The race to win the ISAF World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) just got harder with today’s announcement that Tour Cardholders Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team and Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing are to be given wildcard entries to the season finale, the Monsoon Cup.
Despite sitting 9th and 10th on the overall WMRT leaderboard – and therefore not automatic invitees for the World Championship deciding regatta – both Richard and Robertson will pose a major threat to all the crews competing in Malaysia and could play a crucial role in deciding the eventual winner of the coveted 2011 ISAF World Match Racing Tour title.
The news that last year’s Championship runner-up Richard and Robertson, who showed his world-class credentials when knocking Championship leader Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar out of the Argo Group Gold Cup 3-0, will be competing in Kuala Terengganu will pile on the pressure for all the crews taking part and leaves the race for the World Championship wide open.
The Monsoon Cup sees the top 8 crews in the WMRT standings qualify for the showdown in Malaysia from 22-27 November where USD480,000 is on the line, along with a USD500,000 tour bonus pool. With all of the top 8 teams, as well as Richard, still in with a mathematical chance of winning the title the regatta promises to be one of the closest and most fierce battles in the Championship’s history.
Britain’s two-time former Champion, Ian Williams heads the standings going into the final regatta but has Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing and Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat breathing down his neck with just over 6 points separating the three, and with both skippers chasing their maiden WMRT title the pressure on Williams will be intense.
Leading the rest of the teams is four-time World Champion Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing who has proved himself a past master at the Monsoon Cup having won it twice. Gilmour will be joined by Korea Match Cup Champion Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team, Match Race France Champion Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team and tour cardholders Johnnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team and Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners.
Completing the line up of 12 crews will be Asian Match Racing Championship winner William Tiller (NZL) Full Metal Jacket Racing and Malaysian Match Racing Champion Jeremy Koo (MAS) Abdullah Chan/KRT. Having won through rigorous qualifying events to stake their place at the Monsoon Cup both teams are capable of causing some upsets to the form book. No match will be taken for granted.