Courtois Wins 2026 World Sailing Women's Match Racing World Championship
by David Schmidt 5 Oct 06:51 BST
September 30 - October 4, 2026
2026 World Sailing Women's Match Racing World Championship © Simone Staff
San Francisco Bay may have a reputation as a stern teacher, but skipper Pauline Courtois (FRA) and her Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team proved to be quick studies at the 2026 World Sailing Women's Match Racing World Championship (30 September to 4 October), hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club.
Courtois and crew Maëlenn Lemaitre, Louise Acker and Laurane Mettraux, representing France's Club de Voile Saint-Aubin Elbeuf, battled 11 teams across a range of conditions to win a historic sixth consecutive world-championship title. The invitation-only regatta was raced in J/22s and brought 12 of the world's best all-women match-racing teams together to compete in what proved to be a match-racing masterclass.
Impressively, Courtois and crew won 19 of the 20 matches that they sailed.
"St. Francis Yacht Club would like to congratulate Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team on their world-championship title," said Susan Ruhne, StFYC's 2026 Commodore. "The Bay delivered varied conditions over four days of racing, and StFYC's Cityfront racecourse gave spectators the best stadium-style viewing experience possible."
While big breeze, strong tides and churning currents often define San Francisco Bay sailing, this week saw AP flags hanging limply three out of the four mornings. While this led to highly competitive games of cards and Jenga at StFYC's clubhouse and enabled some onshore naps, these meteorological conditions aren't abnormal for San Francisco in October. StFYC's race officials can't control the weather, of course, but they worked hard to maximize racing opportunities once the breeze filled in each day.
"The Round Robin phase was lengthy with a 12-team fleet, but the progression after that was clear, competitive and ultimately produced a deserving champion," said Felix Weidling, StFYC's Race Director. "The depth of talent at this event was remarkable. There were no easy races and no clear gaps in performance. Every team arrived extremely well prepared, highly professional and ready to compete at the highest level."
The regatta's multi-stage format began with a Round Robin on Thursday and Friday, followed by the eight-strong Quarterfinals and a separate stage on Saturday that determined positions five through eight of the regatta's overall standings, with the top four advancing to match-point Semifinal matches, which concluded on Sunday.
Race officials were also able to get both Semifinal lineups to match point by Saturday evening, leaving Sunday to determine the last Semifinals matches, the best-of-three Petit Finals (AKA the bronze-medal match), and the best-of-five Grand Final, which determined the regatta's gold and silver medals.
"We had 20 knots on the first day, so the sailors got the big breeze that they signed up for, and they've also had these tactical lighter conditions," said Becky Ashburn, the regatta's Course Race Officer. "I think anyone who could sail tactically and well, and who could overcome the current and figure that out to keep winning—day after day—is certainly a winner."
In Sunday's match-point Semifinals, skipper Nicole Breault's Vela Racing team (USA; Molly Carapiet, Hailey Thompson and Molly Vandemoer), representing StFYC, ultimately beat skipper Julia Aartsen (NED) and her team Out of the Box (Nerine Usman, Eva Asbeek Brusse and Ismene Usman), representing the Royal Netherlands Yacht Club.
In the other bracket, Courtois (FRA) and her Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team beat skipper Lucie Gout (FRA) and her L4C Racing Team (Flavie Foucher, Clarisse Baissac and Lomane Valade), who were representing France's APCC Voile Sportive.
This created a Petit Final that pitted Aartsen's Out of the Box against Gout's L4C Racing Team.
Two matches later, Aartsen and Out of the Box secured their bronze medal.
"We sailed our best event so far, so it's really great," said Aartsen. While she described her third-place finish as the best result of her career, Aartsen was clear that her crew enabled this great result. "They helped me stay focused," she said. "They did everything that they could do right, and that resulted in third place. Without them, I was nothing."
The Grand Final saw Breault's Vela Racing line up on their hometown waters against Courtois' Match in Pink by Normandy Elite team, defending their five consecutive world championship titles.
Wind conditions might have been lighter than usual, but the Bay's tides and currents were still major factors.
"All those variables were very difficult, even for the local teams that are the most used to it," said Breault. "There are different kinds of gyres and eddies and the way the water upwells here and there, and with lighter breeze, it was really important to keep your head out of the boat, watch the variables change, and—at the same time—engage in war."
While one of Vela Racing's mottos is "We Go to War," Courtois' Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team proved by the Grand Final that they, too, had mastered the Bay's fluvial tricks.
Final score: Courtois 3, Breault 0.
"They fight as hard as ever in every single race they sail," said Breault of Courtois and company. "They don't ever let down. I applaud them: They are world champions and they're showing it every year."
This might have been Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team's sixth consecutive world-championship win, but Courtois said the team had to fight hard for every point.
"It was a really tight final; the score doesn't reflect how tight it was," said Courtois. "We are really happy to win against Nicole and Team Vela. It's always a tight battle, and it was really fun."
As for the secret to their success, Courtois pointed to old-fashioned speed.
"My team did an amazing job keeping the boat going fast all the time, which I think was a big key for us to win the match, because when you are faster, it's easier," said Courtois. "I think that's a really big part of match racing, and it's a big team job."
All told, Courtois and her Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team took home World Sailing's gold medal and were awarded ISAF/World Sailing's perpetual Françoise Pascal Memorial Trophy for their world-championship win. Breault and Vela Racing collected World Sailing's silver medal for their second-place finish, while Aartsen and her Out of the Box team take home the bronze for their win in the Petit Final and their third-place finish.
Finally, skipper Lindsey Baab (USA) and her Fog Racing team (Kate Shiber, Elena VandenBerg and Helen Lord), representing StFYC, won the ISAF/World Sailing Nucci Novi Ceppellini Memorial Trophy for their first-place performance in the regatta's opening Round Robin series.
For more information, visit the regatta's website.