Saturday Match Racing Championship:
 Semi-Final, Placing Matches, and Final

Korea's streak ran out against Emirates Team New Zealand in the Plymouth Match Race final. Photo:©2011 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget

Saturday Schedule: Match Race Championship

Semi-Final #2:
Artemis vs. Team Korea
Best of Three Series
Race 1: Team Korea d. Artemis
Race 2: Team Korea d. Artemis
Korea wins 2-0, advances to Final against ETNZ

Placing Matches:
7th-8th place:
GreenComm beats China
5th-6th Place:
Oracle4 (Spithill) beats Energy
3rd-4th Place:
Artemis beats Oracle5 (Coutts)

Final Match:
ETNZ (SF#1 Winner) vs. SF#2 Winner
Best of 3 Series
Race 1: ETNZ defeats Korea
Race 2:  ETNZ defeats Korea
ETNZ wins Match Race Championship

Korea sent even Artemis packing, but couldn't beat ETNZ, losing the final 0-2. Photo:©2011 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget

 

Saturday Results:

Placing 7-8:
China rounds wrong direction at leeward gate, loses to GreenComm.

China had a huge disappointment Saturday, not learning until after they crossed the finish line that they had been disqualified for not sailing the correct route around the race course.
Photo:©2011 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget

Semi-final #2 Race 2:
Artemis entered the box early and copped a penalty in the must win second race. At the start Korea tucked in to leeward with speed while Artemis was required to take their “slow and go” penalty after getting on course side. Artemis rounded the dog-leg mark and sprung into the lead as Korea was slow to deploy the gennaker. At the leeward gate Artemis led, delta 0:07. The first cross upwind Artemis went hunting, dialed down, and Korea dipped but extended into better air. After tacking Korea led, bringing breeze down from the shore. In the second leeward gate Korea nearly infringed, but kept clear ahead (green flag), delta 0:02. Korea showed good match race tactics uphill, managed the course and led into the finish. Finish: Team Korea def seed #1 Artemis to make the Finals against ETNZ.

Semi-final #2, Race 1:
Artemis controlled to leeward with pace at the start.  At the first leeward gate the delta, Artemis by :08.  Korea avoided the dirt off Artemis’ wing, covering from behind, keeping the separation small.  Up the second windward Korea reeled in Artemis, closing to 30m.  Artemis stalled in the gate trying to make the mark, had to change gates while Korea rounded with speed, getting the better side, gained downhill. Finish: Korea defeats Artemis, final delta 32 seconds.

Saturday Outlook:
Conditions: Intermittent rain on course. Wind W22 knots with gusts to 26 knots. (WindFinder).  WSW 19 mph on shore (Wunderground)

Match of the Day:
The Match of the Day obviously should be the final, whether that's Artemis or Team Korea that faces ETNZ, but after Korea dispatched Spithill, Energy, and China on Friday, watching Semi-Final #2 to see whether they can also knock off the Artemis team that has dominated the regatta should be a highlight, too.