Formula 1 of Sailing to tour Vietnam
By Tu Tam - The Saigon Times Daily
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| (L-R) Peter Gilmour, president of WMRT, Le Xuan Than, vice chairman of Khanh Hoa Province, and Do Tuan Anh, general director of Rainbow International, pose next to the Vietnam Match Cup posters in Nha Trang City last week - Photo: Courtesy of WMRT |
HCMC - Vietnam will be the 8th destination of the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT), the leading professional sailing series featuring nine World Championship events across the globe, in 2010’s events series.
The WMRT series, described as the Formula 1 of Sailing, is the only global 
series of sailing events in the world touching 10 countries in five continents. The World Tour awards over US$1.5million in prize money.
Nha Trang City of Khanh Hoa Province has been chosen for the race to take place in this September, from 21-26. This is the first time the world’s leading yacht race series come to Vietnam. The local name for the event in Vietnam is Vietnam Match Cup.
Peter Gilmour, president of Word Match Racing Tour, said a coastal country like Vietnam features many beautiful beaches, especially in Nha Trang City. “Nha Trang Bay is one of the world’s most beautiful bays, and thus it is most apt as one of this year’s nine destinations for the Tour around the world,” he said.
World skipper and world’s number three on the Tour ranking, Ben Ainslie of Great Britain’s Team Origin, said, “It is really exciting that the Tour will be going to Vietnam. It is an amazing part of the world. It is wonderful for sailing and it is the most opportune time for the WMRT to expand its global reach this year.”
Former ISAF World Match Racing Tour Champion 2005 and WMRT Champion Title for 2007 and 2008, Ian William of Team Pinder, shares the same sentiments. “This is great news. I have never been to Vietnam before so I truly look forward to visiting one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and experience sailing along its lovely coastline,” William said.
Last weekend, WMRT officially awarded Rainbow International Co. Ltd the rights to organise the Vietnam Match Cup.
The appointment allows Rainbow International to promote, and secure sponsors and funding for the event that is planned to be held at one of the world’s most beautiful bay, Nha Trang.
The tour starts in April this year in France, and will reach Nha Trang City by late September this year. Le Xuan Than, vice chairman of Khanh Hoa Province, said, “This is an honour for Vietnam to join the Tour. The province will try its best to make everything convenient for the series. I believe this is going to be one of the biggest sports and tourism events in Vietnam for 2010.”
This professional sailing series was formed to unite the world’s best match-race regattas under one banner. The Tour features America’s Cup teams, skippers and the world’s top sailors in the ultimate “race of truth” and is sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).
The WMRT uses the same one-on-one, match race format (course, rules, umpires) as the America’s Cup. However, races take place in identical, event-supplied racing yachts for a true test of skill and teamwork. Boats range from 30-40 feet with four to six crew on each yacht.