St. Francis Yacht Club Claims Third Women's 2v2 Title

1st June 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Three-Peat Power — St. Francis Yacht Club's women's team races through challenging conditions in Newport on the way to securing a third consecutive Women's 2v2 Team Race championship title.

hree-Peat Power — St. Francis Yacht Club's women's team races through challenging conditions in Newport on the way to securing a third consecutive Women's 2v2 Team Race championship title Credit: Julia Boron

St. Francis Yacht Club completed a remarkable hat-trick of victories at the Women's 2v2 Team Race Regatta in Newport, Rhode Island, finishing unbeaten with a 7-0 record.

The San Francisco club retained the title for a third consecutive year, relying on the same eight-sailor squad that has competed together since 2024. "We're super lucky to have the same team three years in a row, so we've got the benefit of being able to practice together at St. Francis," said team captain Kate Shiber.

Held at New York Yacht Club Harbour Court, the event attracted leading female sailors from across the United States. The regatta uses the club's fleet of identical Sonar keelboats and is one of five major team racing events staged annually by the New York Yacht Club.

Weather played a major role in the championship. Strong northerly winds of up to 45 knots and low temperatures forced organisers to cancel racing on the opening day. Conditions improved on Sunday but remained demanding. Light winds in the morning gradually built into heavy-air racing, producing close contests and frequent lead changes.

St. Francis dominated throughout the shortened programme. Larchmont Yacht Club finished second with a 5-2 record, while Newport Harbour Yacht Club claimed third place with a 4- 3 record.

Champions Again — St. Francis Yacht Club celebrates after securing a third consecutive Women's 2v2 Team Race title at New York Yacht Club Harbour Court in Newport, Rhode Island. The San Francisco team finished the regatta unbeaten with a 7-0 record. Photo: Julia Boron

Skipper Molly Carapiet credited the team's consistency and communication for the result. "We have a phenomenal team," she said. "The teamwork amongst the eight of us is really fantastic. We have good boat handling and communication on both boats, and we're resilient when things go a little sideways in a race."

Shiber added that regular racing in J/22s and experience in match racing helped the team excel in the tight tactical battles that defined the regatta. "We love to compete," she said. "We had good starts, but mostly it's just boat handling. We would draw people into tacking duels."

The victory extends St. Francis Yacht Club's dominance of the Women's 2v2 Team Race, following previous successes in 2024 and 2025.

Published in Team Racing, Women in Sailing

Published in Team Racing

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About Team Racing

Team racing in sailing is an exciting, strategy-focused format where two teams, usually with three boats each, compete to achieve the best combined score by the end of the race. Unlike fleet racing, where individual performance matters most, team racing emphasises teamwork, tactics, and boat positioning to outmanoeuvre the opposing team.

Each team typically has three boats, often two-person dinghies like the Firefly class. The boats from each team are distinguished by their unique sail colours or numbers.

Points are assigned to finishing positions, with 1 point for 1st place, 2 points for 2nd place, and so on. The team with the lowest combined score wins. The target is to achieve a "winning combination" of points. In a six-boat race (three per team), winning combinations include scores like 10 points or less for a 1-2-6 or a 2-3-5 finish.

Teams can slow down or block opposing boats, especially in an advantageous position. A boat ahead can "cover" an opponent, manoeuvring to block the wind and slow them down.

Teams often employ manoeuvres to help slower boats catch up or pass opponents, switching positions if needed. This keeps the team in a winning configuration.

At key turning points, boats can execute mark traps, where they intentionally slow down or position themselves to block opponents, forcing them into bad turns or causing them to lose speed.

Team racing follows standard sailing rules but with some additions tailored to team tactics. For example, a "fouling" boat (one that breaks a rule) must complete a penalty turn or even multiple turns, depending on the rule violation. Penalty management is crucial as it can make or break a team's success in the race.

Constant communication is key as team members coordinate strategies, adjust for wind shifts, and adapt to changes in the race. They signal intentions, warn of opponents' moves, and ensure every team member’s position is optimized.

In short, team racing combines fast-paced sailing with strategic teamwork. While speed is essential, winning often depends more on positioning, communication, and the ability to execute effective tactics as a team.