2025 World Match Racing Tour Final in Shenzhen - Day 2
by WMRT 7 Jan 16:37 GMT
6-11 January 2026
Johnie Berntsson/SWE - 2025 World Match Racing Tour Final in Shenzhen, Day 2 © Ian Roman / WMRT
Two of the highest-ranked skippers in world match racing were eliminated on Day Two of the 2025 World Match Racing Tour Final in Shenzhen Bao'an, as treacherous light-wind conditions delivered a major upset and blew the competition wide open.
Sweden's Johnie Berntsson, world ranked No. 3 and recent Bermuda Gold Cup winner, and France's Ian Garreta, world ranked No. 4 (based on December World Sailing rankings) both exited the event at the conclusion of the qualifying group stages, marking one of the most dramatic shake-ups of the season.
After a breezy opening day in 12-18 knots at Shenzhen's Happy Harbour, conditions eased to a challenging 8-10 knots on Tuesday, placing a premium on precision and flawless decision-making. The lighter air proved unforgiving, with small errors and minor wind shifts quickly punished — even among the pre-event favourites.
By the end of racing, both qualifying groups of eight teams were complete. The top three teams from each group advanced directly to the quarterfinals, while teams placed fourth through seventh moved on to a repechage round. Only the bottom team from each group was eliminated, a fate that stunned the fleet as it befell a bitterly dissapointed Berntsson and Garreta and their teams.
Defending champion Ian Williams of Great Britain, sailing with Pindar by Manuport Logistics, topped his group with five wins and two losses, as did France's Timothée Rossi and his Sudistes Sailing Team, who led the second group with the same record.
Also securing direct quarterfinal berths were Oscar Engström of Sweden, Cole Tapper of Australia, current tour points leader Chris Poole of the United States, and France's Aurélien Pierroz, the third-place finisher at the 2024 WMRT Final in Shenzhen.
Rossi was among the standout performers of the day, continuing his resurgence after finishing 11th at last year's final. The French skipper capitalised on the light-air conditions to record key victories over seasoned competitors, including Switzerland's Eric Monnin and Berntsson.
Eight teams will now contest the repechage round, with only two advancing to the quarterfinals and the remaining six eliminated, setting up another high-stakes phase of the competition.
With two of the world's top four already out, the 2025 WMRT Final is shaping up as an unpredictable battle, as a new generation of skippers looks to challenge Williams and Poole for a place on the WMRT Championship podium.
2025 WMRT Final Shenzhen Bao'an skippers
Chris Poole, USA - Riptide Racing (World ranking #1)
Crew Malcolm Parker, Matthew Cornwell, Joachim Aschenbrenner
Eric Monnin, SUI - Capvis Swiss Match Racing (World ranking #2)
Crew Ute Monnin-Wagner, Simon Brügger, Maxime Mesnil, Yves-Marie Pilon
Johnie Berntsson, SWE - Berntsson Sailing Team (World ranking #3)
Crew Olof Lundgren, Linn Berntsson, Hans Oskarsson
Ian Garreta, FRA - Med Racing (World ranking #4)
Crew Camille Pfaff, Gaultier Tallieu, Calixte Benoit, Amandine Le Van Jacob
Aurélien Pierroz,, FRA - Match in Black (World ranking #5)
Crew Aurélien Barthelemy, Clément Michel, Sébastien Riot, Kenza Coutard
Cole Tapper, AUS - Kairos Racing (World ranking #6)
Crew Jack Frewin, Hamish Vass, Max Brennan
Nick Egnot-Johnson, NZL - Knots Racing (World ranking #7)
Crew Samuel Barnett, Zak Merton, Chris Main, Zach Main
Timothée Rossi, FRA - Sudistes Sailing Team (World ranking #8)
Crew Leo Maurin, Theo Masse, Julien Bunel, Alice Chiappori
Ian Williams, GBR - Pindar by Manuport Logistics (World ranking #10)
Crew Gerard Mitchell, Richard Sydenham, Jon Gundersen
Tom Foucher, FRA - APCC Sailing Team (World ranking #11)
Crew Alexandre Declerck, Benjamin Pajusco, Armel Le Carrer, Victoire Lerat
Rocco Attili, ITA - RBYS Racing (World ranking #13)
Crew Luca Camilli Meletani, Ashik Crevatin, Livia Tarabella, Gianluca Perasole
Christian Prendergast, USA - A Team (World ranking #17)
Crew Sam Gilmour, Graeme Spence, Mark Spearman
Pauline Courtois, FRA - Match in Pink by Normandy Elite (World ranking #19)
Crew Maëlenn LEMAITRE, Louise ACKER, Sophie FAGUET, Laurane METTRAUX
Oscar Engström, SWE - Team Liros (World ranking #24)
Crew Rasmus Alnebeck, Emil Wolfgang, Filip Karlsson
Jeppe Borch, DEN, Borch Match Race Team (World ranking #32)
Crew Gustav Wantzin, Sebastian Olsen, Matias Rossing
Björn Hansen, SWE - Hansen Sailing Team (World ranking #37)
Crew Nils BJERKÅS, Mathias BREDIN, Karl LJUNG, BJÖRN STENSON
World Sailing Open match racing rankings as at 1 October 2025
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For more information on Shenzhen, visit www.sz.gov.cn/en and www.eyeshenzhen.com