Chicago Match Race Center's new title sponsor for Summer Classic

by Chicago Match Race Center on 26 Apr 2011 The Chicago Match Race Center (CMRC) is pleased to announce Eurex, one of the world's leading derivatives exchanges, as the title sponsor of the CMRC's Summer Classic regatta, held over July 8-10, 2011, and now renamed the Eurex Match Cup.

This will be an ISAF Grade 3 event, featuring 12 teams battling for three days of competitive match race sailing off Chicago's Belmont Harbor. The winner of this event will receive an automatic invitation to CMRC's Belmont Match Cup, an ISAF Grade 2 event held in mid-August.

Eurex first sponsored CMRC in November 2010, helping to support CMRC with its aggressive growth strategy for the 2011 racing season.

'We are very excited to be able to offer Eurex naming rights to our mid-summer match race regatta,' said Tod Reynolds, CMRC Program Director. 'We believe that match racing with its international reach is an ideal fit for this leader in the global derivatives markets. We are also planning to use our fleet of TOM 28 Max boats as a platform for a Eurex corporate sailing event. This will be a fantastic opportunity to bring the excitement of sailing to a new audience, one of our core missions at CMRC.'

Not dissimilar from the intensity level of the trading pits, match racing is an exciting, fast-paced style of sailboat racing. Identical boats are paired against one another in a round robin format with short races and on-the-water umpiring, all of which make this form of the game a truly great spectator sport.

Started in 2009 by Chicago trader and entrepreneur Donald Wilson with the objective of raising the level of sailing in Chicago, the U.S. and beyond, CMRC has quickly become recognized as a premier match race sailing venue. With its fleet of race and support boats, a floating regatta center, professional management, and a shoreside venue at Belmont Harbor, CMRC is uniquely positioned to bring this excitement to Chicago, a major urban waterfront venue in the U.S.

'Eurex has been a perfect fit for us as a strategic partner, encouraging the same levels of dedication, solid grasp of risk and reward, and intensity we have in the match racing game,' said CMRC founder Don Wilson. 'We look forward to working with them closely to bring great value to their support.'

'CMRC has made great strides in supporting and enhancing the profile of match racing in the City of Chicago. The Eurex Match Cup is a great opportunity to bring this internationally recognized sport to the local audience,' said Vassilis Vergotis, executive vice president and head of Eurex offices - Americas. 'We are excited to expand our sponsorship in this growing initiative.'

Official Partners of the CMRC include Eurex, CME Group, Newedge, City Inns family of hotels, and Line Honors is the Official Clothing Supplier to CMRC.

Chicago Match Race website