What does a pursuit race consist of, namely a sailing competition in pursuit race style? Some readers less familiar with nautical events asked themselves this question when reading, a few days ago, the announcement of the new edition of the VSG CUP. For those who have not read that news on our blog, here is a very quick summary: our Genoa marina is once again among the organizers of the VSG CUP, a multisport championship now in its sixth edition. It is a team tournament that includes three events: one on the snow, in Piedmont; one on the golf course in Arenzano; and one – over two days – by boat, in the Gulf of Paradiso, for two exciting regattas organized by our tourist marina in Genoa.
The VSG CUP 2026 regattas, scheduled for April 25 and 26, will be held following two different formats. The first will follow the pursuit race regulations, while the second will be a buoy sprint race; today we will explain how a pursuit race works in practice, so that we can understand – even as spectators – the regatta that will be held in Genoa on April 25!
The world of regattas: fleet racing or match racing?
The beauty of the VSG CUP is that it brings together in a single sports tournament people with different sporting passions, from skiers to golfers, to sailors of course (knowing that even here in our Genoa marina there are athletes who frequent all three of these worlds!). For the benefit of those approaching this multisport championship from skiing or golf, we therefore want to provide a brief introduction to the world of regattas, dividing the possible competitions into two broad groups.
On one hand we have classic regattas, fleet racing, during which all participating boats sail together; on the other hand we have match racing, during which we witness a duel between two boats (or possibly between different teams). A famous example of match racing is represented by the America’s Cup match races, with competitors racing aboard very fast and identical boats.
The most classic regatta, the one we are all used to, is fleet racing, with many – sometimes very many – boats racing at the same time. But not all regattas in this group are the same!
The differences between fleet race, handicap race and pursuit race
We can therefore anticipate that the pursuit race is a particular type of fleet race; but it is certainly not the most common. In the most classic of fleet races, all boats start together, and – quite simply – the crew that crosses the finish line first wins. It is no surprise that this is the quintessential type of regatta in the world of one-design racing.
However, there are often regattas in which the participating boats are different from each other, sometimes considerably so: how can faster boats race with inherently less performant models without compromising the beauty of the competition from the start? This is where handicap races come in, also called handicap races. Based on different types of rating, the times of the various boats are ‘corrected’ to produce the final ‘compensated’ standings.
And then there is the pursuit race. In a fleet race with different boats, one can also choose to start the various crews at different times, allowing slower boats to start first, and faster ones to start later. In this way, applying the pursuit race rules, the compensation is made ‘upstream’, so as to have a final ranking that reflects the actual arrival of the boats.
Why we chose the pursuit race for the VSG CUP 2026
Having seen what a pursuit race is, it is easy to understand why the first of the VSG CUP 2026 regattas, organized by our tourist marina in central Genoa, will be a pursuit race: by doing so, despite dealing with a competition between very different boats, we will have an exciting, spectacular and crystal-clear finish. Whoever crosses the line first wins!
Among the berths at the Genoa marina, many are already preparing for the two regattas. And you? You can register directly online, from the official VSG CUP website!