Coutts drops out of top rankers

After day three of Match Racing Worlds in Lake Garda

The atmosphere is heating up at the end of day three of the ISAF Match Racing World Championship.

Only four skippers out of the competing 12 will qualify for the semifinals that will begin once round two is over.

Today the Race Committee was able to complete seven flights out of the 14 of round two, again in great sailing conditions ­ sunny with a southerly breeze of 20-plus knots. The Committee also completed match one of flight 8, then the wind dropped and the competitors had to return to shore.

The four skippers currently best placed are: James Spithill and Mathieu Richard with 13 victories, followed by Ed Baird and Jesper Radich with 12 points.

French skipper Mathieu Richard had a great day, scoring five wins and defeating Russell Coutts in the last match (flight 8). James Spithill, too, managed to beat five of his opponents, while Jablonski and Radich scored 4 wins each.

At the end of his long day, Richard said: ³I am very happy and satisfied with today's results, especially with the match against Coutts, the outcome of which was uncertain until the end. I was able to fully enjoy the victory only after crossing the line."

Ed Baird said: "I am very happy to be in the leading group, the aim of our crew is to race at this level in every match."

Coutts and Baird gave the umpires a headache when they approached the bottom mark in flight 6, both incurring in a penalty. With a spectacular mark rounding, Baird got the lead and was able to cash in another impressive victory.

Racing will resume tomorrow with the remainig flights of round robin two.

More photos on the following pages

Results

James Spithill, Australia ­ 13 wins, 4 losses
Mathieu Richard, France ­ 13 wins, 5 losses (1 extra race sailed)
Ed Baird, USA ­ 12 wins, 4 losses
Jesper Radich, Denmark ­ 12 wins, 5 losses
Karol Jablonski, Poland ­ 11 wins, 5 losses
Russell Coutts, New Zealand ­ 11 wins, 7 losses (1 extra race sailed)
Bjorn Hansen, Sweden ­ 8 wins, 9 losses
Jes Gram-Hansen, Denmark ­ 7 wins, 10 losses
Paolo Cian, Italy ­ 6 wins, 12 losses
Staffan Lindberg, Finland ­ 5 wins, 12 losses
Mikael Lindqvist, Sweden ­ 2 wins, 14 losses
Ian Williams, UK ­ 2 wins, 15 losses

Results - flight by flight

FLIGHT 2
S. Lindberg def. I. Williams
J. Radich def. P. Cian
B. Hansen def. J. Gram-Hansen
M. Richard def. M. Lindqvist
K. Jablonski def. R. Coutts
BYE J. Spithill - E. Baird

FLIGHT 3
J. Radich def. M. Lindqvist
E. Baird def. M. Richard
K. Jablonski def. I. Williams
J. Spithill def. R. Coutts
P. Cian def. B. Hansen
BYE S. Lindberg - J. Gram-Hansen

FLIGHT 4
J. Radich def. I. Williams
R. Coutts def. B. Hansen
S. Lindberg def. E. Baird
J. Spithill def. P. Cian
M. Richard def. J. Gram-Hansen
BYE M. Lindqvist - K. Jablonski

FLIGHT 5
K. Jablonski def. S. Lindberg
E. Baird def. P. Cian
M. Richard def. J. Radich
R. Coutts def. J. Gram-Hansen
J. Spithill def. M. Lindqvist
BYE B. Hansen - I. Williams

FLIGHT 6
P. Cian def. J. Gram-Hansen
B. Hansen def. M. Lindqvist
J. Spithill def. I. Williams
E. Baird def. R. Coutts
J. Radich def. S. Lindberg
BYE M. Richard - K. Jablonski

FLIGHT 7
K. Jablonski def. B. Hansen
M. Richard def. P. Cian
J. Gram-Hansen def. I. Williams
R. Coutts def. S. Lindberg
J. Spithill def. J. Radich
BYE M. Lindqvist - E. Baird

FLIGHT 8
M. Richard def. R. Coutts