Ben Ainslie remained undefeated as the Argo Group Gold Cup quarter-finals got underway yesterday when just two flights were completed – the Brit winning both of his races to stretch his unbeaten streak this week to nine.

Current World Match Race Tour leader Torvar Mirsky of Australia must now win three matches in a row against Ainslie this morning, not only to avoid elimination but also to keep his team on the top of the Tour leaderboard.

Ainslie was behind Mirsky once yesterday in their first race, but a penalty on the Australian at the second windward mark gave him chance to to win that flight.

"The conditions were tough," said Ainslie. "In the light shifty winds we just had to keep the boat moving."

Britain's Ian Williams, the reigning champion of the World Match Racing Tour, was behind Swede Johnie Berntsson in both of his races but managed to fight back to take two victories and a 2-0 lead.

"We were on the wrong side of the course several times," Williams said, "but managed to minimise the losses. When we got the correct side we had stayed close enough to pass."

After two flights in the quarter-finals yesterday, Eric Monnin leads Blythe Walker in Match One 2-0, Ainslie leads Mirsky 2-0, Williams leads Berntsson by 2-0 and Adam Minoprio of New Zealand is 2-0 up on Frenchman Mathieu Richard. The first to three move on to today's semis.

Earlier yesterday three repechage flights were sailed first to decide the final two of the eight teams who moved up the ladder and put themselves in contention for the $50,000 first place prize or even a share of the $100,000 total purse.

Mirsky came through that round robin with a perfect 5-0 score. But his reward was a quarter-final clash against the in-form Ainslie.

Bermudian Walker and his Max Re team pulled a stunning gybe at the finish of his final repechage match against the young Kiwi Phil Robertson. Walker won by just a metre and went on to win the series 3-2.

Yesterday saw a break in the main action to make way for the Gold Cup Pro-Am fleet racing regatta.

Overall winner was Argo Group CEO Mark Watson and Ian Williams sailing with the Argo Group team of Diana Mitchell and Ryan Brown.

Earlier this summer Watson represented the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club at the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup regatta in Newport, Rhode Island.