Match racing in the U.S. has been gaining momentum and new blood - especially in the Midwest, and the next couple of years should be exciting for a discipline that is incredibly hard, very technical, and something everyone should try. Anarchist and Detroit match racer Chris Van Tol (CVT to his friends) has quietly sailed his way to the number one U.S. spot in ISAF's rankings, and 31st in the world. SA has been talking about the scene with the boys from the team and we've put together this Interview to get the info out.

SA: How did your little team of three get to be the top team in the country?

CVT: in 2005 we all made an agreement to each have the same level of commitment towards achieving our goals. Our team, consisting of Mike Hoey, John Van Tol, and me, got its current ranking and an invitation to the recent Grade 2 event in London, as a direct result of the growth of match racing venues in the U.S. (namely BYC) and more recently the Midwest. The U20's and an extremely dedicated group of organizers and local umpires at BYC provided a stepping-stone for us to initially gain momentum by sailing as many Grade 4 and 5 events as possible. We won some Grade 3s, and then this year, as SA reported, we won the only Grade 2 event that the US has to offer--The Knickerbocker Cup.

SA: The ranking system and the way that the invitations work are a bit of a mystery to most of us. What's the story?

CVT: Unfortunately, there are many American sailors who do not understand the match racing grading system. Does the general public really understand the difference between a Grade 1, 2 or 3? The Europeans track these graded events very closely and understand the system completely. The ISAF ranking system is like a lot of ranking systems - they reward consistent results and, above all, participation. The lower grade event= lower invited ranked teams in the field competing= the more points offered in the final result toward a team's ranking. Invitations for American teams into these Grade 2s and 1s and World Champs are a sign of growth in US match racing (King Harbor Team Angel, Team Dave Perry, and VTMRT are recent examples).

With Grade 2 European venues, invitations generally are not offered to foreign teams outside of the top 40 in the rankings. Take a look at the ISAF rankings and see what little presence US teams have in the top 100 in the world-it's a bit sad at this point - but US teams are definitely now gaining ground.

SA: You say that the Europeans take this seriously - how did you stack up in London?

CVT: The London Grade 2 did not produce a good result for us. (Dead last---ahh!!). Ian Williams mopped the floor on the competition. As much as it humbles us, we feel that the Europeans are somewhat ahead of the game and the only way to continue to get better is to sail against these teams at any chance we get. We will continue to improve our ranking to vie for spots of the European and World Match Racing Tour.
Dave Perry has been making a very strong push in his ranking as well in the past two years. He recently won two grade 3 events in Brazil and the South American Match Racing Championships in Argentina.
Our presence and unfortunate finish, or as you would put it, our "bitch slap," in London - we look at it in a positive way. As I mentioned above, just being there is, in some respect, a sign that there is growth occurring in US Match Racing. There are a significant number of European teams that sail more match races events in a three months period than we do in a calendar year. There are several lower graded events offered in Europe which generate better rankings and which also fuel the fire for European match racing as a whole. Did you know that they have actual "Match Racing Centers" in several different countries? While we have some amazing match racers in the US, it is our team's opinion that the Europeans are just far in front of us - with organization, overall talent pool, and sponsorship.

SA: You seem pretty stoked about this year - can you tell us exactly why?
CVT: It's nice when so much good stuff is going on in our own backyard. We've had twelve open events in the past nine months hosted in North America. Plans are forming for a possible Grade 3 Midwest Tour in the Great Lakes, and we're hoping to make a very big announcement for a Grade 2 event in Detroit soon. The approval of women's match racing in the 2012 Olympics and success of national and newly forming regional teams is a sign that interest is moving in a very positive direction.

SA: There are plenty of other clubs that are looking to increase participation in racing. Bayview Yacht Club (Detroit) has a very dedicated core of sailors, and they've been pretty committed to the match racing thing for a few years now. Can you detail how the Club has gone about it?

CVT: BYC has supported match racing not only through the purchase of a racing fleet of Ultimate 20s, but by supporting events in the Great Lakes and abroad. Clubs preparing to build and maintain a racing fleet have an obligation to invite sailors to compete. The club has worked hard to fulfill that by being the past host for men's and women's US Match Racing Championships, Richardson Cup, National qualifiers and countless grade 5, 4 and 3 events. Most recently the club hosted this year's Women's US Match Racing Championship. The sailing community has long sought ways to promote sailing and to draw attention and new sailors - the investment in a small fleet of quality boats is the ticket! It offers the average member a boat in which to go day sailing or racing, and also provides the opportunity to host corporate events, adult sailing, national championships, and other great kinds of sailing.

SA: How did the U20 fleet come about?

CVT: Passionate club members and Directors on the BYC Board. The Club has a great interest in racing and sailing instruction, and BYC had a big desire to become a strong player in US match racing. In order to host Championships year in and year out, the club had to have a good fleet of superior boats.

SA: How much time and money does maintaining the U20 fleet cost?

CVT: The majority of the members of the U-20 "Boat Club" are responsible sailors, so it's not that tough to maintain the fleet. The fleet's maintenance just needs the respectful attention of club boat members and it requires a one part-time employee to keep seven boats ship-shape throughout the summer. While I cannot comment on the specific cost, it is likely in the area of $25,000 per year. Keep in mind that dues, corporate events, Bayview's very popular adult sailing lessons, and other revenue sources offset the maintenance costs. In addition, these events actually generate money for host yacht clubs in the form of revenue dollars.

SA: How are GL clubs helping each other to promote match racing and develop interest in neighboring clubs?

CVT: Mostly through attendance and active participation. If there are enough racers that will show up, the events will be good. The Richardson Cup is a solid proponent of promoting match racing in the Great Lakes as it rotates from lake to lake each year.
Most clubs usually have enough one design yachts to allow for a match racing event. Promoting member-owned yachts to compete is the first big step to building the support needed to work toward the purchase of a club-racing fleet.

SA: What steps should a club follow if it is looking to develop a match racing program?

CVT: The most important steps for a club that is seeking a match racing program:
1) Visit a club that has a successful club fleet! Inquire about the strengths and faults of their boats. Estimate the amount of room your club can offer to dock and winterize this fleet.
2) Pick a yacht that suits the particular needs of your club. While J-22's & Sonar's are very popular yachts, some clubs might seek more sporty yachts like the U-20's or Governor's cup 21's. The Catalina 37 is a very stable match racing platform, but it requires far more money, crew and much more room in the marina.
3) Propose a budget and business plan for the fleet.

SA: You can check out Chris and his boys at www.vantolmatchracing.org Thanks, bro.

2008-02-07

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