The impressive Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing claimed the Sunseeker Australia Cup today with a sublime performance that will not have gone unnoticed by his competitors next week at the Monsoon Cup.
Robertson, who had already qualified for the Monsoon Cup having won the Asian Match Racing Championship, was competing in Australia to boost confidence ahead of next week’s World Match Racing Tour finale in Malaysia. Whilst he’s surely achieved that, he’s also ensured the five skippers still in with a chance of claiming the ISAF Match Racing World Championship will see him as a potential ‘spoiler’ to their chances.
A jubilant Robertson, said: “We’ve just been in the groove. The boys were all just so relaxed, just loving it and having a ball out there. The course was pretty interesting; it was extremely shifty but a lot of fun to sail. I think we jagged that last one but we’ll take it.
“This is a build up for the Monsoon Cup, that’s the reason we’re here. It’s all come together… so we’re obviously pretty confident going into next week.”
Robertson’s victim in the Final, two-time Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar, reflected: “Phil has certainly shown he’s one of the teams to avoid next week. Ben [Ainslie], Adam [Minoprio] and Mathieu [Richard] will be very weary of him. We really flagged in the Final and he did a great job pinning us back in what were tight race conditions.”
If sailing fans thought the build-up to the prestigious Monsoon Cup couldn’t get any more exciting, several other headlines from the Sunseeker Australia Cup have only cemented the belief that this is the most thrilling finale to a World Match Racing Tour ever.
The Tour’s current leader, Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team, who is gunning for his first ever Championship title in Kuala Terengganu spectacularly crashed out of the Australia Cup in the Quarter-Finals. He may well regret his decision to race in Australia this week as his nearest rival, the defending Champion Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing who chose not to race in Perth, will have been buoyed by the Frenchman’s early exit.
Elsewhere, the final qualifying berth in the field of 12 skippers for the Monsoon Cup was also concluded. The young 24 year-old, Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing, reached the Quarter-Finals which proved enough to book his flight to Malaysia, much to his delight: “Conditions in Terengganu will be testing as always and in this very tight match racing contest anything can happen. It’s just great to have our hats in ring.”
The action from next week’s Monsoon Cup kicks-off on Wednesday 1st December where the field of competitors reads like the who’s who from the world of match racing. Throw in four-time Match Racing World Champion, Peter Gilmour YANMAR Racing as well as the most consistent skipper on this year’s Tour, Jesper Radich (DEN) Gaastra Racing Team and the scene is set for a Monsoon Cup to remember!
Confirmed Teams Competing in the Monsoon Cup:
Mathieu Richard (FRA) - French Match Racing Team
Adam Minoprio (NZL) -ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing
Ben Ainslie (GBR) - TEAMORIGIN
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) - Mirsky Racing Team
Ian Williams (GBR) - Team GAC Pindar
Jesper Radich (DEN) - Gaastra Racing Team
Francesco Bruni (ITA) - Team Azzurra
Peter Gilmour (AUS) - YANMAR Racing
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) - Hansen Global Team
Jeremy Koo (MAS) - Koo Racing Team-Evernew
Phil Robertson (NZL) - WAKA Racing
Keith Swinton (AUS) – Black Swan Racing
From WMRT
