OFFICIAL ISAF GRADE 1 WORLD SAILING EVENT MATCH RACE GERMANY 2016 www.matchrace.de ISAF MATCH RACING GRADE 1 EVENT MATCH RACE WORLD SAILING EVENT ISAF MATCH RACING GRADE 1 EVENT MATCH RACE WORLD SAILING EVENT WHAT IS MATCH RACING Match racing IS THE greatest show ON water! It is a competition that places two boats, experienced skippers and crews against each other in a great sailing duel, from which there is only one winner. There is no second place. Crews sail against each other in two identically matched boats up to 40 feet in length. Match racing also has its own set of rules, which are subtly different from fleet racing rules. The competition is tremendously exciting to participate in. The crews are aggressive in their strategy and the boats stay close to each other with collisions coming thick and fast. To resolve the inevitable disputes, Match Racing uses on-the-water-umpires to hand out ‘instant justice’. 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. MATCH RACING RULES When the wind comes across the boats on opposite sides, the boat with the wind on the left (port) side must give way to the boat with the wind on the right (starboard) side. When the wind comes across the boats on the same side and they are not THE STARTING SEQUENCE overlapped, the boat behind (clear astern) must keep clear of the boat (MINUTES BEFORE RACE StartS) (clear) ahead. When the wind comes across the boats on the same side and they are overlapped, the boat on the windward (upwind) side must keep clear of the other leeward (downwind) boat. 7 5 4 1 Umpires follow each race and make instant penalty decisions. A green and white flag means no penalty but a yellow or blue flag means the boat in the match with the corresponding flag flying on the back of their boat must The flags above are flown on the take a penalty before finishing. A penalty turn when sailing towards the wind committee boat during a match race means turning the stern of the boat through the wind and when sailing away event. The numbers on the flags from the wind a penalty is taken when the boat turns the bow through the indicate the minutes before the race wind. starts. Protest Flag (Code Y Flag) Green & White Flag Red Flag Protest flag flown by competitor. Flown by umpire. Flown by umpire. A competitor requests a decision from An umpire signalling that there isn’t An umpire signalling the Red Flag the on-water umpires believing a rule any penalty “NO PENALTY” to action. together with blue or yellow flag: has been broken. indicates that boat must perform a penalty turn immediately. Yellow Flag Blue Flag Black Flag Flown by umpire. Flown by umpire. Flown by umpire. Penalty signal from umpires Penalty signal from umpires An umpire signalling the Black Flag or premature start (from race or premature start (from race together with blue or yellow flag: committee) on yellow-flagged boat committee) on blue-flagged boat indicates that the boat is disqualified (flag on backstay). (flag on backstay). from the match in progress THE ART OF MATCH RACING #everymovecounts C) 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 gybe away, creating heart- pounding onboard action - and spectacular sailing - as crews furiously match each other manouevers. B) Windward LEG On the course the boats D) DROPPING THE commence an upwind SPINNAKER battle; the lead boat spilling At the bottom mark the same turbulent air off its sails overlap rules apply and the action to slow the boat behind. intensifies as crews drop the Furious tacking spinnaker and prepare the boat for is likely to ensue with the the next leg while the skipper jostles latter trying to force a crew for position. 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 at E) TO THE FINISH two lengths from the mark, The race will last two or forcing the lead boat to give sometimes three laps room which usually means before the boats head for relinquishing its lead. the finish line (same as the start line) where the battle ends. Often the race will go all the way to the line with neither boat giving up until the winners coloured flag (blue or yellow) is flown from the race committee boat. A) THE start IS CRITICAL The starting sequence begins with a 7-minute gun followed 2 minutes later by a 5 minute signal. At 4 minutes the boats enter the pre-start area and begin an intricate, heated dogfight, with the two boats engaging in a furious one-on-one battle to gain the leading position on the start line. The countdown continues with a 1-minute gun then the starting signal, at which point the boats are allowed to cross starting line and head off around the course. BOWMAN The bowman who is responsible for sail changes at the front of the boat. He is the “eye at the front”. The bowman must be athletic and possess the ability to move about the front of the boat with ease and speed. TRIMMER The trimmer controls the smaller head or front sail. On the downwind leg, he will work closely with the pitman in controlling the spinnaker. PITMAN The pitman assists the trimmer in winching in the headsail & spinnaker. He controls most of the ropes that will shape the sails. MAINSHEET TRIMMER The mainsheet trimmer controls the largest sail onboard where most of the speed is centered. The mainsheet trimmer works closely with the skipper to ensure the maximum speed potential is gained from his sail. SKIPPER The skipper (or helmsman) is the team leader or captain on the yacht whose job not only involves steering the boat around the course but will make the final decisions regarding tactics and strategy during the course of the race. ISAF RANKING ISAF WORLD SAILING The ISAF World Match Race Rankings were introduced in 1989 and measure the performance of over 2000 skippers to identify the world’s most consistent performers. There are two divisions - Open and Women. To gain women’s match racing ranking poinst all crew members shall be women. The Rankings rate skippers based on their performances at ISAF Graded events over the 24 month period prior to the release date of the Rankings. Skippers score points by competing a Graded Events with the highest points awarded to the event winner and decreasing down. THE WORLD’S BEST SAILORS Russell Coutts BEN AINSLIE 4 x America’s Cup winning Skipper 5 x Olympic Gold Medalist 6 Tour event titles 1 x ISAF Match Racing World Champion “The World Match Racing Tour is one 6 Tour event titles of the best ways to prepare for America’s Cup racing.” “The World Match Racing Tour has organized a series of events into a professional series offering the best sailing competition and environment our sport has to offer.” IAN WILLIAMS PETER GILMOUR 5 x ISAF Match Racing World 4 x ISAF Match Racing World Champion Champion 10 Tour event titles 16 Tour event titles “Excited to be chasing the likes of “The Tour is one of the best leagues Baird, Dickson, Coutts and Gilmour, that prepares younger sailors to who have won the championships compete with professional sailors like many times over” us” HISTORY OF MATCH RACING 18 YEARS OF SUCCESS AND EXCELLENCE The history of Match Racing dates back to 1660 when the first sail off taking place in the United Kingdom between King Charles II and his brother James, Duke of York. The race was from Greenwich to Gravesend and back for a prize of 100 guineas. Much later in the late 1930’s, the competition of match racing evolved with the introduction of ‘one-design’ yachts held at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club for the King Edward VII Gold Cup. The interest of match racing grew stronger when three prestigious match racing cup came together. The Congressional Cup in Long Beach, California and the Royal Lymington Cup in the United Kingdom came together with the King Edward VII Gold Cup to form a series of match racing events. This series of events survived through to the early 1970’s. In 1985, the first World Match Racing Conference was established to supervise on the ruling and restrictions of all match racing regattas. The series received new interest with the introduction of the Faberge Egg award in 1995, a series of events where a competitor had to win three out of five events to win the highest prize money of USD250,000. Having all regattas under the watchful eye of the International Yacht Racing Ian Williams from Great Britain, skipper Union, the governing body was renamed a year later to the International of Team GAC Pindar, wins the 2014 Alpari Sailing Federation (ISAF) and set up a new classification for match racing. World Match Racing Tour. With Brut leaving as the main sponsor for the Faberge Egg series, Swedish tobacco company Swedish Match AB became the new title sponsor of the series and formed the Swedish Match Grand Prix Sailing Tour in 1998.