USA skipper Allie Blecher successfully defended her Santa Maria Cup title on Saturday, defeating Sweden's Anna Östling 3-1 in a hard-fought final at Annapolis, Maryland. The victory gives Blecher and Team BAAM back-to-back wins at the prestigious event, which forms the second stage of the 2026 Women's World Match Racing Tour.
Sailing with Beka Schiff, Katja Sertl and Ali Blumenthal Stokes, Blecher once again proved the team to beat on Chesapeake Bay.
The final day began with the completion of the semi-finals. Blecher started the morning holding a 2-0 advantage over Sweden's Martina Carlsson and quickly sealed a 3-0 series victory to reach the final. Östling and the Wings Sailing Team resumed their semi-final against Dutch skipper Julia Aartsen with a 1-0 lead. The Swedish crew won the next two matches to complete a 3-0 series win and set up a championship showdown with the defending champions.
Final Showdown — USA's Allie Blecher and Sweden's Anna Östling battle for the Santa Maria Cup title during a closely fought championship final in Annapolis. Photo: Ted Morgan
The opening race of the final went Blecher's way after Östling was ruled out of the starting line early. Östling hit back in race two, levelling the series at 1-1 after finding a passing opportunity in a closely contested encounter.
Race three proved decisive. Östling led for much of the match before an extra tack on the final beat allowed Blecher to gain the inside position as they approached the top mark. The American skipper capitalised, moving ahead 2-1.
With the title on the line, Team BAAM delivered another composed performance in race four.
Aggressive pre-start tactics forced a penalty on the Swedish team. Although Östling managed to take the lead, Blecher stayed within striking distance and crossed the finish line first, securing the match and the championship.
Silver Standard — Wings Sailing Team of Sweden celebrate second place overall at the Santa Maria Cup. Pictured (left to right) are Linnea Wennergren, Annie Wennergren, Annika Carlunger and Anna Östling. Photo: Ted Morgan
"It's amazing to win this event again," said Blecher. "We kept our heads in the game and just kept plugging away, even when we were behind. This is the first time our team has sailed together since last year, so it makes the win even more special."
Champions Again — Winning crew Team BAAM celebrate their successful Santa Maria Cup title defence. Pictured (left to right) are Allie Blecher, Ali Blumenthal Stokes, Katja Sertl and Beka Schiff. Photo: Ted Morgan
The battle for third place went to the Netherlands' Julia Aartsen and Team Out of the Box, who defeated Martina Carlsson's Beyond Racing Team 2-0 in the Petit Final. "We have loved being here in Annapolis this week," said Aartsen. "We're very proud of our result and hope to be back again next year."
The Women's World Match Racing Tour now moves to Marstrand, Sweden, for the Nordea Women's Trophy from 29 June to 4 July.
