The Ficker Cup serves as a qualifier for the prestigious Congressional Cup, offering top teams a chance to compete against the world’s best. With only two spots available, the regatta is a fierce proving ground—rewarding standout performance with entry into one of match racing’s most elite and historic events.
Ficker Cup 2025
The 2025 Ficker Cup, hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club, lived up to its billing as a high-stakes battleground for entry into the prestigious Congressional Cup. Created in honour of legendary yachtsman Bill Ficker—1970 America’s Cup-winning skipper aboard Intrepid and 1974 Congressional Cup champion—the regatta continues to celebrate excellence in match racing. As always, the top two finishers earned coveted invitations to the Congressional Cup, making this World Sailing Grade 2 event both a proving ground and a launch pad.
This year’s edition brought together eight formidable skippers from around the globe. After two round robins, the leaderboard was tight, with Maxime Mesnil (FRA), Nicole Breault (USA), Peter Wickwire (CAN), and Aurélien Pierroz (FRA) advancing to the semifinals. Mesnil led the fleet with a 10–4 record, showcasing calm authority throughout the early stages.
In the semi-finals, Mesnil dispatched Wickwire 3–1, while Breault edged out Pierroz in a dramatic five-race duel. That set up a final showdown between Mesnil and Breault. The French skipper dominated the final, winning three straight to secure the Ficker Cup title. Breault finished runner-up and, like Mesnil, clinched her spot in the Congressional Cup.
The petit final saw Wickwire take third place with a 2–0 win over Pierroz. Further down the order, strong performances from newcomers like Cormac Murphy (5th) and Pearson Potts (6th) underlined the depth of talent in the field.
With fierce competition, shifting breeze, and international flair, the Ficker Cup once again delivered. More importantly, it set the stage for the 2025 Congressional Cup—bringing two world-class skippers one step closer to joining the legends who have hoisted the crimson blazer.
Although, Mesnil wrapped up the regatta in commanding style, sweeping Breault 3–0 in the final to claim the Ficker Cup title, he is already locked in to sail the Congressional Cup alongside Switzerland’s Eric Monnin, meaning the available spots went to the next in line. That meant Breault and Wickwire, finishing second and third respectively, secured their places in this week’s Congressional Cup lineup.
The Congressional Cup
From tomorrow (30 April, 2025) until the 4 May, the waters off Long Beach, California, will become the battleground for the world’s top match racers in the 60th Congressional Cup, hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club. This is no ordinary regatta. For six decades, the Congressional Cup has been the benchmark for monohull match racing — a title that means as much in sailing circles as any trophy outside of the America’s Cup.
Ten skippers from eight countries, each among the world’s best, will face off in identical boats, racing one-on-one in a series of battles that leave no margin for error. This is chess on water — high-pressure, close-quarters racing where only the sharpest survive.
But the Congressional Cup isn’t just about this year’s names. It’s a living slice of sailing history, with roots that trace back to 1965, when the concept of umpired match racing was still in its infancy. Today, it’s the proving ground for top tacticians and helmsmen — a place where reputations are made, and legends are remembered.
The Congressional Cup was launched in 1965 by Long Beach Yacht Club with a simple ambition: bring top-level match racing to the U.S. West Coast. From the start, the regatta helped pioneer many of the rules and practices now standard in match racing worldwide, including on-the-water umpiring and the round-robin format.
Past Congressional Cup winners
Over the decades, the list of past Congressional Cup winners reads like a who’s who of international sailing including a number of New Zealand’s shining stars:
- Dennis Conner (1973, 1975) – Before he was “Mr America’s Cup,” Conner was a Congressional Cup standout.
- Chris Dickson (1990, 1991) – A Kiwi three-time world youth and match race champion, and America’s Cup skipper, who also led Sayonara to 1998 Sydney-Hobart line honours.
- Gavin Brady (1996, 1997, 2006, 2008) – A Kiwi master tactician with multiple wins.
- Terry Hutchinson (1992, 1993) – Now one of the most respected leaders in pro sailing.
- Dean Barker (2000, 2005) – A Kiwi who skippered New Zealand in multiple America’s Cup campaigns, won two Louis Vuitton Cups, raced in the 2004 Olympics, and later led SoftBank Team Japan and American Magic.
- Ian Williams (2011, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2022) – considered the most successful skipper on the World Match Racing Tour after winning Seven World Championship titles.
- Taylor Canfield (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021) – The modern master of match racing.
- Chris Poole (2023, 2024) – The current king of the hill.
Winning the Crimson Blazer — the trophy’s iconic red jacket — is a rite of passage into match racing’s elite. Many top sailors made their international breakthrough here.
The Catalina 37
Every team at the Congressional Cup races in the Catalina 37, a one-design keelboat developed specifically for this event by Catalina Yachts in 1990. The class has become synonymous with the regatta, helping level the playing field in a sport increasingly tilted by high-tech advantages.
The Catalina 37 is a purpose-built racing yacht that measures just over 11.3 metres in length—37 feet, as the name suggests. It’s got a beam of 3.3 metres and draws 2.4 metres, giving it a good balance between upwind performance and stability. Weighing in at around 6,800 kilograms, it’s no lightweight, but its solid displacement means it carries momentum well through tacks and powers up nicely when the breeze builds.
Designed for match racing, the Catalina 37 is usually crewed by six or seven sailors, with weight limits in place to keep the racing fair and competitive. It’s built tough, with a fibreglass hull and deck and reinforced keel support, which is essential given the aggressive, boat-on-boat nature of match racing.
Up top, the rig is a fractional sloop with swept-back spreaders, optimised for upwind work and manoeuvrability—perfect for the quick-fire tactics used in this kind of sailing. The total sail area upwind is around 73 square metres, or 785 square feet, providing plenty of power without being overwhelming for the crew to handle during tight mark roundings or high-pressure pre-starts. All in all, it’s a robust and well-balanced one-design racer that’s ideal for the match racing circuit.
The boats are no-frills and symmetrical — no carbon fibre, no foils, no fancy electronics. They have overlapping headsails and symmetrical spinnakers flown from a pole, requiring manual dexterity and tight crew coordination. Because the boats are rotated between teams daily, no one can tune for an advantage. You’re judged purely on your tactical ability and boat handling — not on your wallet or your shore crew.
This makes the Congressional Cup one of the most “pure” contests in sailing — the winner isn’t the best-funded, they’re simply the best-prepared.
The 2025 Congressional Cup line-up
This year’s Congressional Cup is a showcase of top match racers, emerging talent, and wily veterans:
Chris Poole (USA) – Riptide Racing – WS Ranking #1
Poole is the man to beat. He’s won the last two Congressional Cups (2023, 2024) and sits at the top of the World Sailing rankings. A fierce competitor with a sharp pre-start routine and refined crew choreography, Poole is aiming for a rare three-peat — something last achieved by Taylor Canfield.
Eric Monnin (SUI) – Capvis Swiss Match Racing – WS Ranking #4
Monnin, a stalwart of the European scene, is back with one of the most consistent teams in the fleet. Known for his clinical tactics and clean boat handling, Monnin has come close before and remains a favourite.
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) – Berntsson Sailing Team – WS Ranking #5
Berntsson has been a regular fixture at the Congressional Cup for years. He won in 2009 and has been runner-up more than once. Calm under pressure, technically crisp, and with a loyal crew, the Swede is a danger in any conditions.
Ian Garreta (FRA) – MedRacing – WS Ranking #7
Another fast-rising European, Garreta sails with flair and intensity. France has a long match racing pedigree, and Garreta is keeping that tradition alive with tight crew work and sharp boat-on-boat instincts.
Rocco Attili (ITA) – RBYS Racing – WS Ranking #8
Attili brings Italian style and speed to the line-up. A top-10 World Sailing match racer, his meteoric rise through the European match race circuit has turned heads. Now he gets his shot on the global stage.
Cole Tapper (AUS) – CYCA – WS Ranking #13
Representing the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Tapper is part of the new generation of Aussie match racers. He’s aggressive in the pre-start and fearless in the dial-up. Definitely a skipper to watch.
Dave Hood (USA) – DH3 Racing – WS Ranking #30
A Congressional Cup regular and Long Beach Yacht Club member, Hood’s team may not be the highest-ranked, but they’ve pulled off notable wins in past editions. His local knowledge and tight-knit crew are invaluable assets.
Björn Hansen (SWE) – Hansen Sailing Team – WS Ranking #68
The most experienced sailor in the field, Hansen has won the Match Cup Sweden five times and has been on the Congressional Cup scene for over a decade. His tactical mind and no-panic style make him a perennial threat.
Nicole Breault (USA) – Second, 2025 Ficker Cup
Breault is one of the top female skippers in the world and a four-time U.S. Women’s Match Racing Champion. She earned her Congressional Cup berth through a hard-fought second-place finish at the Ficker Cup, and is making her debut at this level.
Peter Wickwire (CAN) – Third, 2025 Ficker Cup
Wickwire comes from a strong Canadian match race tradition and secured the final Congressional Cup spot via the Ficker Cup. Known for tight tactical control and consistent crew performance, he’ll be looking to upset the rankings.
Why the Congressional Cup still matters
In a world of foiling AC75s and multihull spectacle, the Congressional Cup stands out by sticking to fundamentals: tight match racing in equal boats. For many sailors, it remains a key target on the calendar. Win here, and your name goes on a list that includes the best in the business.
More than just a regatta, the Congressional Cup is a test of pure sailing skill. In 2025, as the event celebrates its 60th year, that core identity hasn’t changed — and that’s exactly why it still commands such respect.
