Match Racing

You should be Sailing !



Did you ever wonder what it feels like to sail in the America's Cup races? You can with our Match Racing competitions! We provide the boats ( J-24s), lunch, plus prizes at the end. The races are short (15 minutes or so) so you'll get in 8 -10 races a day.

We sponsor periodic match racing events in, two day, double round robin tournaments.





Match Racers! - use our events to hone up your skills for the big events or to gain more points for your rankings. All our events are ISAF graded events.

Fleet Racers! - try your hand at match racing and radically improve your boat handling skills and your knowledge of the rules.

What is match racing?
It is probably accurate to state that everybody has heard of match racing and knows that it is something special but most people are not sure what match racing actually is.
Well, here it is. Match racing is a race between 2 identical and equally matched boats. The race is normally short (about 25 min) and sailed on a windward/leeward course, finishing downwind. An umpire boat with two umpires stays in close proximity to the boats during the race and makes immediate decisions on protest situations, giving penalties to boats as they infringe the rules. The object of the game is to sail aggressively against your competitor, giving him or her penalties an ideally also winning the start and ultimately winning the race.
Match racing has a special pre start sequence which forces the two boats to "lock horns", one coming from port, and other starboard, at a specific moment 4 minutes before the start.
Because races are so short, typically in any one match racing event, teams can have as many as 8 or 10 races over one weekend, thus giving you more starts, more mark roundings, spinnaker hoists and gibes in one weekend than you would normally have over an entire summer of racing.
Match racing is adrenaline pumping, addictive and radicially improves your boat handling skills and your knowledge of the racing rules because you spend so much time within a few feet of your competitor.

How do I get an international ranking?
Generally, it is difficult to get into the match racing scene unless you are already ranked on the ISAF world match racing ranking list. Our events are graded with the ISAF, which means that once we send our results to the ISAF you will get a ranking. Suddenly you not only have been initiated into the most addictive aspect of racing, but you are also somebody in the world scene and have opened up your chances to get invited to a big name event.

When/Where/How does it happen?
We run about 6 match racing weekends every year, 3 in the spring, and 3 in the Autumn. Check our Latest News page for upcoming dates. We are based at The Tides resort in Irvington, Virginia.

We provide everything you need for the event, specifically:
The boats, J24's fully equipped, including spinnakers.
The umpires and umpire boats.
The organization - race committee, daily briefing, crew changeover boats, spectator boats, prizes.
Lunch, unless you prefer to bring your own.
A full briefing and explanation of how the prestart works, how the umpiring and penalty system works.

All you have to do is to get your team together (4 or 5 people, specifically a max. of 400 kilos) pay your entry fee, register, and arrive on time for an action packed weekend of match racing.

Typical weekend program
Saturday: Briefing at 8.30am. First race starts at 9.30am. Racing continues until approx. 4.30pm depending on weather conditions - lunch is taken on the water. While some teams are racing the other teams are watching from the crew spectator boat. Dinner at a local restaurant is organized for some fun on Sat. night.

Sunday: Much the same at Saturday. The double round robins are completed, and finals raced, and then the prize giving by about 4pm.