Yachting: Young Kiwi triumphs on world stage

Adam Minoprio (L), Tom Powrie, David Swete and Dan McLean celebrate their success. Photo / Gilles Martin-Raget

Kiwi sailor Adam Minoprio has underlined his reputation as an exciting young talent in the sport, yesterday securing his breakthrough win on the international match racing circuit.

Minoprio and his BlackMatch Racing team of Tom Powrie, David Swete and Dan McLean claimed their first tour victory, taking out round one of the 2009 world match racing tour in Marseille.

The win earns the team 10,000 ($24,618) and, more importantly, 25 points on the tour leader board.

It follows a string of impressive results for BlackMatch Racing in grade one events last year and Team New Zealand sailing coach Rod Davis believes the win is hugely significant for Minoprio - and just the beginning of greater things for the 24-year-old.

"It's a big win, he's been knocking on the door for about a year now and for him to topple some of the best sailors in the world right now is huge," said Davis.

"You won't find a better standard of match-racing anywhere in the world."

The BlackMatch Racing team are affiliated to Emirates Team New Zealand, with the Kiwi America's Cup syndicate providing coaching and moral support for the youngsters.

The relationship helped Minoprio get his foot in the door at several big events last year, but after yesterday's win the young Kiwi will now earn entry to the top regattas on the strength of his own reputation.

But the win in Marseille was not entirely surprising given the progress the BlackMatch Racing team have made on the international stage in the past couple of years.

Minoprio and his crew, who are all products of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's youth training programme, recorded some impressive results on the world circuit last year, including a couple of second placings.

Having come so close on a number of occasions, Minoprio said he was pleased to finally get the monkey off the back yesterday. "We got two seconds last year, and to finally break the curse and earn a win here is great."

BlackMatch Racing overcame some quality opposition on their way to claiming the title, knocking out the Alinghi team skippered by Ed Baird in Sunday's quarter-finals.

The young Kiwi team then had two formidable French obstacles to overcome in their path to victory, starting with Damien Iehl and his French Match Racing Team, who they met in the semifinals.

After producing two come-from-behind victories to claim the best-of-three semifinal series 2-0,

Minoprio then took on Mathieu Richard and his Team French Spirit in the final, with the New Zealanders prevailing 2-1.

* Final results - Marseille International Match Race

1 Adam Minoprio (New Zealand) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing

2 Mathieu Richard (France) French Match Racing Team/Team French Spirit

3 Torvar Mirsky (Australia) Mirsky Racing Team

4 Damien Iehl (France) French Match Racing Team

5 Ed Baird (United States) Alinghi

6 Sebastien Col (France) French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge

7 Paolo Cian (Italy) Team Shosholoza

8 Ian Williams (Britain) Bahrain Team Pindar

9 Philippe Presti (France) French Match Racing Team/Team French Spirit

10 Ian Ainslie (South Africa) Team Proximo

11 Pierre Antoine Morvan (France) French Match Racing Team

12 Bjorn Hansen (Sweden) Team Onboard