Mark C-J on top

Campbell-James wins round four of the JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge match racing

The British continued to dominate in Round Four of the JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge match racing this weekend at Queen Mary Sailing Club, Staines.
The four international teams competing this weekend were Carsten Kemmling, Germany’s reigning National Match Racing Champion; Frenchman Vincent Biarnes; Marek Stanczyk of Poland; and Lotte Meldgaared Pedersen from Denmark.

The British challenge was headed up by Mark Campbell-James, ranked 25th in the world, Southampton’s Nick Cherry, the current British National Champion, Andrew Cornah from West Kirby alongside lesser known names in match racing terms Jon Pinner and Alistair Hall.

Sailing in the RYA’s fleet of J/80s in the unusually mild temperatures that have been characteristic of this winter so far, Campbell-James dominated the round robin losing only one match. The new boys Hall and Pinner showed great grit and promise finishing second and third in the round robin respectively. Stanczyk from Poland and Cherry were tied at this stage but the Polish team took the fourth semi-final place on the tie break.

Campbell-James, sailing with his team of Dave Mason, Andrew Yates and Andy Clark, were tested by the Polish team in the semi finals, but eventually booked their place in the final beating them by two races to one. Hall and Pinner fought hard for the other final slot which went to Pinner sailing with his brother Matthew, Bethan Carden, Ian Dobson and Rachel Wigmore - Hall getting caught by a premature start in the deciding match.

With the wind increasing slightly for the final, Campbell-James dominated proceedings, securing his team’s place in JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge Final in March. Pinner won the 3rd-4th sail off and Cherry the 5th-6th sail off. Campbell-James said: "I am delighted to get through to the Grand Final. I would like to thank JPMorgan Asset Management for their support of this event and I hope they continue their sponsorship in future years."

There are two more qualifiers left in the JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge before the Women’s final and the Grand final. The final qualifier, a Grade 2 Event, has attracted many stars from the World Match Racing Circuit with all skippers in the top 50 of the World Rankings, including the World number two and three. The Women’s Final has also attracted skippers from the top 30 in Women’s World Match Race Rankings.

Overall Results
1. Mark Campbell-James (GBR), David Mason, Andrew Yates, Andy Clark
2. Jonathon Pinner (GBR), Bethan Carden, Ian Dobson, Rachel Wigmore, Matthew Pinner
3. Alistair Hall (GBR), Christian Hamilton, Tudor Owen, Gareth Owen
4. Marek Stanczyk (POL), Macies Kolosinski, Domink Niskiewicz, Michal Szmul
5. Nick Cherry (GBR), Sam Richmond, Phil Lawrence, Connor Myant
6. Andrew Cornah (GBR), Alex Cherry, Dave Cheshire, John Blackburn
7. Vincent Biarnes (FRA) Gwen Herrouet, Nico Goron, Seb Renault
8. Carsten Kemmling (GER), Peter Stein, Bernd Dreier, Georg Hedit
9. Lotte Pedersen (DEN), Anna Nordlander, Inge Ebbensgaard, Trine Palludan, Nina Grunow

Future Events
Qualifier 5 (27-28 Jan)
Qualifier 6 (9-11 Feb)
Women’s Final (23-25 Feb)
Final (9-11 March)

The Winter Challenge Series is part of JPMorgan Asset Management’s commitment to world-class sailing in the UK. In addition to extending its title sponsorship of the Round the Island Race to 2010, the company are now sponsors of Ben Ainslie and Shirley Robertson, Britain’s two double Olympic gold medallists