The rules in match racing Match racing is a particular form of regatta. It is about a confrontation of equals on water of boat against boat. A regatta takes place in a closed circuit delimited by buoys: the competitors must get around them and in the direction defined by the committee of the course. At the end of the XVII century, sailing becomes gradually a sport, and the rich ship owners defy one another under the form of duels.
The rules of priority between ships will become the rules of a new game which will become the match racing. It is in 1930 that match racing takes its modern form ; the circuit are raced with identical “classes” boats (identical shapes). One innovation will transform these races which are the pre-departures.