2021 Bermuda Gold Cup cancelled

Hamilton, Bermuda (July 26, 2021) – Organizers for the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club’s Bermuda Gold Cup match racing tournament announced that the 2021 regatta will not be held. The regatta, an event of the World Match Racing Tour, had been planned for the end of September, but will be rescheduled to next year at a date to be announced.

Last year the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club hosted the Gold Cup and the Open Match Racing World Championship amid the global pandemic, but its continuing effects have made sponsorship difficult to secure. “Planning and hosting an international event with competitors from many countries is a challenge in any given year, and even more so this year.

“Although we had many sponsors committed, we have been unable to secure a title sponsor. Rather than consider putting on a sub-par event, we will refocus our efforts for 2022 and beyond,” said Gold Cup chair Leatrice Oatley.

The King Edward VII Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Bermuda Gold Cup, is the oldest trophy in the world for competition involving one-design yachts. First presented in 1907 by King Edward VII at the Tri-Centenary Regatta at Jamestown, Va., honoring the 300th anniversary of the first permanent colony in America, the trophy is the only King’s Cup ever to be offered for competition in the United States which could be won outright.

2021 World Match Racing Tour Schedule:
1. NJK Open Spring Cup, Finland, 21-23 May
2. GKKS Spring Cup, Gothenburg, Sweden, 29-30 May
3. Porto Montenegro Match Race, 4-6 June
4. Szczecin Match Race, Poland, 18-20 June
5. GKSS MATCH CUP MARSTRAND*, Marstrand, Sweden, 6-10 July
6. Internationaux de France Match Racing, Pornichet, 29 July – 4 August
7. The Chicago Cup, 6-8 August
8. International Match Race for the Detroit Cup, 19-22 August
9. Oakcliff International, Oyster Bay NY, 27-30 August
10. Thompson Cup, Oyster Bay NY, 1-4 September
11. Baltic Match Race, Estonia, 1-5 September
12. Ficker Cup, Long Beach USA, 9-12 September
13. Match Race Germany, Lake Constance, 8-12 September
14. THE CONGRESSIONAL CUP REGATTA*, Long Beach USA, 14-19 September
15. BERMUDA GOLD CUP*, 27 Sept – 2 Oct
16. DBS Marina Bay Cup, Singapore 30 Sept-3 Oct
17. SHENZHEN BAO’AN MATCH CUP, WMRT FINAL* Shenzhen, China, 15-19 December

*WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS

For more information on the World Match Racing Tour, visit www.wmrt.com

Founded in 2000, the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) promotes the sport of match racing around the world and is the longest running global professional series in the sport of sailing. The World Tour represents a series of independently organised and officially sanctioned match racing events.

The WMRT is awarded ‘Special Event’ status by the sport’s world governing body – World Sailing – and the winner of the WMRT each year is crowned World Sailing Match Racing World Champion.

Previous Champions include Bertrand Pace (FRA), Sir Ben Ainslie (GBR), Jesper Radich (DEN), Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Peter Holmberg (ISV), Peter Gilmour (AUS), Ian Williams (GBR), Adam Minoprio (NZL), Taylor Canfield (ISV), Phil Robertson (NZL) and Torvar Mirsky (AUS).

The WMRT is a match racing competition with racing taking place in identically supplied racing yachts which change for each event and which place a firm focus on teamwork, strategy and skill. Racing takes place close to shore to create stadium-style viewing for spectators.

Since 2000, the World Match Racing Tour and its events have awarded over USD23million in prize money to sailors which has helped to contribute to the career pathway of many of today’s professional sailors. www.wmrt.com

Source: WMRT