USA’s Taylor Canfield, Ian Williams (GBR), Johnie Berntsson (SWE) and Chris Poole (USA) have advanced to the semi-final stage in the 57th Congressional Cup, after a lively day of sailing in winds grazing the top range for the Catalina 37 fleet. Ten of the world’s top-ranked match racing teams battled 20 knots of wind and bloodthirsty rivals for a chance at the Crimson Blazer at Long Beach Yacht Club in this five-day regatta.

None of the qualifiers are strangers to Congressional Cup’s elite; past winners Canfield, Williams and Berntsson each already have in their closets an iconic Crimson Blazer: yacht racing’s equivalent to The Masters’ green jacket. And Poole, who qualified for the semi-finals in 2021, has tasted blood. Concluding races tomorrow and Saturday will prove to be thrilling for competitors, and spectators as well as they watch from the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier.

There was little doubt five-time Congressional Cup winner and defending champion Canfield would qualify to the final four. Pedigree and poise have kept his Stars+Stripes USA team at the top of the leader-board over the past three days of exhilarating racing. Likewise Williams, a four-time Congressional Cup victor and long-time rival, quickly made known his intentions, with his newly branded Team Gladstone’s Long Beach claiming a spot on the top of roster despite a three-year absence from Congressional Cup racing.

But it came down to the wire for the final two berths, with four gifted skippers hungry for those spots: Berntsson, Poole, Jeppe Borch (DEN) and Emil Kjaer (DEN).

In the last flights of the second round robin today Poole won a decisive match over Kjaer, which could have thrust Kjaer ahead in a tiebreaker; instead the loss squeezed him out of the semis. Still, it marked an impressive result for the 20-year-old sailor from Denmark.

But Poole’s battles weren’t over. The very final flight of the round robins would decide whether he – a four-time Congressional Cup veteran – would advance to the finals or defer to Ficker Cup winner Borch. It was a battle for points: a rousing bout of Poole vs. Berntsson. Poole aced the start to beat Berntsson for the added point, while Borch – who had defeated Potts – sailed on the side-lines awaiting his fate. Again, an excellent showing for young Congressional Cup first-timer Borch, as well.

Earlier Berntsson had won a pivotal match over Williams: no bearing on Williams’ position, but vital for scoring the points Berntsson needed to get in the semis.

Williams then turned the tables on Canfield in a thrilling tussle, where the adversaries sparred around the entire course. Williams finished just two seconds ahead of Canfield: a foretaste of the electrifying competition the crowd will see in the days ahead.

Frontrunners Canfield, Williams, Berntsson and Poole will advance to the semi-finals starting tomorrow: weather permitting.

Today’s heavy wind made sailing challenging: the boats moving faster, manoeuvres happening swiftly, and mistakes as well. Prone to round up in the stiff breeze, kites were soaring and dumped in the water as the exhausted sailors raced around the course again and again. And Principal Race Officer John Busch has been aggressively running races in anticipation of even more breeze: as a Thursday night low pressure system barrels across the Pacific. Rain should clear by Friday morning: but not the gusts, with winds expected in the 20s, above the fleet limit for safety.

The Catalina 37 fleet was designed exclusively for racing and has limited sail inventory; unable to reef the main and reduce sail sufficiently, at a sustained breeze over 20 knots racing is typically postponed.

Visit www.thecongressionalcup.com or our Facebook page for up-to-the-minute information on race schedule, and full results.

Preliminary Standings:

Semi-Finalists:
1. Taylor Canfield (USA)
2. Ian Williams (GBR)
3. Johnie Berntsson (SWE)
4. Chris Poole (USA)

5. Jeppe Borch (DEN)
6. Emil Kjaer (DEN)
7. Harry Price (AUS)
8. Dave Hood (USA)
9. Nick Egnot-Johnson (NZL)
10. Pearson Potts (USA)

Under the command of Principal Race Officer, John Busch racers completed the first round robin series and dipped into the second today of match racing's Congressional Cup. Long Beach continued to deliver stiff and steady westerly breezes: with more forecast in the days ahead.

Earlier today Pearson Potts (USA) won his first match of the event and picked up the pace from there. "You make the smallest mistake, and you know the guy on the other side will capitalize on it." Harry Price (AUS) also started to get up to speed, after a long gap in racing forced by the pandemic.

Congressional Cup match racing action at Long Beach

At the end of 12 flights, defending champion Taylor Canfield (USA) had continued full steam ahead to the top of the leaderboard at 10 - 2, but not without a pack of hungry rivals on his caboose: Ian Williams (GBR), Johnie Berntsson (SWE) and Chris Poole (USA) all at 8 - 4.

Long Beach Yacht Club - Established in 1929, Long Beach Yacht Club is recognized as a leading club in the international yachting community for its commitment to excellence in yacht racing and innovation in race management. Congressional Cup, the club’s signature event, now in its 57th year, is the preeminent match racing regatta in the United States and considered the Gateway to the America’s Cup. In addition to hosting numerous local, national and international yachting events, the Club’s member families enjoy a year-round calendar of social, yachting, and junior activities at its beautiful clubhouse on the shore of Alamitos Bay

And it was a day of thumps and thrills as the ten teams warmed up, and the action heated up. Chief Umpire Russell Green noted 21 penalty flags in today's six flights, with combative competitors colliding, clipping the Race Committee boat, tangling with each other - and the pin end of the line.

As Nick Egnot-Jones (NZL) put it, "There were lots of flags flying, boats colliding, and a real spectacle. It was high calibre competition."

Skipper - Nation - Results after 12 flights

• Taylor Canfield - USA - 10
• Ian Williams - GBR - 8
• Johnie Berntsson - SWE - 8
• Chris Poole - USA - 8
• Nick Egnot-Johnson - NZL - 6
• Emil Kjaer - DEN - 5
• Jeppe Borch - DEN - 5
• Harry Price - AUS - 4
• Pearson Potts - USA - 4
• Dave Hood - USA - 3

Jeppe Borch (DEN) and Team Borch Racing have won the Ficker Cup regatta, in a rousing upset over defending champion Emil Kjaer (DEN) Blue Sails Racing in the finals. Peter Holz' (USA) Windy City Racing took third and Dave Perry (USA) fourth, in this World Match Racing Tour WS Grade 2 qualifier event hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club.

Both Borch and Kjaer will advance to the Congressional Cup regatta next week, joining a top-notch field of international foes in the battle for the prestigious Congressional Cup trophy and Crimson Blazer.

Kjaer had dominated the Ficker Cup round robin series, suffering only one loss - to Borch - in the final match. But Borch had come out swinging as well and finished the round robins 10-4.

Jeppe Borch (DEN) and Team Borch Racing won the Ficker Cup regatta

The Dueling Danes are no strangers: Borch hails from Roskilde Sailing Club and Kjaer from the Royal Danish Yacht Club in Copenhagen, less than an hour apart. The teams have been amiable sparring partners for years and were frequently seen huddled around the same breakfast table at LBYC this week.

Although rain threatened early Saturday morning, the skies cleared and the wind turned on.

At the prizegiving at LBYC the late Bill Ficker's daughter Deon Macdonald presented the esteemed Ficker Cup trophy to Borch' team, while Congressional Cup Chair Lisa Meier bestowed invitations to both Borch and Kjaer.

The Congressional Cup is slated for April 19 to 23. Borch and Kjaer will join an all-star lineup including five-time winner and defending champion Taylor Canfield (USA); Ian Williams (GBR) a four-time victor; 2009 champion Johnnie Berntsson; (SWE) Harry Price (AUS); Chris Poole (USA); Nick Egnot-Johnson (NZL); Pearson Potts (USA); and Dave Hood (USA).

2022 FICKER CUP FINAL RESULTS 

1. Jeppe Borch, DEN
2. Emil Kjaer, DEN
3. Peter Holz, USA
4. Dave Perry, USA
5. Jeffrey Petersen, USA
6. David Wood, USA
7. Christopher Weis, USA
8. Anna Ostling, SWE

Putting its fleet of Elliott 6m keelboats to good use, the National Yacht Club held an introduction to match racing clinic for members in Dun Laoghaire Harbour last weekend.

The Day Match Racing Clinics under Coach Will Byrne was open to all members over 16 years of age interested in discovering the boats and the modern format of Match Racing competitions.

Sailors registered either as individual or pre-constituted teams of three (or four women or smaller individuals).

Further clinics are planned with an NYC match racing series to follow, according to Byrne.

Organisers of the World Match Racing Tour today announced the postponed 2021 WMRT Final scheduled for 15-20 March in Shenzhen, China will not be able to go ahead to ongoing border closures and Covid-19 restrictions in China. 

Despite the event organisers being fully prepared and ready to welcome competitors and officials to Shenzhen in March, it has not been possible to secure the necessary travel visas to China in time for the event, combined with the current minimum 21-day quarantine period for all event participants on arrival in Shenzhen. 

“It is obviously disappointing we are not be able to travel to China for the first Shenzhen Bao’an Match Cup in March,” commented WMRT Executive Director James Pleasance. “Sadly, the current rules on securing travel visas to China, as well as the minimum isolation period on arrival have made it impossible for us to go ahead with the event.” 

The Tour organisers are continuing discussions with their event partner in Shenzhen and local authorities over the coming weeks to explore the options of hosting an additional event to the season later in the year when competitors and officials will be allowed entry to China.

In the meantime, the 2022 WMRT season will start as scheduled in April with the Ficker Cup (13-16 April) and 57th Congressional Cup (18-23 April). 

2022 World Match Racing Tour Schedule

Ficker Cup, Long Beach, CA, USA, 13 – 16 April
*Congressional Cup, Long Beach, CA, 18 – 23 April
Szczecin Match Race, Poland, 28 April – 1 May
Porto Montenegro Match Race, 6 – 8 May
NJK Open Spring Cup, Finland, 20 – 22 May
Island Match Cup, Puerto Rico, 24 – 29 May Cancelled
GKSS Spring Cup Sweden, 4 – 5 June
OM International Ledro Match Race, 16 – 19 June
*GKSS Match Cup Marstrand, 4 – 9 July
Chicago Grand Slam, USA, 12 – 14 August
International Match Race for the Detroit Cup, USA, 18 – 21 August
Oakcliff International, Oyster Bay NY, USA, 25 – 29 August
Thompson Cup, Oyster Bay NY, USA, 30 August – 3 September
Baltic Match Race, Estonia, 7 – 11 September
Match Race Germany, 29 September - 3 October
DBS Marina Bay Cup, Singapore, 30 September – 3 October
Polish Open, Szczecin, Poland, 7-9 October
*Bermuda Gold Cup, 17 – 22 October
*Shenzhen Bao’an Match Cup: WMRT Finals 2022, 6-11 December
*World Championship (WC) Events

The National Yacht Club’s flotilla of Elliott 6M match-racing boats came into their own early in December, when the club staged its inaugural Invitational Match Racing Series, successfully drawing in competition from near and far to being together a highly competitive lineup, including National Champions and Olympic sailors.

But at the end of a very busy day’s racing with something of the Dawn Patrol about its start after adverse weather on the Saturday forced the compression of a planned two-day championship into one, the four helms who proceeded to the semi-finals were Mark Hassett, Brendan Lyden, Tom Fitzpatrick and Seafra Guilfoyle, making for a fairly even spread between Cork and Dublin.

However, the final was all West Cork, Lyden versus Hassett, with the latter starting well with a win. But in Race 2 he was off the pace until his crew of Adam Hyland and Robbie English obliged with a very smart spinnaker gybe set at the weather mark which enabled him to zip into a better breeze in mid-harbour to take the title and become a Sailor of the Month in 2021’s last month of all.

The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) today announced its 2022 world championship season with a 19 event schedule across 12 countries including new World Tour level events in Puerto Rico and Italy. 2022 will mark the 22nd consecutive season of WMRT, the longest-running professional series in sailing awarded ‘Special Event’ status by World Sailing.

The 2022 WMRT season will comprise of ‘World Tour’ events and ‘World Championship’ events, opening with the iconic Ficker Cup and the 57th edition of the Congressional Cup hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club in California, USA.

All events are organised under World Sailing rules as Open match racing events, allowing both men and women skippers, as well as mixed teams to compete. ‘World Championship’ level events award higher points to the WMRT leader-board, and prize money of at least USD75,000.

Joining the 2022 season are two new World Tour events, the inaugural Island Match Cup in Puerto Rico (24-29 May), and the OM International Ledro Match Race (16-19 June), founded in 2009 by the Associazone Vela Lago di Ledro on Lake Ledro, Italy. Long standing tour events Match Race Germany, Match Cup Marstrand and the Bermuda Gold Cup join the line-up for 2022 as well as the US Grand Slam match racing events in Chicago, Detroit and Oyster Bay, NY.

The WMRT 2022 Finals will be staged in Shenzhen, China at the Shenzhen Bao’an Match Cup, 6-11 December with a prize purse of USD200,000. The 2021 WMRT Finals, scheduled to take place this month in Shenzhen, was earlier postponed to 15-20 March, 2022 due to current border and quarantine restrictions in China.

“The last 18 months have certainly been challenging for many international sports events” commented WMRT Executive Director James Pleasance. “However, we are excited to announce a full schedule of events for 2022 and we look forward to seeing world class match racing back on Tour next year.”

The 2022 WMRT championship format will be announced in the coming weeks.

2022 World Match Racing Tour Schedule

Ficker Cup, Long Beach, CA, USA, 13 – 16 April
*Congressional Cup, Long Beach, CA, 18 – 23 April
Szczecin Match Race, Poland, 28 April – 1 May
Porto Montenegro Match Race, 6 – 8 May
NJK Open Spring Cup, Finland, 20 – 22 May
Island Match Cup, Puerto Rico, 24 – 29 May
Match Race Germany, 2 – 6 June
GKSS Spring Cup Sweden, 4 – 5 June
OM International Ledro Match Race, 16 – 19 June
*GKSS Match Cup Marstrand, 4 – 9 July
Chicago Grand Slam, USA, 12 – 14 August
International Match Race for the Detroit Cup, USA, 18 – 21 August
Oakcliff International, Oyster Bay NY, USA, 25 – 29 August
Thompson Cup, Oyster Bay NY, USA, 30 August – 3 September
Baltic Match Race, Estonia, 7 – 11 September
DBS Marina Bay Cup, Singapore, 30 September – 3 October
Polish Open, Szczecin, Poland, 7-9 October
*Bermuda Gold Cup, 17 – 22 October
*Shenzhen Bao’an Match Cup: WMRT Finals 2022, 6-11 December
*World Championship (WC) Events

The National Yacht Club will be hosting a Match Racing Invitational in its fleet of Elliott 6m one-design keelboats on the 4th and 5th of December at Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

The purpose of this event is to match Ireland's best match racers against each other in anticipation of a National Championships in early 2022.

Invite forms for consideration are available here. Organisers say an impartial panel will review all applications, and ten invites will be issued.

A Notice of Race can be found below for full details of the event.

Further details are available from Mark Hassett ([email protected]) or Will Byrne ([email protected]).

France’s Pauline Courtois, bronze medallist at the 2019 Women’s Match Racing World Championships, on Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team took gold in emphatic style at this year’s World Championships on home waters in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin.

Starting strongly, Match in Pink never wavered and notched up a 7-0 record in the first round robin, leading from Dutch Match Racing Team skippered by Renée Groeneveld (NED) with a 6-1 record and WINGS led by Anna Östling (SWE) finishing on 4-3.

Fellow French team, APCC Women Sailing Team, skippered by Margot Riou, finished in fourth, also with a 4-3 score.

The excellent form continued into the second round robin as the French team repeated their feat with a perfect 14-0 score, with Groeneveld ending on 12-2 and Östling at 9-5, ahead of Riou’s 8-6 record.

All four teams advanced to the semi-finals, where Courtois beat Riou 2-0 and Groeneveld took on Östling, also winning 2-0, to reach the finals.

In the Petit Final it was WINGS versus APCC. Here, Östling overcame Riou 2-0 to take third.

The top two teams throughout the race then faced each other in the Grand Final - with Courtois’ Match in Pink maintaining perfect performance to beat Groeneveld 3-0 to gold.

Speaking after the event, Courtois said, "Winning this year - becoming world champions - is just starting to sink in. We came so close last time! We really worked hard as a team and we’re incredibly happy this all paid off."

Results:

1. Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team - Pauline Courtois – FRA
2. Dutch Match Racing Team - Renée Groeneveld – NED
3. WINGS - Anna Östling – SWE
4. APCC Women Sailing Team - Margot Riou – FRA
5. L2 Match Racing Team - Laaksonen Marinella – FIN
6. Swedish Women's Match Racing Team - Sanna Mattsson – SWE
7. Athena Racing - Octavia Owen – GBR

The 2021 Women’s Match Racing World Championship, featuring Olympic and America’s Cup champions, is set to take over Europe’s second-largest artificial harbour - Cherbourg-en-Cotentin in Normandy, France - from tomorrow (Thursday, 28 October).

The eight teams of four and five crew members from Finland, France, Netherlands, Sweden and UK will compete over four days of intense racing on J/80 fixed keel one-design sports boats.

The 2021 Women’s Match Racing World Championship is being hosted by Yacht Club Cherbourg, after the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) - now hosts of the 2022 edition - was forced to withdraw due to pandemic-related travel restrictions.

The skippers are:

• Pauline Courtois (FRA) - Rank 1
• Anna Östling (SWE) - Rank 2
• Marinella Laaksonnen (FIN) - Rank 5
• Octavia Owen (GBR) - Rank 9
• Margot Riou (FRA) - Rank 10
• Renée Groeneveld (NED) - Rank 15
• Sanna Matsson (SWE) - Rank 21
• Kenza Coutard (FRA) - Wild Card

"World Sailing, the Match Racing World Championship and our athletes are incredibly grateful to the Yacht Club Cherbourg for stepping in as hosts in this challenging time for global sport," said Pedro Rodrigues, World Sailing Events Manager.

"We’re now looking forward to edge-of-your seat action in Cherbourg harbour, with amazing vantage points for spectators and a superstar line up of the sport’s biggest names in women’s match racing."

The Women's Match Racing Worlds is an annual event first held in Genoa, Italy in 1999. Skippers are invited to attend the Championship based on their World Sailing World Match Racing Ranking position.

The winning team at the World Sailing Women's Match Racing World Championship are crowned World Champions and presented with the Francoise Pascal Memorial - Women's Match Racing World Championship Trophy.

The trophy is named in honour of the late Francoise Pascal, a former Vice-President of the Fédération Française de Voile and a hugely influential figure in the growth of women's match racing.

The first, second and third place overall team receive World Sailing Gold, Silver and Bronze medals respectively.

In addition, the first-placed skipper following the ‘round robins’ are presented with the World Sailing Nucci Novi Ceppellini Memorial Trophy.

The trophy is named after Nucci Novi Ceppellini, World Sailing Vice-President from 1998-2008, who passed away in February 2008 after many years dedicated to sailing and specifically women's match racing.