Australian Jordan Reece to lead Chicago Match Race Center

Australian Jordan Reece will be leading the instructional program in 2014 at Chicago Match Race Center (CMRC) in Chicago, IL. Reece’s Estate Master Sailing Team powered by Etihad Airways has competed at events around the world, and reached 15th last year in the ISAF World Open Rankings List. Reece last month won the Hardy Cup held in his home town of Sydney, Australia, and in 2012 was the runner-up at the Chicago Match Cup, the only USA stop on the Alpari World Match Racing Tour.

“I’m excited for opportunity to be at CMRC and help grow match racing,” said Reece. “Over the past three years I’ve been here as a competitor and intern, I have been impressed with the organization, the facility, and the people. I know competing here really improved my skills, so it will be exciting to share this knowledge with others.”

CMRC has revised its membership program for the 2014 season, as the program will now include not only a practical element of on-water training and clinics, but also a strong academic component of classroom instruction and exclusive access to webinars and a wide range of online resource materials on match racing.

“We feel this is the most comprehensive way to train sailors who are not only interested in learning and mastering the discipline of match racing, but also among fleet racers who want to hone their skills in key elements of boat handling, strategy and tactics,” said Reece. “The combination of both on-water and off-water instruction is a unique feature of this program, and gives both new and experienced sailors an opportunity to learn fast.”

The program is accessible to both local-based sailors and for those from outside Chicago, with weekday evening practices and classroom sessions held three times per week from May – September, weekend Clinics and access to Grade 2 and Grade 3 regattas. A Grade 4 and 5 Member Championship Series will also be held during weekday evenings and some weekends.

Two levels of instruction are offered: Level 1- Intro to Match Racing, where Members who are new to match racing can maximize their time on the water with a focus on learning to race CMRC’s Tom 28’s competitively in a match racing format, and Level 2- Advanced Match Racing, where Members must be approved by the Head Coach for a program with a balanced focus on classroom and on-water training.

CMRC has restructured the pricing plans this year to include both an unlimited, flat rate option and a pay-per-session system. Sailors can choose the Skipper and Crew annual rates of $800 or $400 respectively for unlimited access to CMRC throughout the season. CMRC is also offering a new pay-per-session system, which consists of an initiation fee of $100 plus the sailor’s choice of 5-punch cards for $150, 10-punch cards for $250, and 20-punch cards for $400. Practices and Grade 5 events are worth 2 punches for Skippers and 1 punch for Crews, and Clinics are worth 4 punches for Skippers and 2 punches for Crews.

Other benefits to membership at CMRC include:
* Entry to the CMRC Members’ Championship Series- Grade 4 and 5 regattas throughout the season
* Profile on CMRC’s crew-finder Facebook Page (private; for CMRC members only)
* Access to online academic materials: webinars, practice syllabi, debrief notes, drill and ISAF match racing resources
* Invitations to CMRC Speaker Series during Grade 3 regattas
* CMRC Houseboat regatta access: bring friends, spectate and enjoy the keg
* Opportunities to earn punches through volunteering during CMRC events

Details at www.chicagomatchrace.com