American skipper Chris Poole and Riptide Racing claimed a second GKSS Match Cup Sweden title on Sunday, while France's Pauline Courtois successfully defended the Nordea Women's Trophy in Marstrand.
Sailed in a fresh 16-knot westerly breeze, the finals delivered high-quality match racing before large crowds gathered along Marstrand's granite shoreline. Poole, sailing with Adam Minoprio, Mal Parker and Luke Payne, defeated Sweden's Oscar Engström and Liros Racing 3-1 to add the 2026 title to the crown he first won in 2024.
Final Duel – Chris Poole's Riptide Racing (right) and Sweden's Liros Racing, skippered by Oscar Engström, battle during the GKSS Match Cup Sweden final in Marstrand, where the American team secured a 3-1 victory. Photo: Ian Roman
The American team's victory capped an impressive recovery after a slow start to the regatta. Poole eliminated defending champion Jeppe Borch in the quarter-finals, beat France's Ange Delerce in the semi-finals and then overcame Engström in the final.
"It has been an interesting week for us. It didn't start as well as we expected, but we fought our way through," Poole said. "Oscar put on a tough match for us in the finals, but we are delighted to win again here, and on 4 July – I'm proud to fly the Stars and Stripes with our win."
Engström enjoyed his best-ever finish in Marstrand after topping the round robin and defeating fellow Swede Johnie Berntsson to reach his first Match Cup Sweden final. Berntsson secured third place with a 2-0 win over Delerce, whose debut appearance included a memorable quarter-final victory over seven-time champion Björn Hansen.
In the Nordea Women's Trophy, Courtois and her Match in Pink crew of Maëlenn Lemaitre, Laurane Mettraux and Théa Khelif retained the title with a 3-1 victory over Sweden's Martina Carlsson and Beyond Racing.
Local Challenge – Sweden's Martina Carlsson and Beyond Racing race to second place in the Nordea Women's Trophy after reaching the Marstrand final with an unbeaten run through the round robin and semi-finals. Photo: Ian Roman
Carlsson entered the final unbeaten after winning nine consecutive races through the round robin and semi-finals. However, the experienced French crew produced a composed tactical display to retain their crown.
"We are very happy, of course, to defend our title," Courtois said. "We knew we were sailing against a popular local team, and Martina and her team have been sailing very well this week, but we were also fast today, and it is great to get the win again."
Another Swedish crew, WINGS Sailing, skippered by Anna Östling, claimed third place after defeating Denmark's Lea Richter Vogelius and WOW Racing 2-0.
French Triumph – Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink crew celebrate after successfully defending the Nordea Women's Trophy at the GKSS Match Cup Sweden in Marstrand. Photo: Ian Roman
The World Match Racing Tour now heads to Pornichet, France, later this month before continuing with events in Chicago, Detroit, New York, Dublin and Poland ahead of the Bermuda Gold Cup and the inaugural WMRT Final in AMAALA, Saudi Arabia, in November.
