Podium finish in sight for top seven Alpari Tour teams

Mathieu Richard taking control of the game against Dirk-Jan Korpershoek on day 2 of the Dutch Match Cup © Robert Hajduk / AWMRT

Any one of the current top seven teams on the Alpari World Match Racing Tour has the opportunity to reach the coveted podium of the ISAF World Championship as the Tour prepares for its penultimate stage at the Argo Group Gold Cup next week in Bermuda.

The scoring system for the Alpari Tour is based on a high points format, but one rewarding the podium placers. Thus, the first, second and third placed finishers at each event receive respectively 25, 22 and 19 points, while teams in fourth, five and six places receive 16, 14 and 12.

"Of course, more points are awarded for finishing on the podium," explains Tour Director, Craig Mitchell. "Whereas Formula 1 is all win-orientated, with a seven point difference between a win and a second, we keep the points separation on the Tour much closer."

For 2014 the Tour comprises seven stages culminating for the 10th year in a row at the season's grand finale, the Monsoon Cup Malaysia. However en route to Malaysia teams get to discard their two worst results of the season – in other words they must count their best four results out of six. Then, to ensure the maximum climax at the Monsoon Cup, teams' results in Malaysia are not only non-discardable, but also come with a 1.5x multiplier compared to other events on the Tour.

Calculating the best 4 results after 5 events on the current leaderboard, four-time world champion Ian Williams and his GAC Pindar team are the team to beat with 94 points [out of a maximum 100 points based on 25 points for a win, times four]. However after back to back wins at the Chicago Match Cup and the inaugural Dutch Match Cup this year, Taylor Canfield's US One team is chasing fast on 88 points. If the US Virgin Islands skipper can continue his winning streak at the Argo Group Gold Cup then he will be able to discard one of his third place finishes and draw level with Williams going into the Monsoon Cup.

"In previous years at the Monsoon Cup we've seen that if you win your Quarter Final, you've done it [won the championship]," continues Mitchell. "But if Canfield can get closer by making the Final in Bermuda with Williams eliminated, then it will be a very close battle into Malaysia. And as Canfield has already achieved an impressive four results (3, 3, 1, 1), it will be interesting to see what strategy he adopts in Bermuda against the GAC Pindar team."

Close behind the two front-runners the fight is on for a place on the overall Tour podium for 2014. French skipper Mathieu Richard's LunaJets team is currently on 76 points with a 2-3-3-4 scoreline of counting events. Finishing third or better in Bermuda, an event Richard last won in 2007, would allow him to discard his fourth place. Equally Bjorn Hansen (Hansen Sailing Team), Keith Swinton (Team Alpari FX) and Phil Robertson (WAKA Racing) currently sit at 63, 58 and 56 points respectively, putting them firmly in the hunt for a podium finish if the leaders stumble during the season's deciding event.

"If they all finished in reverse order in Bermuda, then they would all be knocking on the door of a podium finish overall, but you have to think right now it is Williams' and Canfield's to lose with Mathieu Richard hoping to do the leapfrog and snatch the title he has been coveting for some time now." concludes Mitchell.

Subject to the passing of the impending Hurricane Gonzalo currently tracking towards Bermuda this weekend, racing for the Argo Group Gold Cup will start on Wednesday 21st October.

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Alpari World Match Racing Tour - Current Standings

1 Ian Williams (GBR) GAC Pindar 94pts
2 Taylor Canfield (ISV) US One 88pts
3 Mathieu Richard (FRA) LunaJets 76pts
4 Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Hansen Sailing 63pts
5 Keith Swinton (AUS) Team Alpari FX 58pts
6 Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing 56pts
7 David Gilmour (AUS) Team Gilmour 39pts
8 Francesco Bruni (ITA) Luna Rossa 20pts