Match racing is the easiest type of race sailing to understand, at least for the visitors on the cliffs. There are only two boats to keep track of and the first one to cross the finish line wins. Simple enough right? But the reality for the skippers is a bit more complicated…

Already four minutes prior to the starting signal the struggle starts for the best starting position. From the port side of the starting line the boat starts with a blue flag and from the starboard side approaches the boat with a yellow flag. When the two meet it is the boat with the yellow flag that has the sailing advantage of right of way. The right-hand rule is valid in this context as well. Altogether there are four basic rules in match racing that you need to know as a spectator to be able to understand what is going on out there on the water. Here they are in broad simplicity:

•    The boat with the wind from starboard side has the right of way.
•    When both boats have the wind in from the same side it is the boat in lee that has the right of way.
•    The boat with the right of way is not aloud to prevent the other boat from steering off.
•    When a mark is to be rounded the boat on the inner side has the right to use enough space to be able to round the mark.

Now back to the start. The opponents struggle for four minutes to be the first one over the starting line. If the line is crossed just in time for the start signal or right after is not essential, the main thing is to be first over it. The skipper who succeeds in this gets the advantage to control the racing out on the course, which is why it is extremely important to get a great start.

The umpires are in their own boats right behind the sailing boats, and they judge right away out on the water. A blue flag on the umpire boat means that the boat with the blue flag needs to make a penalty turn and vice versa with the yellow flag. The sailors shout and show a red and yellow chequered flag to call for the umpires’ attention. A green and white chequered flag on the umpire boat means that none of the boats are allotted a penalty, and e red flag means that the penalty needs to be taken immediately. Otherwise the sailors are free to decide when they want to take their penalty, since this gives the opportunity with tactical manoeuvres to inflict the opponent a penalty and thus settle your own. The penalty needs to be taken before the finish line and involves a time consuming 270 degree turn with the boat.
A tactical basic rule in match racing is to always try to stay between your opponent and the mark that you are rounding next. To watch over your opponent like that gives you the advantage of controlling the course of events. Many races has been decided when someone missed to watch over their opponent, who then was able to find a puff or directional change in the wind and pass.

Usually you sail two laps around a course that starts with head wind and is concluded in tail wind when reaching the finish line. The time around the course is of no importance, the only thing that matters is to beat your opponent and cross the line before him/her. This means that spectators might see a lot of manoeuvres that seem strange for the untrained eye, but made with one single purpose, to cross the finish line before your opponent.
That is what match racing is all about!