Chicago Match Cup - Competition begins

10:21 AM Fri 21 Aug 2009 GMT

'Inaugural Chicago Match Cup' CMRC - Chicago Match Race Center

Today one-on-one match race competition will begin for the inaugural Chicago Match Cup, organized by the Chicago Match Race Center (CMRC).

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade 2 event will feature three days of America's Cup-style sailing where 11 teams representing 7 countries will go into battle off the waterfront in front of Belmont Harbor.

The teams represented are led by the following skippers, in order of their ISAF match race rankings: Keith Swinton, from Perth, Western Australia (26th); Lars Nordbjerg, from Aabenraa, Denmark (33rd); Chris VanTol, from Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, USA (35th); Takumi Nakamura, from Yokohama, Japan (37th); Dave Perry, from Southport, Connecticut USA (48th); Taylor Canfield, from St Thomas, USVI (57th); Juan Grimaldi, from Mar del Plata, Argentina (61st); Laurie Jury, from Auckland, New Zealand (79th); Reuben Corbett, from Kerlkerl, New Zealand (86th); and Don Wilson from Chicago USA (108th).

Racing is scheduled to start today through Sunday at 9 AM, depending on weather conditions, and be conducted in the CMRC's dedicated fleet of eight equally-matched TOM 28 class yachts, each with a team of four crew.

'We're very pleased to have such a talented and diverse field here for our event,' says CMRC Director Bill Hardesty, 'because they will help spread the word on our mission of promoting high-level match race sailing here in Chicago. Our venue close to shore should make this easy for spectator interaction too.'

Helping entertain and inform those spectators will be noted sailor and America's Cup coach Dee Smith, who will be providing on-site commentary on all the action on the water as well as hosting daily press conferences ashore at CMRC headquarters at the north end of Belmont Harbor. Results will be posted on the CMRC website, as will photographs from renowned yachting photographer Peter MacGowan.

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Chicago Match Cup - Competition begins

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