World Match Racing Tour Shenzhen Bao’an Final 2024 – Day 2
by WMRT 11 Dec 07:42 PST
10-15 December 2024
World Match Racing Tour Shenzhen Bao’an Final 2024 – Day 2 © Ian Roman / WMRT
The second day of the 2024 World Match Racing Tour Shenzhen Bao’an Final featured fluctuating conditions that challenged the teams consistently throughout the day.
The round-robin stage has seen eleven flights completed, with Chris Poole’s Riptide Racing (USA) leading the pack with six victories. Following closely are Johnie Berntsson’s Berntsson Sailing Team (SWE), Cole Tapper’s CYCA (AUS), and Ian Garreta (FRA), each notching five wins.
With six flights remaining in the round-robin, the battle for the leading positions remains intense. The top four teams will progress directly to the quarter-finals, while those ranked fifth to twelfth will enter a repechage round for the final four quarter-final spots.
A morning breeze allowed racing to start around 1215 local time, expected to gradually strengthen throughout the day. Teams had to be quick to adapt as the unpredictable breeze posed challenging conditions once again on day two, eventually settling into a northerly wind by day’s end.
Chris Poole shared his thoughts on leading the leaderboard: “Today was great—we completed two races and secured two wins. We aimed to fine-tune a few details from yesterday, and we feel we’ve accomplished that. There are still areas to refine, but we’ll keep working on it. With a few round-robin races remaining, we are using them to enhance our performance and prepare for the quarter-finals.”
“We’re pleased with our position near the top of the leaderboard,” noted Johnie Berntsson after day two. “However, it will be a challenge tomorrow to secure our spots in the quarters. Tomorrow’s matchups will be crucial, including a race against local skipper Sheng Shen. We’re excited for the competition.”
Ian Williams (GBR), a seven-time World Match Racing Champion, recognized the tough competition and complex conditions over the past two days. “We feel the pressure a bit; getting a win feels great. We’re staying in the mix, absorbing as much experience as possible, and are eager for tomorrow’s races.”
Racing will continue tomorrow at 1000 local time, with teams competing for a place in the quarter-finals.
Check live race results at www.matchracingresults.com
For more information, visit wmrt.com
