Scotty Dickson leads the Ficker Cup after a dominant opening day at Long Beach Yacht Club. The American skipper posted a 6–1 record after seven flights, topping the unofficial leaderboard in the Grade 2 World Match Racing Tour event.
A fourteen-time Ficker Cup champion, Dickson capitalised on strong starts and precise match racing to build an early advantage. Behind him, the standings remain tight. Oscar Engström, Theo Westerlind and Christopher Weis are tied for second place on 4–3, keeping the pressure on heading into the next stage. Nicole Breault and Tom Picot sit level at 3–4, while Ireland’s Ruairi Finnegan and Poland’s Patryk Zbroja are both 2–5 but remain in contention.
Racing took place on the Congressional Cup Stadium Course off Belmont Shore, with steady afternoon winds providing consistent conditions. The fleet raced identical Catalina 37s, with tactical duels shaping a competitive mid-fleet battle.
Racing resumes Saturday with a second round robin. Only the top four skippers will progress to Sunday’s semi-finals. The top two finishers will secure invitations to next week’s Congressional Cup, the World Match Racing Tour Championship event.
The Ficker Cup, held from 24–26 April, is the final qualifier for the Congressional Cup. The regatta honours Bill Ficker, winner of the 1970 America’s Cup and the 1974 Congressional Cup.
