We meet the British Olympic match racing team and find out what it’s all about.

Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush and Kate Macgregor, aka the GBR Match Race Girls, earned their selection to Team GB in November 2011. They are currently ranked second in the ISAF Women’s World Match Racing rankings, behind USA’s Anna Tunnicliffe.

At the ISAF World Championships in December 2011, the British team added a well-deserved silver medal to their lengthy list of international match racing successes, which includes the 2010 Women’s Match Racing World Championships. In the final match, the girls faced tough competition from their American rival who walked away with the gold medal.

But with a full on training programme in place between now and August and the support of the home crowd behind them, this tactical trio are confident of a putting in a good performance on home waters at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Lucy and Annie have been sailing together since 2005 when they began campaigning for the 2008 Olympics in the three-person Yngling class. After narrowly missing out on selection for the team in 2007 the girls focused their attention on other competitive sailing for a year before the decision to replace the Yngling with match racing for 2012 was made. In 2010 Lucy’s younger sister Kate joined the team, a role which she has slotted into brilliantly and has proven to be a great success.

Olympic sailing - essential knowledge

What is an Elliot 6m?
The Elliott 6m is the boat that has been chosen for the Women’s Match Racing discipline at the 2012 Olympics; it will make its Olympic debut at London 2012 as the newest Olympic class. Designed in 2000 by New Zealander Greg Elliott, the original Elliot keelboat, which was used at world match racing events, was modified in 2008 for use as the Olympic women’s match racing boat. The rig and sail area has been reduced from the original Elliott 6m to allow sailing in a greater wind range, with max crew weight of 205kg, and the fixed keel has been changed to allow for lifting or removal.

What is match racing?
Match race sailing is brilliant for spectators as it is easy to see which boat is winning. Unlike fleet racing where it’s every boat for itself, each match race consists of just two identical boats racing at any one time, one against the other. Boat handling, strategy and tactics are at a premium and there can only be one winner.

What course will the Olympic match racing use?
Each race will last approximately 20 minutes, with the course consisting of four legs over a windward/leeward configuration. Spinnakers are permitted on the downwind legs, adding another dimension to the boathandling skills required.

How does a match racing start work?
Match racing starts are different to fleet racing starts, with the boats required to remain at separate ends of the line until a given time. 10 minute and 5 minute warning guns are fired to indicate this. Then, with four minutes until the actual start, the two boats (each flying either a blue or yellow flag) enter the start area from opposite ends of the starting line. During the next four minutes, the boats will engage in a furious pre-start battle, in which each will try to gain an advantage over the other, either by forcing a penalty or getting a better position off the line.

How does the penalty system work?
Each race is watched by two umpires who follow the boats in small RIBs, making instant decisions on alleged rule infringements and flying the corresponding blue or yellow flag to indicate which boat should take the penalty turn, or a green flag if they consider no infringement to have been made. Penalties can be taken at any point during the race.

Men’s 470 sailors chosen for Team GB

Patience and Bithell earn 2012 call-up
Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell have been nominated to Team GB by the RYA to take part in the London 2012 Olympics. They join 13 other sailors who have already been selected; selection trials in the 49er and Laser Radial are ongoing.

RYA Olympic Manager Stephen Park said: “Campaigning to represent Team GB at the Games in this class is probably the hardest challenge – with double Olympic silver medallist Nick Rogers, sailing with Chris Grube, and double World Champions Nic Asher and Elliot Willis to contend with it’s been a tough battle to gain the British selection spot.”

Rise up the rankings

The duo has been competing together since 2009 when they debuted by winning a silver medal at the 470 World Championship after spending just two weeks in a boat together.

In the relatively brief time together since then, they have enjoyed a steady rise in the ISAF world rankings. They finished the 2010 season ranked fourth in the world and clinched their place on Team GB by again winning a silver medal at the 2011 ISAF World Championships in December 2011 in Perth, Australia.  

Speaking as the announcement was made, Stuart said: “Although we never doubted ourselves, it’s still a big relief to have been selected and to know that we’ll be there on the startline at our first Olympic Games and doing our best to bring home gold. We’re part of the most successful sailing team in the world, and at our first Games, to have the support of world’s best sailors and staff guiding us through can only be a good thing.”   

Luke commented: “I can’t wait to be a part of a home Games in one of the greatest cities on earth. We’re not just going for the t-shirt though. It’s been hard work getting to this point but we’re by no means letting our hair down now; we have just one goal and that’s to win a gold medal this summer in London.”

To read more about the upcoming Olympics see the February 2012 edition of All At Sea