World Match Racing Tour
 World Match Racing Tour | |
| Formerly | Swedish Match Tour |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2001 |
| Type | match-racing tour |
| Most recent champion(s) | Ian Williams (2014–15) |
| Most titles | Ian Williams (5) |
| Official website | Official website |
The World Match Racing Tour is an annual match racing tour and World Championship in the match racing event of sailing. The World Match Racing Tour has "special event"-status from the International Sailing Federation. The Tour awards over US$1.5 million in prize money,[1] with points awarded at each event culminating in the crowning of the ISAF Match Racing World Champion. A US$500,000 overall prize pool for the Championship is now on offer.[2]
Tour events utilise the match race with racing taking place in identical supplied racing yachts which change for each event and which place a firm focus on teamwork 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.
Media and television highlights coverage spans the globe, reaching millions of households in over 183 countries around the world.[1]
History
Beginning of match racing tour
The World Match Racing Tour in its current format started in year 2001. However, many of its regattas started earlier, e.g. the King Edward VII Gold Cup (now known as the Argo Group Gold Cup) in 1937 with American Briggs Cunningham as the first winner.[3]
During the mid-1990s, match racing receives greater interest and Fabergé, the cosmetic manufacturer used the brand Brut to form a match racing series. The series offered USD 250,000 of prize money, the highest prize awarded in sailing regattas. To win the big prize – and the Fabergé egg, the competitor had to win three out of five regattas in Bermuda, San Francisco, New York, Lymington and Séte – the Brut Cup.[4]
In 1997, Russell Coutts and his Team Magic wins the Fabergé Egg and the USD250,000 prize money. Brut left as a sponsor after that leaving the match racing series in a state of limbo. Swedish Match takes over as sponsors of the match racing series in 1998 and the creation of Swedish Match Grand Prix Sailing began.[4]
Swedish Match Tour (2000–2006)
In 2000, the Swedish Match Tour (formerly known as the Swedish Match Grand Prix Sailing) gets the official match racing sailing series sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation. Bertrand Pacé is the winner of the tour. In 2005, the first Asian event in the match racing circuit – Monsoon Cup – is added and marks the 50th event on the Swedish Match Tour.[4]
World Championship (2006–present)
In 2006, Swedish Match Tour becomes the World Match Racing Tour and gains status as the World Championship in match racing. Korea Match Cup joined the World Match Racing Tour in 2008. Great Britain's Royal Jeweler’s, Garrard & Co created the World Match Racing Tour trophy in 2011. In 2012, ALPARI UK Ltd becomes title sponsor of the tour – renaming it as the Alpari World Match Racing Tour. This year Ian Williams bags his fourth tour-winning and world championship matching match-racing legend Peter Gilmour who announced retirement that year.[4]
Sponsorship
The World Match Racing Tour has been sponsored since 2000. The title sponsorship enables the tour's sponsorship name. There have been two sponsors since the tour's formation.
| Year | Sponsor |
|---|---|
| 1998–1999 | none (Swedish Match Grand Prix Sailing) |
| 2000–2006 | Swedish Match (Swedish Match Tour) |
| 2006–2011 | No sponsor (World Match Racing Tour) |
| 2012–2015 | Alpari Group (Alpari World Match Racing Tour)[5][6] |
| 2015–current | No sponsor (World Match Racing Tour) |
Winners
| Year | Winner | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 |  Bertrand Pacé (FRA) |
Team New Zealand |
| 2000–01 |  Magnus Holmberg (SWE) |
Team Stora Enso |
| 2001–02 |  Peter Holmberg (USA) |
Oracle BMW Racing |
| 2002–03 |  Jesper Radich (DEN) |
Team Radich |
| 2003–04 |  Peter Gilmour (AUS) |
Pizza-La Sailing Team |
| 2004–05 | Peter Gilmour (AUS) |
Pizza-La Sailing Team |
| 2005–06 | Peter Gilmour (AUS) |
Pizza-La Sailing Team |
| 2006–07 |  Ian Williams (GBR) |
Team Pindar |
| 2008 | Ian Williams (GBR) |
Bahrain Team Pindar |
| 2009 |  Adam Minoprio (NZL) |
BlackMatch Racing |
| 2010 | Ben Ainslie (GBR) |
Team Origin |
| 2011 | Ian Williams (GBR) |
Team GAC Pindar |
| 2012 | Ian Williams (GBR) |
GAC Pindar |
| 2013 |  Taylor Canfield (ISV) |
USOne |
| 2014–15 | Ian Williams (GBR) |
GAC Pindar |
2015 tour
| Date | Regatta | Location | Boat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8–11 May 2015 | Ficker Cup | Long Beach, USA | |
| 9–11 May 2015 | Volvo Spring Cup | Långedrag, Sweden | |
| 13–18 May 2015 | Congressional Cup | Long Beach, USA | Catalina 37 |
| 21–25 May 2015 | Match Race Germany | Langenargen, Germany | Bavaria 40 |
| 29–31 May 2015 | Szczecin Match Race | Szczecin, Poland | |
| 3–7 June 2015 | Sails of White Nights | St Petersburg, Russia | |
| 10–14 June 2015 | Royal Southern Match Cup | Hamble, United Kingdom | |
| 29 June – 4 July 2015 | Stena Match Cup Sweden | Marstrand, Sweden | DS 37 Match Racer |
| 17–19 July 2015 | Dziwnow Match Race | Dziwnow, Poland | |
| 28 July – 1 August 2015 | Energa Sopot Match Race | Sopot, Poland | Diamant 3000 |
| 29 July – 1 August 2015 | Internationaux de France | Pornichet, France | |
| 5–9 August 2015 | Knickerbocker Cup | New York City, USA | |
| 13–16 August 2015 | Oakcliff International | New York City, USA | |
| 21–23 August 2015 | Chicago Match Cup Grand Slam | Chicago, USA | |
| 27–30 August 2015 | Detroit Cup | Detroit, USA | |
| 19–21 September 2015 | Bermuda National Match Racing Championship | Bermuda, Bermuda | |
| 6–11 October 2015 | Argo Group Gold Cup | Hamilton, Bermuda | International One Design |
| 20–22 November 2015 | Monsoon Cup Terengganu | Terengganu, Malaysia | |
| 18–20 December 2015 | Liga Layar Malaysia | Johor Bahru, Malaysia | |
| 26–30 January 2016 | Monsoon Cup | Johor, Malaysia | Foundation 36 |
See also
References
- 1 2 http://www.wmrt.com/tour-info.html
- ↑ http://www.yachtsponsorship.com/2010/10/wmrt-announces-more-prizemoney-and-new-boats/
- ↑ http://www.argogroupgoldcup.com/race-info/winners-since-1937
- 1 2 3 4 http://issuu.com/awmrt/docs/2014-mediapack
- ↑ "ALPARI BACKS SAILING SERIES".
- ↑ "Alpari UK currency broker folds over Swiss franc turmoil".
External links
- World Match Racing Tour Official Site
- Link to BBC H2O interview with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston recorded 15 April 2010
- Independent Newspaper article 'All-Australian final at Portimao, Portugal Match Cup' 28 June 2010
- CNN Stena Match Cup Sweden video presented by Shirley Robertson 19 August 2010
- Travel Places Tour destinations info
- Latest 'World Match Racing Tour' Business News
- 'Boats on TV' coverage of Portimao, Portugal Match Race Cup '10
- 'World Match Racing Tour' coverage of Danish Open Final '10
- Swiss franc shock forces West Ham shirt sponsor Alpari out of business
- World Match Racing Tour: Ian Williams of GAC Pindar takes title for a record fifth time