Ireland Take Five Wins into Second Round at Team Racing Worlds

14th August 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Fionn Lyden, Clíodhna Ní Shúilleabháin and Sally O'Flynn racing Ireland 2 at the Team Racing World Championship in Stockholm

Irish challenge: Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, Fionn Lyden, Clíodhna Ní Shúilleabháin and Sally O'Flynn aboard Ireland 2 at the Team Racing World Championship on Stockholm's Riddarfjärden. Photo: Malcolm Hanes/World Sailing Credit: Malcolm Hanes

Ireland completed the opening round robin of the 2026 Team Racing World Championship in Stockholm with five wins from 11 races, as the two United States teams set the early pace on Riddarfjärden.

The Irish team finished the first phase level with Bermuda on five victories, one win behind Sweden and Denmark, who each recorded six.

USA 1 and USA 2 shared the lead after Round Robin 1 with nine wins apiece, while Great Britain and New Zealand were close behind on eight.

The championship moved into its second round robin on Friday, when New Zealand emerged as a significant threat to the early American dominance.

New Zealand Challenge US Leaders

After 55 races were completed on Thursday, another 42 were sailed on Friday before a wind shift and fading breeze brought racing to an end.

Thirty-five races remained to be completed in Round Robin 2, with racing due to resume on Saturday morning.

Conditions were lighter than on Thursday, with winds generally between three and five metres per second.

New Zealand produced the day's strongest run, winning six consecutive races, including victories over both American teams.

The defeat by New Zealand was the first of the championship for USA 1.

“It was our first loss. I can’t really explain what happened. The races are so close and so fast,” USA 1 skipper Alex Curtiss said.

“The level is extremely high.”

Four Sailors in Each Irish J/80

Ireland is represented in Stockholm by an eight-strong squad divided between two J/80 crews.

Ireland 1 comprises Tom Higgins (helm), Jamie McMahon (jib trimmer and team captain), Henry Higgins (mainsail trimmer) and Fiona Ferguson (bow).

Ireland 2 comprises Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin (helm), Fionn Lyden (jib trimmer), Clíodhna Ní Shúilleabháin (mainsail trimmer) and Sally O'Flynn (bow).

The Irish squad went to Stockholm targeting a place in the semi-finals following an extensive training programme in Dun Laoghaire and abroad.

14-Minute Battle

One of Friday's standout contests was Race 58 between USA 2 and New Zealand.

While races normally last only eight or nine minutes, the encounter extended beyond 14 minutes as the teams engaged in a succession of tactical battles.

New Zealand eventually secured the victory on the finish line.

New Zealand skipper Jordan Stevenson, whose team finished second at the 2025 World Championship in the United States, said the lighter Stockholm conditions suited his crew.

“I prefer lighter winds. You have a little more time to think about what you’re going to do,” Stevenson said.

Australia and Japan Open Their Accounts

Friday also brought a first championship victory for Australia.

The youngest team in the fleet, with an average age of 21, defeated Japan in Race 64 after establishing a 1–2 position and controlling the race to the finish.

Japan subsequently recorded their first victory later in the day.

The Team Racing World Championship continues on Stockholm's Riddarfjärden until Sunday, August 16.

Published in Team Racing

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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.