French nab women’s tour opener

French match racing skipper Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink Normandy team won the 2025 Casa Vela Cup, held May 29-31 in San Francisco, CA. Raced in J/22s, the opening stage of the 6-event 2025 Women’s World Match Racing Tour had Courtois defeating Nicole Breault (USA) and the Vela Racing team 3-1 in the final.

Battling a strong flood tide and a fresh westerly breeze throughout the event, Courtois and Breault traded wins in the first two final matches to even the score at 1-1.

A close tacking duel along the southerly shore ensued in the third race with Courtois ahead and covering Breault’s every move. Choosing to take an earlier lay line to the top mark, a wind shift allowed Courtois to make the first windward mark ahead of Breault and led the race to go 2-1, and match point.

In the deciding race, Courtois held a controlling position again to the windward mark. Breault, finding pace downwind and looking for the pass on Courtois, incurred a penalty as her spinnaker touched the backstay of Courtois’s boat. By the final leg of the race, Breault had gained a marginal lead but did not have enough space ahead of Courtois to do a penalty turn at the finish and stay ahead.

In a masterful move, Breault went for a hard luff on Courtois and managed to force a penalty on her opponent, cancelling out her own penalty and leaving both teams for a sprint to the finish. However, as they gybed for the finish, Courtois was able to narrowly cross the line seconds ahead of Breault and securing the 3-1 victory.

“We are so happy with the win here in San Francisco,” said a jubilant Courtois. “Nicole sailed a great match against us, but we are thrilled to have got the win here at the Casa Vela Cup!”

Sweden’s Team Wings skippered by Anna Östling finished in third after winning both races in the first-to-two points petit-final against Julia Aartsen/ Team Out of the Box from the Netherlands.

Event information – Race details – Results

Women’s World Match Racing Tour 2025 Schedule
Stage 1. Casa Vela Cup – San Francisco, CA: May 28-31
Stage 2. Santa Maria Cup – Annapolis, MD: June 4-7
Stage 3. Normandy Match Cup – Le Havre, France: June 6-9
Stage 4. Nordea Women’s Trophy – Marstrand, Sweden: June 30-July 5
Stage 5. Women’s Match Racing World Championship – Chicago, IL:  September 17-20
Stage 6. Bermuda Women’s Match Race – Hamilton, Bermuda: October 21-26

The Women’s World Match Racing Tour was launched in 2022 to continue the hugely successful legacy of the WIM Series (Women’s International Match Racing Series) providing a global match racing series for female sailors. The name of the series was re-launched as the Women’s World Match Racing Tour with its continued mission to expand and strengthen global match racing and promote opportunities for competitive women’s sailing at every level. The Women’s World Match Racing Tour is the world’s first and only professional sailing series for women providing a valuable pathway for aspiring female world champions in the sport of sailing.

Details: https://womenswmrt.com/