Twelve of the world’s leading women’s match racing teams will line up on San Francisco Bay this week for the 2026 World Sailing Women’s Match Racing World Championship. Hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club from September 30 to October 4, the championship will be sailed in identical J/22 keelboats, with racing scheduled to begin on Thursday, October 1.
The fleet represents seven countries and 10 yacht clubs, with 12 of the top 18 teams in the World Sailing women’s match racing rankings competing.
Courtois Chasing Sixth Consecutive Crown
France’s Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team arrive as the defending champions after winning five consecutive world titles. Courtois will sail with Maëlenn Lemaitre, Louise Acker and Laurane Mettraux, representing Club de Voile Saint-Aubin Elbeuf.
“I expect a very tight competition,” Courtois said. “There are many experienced and strong teams, and I think the level between the different crews will be very close. Every race will matter, and small details could make the difference.”
Although Courtois has raced twice previously on San Francisco Bay, she says adapting to the J/22 and its symmetrical spinnaker will be one of the principal challenges.
“In France, we don’t have a symmetrical-spinnaker boat available for regular training, so we have less opportunity to practice with this type of setup,” she said.
Strong US and New Zealand Challenges
Among the American contenders is Allie Blecher’s Team BAAM!, representing California Yacht Club, with Evan Cahill, Rose Edwards and Aimee Famularo. Blecher has considerable San Francisco Bay experience and expects strong breeze and tidal currents to play a significant role.
“The Bay can throw pretty much anything at you, so even some of the world’s best sailors may struggle,” she said.
Local interest includes Nicole Breault’s Vela Racing Team from St Francis Yacht Club. Breault, sailing with Molly Carapiet, Hailey Thompson and Molly Vandemoer, won the 2025 US Women’s Match Racing Championship.
Downwind duel: J/22 crews power under spinnaker on San Francisco Bay, with 12 of the world’s leading women’s match racing teams contesting the 2026 world title. Photo: Simone Staff
New Zealand is represented by Megan Thomson’s 2.0 Racing team from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, with Josi Andres, Maddie Rist and Tinka Visser.
Thomson arrives in San Francisco after a varied programme that included co-skippering the foiling IMOCA MSIG Europe in The Ocean Race Atlantic 2026, then competing in the New York Yacht Club Women’s International Championship.
“The common thread is the people,” Thomson said. “Whether you’re crossing the Atlantic, racing an IC37 with 10 women, or lining up for a match race, so much comes down to trusting the people around you, communicating well, and making good decisions under pressure.”
Round Robin Opens Six-Stage Championship
The championship begins with a full round robin involving all 12 teams, with the leading eight progressing to the quarter-finals. The knock-out stages will ultimately reduce the field to four semi-finalists before separate bronze-medal and Grand Final matches.
Three match wins will be required to advance from each quarter-final and semi-final, while the first team to three wins in the Grand Final will take the world title.
The boats may also be exchanged during the knock-out stages to maintain parity between competitors.
San Francisco’s City Front course is expected to put particular emphasis on tidal tactics, boat handling and manoeuvres in stronger breeze.
World Sailing president Quanhai Li said the combination of identical boats and the Bay’s conditions would leave little margin for error. “Each race is important and tests each crew’s endurance, their adaptability to changing tidal currents, and their boat handling in heavy breeze,” he said.
Racing is due to start at 10.30 am local time on Thursday, October 1, with the championship concluding on Sunday, October 4.
