Ian Williams’ and Taylor Canfield’s crews lead their semi-final series, 2-0, against Jeppe Borch’s Borch Racing Team and Phil Robertson’s China One Ningbo crew, respectively.
One more victory for each puts them into the final of the $100,000 regatta, with $30,000 earmarked for the winner who’ll also be awarded the King Edward VII Gold Cup and the sterling silver World Match Racing Tour trophy.
The quartet advanced to the penultimate round of the regatta after a Quarterfinal Round that saw a slew of penalties (14 penalties and one black flag against seven green flags), nearly as many lead changes, and two winner-take-all fifth races.
Williams defeated Eric Monnin’s Capvis Swiss Match Race Team, 3-2, in a penalty filled series that saw Williams disqualified from the second race for incurring three successive penalties.
But it was a Race 5 penalty against Monnin for failing to keep clear as windward yacht that ultimately gave Williams the edge he needed to advance.
Canfield defeated old foe Johnie Berntsson and the Berntsson Sailing Team, 3-1, to continue his mastery over the Swede here in Bermuda.
New Zealander Robertson won his trans-Tasman rivalry against Torvar Mirsky’s Mirsky Sailing Team, 3-0, to continue New Zealand’s reign over Australia here in Bermuda.
The upstart Borch, all of 23 years old, defeated the top ranked crew at the regatta, Chris Poole’s Riptide Racing Team, also by a 3-2 score.
The semifinals resume Friday morning with the first warning signal scheduled for 09:30 hours.
Sean McNeill