Ficker Cup at Long Beach Yacht Club - Day 1

Chris Dickson and team lead the Ficker Cup after Day 1 © Ian Roman / WMRT

After seven flights of intense opening-day competition at the Long Beach Yacht Club's Ficker Cup, LBYC's own Scotty Dickson has taken early control of the leaderboard, posting an impressive 6-1 record in unofficial results.

A fourteen-time Ficker Cup champion, Dickson demonstrated his trademark consistency and match racing precision, capitalizing on strong starts and disciplined race management to establish a clear advantage over the international field.

Behind him, the competition remains tightly contested. Oscar Engström (SWE), Theo Westerlind (SWE), and Christopher Weis (USA) are locked in a three-way tie for second place at 4-3, keeping the pressure firmly on as the regatta heads into its next stage.

Rounding out the field of eight skippers from around the world, Nicole Breault (USA) and Tom Picot (AUS) are tied at 3-4, while Ruairi Finnegan (IRL) and Patryk Zbroja (POL), both at 2-5, remain within striking distance in a format where momentum can shift quickly.

The first day of racing delivered intense, tactical competition on the Congressional Cup Stadium Course off the Belmont Shore Veterans Memorial Pier. A moderate but steady afternoon breeze provided ideal conditions to test the crews' abilities on Long Beach Yacht Club's fleet of identical Catalina 37s. Each skipper delivered standout moments throughout the day, trading wins in a competitive mid-fleet battle that remains wide open.

Racing continues Saturday with a second round robin that will be critical in shaping the semifinal lineup. Only the top four skippers will advance to Sunday's knockout stage, where the stakes extend beyond the Ficker Cup title.

The top two finishers will earn coveted invitations to compete in the Congressional Cup, the World Match Racing Tour Championship event that follows immediately next week.

The Ficker Cup is a Grade 2 event on the World Match Racing Tour, sailed on Long Beach Yacht Club's iconic fleet of identical Catalina 37s. Racing runs April 24-26, 2026. The regatta is named in honor of Bill Ficker, who helmed Intrepid to victory in the 1970 America's Cup and went on to win the 1974 Congressional Cup. The phrase "Ficker is Quicker" remains one of the most iconic expressions in match racing history and continues to reflect the precision and competitive spirit of the event today.

The Ficker Cup serves as the final qualifier for the Congressional Cup, widely recognized as the "granddaddy" of modern world-class match racing—the premier and longest-running event of its kind in North America.

For more information, visit thecongressionalcup.com and wmrt.com.

The Ficker Cup will be followed April 29 - May 3, 2026 (preceded by practice on April 28), when ten of the world's top match racing skippers will compete in the Long Beach Yacht Club's Congressional Cup.

2026 Ficker Cup Skippers:

1. Oscar Engstrom, Team LIROS, Sweden (World ranking #8)
2. Nicole Breault, Vela Racing, United States (World ranking #19)
3. Tom Picot, Match 2.0, Australia (World ranking #23)
4. Ruairi Finnegan, Craic'n Racing, Ireland (World ranking #28)
5. Patryk Zbroja, YKP Team, Poland (World ranking #30)
6. Theo Westerlind, The Cougars, Sweden (World ranking #88).
7. Christopher Weis, Dark Horse Match Racing, United States (World ranking #109)
8. Scotty Dickson, Dickson Racing, United States (World ranking #214)

World Sailing rankings as of 1 April 2026