Match Racing 360 - August 2011

MAGNUS HOLMBERG

MARVELLOUSMARSTRAND

MatchRacingMultis:

GIRLPOWER

Tomorrow’s World

Swiss StarElodie

Mettraux

Issue 01 | AUGUST 2011

A different direction?

MATCH RACING 360° | AUGUST 2011 page | 2

TORVAR MIRSKY, SAIL RACING TEST TEAM 2011

www.sailracing.com

SWEDEN | AUSTRALIA | BELGIUM | FINLAND | JAPAN | HOLLAND | NEW ZEALAND | NORWAY | SPAIN


15 — Match Racer of the Moment

16 — Polaroid Pinboard

17 — Flashback

18 — Results

20 — Guest Columnist

04 — Newsround

07 — Match Racing Multis

10 — Venue Profile

12 — Technical Corner

13 — Team Profile

Publishing Team

Editorial Director: Will Carson

Editorial Assistant: Stacey Hunt

Contributors: Magnus Holmberg

Yvonne Gordon

Designer: Mohd. Afsarudy Mohamed Yusof

Leon Lai Cheng Wui

Photography: Gilles Martin-Raget

Juerg KaufmannBrian CarlinChris DaviesIan Roman

Guido TrombettaDan LjungsvikMary Longpre

RCYC Match RacingPierre MenouxGareth Cooke

Loris Von Siebenthal

Cover photo:Gilles Martin-Raget

www.americascup.com

Published by:Sailing Horizons Limited

Contact:Editorial: [email protected]

Advertising and distribution:For advertising rates and our

editorial calendar, please send us an email at [email protected]

Contributors:

Do you have a story for Match Racing 360°? If you’re interested in becoming a contributor get in

touch at [email protected].

DisclaimerAll rights reserved © 2011. Match Racing 360° and its contents is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be printed or reproduced wholly or in part without prior written permission. Application for permission for use of copyright material including permission to reproduce extracts in other published works shall be made to the publishers. Full acknowledgement of author, publisher and source must be given.

FROM THE EDITOR

CONTENTS

Hello and a very warm welcome to the very first edition of Match Racing 360°, the home of global match racing. Now, you might be thinking to yourself ‘does the world need another sailing magazine?’ but Match Racing 360° is different to any other. This is more than just a magazine, it’s the collective voice of the international match racing community.

Here at Match Racing 360° we thrive on the passion, excitement and drama of match racing. We love it, and we know you do too. Throughout the year we will bring you the biggest names from the match racing world, the best commentary and analysis and coverage of match racing events from all over the globe, no matter how big or small. We’ll arm you with the technical know-how to win on the racecourse and we’ll feature your photos too.

So sit back, relax, and lose yourself in Match Racing 360° for a while. Go on, you deserve it. If you’ve got any comments about things you’d like to see in future editions of Match Racing 360° drop us a line at [email protected].

EditorMatch Racing 360°

The day the Cup came homeAfter losing the America’s Cup to Australia in 1983, Dennis Conner and his Stars and Stripes crew come back in 1987 guns blazing

Magnus Holmberg

Marvellous Marstrand

Bite-size nibbles of news from the global match racing circuit

All your photos from the water

Match Racing 360° chats with British match racer Vicki Sheen, the newly crowned Blind Match Racing World Champion

Meet 26-year-old Swiss national match racing champ Elodie Mettraux

Following the first event in the America’s Cup World Series, we look at what the future holds for this great event and ask whether it will remain true to its match racing roots

Match racing legend Magnus Holmberg talks to Match Racing 360° about inspiring champions of the future

All you need to know about that most crucial of pre-start moves, the dial-up

Who won what, and upcoming events

Is the Swedish resort of Marstrand the greatest match racing venue in the world?

page | 4MATCH RACING 360° | AUGUST 2011

Hardesty wins big in Chicago

St Moritz showdown for World Match Racing Tour

Ireland vs The World

The USA’s Bill Hardesty overcame the big breezes to take the top spot at the Chicago Grade 2 Invitational event at Navy Pier.The third and final day of racing was filled with upsets, breakdowns and collisions, with winds up above 30 knots.

Dublin Bay was the venue for an exciting Ireland vs The World international match racing challenge in July, when a total of five world teams – from Denmark, Australia, New Zealand and Britain – went head to head with Ireland’s top five match racing teams. The competition, hosted by the Royal St George Yacht Club, took place in J80s in Scotsman’s Bay, Dún Laoghaire, on July 23 and 24.World number 42 Nicolai Sehested from Denmark took the first victory on a blustery day one, however there were 45 more races to go, with some tight battles of wits, skills and close umpire calls over the two days.

Photo and video: Brian Carlin / Cube Images

The world’s top match racers will head to the Swiss mountain resort of St Moritz next week as the World Match Racing Tour heats up.The sixth stage of the eight-date Tour will see the

NEWSROUND

Finals and semi-finals were held on the Sunday with David Chapman (AUS) beating Sam Pearson (GBR) in a close final to take the overall trophy for The World, which won with 29 wins to Ireland’s 16. For photos and videos from the event, see www.matchrace.posterous.com

By Yvonne Gordon

Hardesty beat New Zealand’s Laurie Jury in a thrilling three-race final which saw the two skippers’ boats collide in the decider.www.chicagomatchrace.com

skippers and their teams battle it out for the title of King of the Mountains.All eyes will be on current Tour leader, Italy’s Francesco Bruni, and his British rival Ian Williams who are both proving formidable opponents as the Tour reaches its business end.St Moritz Match Race runs from August 30 to September 4 on Lake St Moritz in the Engadin Valley. www.wmrt.com


All eyes down under for Antipodean action

International turnout for Mumbai International Match Race

Finns dominate women’s match racing at Olympic test event

TOP match racers from around the globe will head to India in October for the Grade 2 Mumbai International Match Race.The event, now in its fifth year, is expected to draw sailing talent from around ten countries when it hits the waters of Chowpatty.New Zealand’s Laurie Jury took the top spot last year ahead of Enrique Haddad from Brazil and local Indian match racer Mahesh Ramachandran.www.mrai.in

Silja Lehtinen’s Finnish women’s match racing team took the gold medal at the Olympic test event in Weymouth.Lehtinen saw off Russia’s Ekaterina Skudina to take the title 3-2 in a thrilling finale. World number one Claire Leroy went out in the quarter finals to Skudina. www.sailing.org/london2012/2011-test-event.php

It’s all about the Antipodean action in the next few months as Match Racing 360°’s attention turns to Australia and New Zealand. First up the world’s top women match racers will face off in the Olympic Elliott 6m class at Sail Melbourne International Regatta held from November 6 to 12.The likes of world number one France’s Claire Leroy, star GB racer Lucy Macgregor, American racer Anna Tunnicliffe and Russia’s Ekaterina Skudina will be there, looking to get one over on their rivals ahead of next year’s London 2012 Olympic Games. Then it’s a quick hop across the Tasman Sea to Auckland for the New Zealand Match Racing Championships from November

If you have a story for Match Racing 360° then send it to us at [email protected].

NEWSROUND

16 to 20 before heading back to Australia for the Musto International Youth Match Racing Championships in Sydney from November 26 to 30. More racing courtesy of the ladies wraps up the action down under with the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships in Perth from December 3 to 18.

Photo: ISAF

Photo: Loris Von Siebenthal / myimage


It would be safe to say that match racing and multihulls have had a somewhat rocky relationship in the past. The year was 1988 when Mr America’s Cup, Dennis Conner, rocked the sailing world when he turned up to defend the 28th edition in a catamaran.

Conner’s choice of boat was an unconventional response to an unconventional challenge from Kiwi banker Micheal Fay, and, after the two failed to agree on how to best to contest the Cup, it fell to the Deed of Gift to decide for them. The deed, originally written in 1852, states simply that the boats used for the regatta must be single-masted and under 90ft long. Against Conner’s will, the challenge was allowed to stand, and so on September 7, 1988, as Fay and his team took to the water on their 90ft yacht New Zealand, Conner and his Stars and Stripes crew blasted out into San Diego Bay in his super-quick cat.

Match RacingMultis: A different direction?

MAIN STORY

Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com


MATCH RACING MULTIS

It was the first time since the America’s Cup started in 1851 that a multihull had been raced, and was one of the most incongruous editions the event had ever seen. Many, including Conner himself, felt multihulls had no part in the America’s Cup and following Stars and Stripes’ quick two-nil victory over New Zealand the Cup – which for years had been setting the benchmark for match racing events all round the world - returned to its monohull roots. However a debate had been started that reared its head 20 years later when, after years of legal wrangles, the Deed of Gift was referred to once more and the 33rd edition of the America’s Cup, and both teams opted for multihulls.

Back in 1988, Conner told a newspaper prior to the Cup that it would be “a design lottery in which the sailors will have little or nothing to do with the outcome”. That prophesy came true again in 2010 as ORACLE’s 90ft wing-sailed trimaran obliterated Alingi’s catamaran, incomparable in all but length. Yes, these state-of-the-art multihull machines were at the cutting edge of new technology, but were they killing the true spirit and soul of the America’s Cup? Many believed the 33rd edition had sounded the death knell for the relationship between multihulls and match racing but ORACLE backer Larry Ellison and co had other plans, opting to contest the 34th edition in 72ft catamarans with a series of events to decide a challenger held in scaled down 45ft boats. Capable of speeds of well over 20 knots, the AC45s promised a spectacle of racing that would cry out to devoted fans and sailing newcomers alike – but still the burning question remained of whether they could be match raced.

“With monohulls, it’s a race of metres, while with multis it’s a race of kilometres. It’s got to be about close racing otherwise there’s no point.”

As the fleet gathered earlier this month in Cascais, Portugal, for the first round of the America’s Cup World Series, one man studying the action closely was Brad Butterworth, a legend in the America’s Cup history books and also skipper of the defeated 2010 Alinghi team. Butterworth has four America’s Cup wins to his name, but for a man who was badly burnt by his only multihull experience, he remains remarkably open-minded about a future of the Cup on two hulls.

Photo:Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com

Brad Butterworthphoto: Guido Trombetta / Alinghi

Photo: Javier Salinas / Alinghi

Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com

WE ARE PROUD OF BEING THE OFFICIAL IT-PARTNER OF THE WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR.


MATCH RACING MULTIS

“I have spent most of my career racing monohulls and I can understand the caginess that some fans might feel towards the move to multis,” the Kiwi skipper said, “but I do love these boats, they look really exciting. There is, however, a big difference between monohull racing and multihull racing. With monohulls, it’s a race of metres, while with multis it’s a race of kilometres. It’s got to be about close racing otherwise there’s no point. The real test of these boats will be whether they are used again for the 35th edition of the America’s Cup.”

For those involved in the 34th edition – and that includes America’s Cup stars of the likes of Russell Coutts, Jimmy Spithill and Bertrand Pace – the move to catamarans has not taken anything away from the match racing aspect. “The match racing is as hard as it ever was,” Russell Coutts told the world’s media during an America’s Cup press conference. “The thinking behind many of the moves is the same as in monohulls, it just happens a lot faster. It is still very tactical and requires quick thinking. The game is the same, but at high speed.” It was a sentiment echoed by Mr Multihull himself, France’s Loick Peryron. “These boats are the right tool for the game we want to play,” Peyron declared.

Whether the America’s Cup’s future lies in two hulls or one, Butterworth says match racing must remain at its core. “The Cup has always been a match race between two

boats and if it is just to become a fleet race there are plenty of other series’ that do that,” he said. “If the winner of the Cup is to be decided in the same way it always was and in my view the way it should stay, it’s about match racing. I think the only way the America’s Cup will survive is if teams hone their match racing skills in monohulls. The World Match Racing Tour has been around for 20 years or more and it’s always been the breeding ground for the America’s Cup sailors and should continue to be so. If you look at the

top guys in the America’s Cup like Dean Barker, Jimmy Spithill and Russell Coutts, they’ve all come through the World Match Racing Tour.”

“Can the AC72s be match raced?” Butterworth ponders. “We’ll have to wait and see about that one. I think the guys will, over time, work out how to match race the AC45s. It’s going to take all the regattas in the America’s Cup World Series to try to streamline the match racing. It has taken years of fine tuning to get the rules of match racing to where they are today, and now we’ve just restarted everything again. These multihulls are simply another direction for the discipline of match racing.”

So, for the meantime at least, multihull match racing is here to stay. But it could be all change again in 2013, given the holder of the America’s Cup gets to choose what boats they want to race in.

“Right now it’s very hard to forsee the future,” Butterworth said. “Nothing is sure in our sport. Whoever wins the Cup decides which boats to sail it in, so in 2013 we could see a move back to monohulls. This is a brave new world we’re now in, and who knows what’s going to happen.”

Photo:Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com

WE ARE PROUD OF BEING THE OFFICIAL IT-PARTNER OF THE WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR.

WE ARE PROUD OF BEING THE OFFICIAL IT-PARTNER OF THE WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR

www.sigma.se


VENUE PROFILE

Once upon a time, the tiny Swedish island of Marstrand’s biggest claim to fame was that it was the best place in all of Europe from which to catch herring. How things have changed. Several hundred years on, Marstrand has not only become an uber-cool summer resort but it has also cemented its reputation as one of the world’s premier sailing venues thanks to its stunning scenery, countless inlets and sheltered harbour.

It may be just two kilometres long and one kilometre wide, but Marstrand has set the blueprint for match racing venues, owing to its unique arena-like setting, bringing fans closer to the action than almost anywhere else in the world. Nestled in Sweden’s western archipelago, the rugged coastline surrounding Marstrand Fjord creates a natural showground for racing that was first pioneered by Swedish sailing legend Magnus Holmberg.

An Olympic dinghy sailor, two time America’s Cup veteran and former match racing world champion, Holmberg saw Marstrand’s potential as a world class venue, launching Match Cup Sweden. That was 17 years ago, and this year’s event saw more than 100,000 people swarm to Marstrand to catch the racing from the island’s natural grandstand.

MARVELLOUS MARSTRANDIt’s super cool, it boasts stunning scenery and its natural ‘amphitheatre’ gives crowds a grandstand view of the action. Match Racing 360° asks whether Marstrand could be the greatest match racing venue in the world.

Photo:Loris Von Siebenthal / myimage


“Of course the island of Marstrand has certain limitations to how many people it can hold so I don’t know whether we will see visitor numbers increase massively in the coming years but certainly we will certainly see Marstrand further cement its reputation as one of the world’s best match racing venues.”

Do you know of a top match racing venue you’d like to see featured in Match Racing 360°?If so, contact us at [email protected].

VENUE PROFILE

Photo: Dan Ljungsvik

“Marstrand really is a unique venue for match racing,” explained STENA Match Cup Sweden event promoter Martin Sohtell. “Marstrand has been a sailing mecca since the 19th century when King Oscar II revamped the island into a resort but it wasn’t until Magnus Holmberg brought racing to the island in 1994 that its full potential was realised.

“The racecourse at Marstrand is like a natural amphitheatre. You can have tens of thousands of people sitting on the cliffs with a great view of the gladiatorial battles taking place on the water. It’s also a great spot for sailing because the wind is steady and predominantly west to east – perfect for the location of the racecourse. That said, it’s not an easy place to sail, and some of the world’s best sailors have struggled in Marstrand. Ben Ainslie had a bad result the first time he sailed in Marstrand, as did 2011 STENA Match Cup Sweden winner Ian Williams. It takes some getting to know!”

Just an hour from Gothenburg, Marstrand is one of Sweden’s hottest summer tourist spots – but its success also lies in its appeal to sponsors. Go to any sailing event in Marstrand and its main walkway is transformed into prime promotional real estate lined with stalls and stands. The race boats

also carry sponsor logos, creating unrivalled brand awareness.

“Exposure is key for sponsors,” Sohtell added, “and all the boats at STENA Match Cup Sweden have sponsors’ logos on them, which are then seen by literally thousands of people. It creates great brand awareness for the sponsors. It is also perfect for corporate hospitality and during this year’s STENA Match Cup Sweden we had around 12,000 corporate hospitality guests in Marstrand.”

So, it’s great for sailing, great for spectators and great for sponsors. What, then, does the future hold for Marstrand?

Photo:Loris Von Siebenthal / myimage

GET IT FOR FREE!Can’t get enough of Match Racing 360°?Here at Match Racing 360°, we thrive on the passion, excitement and drama of match racing. We love it, and we know you do too. Throughout the year we will bring you the biggest names from the match racing world, the best commentary and analysis and coverage of match racing events from all over the globe, no matter how big or small. We’ll arm you with the technical know-how to win on the racecourse and we’ll feature your photos too.


TECHNICAL CORNER

THE DIAL-UP

It’s one of the most common pre-start manoeuvres in match racing – and a well-executed one can lead to domination over your opponent before the starting gun has even fired. In the first of our technical features, Match Racing 360° brings you our video guide to the dial-up.

*iPad Application will be available in September

SECONDSIGHT


Earlier this year a team from Great Britain found glory at the Blind Match Racing World Championships in Perth. Match Racing 360° chats to their star skipper Vicki Sheen

Sheen and team on their way to glory in Perth

MR360°: Hi Vicki. Can you tell us a bit about what blind match racing is?VS: It is exactly the same as mainstream match racing except that the crew of the boat are blind. The skipper must be classified totally blind, while the other two may have some residual vision. On each boat there is also a sighted observer whose role it is to call possible collisions, they don’t participate in the actual race at all.

MR360°: How do you navigate the course?VS: Blind match racing is raced on a windward/leeward course and there’s a system of audio buoys. The start line has buoys at each end which both emit very loud, differing sound signals. They’re switched on and off depending on the stage of the race. The boats themselves emit a sound too, and the sound changes as to which tack or gybe you are on.

MR360°: Why is match racing so good for visually impaired people?VS: It is ideal because you only have to focus on the noise of one other boat. If you were watching from a distance you wouldn’t know it was blind match racing. The contact, the manoeuvres, the handling of the boats, the tactics – they’re exactly the same as in mainstream match racing.

MR360°: How do you know when to make important tactical calls?VS: We have developed the skills to

make judgements about distances on the racecourse based on the sounds that are around us, and for some of the crew members some vague glimpses of shapes or changes of light.

MR360°: How did you get into match racing?VS: About 12 years ago I went along to my local yacht club and said I’d be interested in learning to sail. I am very competitive so racing was an obvious step. From there I went to training with the Paralympic squad. Then I got into match racing and it all went from there.

MR360°: Tell us about the IFDS Blind Match Racing World Championships in Perth.VS: We went there as the underdogs. We had done some training with the other GB teams but Nick, Dennis and I had only raced with each other for three days. It was quite scary but we went out there thinking it would be a brilliant experience. At the end of day one we were the only team to have won all four of our races and suddenly went from being the underdogs to being very competitive. When we got through to the final and we won I couldn’t believe it – I kept asking my crew whether that really was the finish line, if they were sure we didn’t have any outstanding penalties, if that was really it.

MR360°: How did it feel to be crowned World Champions?VS: The feeling was incredible, especially as it was never where we expected to be. We had gone to the event hoping to finish around mid-fleet so to win was fantastic.

MR360°: What is next for you and your team? VS: Our total intent and focus is retaining our world title. We’re hoping to bring the Worlds to the UK next year which would be amazing in an Olympic year. Possible venues at the moment include the Solent or up on the Clyde in Scotland.

VICKI SHEENSkipper

Age: 49 Nationality: GBRCrew members:

Nick Donnini (mainsheet trimmer)Dennis Manning (headsail trimmer)

TEAM PROFILE

Helping Winners Win

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www.travelplaces.co.uk

Travel Places is a division of American Express Europe Ltd

At Travel Places we understand the needs of professional sports people. Our long association with some of the top names in sport means that we are constantly striving to make our service better and more accessible to you.

Yachting quite often brings with it difficulties in timings, locations and required flexibility.

You may need to fly to Nice, drive a boat to St Tropez, fly on to an event in Corsica and then return to London. We have an expectation of this and understand that itineraries are rarely easy. We will work on getting you the best connections, with the most flexibility at the best price. No request is too small and we are dedicated to providing a seamless service at every turn.

We have provided a basic guide to some of the bigger events as they approach and this will be updated regularly. We have tried to give you a guide price for flights, accommodation and car hire so that you can work your budget out accordingly.


MATCH RACER OF THE MOMENTNominate a sailor for Match Racer of the Moment by emailing [email protected]

Match Racing 360° chats to newly crowned Swiss national match racing champ Elodie MettrauxName: Elodie Jane MettrauxAge: 26From: Geneva, SwitzerlandTeam: Société Nautique de GenèveRole on boat: Trimmer

MR360°: When did you start sailing?EM: When I was a little girl on my father’s boat on the Lake Léman during holidays.

MR360°: How did you get into match racing?EM: I started match racing with friends two years ago when we entered the Geneva Match Race Selections. I really liked the experience. Then, I tried to find some women to create a team. I always had a problem finding a helmsman who was available. Finally, Eric Monnin introduced me to Alexa Bezel and we began to sail together. Now, with my sister Laurane and Alexa, we have a team.

MR360°: What do you love about match racing?EM: The fact that I learn a lot about sailing doing it! It’s a new challenge for me.

MR360°: What has been your biggest achievement in match racing?EM: Winning the Swiss Match Race in Zug. Thanks to that event I get to go to St Moritz Match Race. I’m still surprised that I’ll be there!

MR360°: How did it feel to win the Swiss Match Racing Qualifier?EM: I was really happy to sail again with the guys from the CER team. I hadn’t sailed with them for two years and I was impressed to see how they had progressed during that time. I was glad they took me with them and happy to win this race with them.

MR360°: Are you looking forward to competing against the best teams in the world at St Moritz Match Race?EM: Yes! But I’m also looking forward to participating in a few matches with the team before St Moritz so we are prepared.

MR360°: You already beat Eric Monnin this season – is there anyone you particularly want to beat at St Moritz?EM: Yes, everyone! It would be great to win at least a few matches… But we are racing against the best teams in the world, so it will be hard.

MR360°: You’re going to be the only woman sailor at St Moritz Match Race – how do you feel about that?EM: How lucky I am!

MR360°: What are your thoughts on Women’s Match Racing? Should there be a women’s division in the World Match Racing Tour after the Olympics?EM: Yes, it would be great if there was a women’s division to the World Match Racing Tour so the teams who were put together for the Olympics could continue in match racing at a high level. And the same form for women and men is a good thing.

MR360°: What are your goals for the future?EM: Keep sailing, keep learning.

MR360°: Who is your match racing hero?EM: My brother would say Ben Ainslie… and so would I.

Elodie and her team.Photo: Juerg Kaufmann / www.juergkauffman.com

Elodie and her team.Photo: Juerg Kaufmann / www.juergkauffman.com


Vladivostok in Russia plays host to Grade 2 match race event the Seven Feet Cup.

Struggling to tame the beast in wild

conditions at the Nations Cup in

Poland.

Boat-on-boat action from the GoPro

Match Cup at Chicago Match Race

Centre.

Friendly match racing at Indian

River Yacht Club, Florida.Silja Lehtinen en route to victory at the

Weymouth and Portland International

Regatta.

Teams tacking to avoid pelicans at the Governor’s Cup at Balboa Yacht Club in California

Tight action at the Mumbai

International Match Race.

Great racing and stunning scenery

combine at Royal St George Yacht Club’s

Ireland vs the World event in Dublin.

Photo:

Brian Carlin / Cbe Images

Photo: Thom Touw

Jake La Dow, Jake Reynolds, Nevin Snow victorious at San Diego Yacht Club’s Governor’s Cup.

POLAROID PINBOARD

Ian Williams and Team GAC Pindar

storm to success at the STENA Match

Cup Sweden.Women match races go head to head at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club’s York Cup.

Photo: RCYC Match Racing

Photo: Pawel Koperski Photo: Mary Longpre

Photo: Dan Ljungsvik / SCMS


As classic match races go, it doesn’t get any more so than the America’s Cup

final in 1987. It was the last ever outing in the America’s Cup for the majestic 12-metre class – but on the racecourse it was as brutal as ever. Four years previously Dennis Conner – known as Mr America’s Cup with two successful defences already under his belt – was charged with defending the Cup but was stung badly, beaten by Alan Bond’s Australia II. For the first time since 1851 the Cup left American hands.

Clash of the Titans – the Day the Cup Came HomeBy 1987, Conner was back with a vengeance in Stars and Stripes 87 and made it clear early on that he would be taking no prisoners. During the early stage of 1987, Conner had destroyed the competition – made up of 25 boats from six countries – in the Louis Vuitton Cup to win the right to race in the final of the Americ a’s Cup. Fremantle, Australia, was the setting for the big clash against Iain Murray’s Kookaburra III and what a clash it was. The notorious ‘Fremantle Doctor’ breeze blew strong in the afternoons creating testing conditions for man and boat but it was Conner who triumphed with a 4-0 shut-out victory.

Already a legend in America’s Cup history, Conner further secured his place by becoming the first skipper ever to win the Cup, lose it and win it back again.

FLASHBACK

Photos:Gilles Martin-Raget / www.americascup.com

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Events

GRADE 2 & 3 Events

Korea Match CupGyeonggi, Korea 07/06/2011 – 12/06/2011Grade W 1) Bjorn Hansen (SWE) 2) Francesco Bruni (ITA) 3) Ian Williams (GBR)

Stena Match Cup SwedenOpen divisionMarstrand, Sweden04/07/2011 – 10/07/2011Grade W 1) Ian Williams (GBR) 2) Bjorn Hansen (SWE) 3) Jesper Radich (DEN)

Stena Match Cup Sweden Women’s Trophy Marstrand, Sweden04/07/2011 – 10/07/2011Grade 1 1) Claire Leroy (FRA) 2) Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) 3) Ekaterina Skudina (RUS)

Internationaux de France de Match Racing Many Minard Trophy 2011Pornichet, France27/07/2011 – 31/07/2011Grade 1 1) Mads Ebler (DEN) 2) Francois Morvan (FRA) 3) Eric Monnin (SUI)

GRADE 4 & 5 Events

Seven Feet CupVladivostok, Russia

13/07/2011 – 17/07/2011

Grade 2

1) William Tiller (NZL)

2) Laurie Jury (NZL)

3) Vladimir Lipavksy (RUS)

Volvo Match Race Cup - Swiss Match Race Zug, Switzerland

02/06/2011 – 05/06/2011

Grade 3

1) Jerome Clerc (SUI)

2) Alain Stettler (SUI)

3) Eric Monnin (SUI)

Aker Byrgge MatchOslo, Norway

11/06/2011 – 12/06/2011

Grade 3

1) Rasmus Viltoft (DEN)

2) Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN)

3) Martin Boidin (DEN)

Polish Open AZolta, Poland

15/06/2011 – 16/06/2011

Grade 3

1) Kararzyna Pic (POL)

2) Marek Stanczyk (POL)

3) Filip Pietrazak (POL)

CMRC Chicago Open (A)Chicago, USA

24/06/2011 – 25/06/2011

Grade 3

1) Nevin Snow (USA)

2) Stephanie Roble (USA)

3) Donald Wilson (USA)

Lyon Grand Prix Match RaceLyon, France

26/06/2011 – 27/06/2011

Grade 3

1) Peter Nicholas (AUS)

2) Martin Boidin (DEN)

3) Lorenz Muelle (SUI)

Sony Ericsson Match RacePirita, Estonia

02/07/2011 – 03/07/2011

Grade 3

1) Mati Sepp (EST)

2) Jan Mattsson (FIN)

3) Alekxander Karboinov (EST)

CMRC Eurex Match CupChicago, USA

08/07/2011 – 10/07/2011

Grade 3

1) Taylor Canfield (ISV)


3) Jordan Reece (AUS)

CMRC Eurex Match CupChicago, USA

08/07/2011 – 10/07/2011

Grade 3

1) Taylor Canfield (ISV)


3) Jordan Reece (AUS)

Campeonato de Match Race “Laguna Setubal”Santa Fe, Argentina04/06/2011 – 05/06/2011Grade 4 1) Nicolas Vottero (ARG) 2) Diego Baialardo (ARG) 3) Sebastian Cristina (ARG)

Turgoyak CupTurgoyak Lake, Russia17/06/2011 – 19/06/2011Grade 4 1) Aleksei Stupka (RUS) 2) Sergey Kataev (RUS) 3) Pavel Sozykin (RUS)

Captain John Piper Match Racing RegattaAustralia25/06/2011 – 02/07/2011Grade 4 1) Ashlen Rooklyn (AUS) 2) Edward Hackney (AUS) 3) Jay Griffin (AUS)

USMRC Area GHJL QualifierSan Francisco, USA09/07/2011 – 10/07/2011Grade 4 1) Carson Reynolds (USA) 2) Nevin Snow (USA) 3) Chris Nesbitt (USA)

Oakcliff Youth ClinegattaNew York, USA14/07/2011 – 17/07/2011Grade 4 1) Clinton Hayes (USA) 2) James French (GBR) 3) Peter Miller (BER)

Ravenna MatchRavenna, Italy 23/07/2011 – 24/07/2011Grade 4 1) Pietro Corbucci (ITA) 2) Marco Milan (SUI) 3) Carlo Mazzini (ITA)

Campionato Match Race Golgo di SalernoSalernitano, Italy 11/06/2011 – 12/06/2011Grade 5 1) David Gallo (ITA) 2) Roberto Guerrasio (ITA) 3) Marcella Amato (ITA)

Match Race Thailand Cup 5Pattaya, Thailand02/07/2011Grade 5 1) Morten Jakobsen (THA) 2) Ai Li Ng (MAS) 3) Nicholas Henley (GBR)

W.A State Match Racing ChampionshipsFreshwater Bay, Australia30/07/2011 – 31/07/2011Grade 5 1) Peter Nicholas (AUS) 2) David Gilmour (AUS) 3) Brad Sheridan (AUS)

GRADE 1 Events


2011 LEADERBOARD RESULTS

RESULTS

ISAF GRADE W - WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Events

St Moritz Match Race – World Match Racing Tour St Moritz, Switzerland30/08/2011 – 04/09/2011Grade Wwww.stmoritz-matchrace.ch

Argo Group Gold Cup – World Match Racing Tour Hamilton, Bermuda04/10/2011 – 09/10/2011Grade Wwww.bermudagoldcup.com

Monsoon Cup – World Match Racing Tour Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia22/11/2011 – 27/11/2011Grade Wwww.monsooncup.com.my

2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships Perth, Australia 03/12/2011 – 18/12/2011Grade Wwww.perth2011.com

ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final Sheboygan, USA13/09/2011 – 18/09/2011Grade 1www.sailing.org/nationscup

Chicago Grade 1 Match Race Lake Michigan, USA28/09/2011 – 1/10/2011 Grade 1chicagocup.org/

Rolex Osprey Cup St Petersburg, USA05/10/2011 – 08/10/2011Grade 1www.spyc.org/

Busan Women’s International Match RaceHaeundae, Korea 25/10/2011 – 30/10/2011Grade 1www.bsaf.or.kr/

Berlin Match RaceLake Wannsee, Germany03/11/2011 – 06/11/2011Grade 1www.vsaw.de/

GRADE 1 Events


CALENDAR

Got an event you want listed in the Match Racing 360° calendar? Email us at [email protected].

GRADE 2 & 3 Events

GRADE 4 & 5 Events

Antibes CupAntibes, France29/09/2011 – 01/10/2011Grade 2www.voilecotedazur.com/cdv06/

Porto Alegre Match Race Cup – Campeonato Iberoamericano de Match Race OpenPorto Alegre, Brazil22/11/2011 – 25/11/2011Grade 2www.vds.com.br/

Australian Youth Match Racing ChampionshipsFreshwater Bay, Australia06/09/2011 – 11/09/2011Grade 3www.rfbyc.asn.au/

Delta Lloyd Open Dutch Sailing Championships Medemblik, Netherlands 16/09/2011 – 18/09/2011Grade 3www.opendutchsailing.org/

Canadian Match Racing ChampionshipsToronto, Canada24/09/2011 – 26/09/2011Grade 3www.rcyc.ca/Doc-Types/Fleets/Match-Racing.aspx

New Zealand Match Racing Championships Auckland, New Zealand 09/11/2011 – 13/11/2011Grade 3www.rnzys.org.nz/

Musto International Youth Match Racing Championships Sydney, Australia 21/11/2011 -25/11/2011Grade 3www.cyca.com.au/

Christmas Match RacesBrindisi, Italy 10/12/2011 – 11/12/2011Grade 3www.circolovelabrindisi.it/

Omega Sport Polish Match Racing Championship Zlota Glora, Poland 10/09/2011 – 11/09/2011 Grade 4www.openyachting.pl/

Autumn Match RaceRavenna, Italy 08/10/2011 – 09/10/2011Grade 4www.cvr.ra.it/

RYA National Match Racing Championships Qualifier 1Queen Mary’s Sailing Club, Great Britain 22/10/2011 – 23/10/2011Grade 4www.rya.org.uk/

Sailing Centre Summer Grade 5 Series Pirita, Estonia 19/09/2011 – 20/09/2011Grade 5www.sailingcenter.ee/

GSYS Match 1Lidingo, Sweden 24/09/2011Grade 5matchracing.nu/Documents/Files/MatchRacing/Tavlingar2011/Match1/NoR%20Match%201.pdf

An intense rivalry for one world championship title

Match Race FranceMarseille, France

Match Race Germany Langenargen, Germany

Korea Match CupGyeonggi, Korea

Monsoon CupTerengganu, Malaysia

Argo Group Gold CupHamilton, Bermuda

Portimão Portugal Match CupPortimão, Portugal

STENA Match Cup SwedenMarstrand, Sweden

St Moritz Match RaceSt Moritz, Switzerland

2011 ISAF World Match Racing Tour CalendarStage 1 Match Race France 10 - 15 May Marseille, FranceStage 2 Match Race Germany 24 – 29 May Langenargen, GermanyStage 3 Korea Match Cup 7 - 12 June Gyeonggi, South KoreaStage 4 Portimão Portugal Match Cup 22 - 26 June Portimão, PortugalStage 5 Stena Match Cup Sweden 4 - 10 July Marstrand, SwedenStage 6 St Moritz Match Race 30 Aug - 4 Sept St Moritz, SwitzerlandStage 7 Argo Group Gold Cup 3 - 9 Oct Hamilton, BermudaStage 8 Monsoon Cup 22 - 27 Nov Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

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Tomorrow’s World

It’s vital to get kids into match racing at an early age to keep the sport alive. The sailing federations around the globe are mostly funded by Olympic

committees so they naturally push youngsters towards Olympic classes, which produces very talented young sailors but very few of them get as far as an Olympic campaign. Match racing is a great alternative to dinghy racing that appeals to kids because of the short races, the intensity of the races and the fact that you sail as part of a team. More than often the boats are provided, so it’s not expensive like a dinghy campaign.

Sailing legend Magnus Holmberg joins Match Racing 360° as our first guest columnist to explain the importance of getting youngsters excited about match racing.

Magnus HolmbergPhoto: Gareth Cooke/Sub Zero Images

Photo: Dan Ljungsvik / Stena Match Cup Sweden

GUEST COLUMNIST

I started Match Cup Sweden in 1994 but having attended the last few years I realised that there isn’t really much young Swedish match racing talent coming through. For a youth sailor the route to an Olympic campaign is fairly well recognised with quite a bit of funding but it’s not always clear about how to get into match racing and get proper training. Off the back of that I started a youth programme with the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club and the Swedish Sailing Federation for match racing so that aspiring match racers have a route to follow. There are a lot of kids who, once they have finished their time in dinghies, quit sailing altogether because there is nowhere else for them to go and that’s really sad.

We hold a training programme where kids can pay a small amount of money to be coached by me and Australian skipper Keith Swinton in our fleet of boats. We teach them how to match race and get them used to sailing bigger boats. It’s not just about coaching on the water but also about giving them advice about how to progress their match racing careers. Match racing has so many benefits and we should be doing all we can to encourage youngsters to get involved.

An intense rivalry for one world championship title

Match Race FranceMarseille, France

Match Race Germany Langenargen, Germany

Korea Match CupGyeonggi, Korea

Monsoon CupTerengganu, Malaysia

Argo Group Gold CupHamilton, Bermuda

Portimão Portugal Match CupPortimão, Portugal

STENA Match Cup SwedenMarstrand, Sweden

St Moritz Match RaceSt Moritz, Switzerland

2011 ISAF World Match Racing Tour CalendarStage 1 Match Race France 10 - 15 May Marseille, FranceStage 2 Match Race Germany 24 – 29 May Langenargen, GermanyStage 3 Korea Match Cup 7 - 12 June Gyeonggi, South KoreaStage 4 Portimão Portugal Match Cup 22 - 26 June Portimão, PortugalStage 5 Stena Match Cup Sweden 4 - 10 July Marstrand, SwedenStage 6 St Moritz Match Race 30 Aug - 4 Sept St Moritz, SwitzerlandStage 7 Argo Group Gold Cup 3 - 9 Oct Hamilton, BermudaStage 8 Monsoon Cup 22 - 27 Nov Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

SAIL RACING / PRINT

FILE NAME: SR.P.EPS SAIL RACING / PRINT

FILE NAME: SR.P.EPS

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facebook.com/worldmatchracingtourhttp://onlinestore.sailracing.com/

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