Match race
Encyclopedia
A match race is a race between two competitors, going head-to-head.
The term may be best known as a race between two sailing
boat
s racing around a course. It is differentiated from a fleet race
, which almost always involves three or more competitors, by slight variations in the rules and large variations in tactics.
It has also been adopted for horse racing
as a race in which only two entrants compete. IMRA, the International Match Race Association, was created in 2009 to enable anyone to enter a one-on-one horse race in all-terrain half-mile loops.
(at least 3 boats, often many, all racing against each other) and team racing
(two teams of 2, 3, or 4 boats per team).
By tight coverage, the lead boat will attempt to stay as close as possible to its opponent while staying in front. For example, if on a downwind leg the losing boat gybes
towards the right side of the course the winning boat will gybe towards the right side of the course as well even though the left side of the course appears to be favored. That way the winning boat is insured against losing the lead due to a wind shift that favors the right side of the course. In fleet racing there will often be boats on both sides of the course, requiring the lead boat to sail on the side that it considers to be fastest.
Drawing fouls is also an important part of match racing. As fouls in sailboat racing penalize the offending boat but do not advantage the fouled boat, drawing a foul in fleet racing is almost always a net loss. However when there are only two boats on the course any penalty for one boat is an advantage for the other. Therefore in match racing a boat will often try to put itself in a position where the other boat will have no option but to foul it or make a disadvantageous change in course, even at the cost of sailing a slower course itself.
On occasion, one boat in a fleet race may only care about her performance relative to one other boat in the fleet. For example, near the end of a long series, two boats may be so far ahead of the rest of the fleet in the standings, that no other boats are capable of catching them. Thus, Boat A will win the series as long as they place better than Boat B in the last race, regardless of whether they come in first and second or ninth and tenth. Boat A may then employ match racing tactics against Boat B, even though they are racing under fleet racing rules.
which was until recently sailed by boats of the International America's Cup Class, which is a formula class. The design of America's Cup Class boats is controlled by a complex formula which allows designers a fair bit of room to optimize for different expected conditions. This has resulted in boats that do not perform identically on all points of sail, which opens up another match racing tactic of forcing the opponent onto an unfavored point of sail. During the 2003 America's Cup Challenger Series between Oracle BMW Racing and Alinghi
, for example, the Alinghi boat was heavier but more powerful and favored on higher points of sail downwind. Alinghi used the tactic of getting to leeward of Oracle on a downwind leg and forcing her up onto a course where Alinghi was comparatively faster, although Alinghi herself could have sailed faster to the finish line on a lower course.
The World Match Racing Tour
is the world's pre-eminent monohull match racing series. It is sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF
) with 'Special Event ' status.
The Tour comprises a series of 9 events which cross 3 continents during the season combining the adrenaline fuelled excitement of match racing with close to shore racing which provides spectacular heart of the action views for the on shore audience. The championship series uses identical locally supplied racing yachts and includes such world class sailing venues as: Marseille, St. Moritz, Portimao , Kuala Terengganu, Gyeonggi and Hamilton.
The World Match Racing Tour has a proud match racing history since its establishment in 1988 and draws on the heritage of the very first match race for the King Edward VII Gold Cup in Hamilton, Bermuda in 1937. The Bermuda Gold Cup is still an annual event which is a key stage of the World Match Racing Tour.
Other notable match racing events in sailing include the Canada's Cup and the Richardson Trophy, both held on the Great Lakes. The Richardson Trophy is governed and sponsored by the Yacht Racing Union of the Great Lakes. YRUGL http://www.yrugl.org claims that the Richardson is the second oldest continuously match raced event in the world. It is second only to the America's Cup and it will hold the 70th competition later this year.
A new event for Sailing at the 2012 Summer Olympics
is Women’s Keelboat Match Racing, using the Elliott 6m
.
and California filly Mollie McCarty
that inspired the song Molly and Tenbrooks
, the Canadian contest between Man o' War
and Sir Barton
in 1920, won by Man O'War; Seabiscuit
's victory over War Admiral
in the 1938 Pimlico Special
; the 1955 race between Nashua
and Swaps
, the 1966 Pace of the Century
between standardbred champs Bret Hanover
and Cardigan Bay
, and 1975's tragedy-marred contest between colt Foolish Pleasure
and filly Ruffian
at Belmont Park
. Ruffian broke down in the backstretch and was euthanized; her remains are buried in the Belmont Park infield.
The term may be best known as a race between two sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s racing around a course. It is differentiated from a fleet race
Fleet racing
Fleet racing is a form of competitive sailing that involves sailboats racing one another over a set course. It is the most common form of sailboat racing and contrasts with match racing and team racing....
, which almost always involves three or more competitors, by slight variations in the rules and large variations in tactics.
It has also been adopted for horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
as a race in which only two entrants compete. IMRA, the International Match Race Association, was created in 2009 to enable anyone to enter a one-on-one horse race in all-terrain half-mile loops.
Match racing in sailing
A match race in sailing involves two boats racing, and contrasts with fleet racingFleet racing
Fleet racing is a form of competitive sailing that involves sailboats racing one another over a set course. It is the most common form of sailboat racing and contrasts with match racing and team racing....
(at least 3 boats, often many, all racing against each other) and team racing
Team racing
Team racing, also known as teams racing, is a popular form of yacht racing. As opposed to fleet racing where boats are scored on an individual basis, in team racing teams consisting of 2, 3 or 4 boats compete together. As in fleet racing the low point scoring system is used. A boat is awarded...
(two teams of 2, 3, or 4 boats per team).
Tactics
With a large enough fleet, the winning boat will generally be the one that finds the fastest possible way around the course. In contrast, match racers will only concentrate on crossing the line before their opponent: this sometimes means taking a route that's not the fastest possible, for example in order to slow down their opponent. Two tactics that arise from this mind-set are tight coverage and drawing fouls.By tight coverage, the lead boat will attempt to stay as close as possible to its opponent while staying in front. For example, if on a downwind leg the losing boat gybes
Jibe
A jibe or gybe is a sailing maneuver where a sailing vessel turns its stern through the wind, such that the wind direction changes from one side of the boat to the other...
towards the right side of the course the winning boat will gybe towards the right side of the course as well even though the left side of the course appears to be favored. That way the winning boat is insured against losing the lead due to a wind shift that favors the right side of the course. In fleet racing there will often be boats on both sides of the course, requiring the lead boat to sail on the side that it considers to be fastest.
Drawing fouls is also an important part of match racing. As fouls in sailboat racing penalize the offending boat but do not advantage the fouled boat, drawing a foul in fleet racing is almost always a net loss. However when there are only two boats on the course any penalty for one boat is an advantage for the other. Therefore in match racing a boat will often try to put itself in a position where the other boat will have no option but to foul it or make a disadvantageous change in course, even at the cost of sailing a slower course itself.
On occasion, one boat in a fleet race may only care about her performance relative to one other boat in the fleet. For example, near the end of a long series, two boats may be so far ahead of the rest of the fleet in the standings, that no other boats are capable of catching them. Thus, Boat A will win the series as long as they place better than Boat B in the last race, regardless of whether they come in first and second or ninth and tenth. Boat A may then employ match racing tactics against Boat B, even though they are racing under fleet racing rules.
Events
Most match racing is between one-design boats, meaning that ideally the boats should perform identically on all points of sail and that any differences in performance are attributable to the crew. The most notable match race is the America's CupAmerica's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
which was until recently sailed by boats of the International America's Cup Class, which is a formula class. The design of America's Cup Class boats is controlled by a complex formula which allows designers a fair bit of room to optimize for different expected conditions. This has resulted in boats that do not perform identically on all points of sail, which opens up another match racing tactic of forcing the opponent onto an unfavored point of sail. During the 2003 America's Cup Challenger Series between Oracle BMW Racing and Alinghi
Alinghi
Alinghi is the syndicate set up by Ernesto Bertarelli, racing under the colors of the Société Nautique de Genève, to challenge for the America's Cup. Bertarelli had raced several smaller yachts named Alinghi previously, but 2003 was his first attempt at the America's Cup...
, for example, the Alinghi boat was heavier but more powerful and favored on higher points of sail downwind. Alinghi used the tactic of getting to leeward of Oracle on a downwind leg and forcing her up onto a course where Alinghi was comparatively faster, although Alinghi herself could have sailed faster to the finish line on a lower course.
The World Match Racing Tour
World Match Racing Tour
The World Match Racing Tour is a professional sailing series, featuring 9 World Championship events across the globe, sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation with “Special Event” status...
is the world's pre-eminent monohull match racing series. It is sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF
International Sailing Federation
The International Sailing Federation is recognised by the International Olympic Committee as the world governing body for the sport of sailing....
) with 'Special Event ' status.
The Tour comprises a series of 9 events which cross 3 continents during the season combining the adrenaline fuelled excitement of match racing with close to shore racing which provides spectacular heart of the action views for the on shore audience. The championship series uses identical locally supplied racing yachts and includes such world class sailing venues as: Marseille, St. Moritz, Portimao , Kuala Terengganu, Gyeonggi and Hamilton.
The World Match Racing Tour has a proud match racing history since its establishment in 1988 and draws on the heritage of the very first match race for the King Edward VII Gold Cup in Hamilton, Bermuda in 1937. The Bermuda Gold Cup is still an annual event which is a key stage of the World Match Racing Tour.
Other notable match racing events in sailing include the Canada's Cup and the Richardson Trophy, both held on the Great Lakes. The Richardson Trophy is governed and sponsored by the Yacht Racing Union of the Great Lakes. YRUGL http://www.yrugl.org claims that the Richardson is the second oldest continuously match raced event in the world. It is second only to the America's Cup and it will hold the 70th competition later this year.
A new event for Sailing at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Sailing at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Sailing at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London is scheduled to be held from 28 July to 11 August in Weymouth and Portland. Ten gold medals will be awarded and 380 athletes expected to take part . The sailing classes have two changes from the Beijing 2008 sailing events...
is Women’s Keelboat Match Racing, using the Elliott 6m
Elliott 6m
The Elliott 6m is an Olympic-class keelboat, designed by Greg Elliott. It has been selected for the women's match racing event for the 2012 Olympics. The standard Elliott 6 carries an asymmetric spinnaker on a prod. The Elliott 6m carries a spinnaker pole and symmetric spinnaker which is...
.
Match races in horse racing
Famous match races include the 1878 four mile long race in Louisville between the Eastern U.S. colt Ten BroeckTen Broeck
Ten Broeck was an American U.S. Racing Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse whose 1878 match race win in Louisville against the great California mare, Mollie McCarty was immortalized in the Kentucky folk song commonly called Molly and Tenbrooks.Bred by John Harper at his farm near Midway,...
and California filly Mollie McCarty
Mollie McCarty
Mollie McCarty, , foaled in 1873, was an outstanding California-based Thoroughbred racehorse who won her first 13 race starts and was second on the two occasions when she was defeated.-Breeding:...
that inspired the song Molly and Tenbrooks
Molly and Tenbrooks
"Molly and Tenbrooks," also known as "The Racehorse Song," is a traditional song of the late 19th century. One of the first recordings of the song was the Carver Brothers' 1929 version called "Tom Brooks." The song was recorded by Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys on October 28, 1947 but not...
, the Canadian contest between Man o' War
Man O' War (horse)
Man o' War, is considered one of the greatest Thoroughbred racehorses of all time. During his career just after World War I, he won 20 of 21 races and $249,465 in purses....
and Sir Barton
Sir Barton
Sir Barton, , was a chestnut thoroughbred colt who in 1919 became the first winner of the American Triple Crown.He was sired by leading stud Star Shoot out of the Hanover mare Lady Sterling. His grandsire was the 1893 English Triple Crown champion, Isinglass.Sir Barton was bred in Kentucky by...
in 1920, won by Man O'War; Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse in the United States. From an inauspicious start, Seabiscuit became an unlikely champion and a symbol of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression...
's victory over War Admiral
War Admiral
War Admiral was an American thoroughbred racehorse, the offspring of the great thoroughbred Man o' War and the mare Brushup. He inherited his father's fiery temperament and talent, but did not resemble him physically...
in the 1938 Pimlico Special
Pimlico Special
The Pimlico Special is an American thoroughbred horse race held at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland in mid May. It is raced on dirt over a distance of 1³/16 miles . The race is currently open to horses age three and older and offers a purse of $250,000.The Pimlico Special was first run in...
; the 1955 race between Nashua
Nashua (horse)
Nashua was an American-born thoroughbred racehorse, perhaps best remembered for a 1955 match race against the horse that had defeated him in the Kentucky Derby.Nashua's sire was the good, but temperamental, European champion Nasrullah...
and Swaps
Swaps (horse)
Swaps was a California bred American thoroughbred racehorse. He was the son of Khaled, a stallion imported from the Aga Khan's stud in Europe. Swaps goes back to the immortal Man o' War, via his dam, Iron Reward, through the Triple Crown winner, War Admiral. In the list of the top 100 U.S...
, the 1966 Pace of the Century
Pace of the Century
The Pace of the Century was a match race between two of the greatest ever standardbred harness horses, namely Bret Hanover and Cardigan Bay. It was lucky indeed that these two were racing at exactly the same period, as these were possibly the only two capable of beating each other...
between standardbred champs Bret Hanover
Bret Hanover
Bret Hanover was an outstanding American Standardbred racehorse. He was also one of only nine pacers to win harness racing's Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers and achieved a fine career total of 62 wins from 68 starts...
and Cardigan Bay
Cardigan Bay
Cardigan Bay is a large inlet of the Irish Sea, indenting the west coast of Wales between Bardsey Island, Gwynedd in the north, and Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire at its southern end. It is the largest bay in Wales....
, and 1975's tragedy-marred contest between colt Foolish Pleasure
Foolish Pleasure
Foolish Pleasure is an American bay thoroughbred race horse who was born in Williston, Florida. He was one of the top three three-year-old colts of his time....
and filly Ruffian
Ruffian (horse)
Ruffian was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse. Ruffian is considered by many to be the greatest female racehorse in history. Ruffian is among the greatest U.S. racehorses of all time. Her story was told in 2007 film Ruffian.- Career :An almost coal black filly of 16 and a half hands,...
at Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
. Ruffian broke down in the backstretch and was euthanized; her remains are buried in the Belmont Park infield.