World Match Racing Tour in USA

As an official qualifying event of the World Match Racing Tour, eight international match racing teams will do battle at the 2025 Ficker Cup on April 25-27 in Long Beach, CA. Along with the Ficker Cup trophy at stake, the two top placed teams will earn an invitation to the 60th Anniversary of the Congressional Cup, joining a world-class line up of eight skippers which include defending champion Chris Poole (USA) and past winner Johnie Berntsson from Sweden.

“This year we have an incredibly talented lineup of sailors for the Ficker Cup,” commented 2025 Event Chair Ken Mattfeld. “They are all ranked within the top 30 worldwide so it promises to be a fierce battle to secure the final two spots in the 60th Congressional Cup.”

Racing will take place in identical Catalina 37’s owned and managed by the Long Beach Foundation.

After the final of the Ficker Cup, there will be a one day break before registration and practice sessions for the 2025 Congressional Cup on April 29 followed by racing on April 30-May 4. The event will be televised live on May 2-4 via YouTube and social media channels.

2024 Congressional Cup winning skipper, USA’s Chris Poole, returns to Long Beach with his Riptide Racing team in pursuit of a third consecutive Congressional Cup title and Crimson Blazer, a record previously only held by USA’s Taylor Canfield (Winner 2014, 2015, 2016 and also 2018 and 2021).

However, Poole faces stiff competition from veterans of the famous Long Beach event including 2009 past winner Johnie Berntsson / Berntsson Sailing Team from Sweden, and Switzerland’s Eric Monnin / Capvis Swiss Match Racing who finished 3rd last year.

Current youth match racing world champion Cole Tapper and his CYCA team from Sydney Australia also returns to Long Beach determined to improve on their eighth place finish last year. The Long Beach Yacht Club will be represented by Dave Hood/ DH3 Racing.

2025 Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup Skippers
1. Chris Poole / Riptide Racing (USA)
2. Johnie Berntsson / Berntsson Sailing Team (SWE)
3. Eric Monnin / Capvis Swiss Match Racing (SUI)
4. Rocco Attili / RBYS Racing (ITA)
5. Ian Garreta / Med Racing (FRA)
6. Cole Tapper / CYCA (AUS)
7. Dave Hood / DH3 Racing (USA)
8. Björn Hansen / Hansen Sailing Team (SWE)
9. Ficker Cup 1st Place
10. Ficker Cup 2nd Place

2025 Ficker Cup Skippers
1. Nicole Breault (USA)
2. Maxime Mesnil (FRA)
3. Cormac Murphy (USA)
4. Aurélien Pierroz (FRA)
5. Pearson Potts (USA)
6. Ryan Seago (USA)
7. Zac West (AUS)
8. Peter Wickwire (CAN)

Details: https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2025/03/13/field-set-for-2025-congressional-cup/

Tour information – 2025 schedule – Facebook

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 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 inception, 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.

Source: WMRT