World Match Racing Tour

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Alpari World Match Racing Tour
Type Sailing Championship
Industry sailing
match race
sports championship
Founded The Shipyard, Bath Road, Lymington, Hampshire, U.K.
Headquarters 4 Junction Mews, London, W2 1PN, England, U.K.
Area served International
Key people James Pleasance -Executive Director
Website www.wmrt.com
Facebook
Twitter

The Alpari World Match Racing Tour (Formerly known as the World Match Racing Tour,(WMRT)) is a leading professional sailing series, featuring 8 World Championship events across the globe, sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) with “Special Event” status. The tour currently spans 3 continents and is now the only professional monohull match racing series since the September 2010 decision of the America's Cup to organise only multihull races at their events.[1]

The Alpari World Match Racing Tour awards over $1.5 million (USD) in prize money,[2] with points awarded at each event culminating in the crowning of the “ISAF Match Racing World Champion”. A $500,000 USD overall prize pool for the 2011 World Match Racing Tour is now on offer.[3]

Events utilise the same 'match race' format used in the America’s Cup with racing taking place in identical supplied racing yachts which change for each event and which place a firm focus on team work and skill to win the race. Racing takes place close to the shore in order for the general public to follow the races as if they were in virtual on-the-water stadiums.

The arrival of a new CEO, Mr Jim O'Toole, in July 2010 has led the Tour to announce a 3 year plan to expand the championship from nine events to fifteen per season. Mr O'Toole commented “We are committed to growth and have identified a 15-stage Tour as a realistic and achievable goal for the 2013 season".[4]

Media and television highlights coverage spans the globe, reaching millions of households in over 183 countries around the world.[5]

Contents

Match Racing [edit]

When only two sailing boats are on the starting line of the race, the race is called match racing. Match racing has its own set of rules, which are slightly different from the regular sailing boat racing rules and these create very close, aggressive competition in which collisions can easily occur. Match racing also has on-the-water judging, with umpires dispensing "instant justice" on the water.[6] Match racing is tremendously exciting for those participating and, unlike some other sailing competitions, match racing can be equally thrilling to watch. Before the start, the boats vie for control, circling each other and trying to wipe each other off into spectator boats in an elaborate game of cat and mouse.

Rules and Strategy [edit]

General Rules [edit]

• When the wind comes across the sides of the boats in the opposite direction, the boat with the wind on the left (port) side gives way to the boat with the wind on the right (starboard) side.

• If the wind comes across the same side of the boats and there is no overlapping, the boat behind (astern) must keep clear.

• Should the wind come across the same side of the boats and there is overlapping, the boat on the leeward (downwind) side of the other has the right-of-way.

• Umpires follow each race and make instant penalty decisions. A boat (colour flag on back) with a penalty (colored ball on umpire boat) must do a 270-degree penalty turn before the finish.

• Visit Appendix C of the ISAF's Racing Rules of Sailing to view the rules for match-racing.

Strategy [edit]

• The Start: A 7-minute starting gun signals the beginning of an intricate, heated pre-match dogfight,[7] with the two boats engaging in a furious one-on-one battle to gain the leading position on the race course. Additional gun shots indicate the countdown to the beginning of the race at 5 minutes to go, 3 minutes to go and finally the beginning of the race.

• Windward Leg: On the course the boats commence an upwind battle; the lead boat spilling turbulent air off its sails to slow the boat behind. Furious tacking is likely to ensue with the latter trying to force a crew error in order to rob their aggressor of the advantage.

The end of the first windward leg provides an opportunity for the trailing boat to seize the edge by creating an inside overlap within two lengths of the mark, forcing the lead boat to allow room which usually means relinquishing its place.

• Downwind Run: On the downwind run the trailing boat has a chance to attack from behind, positioning itself so it's spinnaker casts a wind shadow over the leader. To escape, the boat may gibe away, creating heart-pounding onboard action - and spectacular sailing - as each crew furiously swings spinnakers from side to side.

• Dropping the Spinnaker: At the bottom mark the same overlap rules apply and the action intensifies as crews drop the spinnaker and prepare the boat for the next leg while the skipper jostles for position.

• The Finish: Once more around the course and the battle is over. Often the winner is not determined until the final few boat lengths.

Scoring [edit]

The Alpari World Match Racing Tour is a season long points championship for the ISAF Match Racing World Championship.

ISAF Match Racing World Championship Scoring [edit]

2012 Scoring System:

Skippers will count their best 4 scores from events prior to the final event toward the Championship. Tour Card Holders may only score points from their allocated events.

Non Tour Card Holders may only score points from their first 4 Tour events prior to the final event in the 2012 season.

If one or more events are added to the schedule after 31 December 2011 then skippers will be permitted to sail in and count any scores from those events within their best 4 scores.

In addition to the 4 scores the skipper shall count points earned at the final event of the season. The skipper with the highest score at the end of the season will be recognized as the ISAF Match Racing World Champion.

Championship points are awarded to the top ten skippers at each event as follows:

  • 1st Place - 25 points (Monsoon Cup - 38 points)
  • 2nd Place - 22 points (Monsoon Cup - 33 points)
  • 3rd Place - 19 points (Monsoon Cup - 28 points)
  • 4th Place - 16 points (Monsoon Cup - 24 points)
  • 5th Place - 14 points (Monsoon Cup - 21 points)
  • 6th Place - 12 points (Monsoon Cup - 18 points)
  • 7th Place - 10 points (Monsoon Cup - 15 points)
  • 8th Place - 8 points (Monsoon Cup - 12 points)
  • 9th Place - 4 points (Monsoon Cup - 6 points)
  • 10th Place - 2 points (Monsoon Cup - 3 points)

In the event of a tie at the end of the season, the skipper with the greater number of first, second or third place scores will be declared the champion. (No discards will be counted.)

If the tie still exists, the two skippers will be ranked in order of their scores in the final event. If the tie remains it will be broken by using the finishes in the next-to-last event and so on until the tie is broken.

BONUS POOL 2012 – US$500,000 In addition to prize funds offered by individual events, ALPARI World Match Racing Tour offers an annual Tour Bonus Pool to be divided as followed, based on the final Tour standings, after the Final Event
1st – US$75,000
2nd – US$70,000
3rd – US$65,000
4th – US$60,000
5th – US$55,000
6th – US$50,000
7th – US$45,000
8th – US$40,000
9th – US$40,000

Tour Card Holders will receive 100% of their Tour Bonus winnings Non Tour Card Holders who have competed in more than 2 events in a previous season will receive 25% of any Tour Bonus winnings Rookie sailors that have only competed in 1 event in a previous season will receive 100% of their Tour Bonus winnings Non Tour Card Holder 2nd Season Sailors will receive 50% of any Tour Bonus winnings

2013 Tour [edit]

The 2013 season will be made up of seven stages and teams will count results from their best five events, including their result at the final event, towards the championship. The 2013 Tour starts in Germany on 16 May 2013 on the waters of Lake Constance in Southern Germany.[8]

2012 Tour [edit]

2012 Tour Calendar [edit]

Stage Date Event Location Teams Boats Winner Website
1 May 23–28 Match Race Germany [9] Langenargen, Germany 12 Bavaria 40S  Phil Robertson (NZL)
WAKA Racing Team		 [1]
2 May 29 - June 3 Korea Match Cup [10] Gyeonggi-do, South Korea 12 KM36  Bjorn Hansen (SWE)
Mekonomen Sailing Team		 [2]
3 July 2–7 Stena Match Cup Sweden [11] Marstrand, Sweden 12 DS 37  Bjorn Hansen (SWE)
Mekonomen Sailing Team		 [3]
4 July 10–15 Chicago Match Cup [12] Chicago, USA 12 TOM 28Max  Ian Williams (GBR)
Team GAC Pindar		 [4]
5 August 28 - September 2 St Moritz Match Race [13] St Moritz, Switzerland 12 BLU 26  Keith Swinton (AUS)
Black Swan Racing		 [5]
6 September 24–29 Match Race France [14] Marseille, France 12 J80  Ian Williams (GBR)
Team GAC Pindar		 [6]
7 October 1–7 Argo Group Gold Cup [15] Hamilton, Bermuda 24 IOD [7]
8 December 3–8 Monsoon Cup [16] Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia 12 Foundation 36 [8]

2012 Participants [edit]

  • Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar
  • Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team
  • Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing
  • Phil Robertson (NZ) WAKA Racing Team
  • Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team
  • Simone Ferrarese (ITA) Ferrarese Racing Team
  • Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing Team
  • Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA) Vannes Agglo Sailing Team
  • Laurie Jury (NZ) Zoke Kiwi Match

2012 Tour Results [edit]

Placing Skipper Team Points
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

2011 Tour [edit]

2011 Tour Calendar [edit]

Stage Date Event Location Teams Boats Winner Website
1 May 10–15 Match Race France [17] Marseille, France 12 J/80  Damien Iehl (FRA)
French Match Racing Team		 [9]
2 May 24–29 Match Race Germany [18] Langenargen, Germany 12 Bavaria 35  Francesco Bruni (ITA)
Bruni Racing		 [10]
3 June 7–12 Korea Match Cup [19] Gyeonggi, South Korea 12 KM36  Bjorn Hansen (SWE)
Mekonomen Sailing Team		 [11]
4 June 22–26 Portimão Portugal Match Cup [20] Portimão, Portugal 12 SM40  Ian Williams (GBR)
Team GAC Pindar		 [12]
5 July 4–10 Match Cup Sweden [21] Marstrand, Sweden 16 DS37  Ian Williams (GBR)
Team GAC Pindar		 [13]
6 August 30 - September 4 St Moritz Match Race [22] St Moritz, Switzerland 12 BLU 26  Torvar Mirsky (AUS)
The Wave Muscat		 [14]
7 October 3–9 Argo Group Gold Cup [23] Hamilton, Bermuda 24 IOD  Torvar Mirsky (AUS)
The Wave Muscat		 [15]
8 November 22–27 Monsoon Cup [24] Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia 12 Foundation 36  Ian Williams (GBR)
Team GAC Pindar		 [16]

2011 Participants [edit]

  • Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team
  • Francesco Bruni (ITA) Mascalzone Latino
  • Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing
  • Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team
  • Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team
  • Jesper Radich (DEN) Radich Racing Team
  • Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team
  • Phil Robertson (NZ) WAKA Racing Team
  • Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar

2011 Tour Results [edit]

Placing Skipper Team Points
1  Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar 144
2  Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing 112
3  Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team 106.2pts
4  Torvar Mirsky (AUS) The Wave Muscat 105.8pts
5  Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 102.8pts
6  Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners 99.2pts
7  Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team 90pts
8  Phil Robertson (NZL) Team China powered by WAKA Racing 74.4pts
9  Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 74pts
10  Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 72.6pts

2010 Tour [edit]

2010 Tour Calendar [edit]

Stage Date Event Location Teams Boats Winner Website
1 April 6–11 Match Race France [25] Marseille, France 12 J/80  Mathieu Richard (FRA)
French Match Racing Team		 [17]
2 May 19–24 Match Race Germany Langenargen, Germany 12 Bavaria 35 Match  Adam Minoprio (NZL)
ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing		 [18]
3 June 8–13 Korea Match Cup Gyeonggi, South Korea 12 KM36  Mathieu Richard (FRA)
French Match Racing Team		 [19]
4 June 22–27 Portimão Portugal Match Cup Portimão, Portugal 12 SM40  Peter Gilmour (AUS)
YANMAR Racing		 [20]
5 July 5–11 Match Cup Sweden Marstrand, Sweden 16 DS 37  Ben Ainslie (GBR)
TEAMORIGIN		 [21]
6 August 31 - September 5 St Moritz Match Race St Moritz, Switzerland 12 BLU 26  Mathieu Richard (FRA)
French Match Racing Team		 [22]
7 September 8–12 Danish Open Bornholm, Denmark 12 DS 37  Adam Minoprio (NZL)
ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing		 [23]
8 October 4–10 Argo Group Gold Cup Hamilton, Bermuda 24 IOD  Ben Ainslie (GBR)
TEAMORIGIN		 [24]
9 November 30 - December 5 Monsoon Cup Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia 12 Foundation 36  Ben Ainslie (GBR)
TEAMORIGIN		 [25]

2010 Participants [edit]

2010 Tour Results [edit]

Placing Skipper Team Points
1  Ben Ainslie (GBR) Team Origin 126
2  Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 111
3  Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 106
4  Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing 90
5  Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar 87
6  Jesper Radich (DEN) Gaastra Racing 82
7  Francesco Bruni (ITA) Team Azzura 65
8  Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 60

History [edit]

The World Match Racing Tour has had a proud and eventful racing heritage since its establishment in 1988, but its origins lie in match racing history. Match race sailing, as opposed to fleet racing, evolved through the America's Cup races, whose foundations were laid 144 years ago, and which have seen steady growth since. The first 'match race' in a one-design racing yacht i.e. technically identical boats, was the King Edward VII Gold Cup[27] in Bermuda (now known as the Argo Gold Cup), that was first sailed in 1937. The skipper who won it was Briggs Cunningham, who was also the skipper to win the first America's Cup.[28] The Argo Gold Cup is still a key event in the World Match Racing Tour calendar.

A World Match Racing Champion has been named annually since 1988. Since 2006 the World Match Racing Tour champion has been named ISAF World Match Racing Champion. Peter Gilmour an America's Cup veteran and regular team skipper at the World Match Racing Tour is the only skipper to have held the title World Match Racing Champion 4 times.

World Champions [edit]

Year World Champion Venue Tour Winner Team Points
2011  Ian Williams (GBR) World Tour  Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar 144 points
2010  Ben Ainslie (GBR) World Tour  Ben Ainslie (GBR) Team Origin 126 points
2009  Adam Minoprio (NZL) World Tour  Adam Minoprio (NZL) BlackMatch Racing 138 points
2008  Ian Williams (GBR) World Tour  Ian Williams (GBR) Bahrain Team Pindar 110 points
2007  Ian Williams (GBR) World Tour  Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar 172 points
2006  Peter Gilmour (AUS) World Tour  Peter Gilmour (AUS) Pizza-La Sailing Team 113 points
2005  James Spithill (AUS) Calpe, Spain  Peter Gilmour (AUS) Pizza-La Sailing Team 117 points
2004  Ed Baird (USA) Ekaterinburg, Russia  Peter Gilmour (AUS) Pizza-La Sailing Team 135 points
2003  Ed Baird (USA) Riva del Garda, Italy  Jesper Radich (DEN) Team Radich 111 points
2002  Karol Jablonski (POL) Stockholm, Sweden  Peter Holmberg (USA) Oracle BMW Racing 120 points
2001 None None  Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Team Stora Enso 104 points
2000  Dean Barker (NZL) Split, Croatia  Bertrand Pacé (FRA) Team New Zealand 114 points
1999  Jesper Bank (DEN) Copenhagen, Denmark
1998  Peter Gilmour (AUS) Hayama, Japan
1997  Peter Gilmour (AUS) Marstrand, Sweden
1996  Russell Coutts (NZL) Dubrovnik, Croatia
1995  Ed Baird (USA) Auckland, New Zealand
1994  Bertrand Pacé (FRA) La Rochelle, France
1993  Russell Coutts (NZL) Long Beach, United States
1992  Russell Coutts (NZL) Perth, Australia
1991  Chris Dickson (NZL) Hamilton, Bermuda
1990  Peter Gilmour (AUS) Auckland, New Zealand
1989  Chris Dickson (NZL) Lymington, United Kingdom
1988  Chris Dickson (NZL) Perth, Australia

Awards [edit]

BlackMatch Racing won the inaugural best team award in 2009.[29]

References [edit]

  1. ^ http://www.americascup.com/valencia-press-conference
  2. ^ Tour Prize Money
  3. ^ http://www.yachtsponsorship.com/2010/10/wmrt-announces-more-prizemoney-and-new-boats/
  4. ^ http://www.thesportbriefing.com/default.aspx?s=fc-display&id=13628 The Sporting Brief 26 Aug 2010
  5. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/tour-info.html
  6. ^ http://www.sailing.org/sailors/858.php ISAF Match Racing Rules
  7. ^ http://www.sail-world.com/UK/Mathieu-Richard-wins-the-%27King-of-the-Mountain-in-spectacular-style/74333 Sailworld article describing pre-match dogfight - Extracted Sept7 2010
  8. ^ "Alpari World Match Racing Tour Announces 2013 Skipper Line-Up". Sailing.org. Retrieved 13 May 2013. 
  9. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  10. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  11. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  12. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  13. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  14. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  15. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  16. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  17. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  18. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  19. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  20. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  21. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  22. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  23. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  24. ^ http://www.wmrt.com/world-tour.html
  25. ^ http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=151106 Yachts & Yachting Article 6 April 2010
  26. ^ http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=274819 Gulf Daily News article 3 April 2010
  27. ^ http://www.bermudagoldcup.com/content/view/3/5/ King Edward VII Gold Cup reference from Bermuda Gold Cup.com
  28. ^ http://www.sailing.org/sailors/854.php Match Racing Origins
  29. ^ BlackMatch best team New Zealand Herald, 1 April 2010

External links [edit]

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