DutchSail ready for battle at Women's International Championship
by Bart Salemans 14 Sep 15:51 BST
23 September - 2 October 2026
Team DutchSail © Sander van der Borch
After a year of preparation, Team DutchSail is ready for the inaugural NYYC Women's International Championship in Newport, Rhode Island. The Dutch team enters the event with a clear ambition: compete for the top five and fight for the title against a strong international fleet.
The final days before the championship have been focused on getting the team and boat fully race-ready. For DutchSail, Newport also marked its first opportunity to sail the IC37, the one-design keelboat used for the championship. The crew has spent the training days working on boat handling, manoeuvres and starting techniques, while building the teamwork needed for a demanding series.
"We have mainly focused on boat handling, getting to know the boat, tacks, gybes and lots of starts," says Saar van Bemmel. "We are trying to get all the manoeuvres under control."
The IC37 has made a strong impression on the Dutch team. The sporty and relatively simple boat is designed specifically for upwind-downwind racing, putting the emphasis firmly on crew work, speed and tactics.
The racecourse in Newport will add another challenge. Teams may face changing wind and strong currents, with the possibility of racing either on the more sheltered waters or further offshore. The forecast currently points towards lighter conditions, making positioning and tactical decisions particularly important.
DutchSail will face a highly experienced international fleet, with 20 teams representing countries including Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, New Zealand, Sweden and the United States. The fleet features Olympic medallists, world champions and sailors with experience in SailGP, offshore racing and the America's Cup.
But DutchSail is bringing plenty of experience of its own. Olympic champion Annette Duetz leads the Dutch team, having won gold in the 49erFX at Paris 2024 alongside Odile van Aanholt and bronze at Tokyo 2020. Duetz is also a four-time 49erFX world champion. Laila van der Meer adds Olympic experience from the Nacra 17, while other members of the team bring extensive experience from major keelboat and offshore events.
That combination of Olympic pedigree and big-boat experience gives DutchSail confidence heading into the championship.
"We are not here just to take part," says Van Bemmel. "We want to finish in the top five. We are here to win."
Consistency will be crucial. Twelve races are scheduled and there is no discard, meaning every result will count towards the final standings. With little room for mistakes, DutchSail knows that a solid series from the opening race to the final finish could be the key to a strong result.
Racing begins Tuesday and continues through September 19 in Newport. For Team DutchSail, the first edition of the NYYC Women's International Championship represents both a major competitive challenge and an opportunity to show what the Dutch women's sailing programme can achieve on the international stage.
How to follow Team DutchSail
The NYYC Women's International Championship runs through September 19 in Newport, Rhode Island. Fans can follow the racing online via the 2D live tracking.
All official event information, including results, sailing instructions and news, is available on the New York Yacht Club website. The event can also be followed on the New York Yacht Club's YouTube channel, where race highlights and other video footage will be published.
Daily reports from the Dutch team will be available on www.DutchSail.com, while the DutchSail Instagram account will provide updates throughout the day