Match Race Center

We've been in contact with Brad Read about what is going on with the rumors of a J-80-based Match Race Academy of sorts. Brad has been great getting back to us (nobody wants the wrath of Sailing Anarchy scorned!) and gave us this update. More as we get it. The Ed.

There are a bunch of young Americans who are very committed to the match race circuit. There is no one place that these sailors can train that has a match race "program". The Scandinavians / Danes / Northern Europeans have developed what are best described as Match Race Centers which are churning out the world's best small boat match racers. (Most of the top 10 ranked match racers in the world are products of these Match Race Centers).

While the US has developed some of the best fleet racers in the World of Sailing, and although some of our best sailors have had good results in the Swedish Match Tour, there is a demand for programs that are specifically developed for training match racers. Sailors love the discipline, and we are in a good position to offer the program to the beginning match racer, right up to the likes of Andy Horton and Mason Woodworth that are right now rising stars in US Match Racing.

Sail Newport is a 501 c 3 Non profit that is in the business of making sailors. We excel in introductory sailing programs for youth and adults. We are studying the possibilities of a Match Race Program that is set up much like the Europeans with 4-6 purpose built boats (such as the J/80) that will be available on a year round basis for teams to match race in. Our theory is that you allow as many as 16-20 teams to register for a "season" . Using a rotating schedule, (using both round robin and ladder events) we can cater to the advanced and the introductory match racer. With the talent we have in Newport at the high end and the desire for people to learn how to match race, we feel it could be very successful.

Major portions of the Match Race Center would involve training RC and umpires, running multiple grade 1, 2 and 3 events throughout the year, and the future development of a "major" stop on the Swedish Match Tour.

Bottom line. There is no place in the US for "up and coming" match race teams to train. Through a careful and thoughtful process, we will end up with a system that can encourage the entry level match racer and provide a way for those wishing to reach the highest level of the Match Race discipline to do so.

We will have a limited program up and running in J/22's for 2003 and with some luck and creativity, we will have (4) 26' (ish) One Designs specifically acquired for our Match Race Center by Spring 2004. We have put out a notice to all J/80 owners that we are looking for inexpensive used boats or tax-deductible donations to Sail Newport. Not much to report right now on that front...We just need to get the Stock Market going again so people NEED tax deductions!

We'll keep you posted on how we are doing making these ideas reality.

Sincerely,

Brad Read
Executive Director
Sail Newport