Top Match Racers Gather for 2022 US Match Racing Championship

OYSTER BAY, NY (October 6, 2022) –  A selection of the nation’s best match racers will go head-to-head October 7-9 at the 2022 U.S. Match Racing Championship, hosted by Oakcliff Sailing Center and US Sailing in Oyster Bay, NY. The 54th U.S. Match Racing Championship features 10 talented teams comprised of both male and female skippers and crew, who will race over three days for the coveted Prince of Wales Bowl.  

Racing gets underway on Friday, October 7 and concludes on Sunday, October 9 in Oakcliff’s fleet of Swedish Match 40s. US Sailing would like to thank Oakcliff, Gill Marine, and Regatta Craft Mixers for their support of this high-level event.  

Competitors include past event champions, youth world champions, and highly ranked international match racers. Peter Holz (Chicago, IL), last year’s champion, is looking for a repeat win over last year’s second place finisher and three-time past USMRC Champion Pearson Potts (Newport, RI). Holz is a regular on the match racing circuit, ranking 10th in the world.  

Currently ranked #1 on the World Match Racing Tour*, Chris Poole (Cold Spring Harbor, NY) is hoping to best last year’s finish, where he placed third. Poole has had a strong international showing over the last year, winning the US Grand Slam Series and placing third at Congressional Cup. Fresh off a win at the Youth Match Racing World Championship, Jeffery Peterson (Newport Harbor, CA) looks to make his second US Match Racing Championship podium.  

Made popular by the America’s Cup, match racing pits one boat against another around a short two-lap windward/leeward course. This race format emphasizes the need for great boat speed, strong boat handling, teamwork and communication. The tournament-style format makes it fun by maximizing the number of races per day. Teams will race in round robin(s), seeded based on previous competition and the World Sailing ranking list, followed by a knock-out series and finals. 

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About US Sailing 

The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and advancement for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Bristol, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org. 

*Using World Match Racing Tour rankings: https://wmrt.com/leaderboard/