Game on at 2022 Ficker Cup

Mild, sunny conditions and 10 to 15 knot breezes are forecast for the eight teams competing in the Ficker Cup Regatta, a World Match Racing Tour Grade 2 qualifier event, being held April 14-16 in Long Beach, CA.

Hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club, the prestigious Ficker Cup trophy also offers a shot at a berth in the Congressional Cup, a Grade 1 match racing event to follow on April 19-23.

Leading the pack is 2021 Ficker Cup winner Emil Kjaer (DEN), plus Jeffrey Petersen (USA) and David Wood (USA) — all of whom advanced to compete in the Congressional Cup last year. Also returning are Peter Holz (USA) and Dave Perry (USA), while Jeppe Borch (DEN), Christopher Weis (USA), and Anna Östling (SWE) make their Ficker Cup debut.

Competing in the Catalina 37, racing held off the Veterans Memorial Belmont Pier begins with a double round robin series that advances the top four finishers to the Semi-Finals with the top two teams vying for the Ficker Cup trophy. As a bonus, the victor and runner-up advance to the 2022 Congressional Cup.

The Ficker Cup was established by Long Beach Yacht Club to honor Bill Ficker, a renowned yachtsman, Star Class World Champion, and America’s Cup and Congressional Cup victor.

Details: https://wmrt.com/events/the-ficker-cup-2022/

2022 World Match Racing Tour Schedule
April 13-16 – Ficker Cup – Long Beach, CA, USA
April 18-23 – Congressional Cup – Long Beach, CA, USA*
April 28-May 1 – Szczecin Match Race – Szczecin, Poland
May 6-8 – Porto Montenegro Match Race – Tivat, Montenegro
May 20-22 – NJK Open Spring Cup – Helsinki, Finland
May 24-29 – Island Match Cup – Puerto Rico (cancelled)
June 4-5 – GKSS Spring Cup – Gothenburg, Sweden
June 16-19 – OM International Ledro Match Race – Ledro, Italy
July 4-9 – GKSS Match Cup Marstrand – Marstrand, Sweden* (cancelled)
August 12-14 – Chicago Grand Slam – Chicago, IL, USA
August 18-21 – International Match Race for the Detroit Cup – Detroit, MI, USA
August 25-29 – Oakcliff International – Oyster Bay, NY, USA
August 30-September 3 – Thompson Cup – Oyster Bay, NY, USA
September 7-11 – Baltic Match Race – Tallin, Estonia
September 29-October 3 – Match Race Germany – Langenargen, Germany
September 30-October 3 – DBS Marina Bay Cup – Marina Bay, Singapore
October 7-9 – Polish Open – Szczecin, Poland
October 17-22 – Bermuda Gold Cup – Hamilton, Bermuda* (cancelled)
December 6-11 – Shenzhen Bao’an Match Cup: WMRT Finals – Shenzhen, China*
*World Championship (WC) Events

WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR
Founded in 2000, the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) promotes the sport of match racing around the world and is the longest running global professional series in the sport of sailing. The WMRT is awarded ‘Special Event’ status by the sport’s world governing body – World Sailing – and the winner of the WMRT each year is crowned World Sailing Match Racing World Champion.

Previous champions include Sir Ben Ainslie (GBR), Taylor Canfield (USA), Peter Gilmour (AUS), Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Peter Holmberg (ISV), Adam Minoprio (NZL), Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Bertrand Pace (FRA), Jesper Radich (DEN), Phil Robertson (NZL) and Ian Williams (GBR).

Since 2000, the World Match Racing Tour and its events have awarded over USD23million in prize money to sailors which has helped to contribute to the career pathway of many of today’s professional sailors. www.wmrt.com