An impressively strong field of Tour Card holders and qualifying teams line up for this week's 2009 Tour season opener at the Marseille International Match Race. The newest event of the ten-stage 2009 World Match Racing Tour will also be its first as 12 teams prepare for Marseille International Match Race, held over 10-15 March and hosted by the Yachting Club Pointe Rouge (YCPR). The assembled field is one of the strongest yet seen, lured by the opportunity to compete against the best talent in the sport, valuable Tour points earned towards the World Championship, and a piece of the €50,000 prize purse.With three-metre seas and blustery 25-35 knot Mistral conditions in the harbor, Principal Race Officer Gerard Bosse and his race management team from the Yachting Club de la Pointe Rouge decided to postpone the start of the Marseille International Match Race until tomorrow. The 12 teams assembled for this first event of the World Match Racing Tour stayed ashore to rest up and keep their powder dry, as tomorrow will likely be a full day to try and get through Stage One of the competition, a single Round Robin pitting all teams against each other once.
