The world championship in Match race sailing, World Match Racing Tour, will have ten stages, 20 qualifying events and eight women’s events – and more prize money.
- It’s a step designed to give more sail racers an opportunity to step up to the championship events. "Our aim is to further enhance the number of top sailors and increase the quality of the World Tour,” explains Scott MacLeod, President of the World Match Racing Tour.

A number of important changes will be implemented in next year’s World Tour. The new concept for 2008 was presented by Scott MacLeod, President of the World Match Racing Tour, which was founded in 2000 by the former Swedish sponsor Swedish Match in Marstrand, Sweden. The 2006-2007 World Match Racing Tour was categorised as the Match Racing World Championship by ISAF and given the same Special Event status as the America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race. The 2006-2007 Tour has been held over 1.5 years with 16 stages, the last of which is still to be completed in Malaysia in November-December.
 
"In 2008, we will change the concept to a series of ten races and 20 qualifying events over a 12 month period, as well as a series of eight women’s races. At the same time, we are placing higher demands on the events," Scott MacLeod said at a press event at the Scandinavian Boat Show.
 
"This opens new opportunities for Sweden to engage seriously in the Match Racing World Championship", says Erik Centerwall, Sports Project Manager for Match Cup Sweden.
 
The effort is also aimed to raise the quality of every event:
"Prize money, other activities in the event to enhance interest from sponsors and companies, as well as increased TV and media coverage are some of the areas in which our demands will be higher," says Scott MacLeod. He cites Match Cup Sweden and Monsoon Cup in Malaysia as two good examples.
"Match Cup Sweden emphasizes an interesting and new event concept, where the sport performance is supported in a fantastic way by activities for the audience and business groups. Monsoon Cup has raised the economic framework and gets a governmental support of around 4.5 million Euros," MacLeod continues.
 
In 2008, the organizers of Match Cup Sweden are increasing the prize money to USD 250,000 and will continue the successful business arrangements in connection with the races in Marstrand, including the Corporate Event Marketing Forum seminar.
 
"Our goal is to make Match Cup Sweden the most attractive championship stage for all participants, sailors, companies, media and spectators," declares Jan Torstenson, Managing Director of Brandspot, who has been responsible for marketing, financing and organizing the event for 10 years running, while GKSS has been responsible for the sporting aspects.
 
Today, the World Match Racing Tour is probably the most fair and spectacular race format in sailing, offering a series of boat to boat duels with crews in identical sail racing boats. All the action takes place in a natural race arena in city or port surroundings where hundreds of thousands of spectators can view the races. Many of the world’s best and most knowledgeable racers from the America’s Cup and Match racing participate.   
 
For more information, contact:

MATCH CUP SWEDEN

Jan Torstenson, MD Brandspot, tel: +46-70-668 55 73, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Lars-Ola Nordqvist, Presschef Match Cup Sweden, tel: +46-70-689 11 20, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Scott MacLeod, President World Match Racing Tour, +44 159 067 95 87, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it