World Match Racing Tour returns to Europe

Match Race France gets underway next week

The World Match Racing Tour starts next week in Marseille with Match Race France running from 6–11 April at Yacht Club Pointe Rouge. This is the second time Marseille has hosted the WMRT, the area blessed with excellent match racing courses and is a much loved destination for stars of the sailing world. The diverse range of competitors includes young hot shot Torvar Mirsky (AUS) of Mirsky Racing Team, match race legend Bertrand Pacé (FRA) of Aleph Sailing and WMRT regular Mathieu Richard (FRA) of the French Match Racing Team.

Marseille will be catering to local Tour fans as well as the general public; the racing can be viewed from just 50 metres off Escale Borely Beach and depending on weather conditions the boats will be within touching distance of the break water.

Dimitri Deruelle, match racing coach said: “New for 2010 we will have the finals weekend dedicated to an entertainment village at Escale Borely Beach. The public will have a range of onshore activities available from remote control boats to a knots workshop and free access to a spectator boat as well as being able to follow the match racing live on the giant outdoor screen with 3D virtual images with commentary by professional match racers. The daily action will be rounded off by a public press conference with the racing skippers so everyone can really understand first hand the thrills of on the water wins and losses”.

Match Race France’s competitor line-up includes 12 skippers from six different nations. The racing will be intense including the current top five 2009 WMRT standing skippers as well as others such as Azzurra's Francesco Bruni from Italy who will be racing fresh from his recent win at the Congressional Cup and is a hot favourite for anther win in Marseille.

Also back is the reigning ISAF Match Racing World Champion, Emirates Team New Zealand's Adam Minoprio, who said: “the Tour is a great springboard for all sailors but as they say, you first have to walk before you run, and it is this entrance opportunity that is incredibly rare in the elite match racing world that is very much advocated through annual wild cards offered to those who deserve to experience certain events and show their skills.”

Peter Gilmour, Acting President of World Match Racing Tour commented: “The World Match Racing Tour has already developed considerably since the start of 2010, we now have a new Asian based ownership, an adjusted Tour Card entry system, an additional event venue in Vietnam, improved website and an annual awards programme dedicated to not only the sailors but all the organisers that make WMRT events possible. We are all now keen to get Match Race France started this April and are looking forward to how the Tour will be the topic of conversation for the next 9 months across 10 events in the world. I wish each team the best of luck for their 2010 racing and may the very best team win!”

Match Race France, Official Skipper Line Up:

Adam Minoprio (NZL) BlackMatch
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team
Ben Ainslie (GBR) TEAMORIGIN
Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing
Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team
Sébastien Col (FRA) ALL4ONE
Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Italia
Philippe Presti (FRA) French Match Racing Team
Francesco Bruni (ITA) Azzurra
Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA)
Bertrand Pacé (FRA) Aleph Sailing Team
Gian Luca Perris (MON)