Match Racing in Catamarans, is it the future?

[Arnold Davis]

After speaking to several of last year's and a couple of this year's competitors from the Little America's Cup, they all raved about the format of match racing catamarans.

Why don't we have more catamaran match race events? Someone could put together a circuit with 2-3 (3rd as spare) catamarans to present to various sponsors at various locations. The F-18HTs seem to be great boats for this and they fit into a support trailer (see below). However, I think that the boats should be set up identically (without all the mods seen in this year's LAC). Yes, you would need 2-3 support boats (local?), a couple of judges, and the normal regatta gear. One large trailer could carry the boats, the flags, marks, and gear from local to local. Support of local businesses (sponsors) could supply the necessary skiffs and committee boat.

This could be a great traveling road show. Say from Miami in the winter, Annapolis in the spring, then Newport, the Great Lakes, to the West Coast, and then through the Gulf area and back to Miami.

In the 80's there was a "Bar Series" in Deleware, complete with prise money and each resturant would take turns putting on the event, as well as sponsoring their own team. Prize money was put up and everyone had fun. I envision something like this, but grown (eventually) into a larger scale. The new format would involve match racing, as opposed to fleet racing. I think that this could be great publicity for catamaran sailing in general.

Prize money would be raised by the sponsors, so that higher level sailors would be attracted. This could be a build up to the LAC. With proper website coverage (lots of photos and video) and upcomming internet sailing station (see Cat Sailor Mag this month), people could root for their favorite teams.

Last year in Newport, there was a very large trailer supporting the LAC in which three F18HTs could be placed, as well as all the gear for the regatta. Put the logos on and hit the circuit! It would be the traveling road show.

What do you think?

[Bill Vining]

Arnold,
That idea sounds great. Are you volunteering to manage that project?

You will have the full support of the HT class if you do.

We have actually discussed seriously a travelling trailor like the one you saw in Newport. The idea was that the cost of a trailer would be split between 4, 6 or 8 people and then the expense of moving between regattas would be shared also. We got as close as pricing this model out and didnt have enough interested parties to make it reasonable. Sponsorship would make it much easier.

The black trailer is WF's and he uses it for his personal use. The Class has a 6 boat open trailer that supports regattas on the east coast.

Bill Vining

[Maurizio G]

Arnold,

I share yr opinion.
The match racing on monohulls is too largely exploited nowadays. There are events every weeks (Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3) for professional and amateur sailors.
The ICCT is the ONLY match racing event on catamaran (the ICCC is not a matchracing event in my opinion).
The match racing on catamaran has a great future ahead. The only problem is SPONSORSHIP.
It is very hard to find companies willing to invest on catamaran racing.
The W1000 was a GREAT event, but due to the lack of sponporship and poor management is no more alive.
Sponsorship problems prevented the Italians to attend the 2004 ICCT.
If only we can get a big sponsorship contract, the US 18HT class could easily manage the organisation.

[Ralph]

Bendigo ran a Match Race Regatta in 2011 with C2s as the weapon of choice. In 2012 the F16 VIPER was used.

AUDI CENTRE BENDIGO MATCH RACE REGATTA REPORT

The Audi Centre Bendigo Match Racing Shield was on the line during the weekend of 28th and 29th January 2012. The event began in 2011 as an inter city contest and in 2012 eight teams fronted to contest the Shield. The teams were comprised of sailors from a mix of Cities, Shires and Yacht Clubs from around the world and interstate. The Bendigo Yacht Club [BeYC] accepted a team as being international provided the Skipper was a national of the country in which the represented city is located. Skippers came from Utrecht in the Netherlands, Auckland in New Zealand, City of Troup in Texas [USA], City of Cairns in Queensland [AUS], The Moira Shire in Victoria [AUS], The City of Greater Bendigo in Victoria, the Albury Wodonga Yacht Club and the Port Melbourne Yacht Club.

Racing was conducted using F16 Viper Catamarans supplied by Australian High Performance Catamarans [AHPC]. All courses were windward return starboard courses. Lap numbers varied depending on wind strength at the time of the race.

Day one of the regatta began with the ubiquitous postponement flag hanging limply from the Club’s Signal Yard. Eventually three of the four planned heats were raced in 5 to 10 knot winds. In the first three heats Cairns beat Auckland; Troup beat the Port Melbourne YC and Utrecht beat Moira Shire. Then it was time for the postponement flag to do the limp thing again. It remained in place until well into the afternoon. Then the wind was back and at a good 10 knots. The fourth heat was raced and Bendigo beat the Albury Wodonga YC in that heat.

With the heats completed, it was decided to run the semi finals back to back. In the 1st Semi final, Troup beat Cairns putting Troup directly into the Final. In the 2nd Semi final, Utrecht beat Bendigo putting Utrecht into the Final alongside Troup. There was not very much daylight remaining by the time the finals berths had been decided.

Day Two also began sans wind and the postponement flag was out again; but only for about 90 minutes. A Repechage series was raced to decide third place. In the 1st Repechage Cairns beat Port Melbourne YC. In the 2nd Repechage Moira Shire beat Bendigo. In the Repechage sail off, Cairns beat Moira Shire leaving Cairns in 3rd place overall. All of the racing to this point had been knockout racing.

The Final was run as a best of three series. It only took two races for Troup to claim the Audi Centre Bendigo Match Racing Shield for 2012.





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