#matchracing – Graham Barker and his Whitefire team, skippered by Ryan Scott, have challenged for the match racing national championship. The sail off against Peter Baily and the St George Gladiators will take place on the 14th April, hosted by Howth Yacht Club. Eight head to head races will take place off Ireland's Eye with the winner becoming the new national champion.
The Whitefire challenge is the first under the new format that allows anyone to challenge the current national champion, provided they can find two boats to use. In this case the Sailfleet J80s will be used but the only stipulation is that the boats chosen require 2 or more people to sail. Everything else related to running the event has been standardised to make challenging as easy, and fair, as possible and support is available from Match Racing Ireland to organise a challenge.
