The nation’s spiritual home of sailing, Fremantle, has been unveiled as the first Australian city to host the prestigious World Match Racing Tour – the most significant sailing event in Australia since the 1986 America’s Cup defence. To be staged at Bathers Beach from March 2-7, the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) is the oldest professional sailing tour in existence, with prize money of US $200,000 up for grabs in Fremantle and an overall US $1million bonus for the eventual world champion. March’s world championship opening event in Fremantle also marks a major change for the tour, with all crews competing on the light, agile and spectacular M32 class catamarans. The launch of World Match Racing Tour Fremantle will be the tour’s 17th consecutive season, making it the sport’s longest running global professional series.