The weather gods sent optimum conditions to Fiumicino today allowing Round Robin A and the Repechage to be completed at Stage 12 of the World Match Racing Tour.

It was a rich day of match racing with intense challenges. Sébastien Col won both of his matches in the remaining flights which placed him at the top of the Round Robin and secured his place in the quarter finals along with Sten Mohr from Group A.

The Repechage provided sensational viewing as spectators watched the skippers battle it out for places in the quarter final. The line up saw some teams usually found higher up in the rankings, namely Peter Gilmour, Mathieu Richard and Ian Williams.

In Flight 2 Jure Orel came very close to repeating his upset win against Gilmour from the previous day leading Gilmour around all the turning marks. On the final down wind leg Gilmour was one boat length astern and gybed on to port taking Orel’s tramson but gaining the tactical starboard gybe position on the final approach to the finish Gilmour forced Orel to gybe away taking the win with the closest of margins.

In Flight 3 Gilmour and Richard were both over the start line in an aggressive pre start forcing each other to cross the line early. Richard returned first gibing onto port and as Gilmour returned on starboard and dialled up the boats collided resulting in Gilmour receiving a penalty for not giving room for Richard to keep clear under Rule 15.

Richard defended his lead in a tactical downwind final leg to take the win. The qualifying positions from the Repechage provided hours of debate for the Race Committee and Umpire team as by the end of racing there was an unbreakable tie between current World Champion Gilmour, Tour leader Williams and number two on the Tour standings Richard.

After reading, re-reading and discussing the Match Racing Appendix it was finally agreed that the Sailing Instructions prevailed and a sail off between all three skippers should be held. Should conditions not allow for this the race committee will refer back to the Sailing Instructions to eliminate one of the skippers. Tomorrow should provide a further spectacle for all the visitors at the Civitavela Sail Show when the final two spots for the quarter finals are decided and the Quarter Finals get under way.

Group A Results

Flight 4 : Col def. Gilmour - Mohr def. Orel - Ainslie def. Williams

Flight 5 : Mohr def. Gilmour - Ainslie def. Orel - Col def. Williams

Repechage Round

Flight 1 : Gilmour def. Lanier - Williams def. Richard - Hestbaek def. Orel

Flight 2 : Williams def. Lanier - Gilmour def. Orel - Richard def. Hestbaek

Flight 3 : Orel def. Lanier - Williams def. Hestbaek - Richard def. Gilmour

Flight 4 : Lanier def. Hestbaek - Richard def. Orel - Gilmour def. Williams

Flight 5 : Richard def. Lanier - Williams def. Orel - Gilmour def. Hestbaek