Organizational
Announcement
February 15, 2003
USMRA
United States Match Racing Association
The
USMRA (United States Match Racing Association)
was created for sailing enthusiast seeking further
education, knowledge and advancement into the
world class sport of match racing. The USMRA promotes
match racing, monitors results, and educates using
match racing events throughout the USA. The USMRA
is a non profit association, supported through
membership, donations, international sponsorship
and fund raising.
Match Racing Background:
Match
racing is a world recognized team sailing sport.
In match racing competitors duke it out, one-on-one,
to be the best of the best. Just like in the America's
Cup races... but there's a catch! In organized
match racing under the USMRA, each team must use
identical boats, eliminating variations in design.
Even the sails are identical, leaving only the
variables of crew, boat handling, wind shifts,
currents, strategy, and tactics.
USMRA Charter:
It
is envisioned that the USMRA will become the established
feeder system to the major worldwide match racing
events that are mostly reserved for professionals.
Who's behind the USMRA:
The
USMRA is headed by Director at large, James Herrera,
a local San Diegian and sailing enthusiast, a
transplant from the San Francisco bay area. James
says: The need and the idea for the USMRA came
after years of frustration racing in one-design
fleets, under various handicap rules, and in PHRF
club races. Without proper certification, measurements
and a monitoring system, people will look for
loopholes. With this in mind, James determined
what was needed, was a truly level playing field;
a venue where the only variable is skill.
The Playing Field:
Starting
this spring on the west coast, the USMRA will
be promoting an exciting match race series deemed
the Pacific Challenge Cup Match Race Series. The
USMRA with the combined efforts of local Yacht
Clubs will in some events, through sponsorship
offer an undisclosed purse to the winner, bringing
a new level of excitement to the venue. Cash prizes
are made possible through private donations, fund
raising from the events, membership, International
sponsorship and local business owners.
Team advancement:
Match
racing teams compete against each other for the
coveted right to be the ³best of the best²
on a local level, then compete for the rights
of the regional finals through a formal challenge
to rival Yacht Clubs in that region. After winning
at the regional level, winners then advance to
the national and then the international level.
The winner of the international event may then
advance to the worlds and maybe even further.
The Boats:
Everything
is provided by the USMRA except the skipper and
crew. The boats for USMRA events are none other
than the world class TOM 28 ³Match Race²
from Italian designer Giovanni Ceccerelli of America¹s
Cup fame. The TOM 28 is unique, as it was designed
specifically for match racing by many of the professionals
that make their living sailing in international
touring events and racing circuits like the Swedish
Match Tour and America¹s Cup. Every TOM 28
is identical in every respect. The boats are maintained
by the local chapter for the USMRA and are available
to USMRA members only. The TOM 28¹s are made
available to each team prior each event for practice
sessions. They can be purchased for private ownership
and enjoyment and leased back for the events or
purchased for donation to the USMRA for tax relief
purposes. More about the TOM 28 can be found on
the web at: http://www.usmra.net
USMRA Membership:
Since
it¹s inception just two months ago, The USMRA
is supported by over 34 members in Southern California.
The USMRA is actively seeking new members nationwide
not only for racing events, but for chapter leadership
positions within the organization.
For more information about the USMRA, interested
parties should contact: James Herrera, Director
at large @ 858.395.2288 or visit their new web
site at: http://www.USMRA.net
USMRA
United States Match Racing Association
Phone 619 209 4742
Fax 619 209 4744
http://www.USMRA.net
jamesh@usmra.net
Contact: James Herrera
USMRA
United States Match Racing Association
955 Harbor Island Drive #155
San Diego, CA 92101
858.395.2288
The
USMRA is in the process of finalizing the many
legal aspects of the organization to further advance
the sport of Match Racing in the United States.
The mission of the USMRA is to educate all sailing
enthusiast in the sport
of match racing and promote a series of match
racing events throughout the USA. The events will
start at the local Yacht Club level and continue
to a regional, then national level, with the possibility
of an International conclusion.
We
have already started racing in southern California
under the name ³Pacific Challenge Cup²
Match Race Series, and are in the process of building
more local teams throughout the USA. There is
lots of support from many yacht clubs that we
have approached. We have found that not only does
the race series add a new twist in competitive
racing for the club, but the thought of
something out the the ordinary draws renewed interest
in new membership possibilities for
the yacht club.
The
USMRA is not reinventing the wheel, as this is
a new approach to an old idea that has been forgotten
by national associations in the USA. Using European
thinking, combining education, team management,
exciting racing venues and national sponsorship
all at the local Yacht Club level. Sailing enthusiasts
will now be able to compete for local, regional
and national titles and purses through sponsorship
in a professionally
managed race series. This wil be accomplished
by the USMRA, a nonprofit organization who¹s
sole interest is the advancement of match racing
in the USA.
There
is little known to the American public about match
racing because of the lack of involvement on the
local and national level. The closest many will
ever get to a match racing event is watching the
Americas Cup from the comfort of their couch.
University¹s, private and public schools
are now adding match racing venues to their sailing
programs and are having great success. One of
the goals of the USMRA to create a feeder system
along side of these enities allowing competitors
the opportunity of
advancement to a professional racing venues such
a the Swedish Match Tour and many others throughout
the world.
The
USMRA has filed the necessary legal papers and
will
soon have a non-profit status from the state and
the IRS. The USMRA will be supported through public
grants, membership, racing events, private donations,
fund raising and international sponsorship. There
are Codirector¹s in place in four regions
on the west coast.
