Aurélien Pierroz added to Congressional Cup Roster

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Aurélien Pierroz added to Congressional Cup Roster

by World Match Racing Tour 31 Mar 15:23 BST April 29 - May 3, 2026

Aurelien Pierroz, Match Again by Normandy Elite Team, 2024 World Match Racing Tour Shenzhen © Ian Roman / WMRT

French skipper Aurélien Pierroz has been added to the 2026 Congressional Cup roster, stepping in for nine-time Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams.

Currently ranked fifth in the world by World Sailing, Pierroz sits just behind fellow Frenchman and Congressional Cup invitee Ian Garreta. He is a two-time French Youth Match Racing Champion (2021, 2022) and claimed the Open French Match Racing Championship title in 2023. Among his standout achievements is a third-place finish at the WMRT Final in Shenzhen, the 2025 championship event of the World Match Racing Tour.

Aurelien Pierroz, Match Again by Normandy Elite Team, 2024 World Match Racing Tour Shenzhen - photo © Ian Roman / WMRT

Aurelien Pierroz, Match Again by Normandy Elite Team, 2024 World Match Racing Tour Shenzhen - photo © Ian Roman / WMRT

This will mark Pierroz's first appearance at the Congressional Cup. However, he is no stranger to Long Beach, the venue, or the Congressional Cup's iconic Catalina 37 fleet. He enters the event as a serious contender, having finished fourth at last year's Ficker Cup and sixth in 2024.

Racing runs April 29 - May 3, 2026. The event is immediately preceded by the Ficker Cup Grade 2 April 24 - 26. The top two finishers of the Ficker Cup will round out the Congressional Cup field.

Aurélien Pierroz (FRA) Match Again by Normandy Elite Team with crew Clément Michel, Sébastien Riot, Aurélien Barthelémy, and Lola Billy celebrating on the podium - World Match Racing Tour Shenzhen Bao'an Final 2024 - photo © Ian Roman / WMRT

Aurélien Pierroz (FRA) Match Again by Normandy Elite Team with crew Clément Michel, Sébastien Riot, Aurélien Barthelémy, and Lola Billy celebrating on the podium - World Match Racing Tour Shenzhen Bao'an Final 2024 - photo © Ian Roman / WMRT

For more information on Congressional Cup visit thecongressionalcup.com; and wmrt.com for details on the World Match Racing Tour.

2026 Congressional Cup Skippers:

World Sailing rankings as of 1 March 2026

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