Bringing back World Sailing Nations Cup

After a break of seven years, World Sailing is bringing back the Nations Cup in 2027, with racing on September 6-11 in Cherbourg, France.

The event’s match racing format is designed to maximize global participation, with a pyramid of club and national championships that precedes the international competition. For the 2027 edition, up to 10 teams in both the Open and Women’s divisions will be invited to the Grand Final based on a regional selection process.

“The Nations Cup is a celebration of national pride and a proven breeding ground for the future legends of our sport,” said World Sailing Vice-President Cory Sertl. “Its return re-establishes a vital, cost-effective international platform for sailors and Member National Authorities, expanding the reach of match racing and inspiring a new generation of competitors.”

The event will be hosted by Cherbourg Yacht Club which held the 2021 Women’s Match Racing World Championship along with many French National Youth and Women’s Match Racing Championships.

“We are proud to be a part of the Nation’s Cup once again, especially since it has a special meaning to me, as I won the last edition in 2019 in San Francisco,” noted Maxime Mesnil, Director of the Yacht Club de Cherbourg.

“We strongly believe in the diversity of participants of the Nation’s Cup, which has a strong echo with the long term work engaged here at the Yacht Club of Cherbourg, to enhance the growth of women and youth in sailing practice.”

The Nations Cup, first launched in 1991, is a unique competition that pits nation against nation, rather than individual skippers, to determine the Open and Women’s world champion nation in match racing. The event is renowned for fostering global talent and providing a clear pathway to elite competition, with many of its alumni going on to compete in The America’s Cup, the World Match Racing Tour, and the Olympic Games.

Notable past participants include Mathieu Richard (FRA), Anna Tunnicliffe (USA), Peter Holmberg (ISV), Claire Leroy (FRA), and Lucy Macgregor (GBR), highlighting the event’s role as a crucial stepping stone for sailing’s greatest stars.

The 2015 Grand Final in Vladivostok, Russia saw 37 teams compete in the continental qualifiers, with Russia (Open) and the USA (Women’s) claiming the titles. In 2019, at the St Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, 19 teams from 13 countries participated, with France winning both the Open and Women’s divisions.

Details: https://www.sailing.org/events/world-sailing-nations-cup/

Source: World Sailing