London (3 May, 2022) French match racer Maxime Mesnil and his ‘Match in Black Normandy Elite Team’ defeated fellow French skipper Aurelien Pierroz to take victory at this weekend’s Szczecin Match Race in Poland, an official event of the 2022 World Match Racing Tour. Estonian Mati Sepp completed the podium in third place with best placed Polish team of Igor Tarsiuk finishing in fourth.
The four-day regatta (28 May – 1 April) started on Friday with ten teams waiting ashore for the breeze to fill. The French team led by Pierroz was quick out of the blocks team winning all their first day matches. The local favourites Przemysław Tarnacki (Albert Riele Sailing Team) and Łukasz Wosiński (HRM Racing Team) had a slower start alongside the only female team skippered by Pauline Courtois, the current leader of the World Sailing women’s match racing ranking.
Unbeaten Pierroz remained in the lead into the second day, advancing straight to the semi-finals. The next 6 skippers moved to the quarter-finals phase, with Mesnil choosing Patryk Zbroja in the first pair, Mati Sepp against Łukasz Wosiński in the second pair, and the two Polish skippers, Tarasiuk and Tarnacki forming the third pair. 
Mesnil and crew found pace to lead Zbroja 3-1 in the quarter-final and secure their place in the semi-final. Sepp also defeated Wosiński (3-1) and advance to the semis. Tarnacki fought a fierce race against his countryman Tarasiuk but as the racing ran over time, Tarasiuk secured his slot.
In the semi-finals, Pierroz chose opponent Tarasiuk, with Mesnil facing Sepp. However, a late arrival of breeze forced the race committee to shorten the format to the finals only, and a match for third place.
In the match for third place, Sepp defeated Tarasiuk 2-0, while Mesnil won the first two races against Pierroz in the final. Pierroz fought back to 1-2 but racing was stopped due to lack of wind giving Mesnil and crew the regatta win.
Final results:
- Maxime Mesnil (FRA) – Match in Black by Normandy Elite Team
- Aurelien Pierroz (FRA) – Match Again by Normandy Elite Team
- Mati Sepp (EST) – Eesti Liit Team
- Igor Tarasiuk – Porta Yacht Club Gdańsk
- Patryk Zbroja – Polish Yacht Club in Szczecin
- Łukasz Wosiński – HRM Racing Team
- Przemysław Tarnacki – Albert Riele Sailing Team
- Pauline Courtois (FRA) – Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team
- Patrick Croghan (GBR) – UEA – University of East Anglia
- Michał Brzozowski – Brzoza Sailing Team
Interviews with competitors and race summaries are available via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PolishMatchTour and via YouTube on OCS Sailing Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/OCSZeglarskiKanalSportowy
The main partners of the Szczecin Match Race are the City of Szczecin, West Pomerania, Sail Szczecin and Yacht Paradise
Regatta partners include Centrum Żeglarskie, Hotel Moxy Szczecin, Harken Polska, Prestiż Magazyn Szczecin, Etcetera, West Pomeranian District Sailing Association, YKP Szczecin and the Polish Sailing Association.
The Polish Match Tour is a series of match regattas organized in Poland since 2007 by MT Partners and the Regatta Sailing Society in cooperation with the Polish Sailing Association, the West Pomeranian District Sailing Association and YKP Szczecin.
For more information, contact
biuro@polishmatch.pl
www.polishmatch.pl