Yachting: NZ bids for WMRT event

Phil Robertson has a full-time WMRT tour card. Photo / Subzero images

While a lot of attention is focused on the America's Cup, another major sailing event could be on New Zealand's doorstep very soon.

The World Match Racing Tour wants to expand to 15 venues by 2013 and is almost certain to include a regatta in this country, as well as one in Australia. WMRT CEO Jim O'Toole says establishing an Antipodean swing in 2012 is near the top of his agenda.

"Kiwis are all over our sport and it is my goal to have an event in New Zealand," he said from his base in London. "We have received an extremely strong bid from a New Zealand venue that has all the right stakeholder support."

O'Toole was unable to confirm but it is understood that Wellington is the candidate host city and there is strong interest from local and central government. A final decision will be made by April this year, and the New Zealand leg will be allocated a spot in February or March on the calendar.

There are also three Australian cities in the bidding process as well as three countries in the Gulf and a trio of nations in the South East Asia. There are currently nine venues on the WMRT spread across six countries in Europe, Asia and Central America.

Meanwhile, promising New Zealand sailor Phil Robertson has been unveiled as one of the nine skippers to receive full-time tour cards for 2011. It is a huge fillip for the 23-year-old and his Waka Racing team, who for the past two years have raced all over the world on an ad hoc basis, managing to qualify for the occasional tour event.

"It is very important for us and means we can stay together as a crew," said Robertson. "We have done well in the past but it was always a big step up into tour events. Now they will be the base and it is spot on for our skills."

The 2011 field includes past champions Ian Williams, Peter Gilmour and Jesper Radich, as well as 2010 runner-up Mathieu Ricard, America's Cup veteran Francesco Bruni and young Australian superstar Torvar Mirsky.

Can Robertson and his crew follow in the footsteps of compatriot Adam Minoprio, who was world champion at a similar age?

"Our goal is to finish in the top six," said Robertson, "but we have beaten them all before and are pretty confident. After the first few events our skill levels should increase dramatically."

The team have until March to raise sponsorship "well into six figures" and will spend time back in New Zealand training. Robertson also plans to take advantage of the presence of several America's Cup teams in the Queen City and cut his teeth with some catamaran sailing.

Meanwhile, O'Toole remains bullish about the future of the WMRT, despite the obvious questions raised since the America's Cup move into multihulls.

"The recent tour card bidding process was a chance for teams to show their commitment to the sport and we had 23 solid expressions of interest", said O'Toole.

"Our tour will continue to grow. My main concern is the risk of a lost generation of young professional sailors now that the traditional routes into the America's Cup have gone."

The WMRT starts in May in France and concludes with the Monsoon Cup in Malaysia in November.