talent is represented in the field of 10 crews – and the young guns fired the first shots when they took out a two-race pro-am regatta at the conclusion of the practice session.

Adam Minoprio and his crew, who took the match race circuit by storm last year and are ranked No. 1 in the world, defied the superstition against winning a pre-regatta contest. “We were a bit concerned about that,” he admitted, but shrugged off the curse by announcing he was ready to take on some of the legends of match racing who have assembled for this contest.

“We are eager to get into it and take them on,” he said.

Perhaps speaking for the America’s Cup contingent represented in the line-up, Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker threw down the challenge to the young up and comers. “We are keen to get a piece of them,” he said. “We have seen their results and they are going very strong. We are looking forward to getting into the racing.”

Emirates Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton, who conceived of the regatta, said it was all about giving some of the world’s top match racers an opportunity to sail off against each other. Many of the world’s best match racers were not at the top of the official rankings because they did not compete regularly on the circuit, he said, hence the idea of inviting some of the best names in the business to Auckland to go head to head and show what they were made of.

Skippers who have accepted invitations to compete are: Dean Barker (NZL – Emirates Team New Zealand); Ben Ainslie (GBR – Team Origin); Francesco Bruni (ITA – Azzurra Sailing Team); Sebastian Col (FRA –  ALL4ONE team);  Karol Jablonski (POL – former Desafio Espanol); Magnus Holmberg (SWE – former Victory Challenge); Chris Dickson (NZL – former BMW ORACLE Racing); Bertrand Pacé (FRA – Aleph racing) ; Adam Minoprio (NZL – BlackMatch Racing); Torvar Mirsky (AUS – Mirsky Racing Team).

Racing takes place under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in identical Farr-designed MRX yachts and comprises a double round robin, semi-final and final. Weather permitting, the semi-finals and finals will be decided by the first skipper to win three matches.

As the regatta approaches its climax on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (March 4 – 6), spectators and fans will be able to follow the action live on a dedicated radio station on 103fm organized through RadioLive. International yachtsman and commentator Peter Lester will provide expert analysis and blow by blow accounts of the racing.

The Omega Auckland Match Racing Regatta is the opening event of the Auckland Festival of Sailing, which comprises a series of on and off the water events. The Omega Auckland Match Racing Regatta is followed by the Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland (where five of the skippers from the Omega regatta will also compete) and by the BMW Sailing World Cup Final. Also part of the festival is the Auckland International Boat Show.

 Supporting the Omega Auckland Match Racing Regatta are the Auckland City, Auckland Plus, Tourism Auckland and Omega.

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