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Sydney, Australia (December 17, 2022) – The four semi-finalists were decided today at the World Match Racing Tour finale event on Sydney Harbour, with the winner of the event to be crowned 2022 Open Match Racing World Champion.
Completing the last quarter-final races during the morning of Day 4 of the regatta, the four top skippers advancing to the semi-finals are Chris Poole (USA, Riptide Racing), Nick Egnot-Johnson (NZL, Knots Racing), Harry Price (AUS, DownUnder Racing), and Jeppe Borch (DEN, Borch Racing).
While Poole, Price, and Egnot-Johnson were quick to dispatch their opponents 3-0 in the quarter-finals, Borch lost his second race to New Zealand’s Megan Thomson, but the team was able to redeem themselves to finish the next two races against Thomson and advance to the semis with a 3-1 score.
The persistent southerly breeze brought with it some early rain showers to the race course before clearing to bright skies and gusts over 28 knots.
After drawing their respective opponents, the semi-finals got underway completing just a single flight before PRO Denis Thompson called an early finish to the day as the breeze started to build with gusts over 30 knots.
The opening race of the semi-finals saw a shock early loss for event leader, USA’s Chris Poole, who up to that point had not lost a race, with Jeppe Borch storming away in Race 1.
In the other semi-finals, the two friendly rival teams from ‘down under’ saw another intense battle, with Nick Egnot-Johnson coming away with early bragging rights of the home favourites Harry Price, representing the host Club.
Ten teams representing seven nations are racing at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia on December 14-18.
Event details – Crew lists – Results
2022 World Match Racing Tour Schedule
April 14-16 – Ficker Cup – Long Beach, CA, USA
April 18-23 – Congressional Cup – Long Beach, CA, USA*
April 28-May 1 – Szczecin Match Race – Szczecin, Poland
May 6-8 – Porto Montenegro Match Race – Tivat, Montenegro
May 20-22 – NJK Open Spring Cup – Helsinki, Finland
May 24-29 – Island Match Cup – Puerto Rico (cancelled)
June 4-5 – GKSS Spring Cup – Gothenburg, Sweden
June 16-19 – OM International Ledro Match Race – Ledro, Italy
July 4-9 – GKSS Match Cup Marstrand – Marstrand, Sweden* (cancelled)
August 12-14 – Chicago Grand Slam – Chicago, IL, USA
August 18-21 – International Match Race for the Detroit Cup – Detroit, MI, USA
August 25-29 – Oakcliff International – Oyster Bay, NY, USA
August 30-September 3 – Thompson Cup – Oyster Bay, NY, USA
September 7-11 – Baltic Match Race – Tallin, Estonia
September 29-October 3 – Match Race Germany – Langenargen, Germany (cancelled)
September 30-October 3 – DBS Marina Bay Cup – Marina Bay, Singapore
October 7-9 – Polish Open – Szczecin, Poland
October 17-22 – Bermuda Gold Cup – Hamilton, Bermuda* (cancelled)
December 13-18- WMRT Finals – Sydney, Australia*
*World Championship (WC) Events
WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR
Founded in 2000, the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) promotes the sport of match racing around the world and is the longest running global professional series in the sport of sailing. The WMRT is awarded ‘Special Event’ status by the sport’s world governing body – World Sailing – and the winner of the WMRT each year is crowned World Sailing Match Racing World Champion.
Previous champions include Sir Ben Ainslie (GBR), Taylor Canfield (USA), Peter Gilmour (AUS), Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Peter Holmberg (ISV), Adam Minoprio (NZL), Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Bertrand Pace (FRA), Jesper Radich (DEN), Phil Robertson (NZL) and Ian Williams (GBR).
Since 2000, the World Match Racing Tour and its events have awarded over USD23million in prize money to sailors which has helped to contribute to the career pathway of many of today’s professional sailors. www.wmrt.com
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