By Lynn Fitzpatrick

December 5, 2009 (Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, ISV) - Colin Rathbun (IVB) and his team had a spectacular completion of the last three flights of Round Robin 2 at the 2^nd Annual Carlos Aguilar Match Race and moved onto the Semi-Finals.

Taylor Canfield (ISV), defending champion, and Peter Holmberg (ISV) put an equal number of wins on the scoreboard this morning and closed out the Roud Robin phase of the international Grade 3 match race as the top ranked teams. With 10 wins recent America's Cup skipper Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN) easily sailed through to the Semis. In a tight race between Rathbun and Dave Perry (USA), Rathbun maintained control of his spinnaker during a crucial takedown while Perry's ended up in the water. While the British Virgin Islanders sailed the final lap of the race the Americans sorted out their tangled wet mess. The race earned the British Virgin Islanders a place in the Semis. As the MC for the afternoon, Perry engaged the crowds on shore during the first two races of the Open and Women's Semi-Finals.

As the Round Robin winner, Canfield decided to race Rathbun in the first to three Semi-Finals leaving former America's Cup helmsmen Holmberg and Gram-Hansen to race each other.

Cheers of "Good on ya Colin. Well done," came from the IVB cheering section in the grandstand when Team Rathbun continued on their winning ways and beat Canfield in the opening flight of the Semi-Finals. By catching a right shift 1/3 up the first beat Rathbun crossed and stayed ahead tof Canfield and handed the ISV young Turks a loss. Canfield came back fighting and stuffed Rathbun at the committee boat at the start of the second race.

Team Holmberg was able to stretch out enough of a lead to clear their outstanding penalty and cross ahead of Gram-Hansen in both of their Semi-Final races today.

Asked about the prospect of an all ISV final, Peter Holmberg said, "It's a testament to the sailing programs that interest that we have in the US Virgin Islands. It's great to see another generation doing so well on an international level."

Semi-Final Scores Following the Completion of two races in the first to three series.

Canfield (ISV) - 1 win vs. Rathbun (IVB) - 1 win.

Holmberg (ISV) - 2 wins vs. Gram-Hansen (DEN) - 0 wins.

Taylor Canfield 6- ISV - 12

Peter Holmberg - ISV - 11.5

Jes Gram-Hansen - DEN - 10

Colin Rathbun - IVB - 8

Dave Perry - USA - 8

Chris Haycraft -IVB - 3

Fritz Bus - AHO - 3

Juan Carlos Escobar - ESA - 0

Multiple matches sharing course as first Semi-Final session at the 2nd Annual Carlos Aguilar Match Race draws to the bottom of a leeward leg. Photo by Lynn Fitzpatrick