World Match Racing Tour announce new championship format

The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) has announced its 20th anniversary season including a new championship format awarding points from all events towards the annual match racing world title.

GKSS Match Cup Sweden also re-joins the tour as the third World Championship event of the series, alongside Long Beach Yacht Club’s Congressional Cup® Regatta, and the Argo Group Gold Cup hosted by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.

Under new ownership since last year, WMRT returns to its ‘event host’ model, bringing together a series of independent match racing events around the world as part of the annual world tour.

The 2020 WMRT season will comprise two levels of events – ‘World Tour’ events and ‘World Championship’ events. All events will be organised under World Sailing rules as ‘Open’ match racing events allowing both men and women teams, as well as mixed teams to enter.

The ‘World Championship’ level events will award higher points and prize money of at least USD75,000.

California’s Long Beach Yacht Club will host the opening event of the 2020 Tour at the 56th edition of the club’s Congressional Cup® Regatta, 29 April – 3 May.

2020 also marks the 70th competition of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club’s Argo Group Gold Cup for the King Edward VII trophy (11-16 May).

At stake is the oldest trophy awarded for match race sailing in one-design sailboats and a USD$100,000 prize purse.

Continuing a partnership that began in 2008, title sponsor Argo Group returns for the 11th time.

Heading to Europe in early July, GKSS Match Cup Sweden will host the Tour’s third World Championship event on the rocky shores of Marstrand island on Sweden’s west coast.

2020 World Match Racing Tour Schedule

1. The Ficker Cup, Long Beach CA, USA, 24-26 April
2. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Event – The Congressional Cup® Regatta, Long Beach, California, USA 29 April – 3 May
3. Porto Montenegro Match Race, Montenegro, 8-10 May
4. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Event – Argo Gold Cup, Bermuda 11-16 May
5. Slovenia Match Race Cup, Portorož, Slovenija, 14-17 May
6. NJK Open Spring Cup, Finland, 22-24 May
7. Match Race Germany, Langenargen, Germany 27 May – 1 June
8. Świnoujście Match Race – Polish Match Tour, Poland, 18-21 June
9. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Event – GKSS Match Cup Sweden, 1-5 July  
10. Internationaux de France de Match Racing, France, 23-26 July
11. Baltic Match Race, Estonia, 29 July – 1 August
12. AIRCALIN Match Race, Noumea, New Caledonia, 8-11 Aug
13. Chicago Grand Slam, Chicago, USA 14-16 Aug
14. International Match Race for the Detroit Cup, USA, 19-23 Aug
15. Oakcliff International, Oyster Bay, USA, 27-31 Aug
16. Thompson Cup, Oyster Bay, USA, 2-5 Sept
17. DBS Marina Bay Cup, Singapore, 17-20 Sept
18. WMRT FINAL – TBA Nov/Dec