WASZP Games 2025: Women's Sprint Championship and SailGP Qualifier Race - Overall
by Nicola Hoyle 21 Jul 07:02 BST
19-25 July 2025
2025 WASZP Games - Women's Sprint Championship and SailGP Qualifier Race © Down Under Sail
The final day of the WASZP Women's Sprint Championship delivered a thrilling showdown with five high-octane slalom races, pushing sailors to their limits in fast, tactical conditions. With SailGP WASZP Grand Final 2026 qualification on the line, tension buzzed across the boat park as the top contenders prepared to battle for the podium.
The WASZP Women's Sprint Championship wrapped up today with five high-octane slalom races, delivering drama, pressure, and precision as the top contenders fought to secure one of two coveted spots at the 2026 SailGP WASZP Grand Final in Sydney.
With only a few points separating the podium positions every gybe, lane choice, and fraction of a second mattered—and the racing was as fierce as it gets.
"It's super competitive," said Mina Ferguson (AUS). "You have to be on your A-game. We had no drops for the last two days. Any little mistake was basically going to put you out the back door, so you just got to be nice and consistent. That's the key."
Race 1 exploded off the start line with the entire fleet charging on the foils. Maja Larsson-Bergqvist (SWE) and Mina Ferguson (AUS) were neck and neck, with Pearl Lattanzi (USA) fast off the opposite end of the line. At the second buoy, Louise Metenier (FRA) and Mina were still locked in a close duel, while Pearl made a clean gybe and surged ahead. Mina rounded the third buoy in the lead, but Pearl accelerated down the final stretch to snatch the win, just ahead of Louise, with Mina close behind in third.
"I set up my sail for really light winds," Pearl explained. "My goal is just survive the reach and then when I could back away, my controls came off, and I was able to point super low and go real fast, so, yeah, could not go up wind to save my life. But that wasn't part of the racing. So that's not how I set up."
Race 2 saw another stacked front row with Madilyn Anderson (USA), Pia Tveita (NOR), Mina, Louise, and Pearl all gunning for the lead. Louise was untouchable in the opening exchanges, rounding the first buoy ahead of the pack, but Pearl once again found clean lanes and executed smooth manoeuvres to take the win. Louise finished second, and Mina again came in third.
"The plan when the breeze was up was just keep the boat upright," Mina explained. "Get my gybes nice and smooth, take it easy—and when it dropped off later, just stay in pressure and keep it simple."
In Race 3, Pia Tveita (NOR) and Louise Metenier (FRA) led the charge to the first buoy, but a slight error from Louise opened the door for Pearl and Mina to pounce. They capitalized perfectly, with Pearl taking the win, Mina in second, and Nora Doksrød (NOR) fighting off Pia Tveita (NOR) to cross in third.
The pace didn't let up in Race 4, with Susana Ridao (ESP), Julia Gebhard (GER), Louise Metenier (FRA), and Pia Tveita (NOR) all quick off the line. Pearl and Louise matched each other for speed after the first mark, but it was Julia Gebhard who sailed the shortest track, edging into first by just a nose ahead of Mina, with Pearl securing third.
Race 5 brought high drama, with several sailors picking up UFDs and pressure mounting. Pearl, Mina, Pernille Baann Eftang (NOR), and Nora Doksrød led at the start. Finding clear lanes proved critical, and it turned into a two-way duel between Pearl and Mina. In a nail-biting finish, Pearl just nudged ahead to secure her third race win of the day, with Mina in second and Nora in third.
After two intense days of racing, Pearl Lattanzi's consistency and speed earned her the overall title, with Mina Ferguson taking a hard-fought second. Both sailors secure their place at the SailGP WASZP Grand Final in Sydney in 2026. Marie Butler Wang (NOR), who sailed strongly on day one, held onto third place overall despite a tougher day in the slalom format.
"I'm really excited to be going to Sydney and racing there with everybody else." - Pearl Lattanzi (USA)
"The adrenaline's pumping, but, yeah, I'm really happy with today." - Mina Ferguson (AUS)
WASZP Women's Sprint Championship Overall Results: (full results here)
Pearl Lattanzi (USA) - 28 points
Mina Ferguson (AUS) - 38 points
Marie Butler Wang (NOR) - 68 points
Looking ahead to the Games starting tomorrow, Pearl reflected on the competition:
"All the Norwegian girls are really good, and they've been pushing for a while now. Mina is also just an incredible sailor. It's going to be some really tight competition."
Find out more at racehub.waszp.com/eventdetail/360