Holmberg still on top

As first round of quarter finals are held at the Marseille International Match Race

The South of France port of Marseille was worthy of its reputation today providing glorious sunshine and a 10-12 knot easterly dropping off in the afternoon. The great weather conditions allowed the completion of the first round robin and the start of the second stage. The weather conditions were nevertheless much lighter than yesterday.

This morning the last five flights of the Round Robin concluded with the six best placed teams go on to the second Round Robin. In the end the leaders after yesterday's ten flights remained ahead today: Peter Holmberg in the lead followed by Presti and Deruelle.

The Russian Neugodnikov came from behind to finish fifth, just behind Sébastien Col who won both of today's matches to qualify for the second stage. The biggest surprise was of former America's Cup helmsman Paolo Cian who, after having won only two matches out of six yesterday, managed to qualify today by winning his remaining three matches from the first first round robin.

The biggest upset was the disqualification of Matthieu Richard who finished second last year. Up to the last moment, he was neck in neck with Paolo Cian and it was the last match of the Round Robin, between them, that decided it.

The Italian Simoncelli, who had started badly yesterday, didn't manage to get back in the race, just like the Fin Staffan Lindberg and the Dane Jes Gram-Hansen who remained at yesterday's score.

First Round Robin

Rank
Name
1. Peter Holmberg
2. Philippe Presti
3. Dimitri Deruelle
4. Sébastien Col
5. Eugeny Neugodnikov
6. Paolo Cian
7. Mathieu Richard
8. Jes Gram-Hansen
9. Matteo Simoncelli
10. Staffan Lindberg

The first six from the first Round Robin moved on to a second Round Robin which started at the beginning of this afternoon. One flight was held as the wind fell off but it allowed Neugodnikov to beat Col, Deruelle to beat Holmberg and Presti to come in in front of Cian. The rest of the Round Robin should be raced tomorrow...



In the first flight of the second stage Round Robin, Peter Holmberg, representing Alinghi met Dimitri Deruelle, a young match racer just beginning to make a name for himself. On the starting line, Holmberg showed all his prowess opening out a considerable lead. At the windward mark he was already eight boatlengths in front of the Marseillais just as the wind started to drop. Deruelle managed to reduce the lead on the downwind leg but it was the second windward leg which killed Holmberg off.

Deruelle bore off to the right and picked up a wind shift with allowed him to lay the mark without tacking. When Holmberg managed to get back in touch, he was obliged to tack, getting stuck in the 'Doldrums' just as Deruelle hit a fresh breeze giving him a lead he kept to the finish.

Deruelle's is the only crew to have beaten Holmberg since the start of the regatta. The spectators on the water were absolutely thrilled to share in this performance.

So far approximately 1,500 children have been taken on to the water over the two days of racing. The 'Regatta on Show' operation, organised by the office de la mer, has so far taken almost 1500 kids on to the water and right up close to the match racing, to the 2006 MIMR.