Szczecin Match Race 2026 under starters orders in Poland
by WMRT 8 Oct 19:26 BST
October 8-11, 2026
Szczecin Match Race © Robert Hajduk / polishmatch.pl
This coming weekend, October 8-11, the Szczecin Match Race 2026 will take place on Lake Dabie in Szczecin - Stage 15 of the 2026 World Match Racing Tour championship, the world's longest running professional sailing series.
16 teams from 9 countries will line up at the start, including teams from the top of the world rankings. For four days, competitors will battle in one-on-one match races on identical RS21 yachts.
Match racing is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular forms of competitive sailing. The competition is based on direct, dynamic one-on-one duels, where flawless tactics, lightning-fast reflexes, and a perfect knowledge of the rules determine the victory. It is in this elite format that the battle for the legendary America's Cup has been fought for decades.
Held since 2008, the Szczecin Match Race is an integral part of the prestigious World Match Racing Tour and simultaneously serves as the Open Polish Match Racing Championship. The winner of last year's edition was the outstanding Danish skipper Jeppe Borch. Borch joined an honorable group of winners, which over the years has included the absolute elite of the World Sailing rankings. Previous participants in the Szczecin event include multiple world champion Ian Williams, Switzerland's Eric Monnin, France's Maxime Mesnil and Timothée Rossi, as well as Australia's David Chapman and Estonia's Mati Sepp. The waters of Lake Dabie also regularly host the best Polish specialists in this format - Patryk Zbroja, Przemyslaw Tarnacki, Marek Stanczyk, Igor Tarasiuk, and Kuba Golebiowski.
This year's edition guarantees the highest level of sporting competition. In the direct duels, which begin this coming Friday, 16 crews from 9 countries will report to the start line, including seven skippers ranked in the top 100 of the World Sailing rankings. The competitors will fight for a double stake - they will battle not only for the prestigious triumph in the Szczecin Match Race but also for invaluable points deciding the qualification for the grand finale of the Match Racing World Cup. The final showdown is scheduled for November 10-14 in Amaala, Saudi Arabia, and the Szczecin regatta represents the absolute last chance for the teams to secure a ticket to this elite event.
In the narrow circle of favorites for the ultimate triumph, the Frenchman Marin Micoulot, holding the highest spot in this fleet at 21st in the world rankings, is mentioned foremost. The outstanding Dutchman Lennard Bal (27th position) and the highest-ranked Polish representative - Patryk Zbroja, currently placing 30th in the World Sailing standings - will also fiercely compete for the final victory. The title of Polish Match Racing Champion will be defended by Jakub Golebiowski, winner of the last three editions of this event.
Maciej Cylupa, Director of the Polish Match Tour:
"The Szczecin Match Race has grown to the rank of a true legend in the 20-year history of the Polish Match Tour. It is a spectacular culmination of the sailing season in Poland, which annually attracts the absolute elite of world match racing to the start. The prestige of this regatta is best reflected in the list of previous winners - from former world ranking leader Ian Williams, through Maxime Mesnil and Staffan Lindberg, to Eric Monnin. The unique flavor of this year's competition is enhanced by the fact that our outstanding national champions: Patryk Zbroja, Marek Stanczyk, and Przemyslaw Tarnacki, will once again join the fight for the trophy. We are ready for a sailing spectacle of the highest order!"
Official training sessions are scheduled for October 7, and the first races will begin on October 8 and last until Sunday, October 11, when the final will be held. The regatta format and race schedule can be found at www.polishmatch.pl and Facebook. The regatta can be followed on the profile instagram.com/polskaligazeglarska. Admission is free.
Regatta Sponsors: Pomorze Zachodnie, Miasto Szczecin.
Regatta Partners: Centrum Zeglarskie in Szczecin, Zegluga Szczecinska, Harken, RS Sailing, the Polish Yachting Association, and the West Pomeranian Regional Yachting Association.
The Polish Match Tour is a match racing regatta series organized in Poland since 2007 by MT Partners, Towarzystwo Zeglarstwa Regatowego, and the Polski Klub Regatowy, in cooperation with the Polish Yachting Association, the West Pomeranian Regional Yachting Association, and Yacht Klub Polski Szczecin.