Sailing–Four-way dogfight for Congressional Cup semis as Berntsson surges

The Star

03-05-2025

LONG BEACH, California (Reuters) -Four teams are locked in a knife-edge battle for the final semi-final slots at the 60th Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup, with just two flights remaining in the double round-robin stage.
A single point separates four skippers in a high-stakes contest that has turned one of yacht racing's most prestigious events into a nautical cliffhanger.
Johnie Berntsson, the 2009 champion, roared back into contention with six wins from seven races in the second round-robin. A crucial victory over local favourite Dave Hood handed the Swede a vital head-to-head advantage, lifting him into a tie for fifth on a 9–7 record alongside compatriot Björn Hansen.
'We're happy with how the progress is going, and we're going to build on that to get to the semi-finals, and then from there, we'll just keep getting better,' said Berntsson.
'But first, we have two important races. I'm not sure about the math and what we need to do, or if it depends on the outcome of others. It's all quite open. And that's great in some kind of way, but it means we need to be on our game to win.'
Australia's Cole Tapper and the USA's Hood are tied for third and fourth with identical 10–6 records. With only two races remaining per team, the race for the final four remains wide open.
'We had a really strong start to the regatta, so we're happy with that. We are chasing more performance, we're not thinking too much about who we're racing or the points,' said Tapper.
'We're just trying to raise our level every day, and I think we've done that for the most part. But we're still making a few mistakes. So, if we can make fewer mistakes than today, we'll be happy.'
Saturday's matches will be decisive, with Hansen facing Hood while Berntsson meets Switzerland's Eric Monnin. Currently second overall, Monnin will also race front-runner Chris Poole and Berntsson in pivotal contests for the final standings.
The day concluded with the annual Junior Congressional Cup at Long Beach Yacht Club, where junior LBYC sailors were paired with Congressional Cup skippers for a lively fleet race in Flying Juniors — a traditional highlight of the week.
Spectators packed the club's balcony, cheering with occasional blasts from air horns as LBYC junior Otto Wehner and Pete Nicolas of the Berntsson Sailing Team claimed victory.
Racing continues on Saturday with the remaining semi-finals ahead of the final match, where the top two teams will duel for the coveted Crimson Blazer.
The Congressional Cup, a cornerstone of the World Match Racing Tour since 1965, is a high-octane sailing showdown that helped shape the sport's modern rules and umpiring.
Crews of six or seven compete in identical Catalina 37s for the Crimson Blazer, making it both a fan favourite and a launchpad for future America's Cup stars - all while keeping team weight under 525 kg.
Ten teams from the United States, Switzerland, Australia, Sweden, France, Canada and Italy are competing in this year's Cup.
(Writing by Ossian Shine; editing by Mark Heinrich)