May 25-May 29 2011

Langenargen, 22.04.2011

2011 to be the year of Mathieu Richard

Two-time French Match Racing World Championship runner-up wants to finally win Match Race Germany and lay the foundation stone for the coveted 2011 world title. The 35-year-old helmsman of Nantes, member of the French Match Race Team and the Marinepool Racing Team, and his team are compete from 24 to 29 May in the battle for the Grand Prix Title of Germany in Match Race Germany sailed on Lake Constance against eleven other top-skippers. The dynamic dozen fights on the exciting new Bavaria 40S typed race yachts for a total of 50,000 U.S. dollars in prize money, an great other prices.

Mathieu Richard is living proof that the perfect boat control in match race plays a crucial role. The charming helmsman sailing for twelve years with the same team (!): Greg Evrard, Olivier Herledant, Thierry Briend, Yannick Simon and Mathieu Richard are an exceptionally good team. At the end of 2010 they lost the World Cup crown within reach until the final sprint to England's sailing superstar Ben Ainslie and his tactician and friend Iain Percy.

But since Ainslie returned to his Finn dinghy, in order to win his fourth gold medal and become the most successful Olympic sailor of all time on home turf in Weymouth, Richard is the favorite for the match-race  season´s World Championship title as well as  he will be favourite to win in Langenargen. Match Race Germany is the second of nine stops of the World Match Racing Tour.

"We have already achieved a lot of great results at Match Race Germany, we competed 6 times so far, but we have never won. It's about time. The ultimate goal is to win the World Match Racing Tour, "says Richard, who likes the venue where three countries meet in a special way:"I love it! Especially on sunny days. The race conditions in Langenargen can be hard and challenging in light winds, but I like it. "This is also true for three-time Match Race Germany champion and four-time world champion Peter Gilmour of Australia and the Dane Jesper Radich, double past champion at the German tour stop. For most of the fans, these three favorites to win the 14th edition of Match Race Germany.

"The discipline of Match Race should be Olympic again!"

For Mathieu Richard it is hard to understand , like for many of his top level match race competition, why the exciting format of match racing is a discipline for women though, but not for men. "It would be wonderful if match racing for us would be in the Olympic Games again. It is true  sport with the same boats and exciting for both, spectators and television. I'd start an Olympic campaign instantly. " But currently Mathieu Richard and his team are the hunted on the World Match Racing Tour. "It's hard to stay on top because young teams continuously make their way up the ranks from the bottom. You always have to improve. It is not easy to live from match racing, if you do not have a sponsor who pays for you for participate. But if you're successful on the tour, that will open doors into professional campaigns, to be on  the World Match Racing Tour is a very good reference in the sailing world. "

Participants at one glance

Accepted and confirmed teams for Match Race Germany:

1.    Mathieu Richard (French Match Racing Team, France)2.    Francesco Bruni (Team Azzurra, Italy)3.    Peter Gilmour (YANMAR Racing,  3 x winnerr MRG, Australia)4.    Phil Robertson (WAKA Racing Team, New Zealand)5.    Jesper Radich (Gaastra Racing Team, 2 x winner MRG, Denmark)6.    Johnie Berntsson (Berntsson Sailing Team, Sweden)7.    Stefan Meister (Berlin, German Match Race Champion)8.    Bjorn Hansen (Hansen Global Team, Sweden)9.    Will Tiller (Full Metal Jack Racing, New Zealand)
10.  Damien Iehl (French Match Racing Team, France)
(the full line up will be communicated in the next press release early May 2011) 

Two highly-ranked participants from 2 more nations will confirm their start in the coming week. Berliner Stefan Meister and his team expect major challenges facing this high calibre line up. The German champion is not only the only German participant, but also the only amateur in this highly professional fleet. When asked if he was more likely to conduct an attacking style or defensive sailing, he says jauntily, "I can do both - depending on the daytime."

Sailandtainment in the Race Village

The sailing festival Match Race Germany will also attract as every year in the past up to 40,000 spectators and sailing fans. Picturesque village gondola harbor and the beautiful shores of Langenargen with its magnificent scenery from Schloß Montfort are highlights not to be missed. The mix of thrilling sailing duels, the live presentation of ZDF sports reporter Nils Kaben and an entertaining cultural program on shore has shaped the image of this international regatta for sustainability and an ​​attractive platform for sponsors. The largest sailing festival on the shore´s of Lake Constance is accompanied by many attractions for the whole family. Old and Young , all welcome. This year will see a focus on a new restaurant concept, coupled with "good mood guarantee" guaranteed by a great line up of bands. The little ones will again have the chance to be captain for a day.

Unique new fleet of yachts  for top skippers

This year will be sailed on the new Bavaria type 40S, 7 absolutely identical boats will be provided by the organisation Match Race Germany GmbH, 5 feet longer more sail area but the crew remains at 5! Handling the new boats flawlessly is a true challenge for professionals. Sports Director Eberhard Magg said: "This is good because we want to provide maximum entertainment and drama. And for the partners and sponsors there now is a lot more branding area available that will guarantee more visibility. Last but not least, the new yachts offe unexpected horizons for Match Center Germany GmbH & Co KG to run incentives on a year round basis with up to 100 guests  only on the Bavaria fleet.”

http://www.matchrace.de

FACTS AND FIGURES

Description
Match Race Germany 2011

Official World Match Racing Tour Event

Status
Grade W (Worldchampionship)

Format
Match Racing (duels on the water/chess on the water)

Date
24th of May till 29th of May 2011

Venue
Lake Constance, Langenargen, Germany

Price Money
App.: US$55.000

Yachts
Bavaria 40S, Match Race Germany Edition, 7 Yachts available for racing

Competitors
Invitational regatta to top match racing teams of the world ranking list as well as the world tour ranking, 2 crews through qualification events, 10 seeded crews

Qualifiers
Deutsche Meisterschaft 2010 (YCaT) und Berlin Match Race 2010 (VSaW)

History
First edition was under the title MMM Match race (Grade 2 back in 1997 sailed in Diamant 2000)

2011 will be the 14th edition of germany´s highest ranked match racing regatta

Match Race Germany will be part of the tour for the 12th time

Organisors

+ Match Race Germany GmbH

Hosting Yacht Club
Yacht Club Langenargen e.V.

Spectators 2010
App. 35.000 spectators followed the action packed races

TV statistics 2011

TV international: 3.364 min. Sendezeit, 170 Mio. potential viewership

TV national: 1.010 min. Sendezeit, 101 Mio. potential viewership

Live TV Internet: 900 min.

Newspapers: 273 articles

Magazines: 1.547.200 copies with 55 Stories

Online PR: 67 Stories, 96,16 Mio. potential viewership

www.matchrace.de: 12.516 Visitors (only Event Days) Radio: 35.13 min. Airtime, 4,8 Mio potential listeners

PR-Value Online: 9,1 Mio USD

PR-Value TV: 14,3 Mio USD

PR-Value Print: 7,8 Mio USD

© Ian Roman / WMRT