London, UK (19 August, 2024) The World Match Racing Tour, sailing’s longest running global professional series and special event of World Sailing, today announced a new championship stage to the global tour starting in 2025 in MACAO, Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. The MACAO Match Cup will launch the 2025 World Match Racing Tour season from 8-12 January 2025.
The new event, 2025 MGM Macao International Regatta – MACAO Match Cup, is jointly organized by the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, MGM, and the Ursa Major Sailing Event Management. The match racing event will take place over five racing days alongside the 2025 MGM Macao International Regatta, which comprises three competitions and has been hosted annually since 2019, attracting over 300 competitors each year.
“We are thrilled to welcome the MACAO Match Cup to the World Match Racing Tour” commented WMRT Executive Director James Pleasance. “This will be our second championship stage event in the Asia and China region together with the WMRT Final in Shenzhen in December – it marks another key milestone in our growth of the Tour and also match racing.”
“The hosting of the World Match Racing Tour – MACAO Match Cup once again demonstrates Macao’s ability to host significant international competitions that enhances the synergy of major sporting events between sports and other industries” added Luís Gomes, Acting President of the Sports Bureau of Macao SAR Government. “We highly anticipate to welcome teams from worldwide to experience the sporting culture and dynamism of our vibrant city.”
Teams will compete for the MACAO Match Cup in a brand-new Far East 28R match racing edition boats. The event will award a total prize purse of USD100,000.
The event racing area for the event will be located outside of Fishermen’s Wharf and Macao’s Outer Harbour, between Governor Nobre de Carvalho Bridge and Friendship Bridge, allowing spectators to watch the racing from the shoreline. January is the driest month of the year in Macao with daytime temperatures expected around 20°C (68°F) and winds from 6-15 knots.
About Macao
Located 62 km from Hong Kong, Macao’s unique coastal resources and location provides favorable conditions for hosting international sailing regattas, promoted as a ‘World Tourism and Leisure Center’ and a premier destination for sports tourism. Macao consists of a peninsula (Macao) and two islands (Taipa and Coloane), which were merged into one connected landmass following land reclamation on the Cotai Strip.
Macao is well-known for hosting international sports events including the Macao Grand Prix, ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup, Women’s Volleyball Nations League, WTT Champions, International Golf Series, Dragon Boat Races and the Macao Olympic Complex and East Asian Games Dome hosting the East Asian Games.
For more information on the World Match Racing Tour, visit www.wmrt.com
For more information on Macao Major Sport Event, visit www.sport.gov.mo/en
For more information on Macao, visit www.macaotourism.gov.mo/en/
For more information on the MACAO Match Cup, visit www.macaoregatta.com/en/
For more information, follow www.wmrt.com and womenswmrt.com and via social media at Facebook and Instagram @wordmatchracingtour and @womenswmrt
ABOUT WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR
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 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. Since 2000, the World Match Racing Tour and its events have awarded over USD24million in prize money to sailors which has helped to contribute to the career pathway of many of today’s professional sailors. www.wmrt.com