A New Experience: Match Racing

By Airwaves writer Elizabeth Dudley

I would consider myself a “well-versed” sailor.  I have logged countless hours on dinghies and increasing hours on keelboats, both racing and cruising, fleet racing and team racing.  But a few weeks ago, I was the given the opportunity to experience my sport in a way that was completely new to me- a concept that one would not expect to encounter 15 years into a sport.  And it is experiences like this that keep me entranced with the sport of sailing.

In the beginning of June, myself and five other fellow Annapolis sailors drove up to the Oakcliff Sailing Center on Long Island, New York for a match racing event.  As it was an open event, the club was expecting many levels of match racers with ability levels ranging from us, the completely inexperienced, to the likes of Andrew Campbell, former Olympian, National Champion and College Sailor of the Year, who was there as a member of the crew on one of the other boats.

Due to the range of experience, the yacht club held a clinic on Friday preceding the Saturday and Sunday event for anyone who wanted to participate.  Drills were run on the water to help familiarize teams with the inner workings of a starting sequence as well as give people an opportunity to sail the Swedish Match Race 40’s.

That morning’s chalk talk was my first ever conversation about match racing.  Like my friends who know nothing about sailing, I felt as though an entirely different language was being spoken.  It was weird feeling so unintelligent about a sport I always felt I knew so much about.

But after only match racing for one weekend and in a light breeze that only allowed us to get in one round robin, I would definitely recommend it to any and all competitive sailors.  Things happen fast in a match race.  Courses are short, opponents are aggressive on the start line and tacks, gybes, sets and douses, become numerous and quick.  Match racing almost makes fleet racing seem leisurely.  But if you can master boat handling in that high stress environment, your overall sailing would improve ten-fold.

I had never even been walked through a match race, so sitting down that morning of the clinic, I had no idea what to expect, and still do not have a firm grasp on things.  But I thought some of you might appreciate a brief overview, albeit from someone who still has a lot of learning to do.

In match racing, there is a ten minute starting sequence as opposed to the five or three minute starts most of us are used to.  One boat is assigned to the pin end of the line and displays a blue flag while the other boat, assigned to the boat end, flies a yellow flag.  These colors are also used by the judges as the races progress to inform boats of any penalties they might incur.

The P Flag goes up at four minutes and at that time, each boat is meant to be above their respective ends of the line, entering the starting box.  Boats round down below the line and then meet in the middle, round up and hope to gain control of their opponent.  You have to have been on the pre-start side of the course (below the line) prior to the two minute mark and, as always, you can not be over the line at go.

Many match races are won or lost depending on how the start goes.  The start is all about gaining control and putting yourself in the advantageous position.

The start is also one of the most hectic environments.  You are making sure your job gets done white the boat is constantly making directional and velocity changes as well as needing to be aware of what is going on around you: where you are in the start sequence, where the other boat is and what they are doing.

Windward beats, in the simplest terms, are about either maintaining control over your opponent or breaking a hold the other boat may have on you.  You then make a right hand turn around the top mark and offset, and the run becomes another opportunity to either maintain your position or pass from behind.  Then it’s a right hand turn around the bottom mark, back up to the top, and then a downwind finish.

There really is very little downtime, if any, during a match race.  Boats are typically in close proximity and there is not always a lot of time to think, you have to just do and react.

During one of our races, the breeze had been finicky all day and thus the courses short so we could get as much racing in as possible.  The breeze had come up significantly though during our flight, making the already shortened courses eve
n shorter.  We came around the offset after the top mark, set our kite and then it was almost immediately time to douse.  Myself, in pit, and our bowman were momentarily confused, thinking something had gone horribly wrong.  But it just speaks to the quickness in which things can happen in a match race and highlights the importance of communication.

Match racing is almost like an augmented version of sailing.  Everything seems faster, louder, more stressful and more confined, all at the same time.  It is definitely an experience I would recommend, and with match race centers popping up in places like Chicago and Annapolis, and match racing being held in the 2012 Olympics, opportunities for it should continue to appear.

Happy Sailing!

Elizabeth Dudley grew up sailing on the Chesapeake Bay.  She went to The Gunston School where she sailed and was captain of the Varsity Sailing Team.  Elizabeth also attended and graduated from Boston College in May 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in English.  She sailed for the Boston College Varsity Sailing Team all four years on the women’s circuit as a crew and was twice named to the NEISA First Crew Team.  Elizabeth is now living and working in the Maryland/DC area.

You can reach Elizabeth at : elizabeth@sail1design.com