Top skippers to Marseille

Grade one match racing heads for southern France next month

For the third consecutive year, the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) have entrusted the Yachting Club de la Pointe Rouge (YCPR) with the organisation of the Marseille International Match Race (MIMR). Following on from Act One of the America's Cup last year this Grade 1 event will take place on 16-20 March and the elite of the America’s Cup world are expected to return.

The line-up includes Ed Baird, former match racing world champion and a member of Team Alinghi , Chris Dickson, skipper of the BMW Oracle Racing team, Philippe Presti, helmsman of Le Défi, Sébastien Col, tactician aboard K-Challenge, plus another former match racing world champion Karol Jablonski, a member of the Italian challenger, ‘+39’ and twice winner of the MIMR.

The line-up

Ed Baird
Mathieu Richard
Karol Jablonski
Philippe Presti
Ian Williams
Paolo Cian
Staffan Lindberg
Sébastien Col
Dimitri Deruelle
Chris Dickson

In a new initiative by the YCPR - working in partnership with the Office de la Mer - the hope is bring match racing to a wider audience. For the week of the regatta an especially chartered boat will carry spectators close to the action and Match Racing expert will be on hand to describe the events as they unfold:
- Thursday and Friday are reserved for the schoolchildren of the region
- Tickets for everybody will be on sale for Saturday and Sunday: 3 € per adult and free for children under 12