The Match Racing Committee met at the annual ISAF conference to review the ISAF titled events and the Alpari World Match Racing Tour. James Pleasance, Executive Director, and Craig Mitchell, Tour Director, from the Alpari World Match Racing Tour were present at the Match Racing Committee to give an update on the event.
It continues to go from strength to strength and the figures are extremely good. Throughout the 2013 series they increased the number of TV broadcasters taking the material from 38 to 51 and that is with two less events after the cancellation of the Korea Match Cup and Match Race France. In total there were 1,296 hours of TV coverage in 2013.
The tour is now in its 14th year and continues to grow. This year there has been seven events in the calendar including two new venues – Poland and Holland. The total prize fund also stands at USD$1.4m including a $500,000 Tour bonus.
The AWMRT has strong objectives heading into 2015. Notable ones include having 10 tour events, the possible introduction of a venue in the Middle East, the introduction of Tier 2 AWMRT events to count towards the annual Tour leaderboard (with lesser points), investigate the feasibility of adding multihulls and to increase the total prize money.
Away from the reports the Committee recommendations on venues for the 2016 editions of the ISAF Women's Match Racing Worlds and the ISAF Youth Match Racing Worlds.
• Noumea, New Caledonia has been recommended as host venue for the 2016 ISAF Youth Match Worlds
• Sheboygan, USA has been recommended as host venue for the 2016 ISAF Women's Match Worlds.
