Sailing-Monnin surges into second at Congressional Cup
LONG BEACH, California (Reuters) - -Switzerland's Eric Monnin delivered a masterclass in match racing at the 60th Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup on Thursday, sweeping all three races to surge into second place.
The Swiss skipper, twice a third-place finisher at the prestigious event, now sits at 10–2 behind defending champion Chris Poole of the United States (11–1) as the second qualifying round-robin gets underway.
"We had some tight matches and tight situations, but everything went well today, which we're really happy about and is a big credit to the crew," said Monnin, whose flawless day included a victory over tournament leader Poole.
"There's a lot of racing left, so we need to keep the momentum going," he said.
While Monnin found his groove, Sweden's Johnie Berntsson also discovered a rich vein of form, winning all three of his second round-robin matches after finishing the first round in seventh position.
"We're learning a lot, and everyone is working really hard from the front to the back of the boat," Berntsson said. "Today we got some more points, and I'm happy with how we're developing. But there are still things to do and improve on."
The leaderboard continues to tighten, with Australia's Cole Tapper and local hopeful Dave Hood remaining firmly in contention after strong first-round performances, while Sweden's Björn Hansen hovers within striking distance in fifth.
Poole's Riptide Racing team, meanwhile, remains the benchmark, with just a single defeat marring their title defence so far.
Only the top four teams after the double round-robin format – where each skipper faces every opponent twice – will advance to the semi-finals and have a chance to don the tournament's coveted Crimson Blazer.
The Congressional Cup, a cornerstone of the World Match Racing Tour since 1965, is a high-octane sailing showdown in Long Beach that helped shape the sport's modern rules and umpiring.
Crews of six or seven battle it out 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.
(Reporting by Ossian Shine; Editing by Joe Bavier)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
22 minutes ago
- The Star
Soccer-Threat of lightning delays start of Club World Cup clash
ORLANDO, Fla (Reuters) -The start of the Group F Club World Cup clash between South Korea's Ulsan HD and African Champions League runners-up Mamelodi Sundowns was delayed seconds before the teams were due to kick off because of the threat of lightning. The two teams had come out onto the pitch to start their first match at the competition, but as they were ready to kick off, French referee Clement Turpin took the teams off the pitch. Spectators were also told to leave their seats and take shelter on the concourse around the Inter & Co Stadium. Officials said there was a threat of lightning although there was no accompanying rain but dark cloud could be seen in the distance and the wind had picked up noticeably. The weather forecast had been for passing showers in the afternoon. The match was scheduled for a 6 p.m. local time kickoff. (Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Toby Davis)
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-River Plate see off Urawa to make winning start at Club World Cup
SEATTLE, WA (Reuters) -River Plate opened their Club World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Urawa Red Diamonds on Tuesday, with goals from Facundo Colidio, Sebastian Driussi and Maxi Meza enough to see off a spirited challenge from the Japanese side. The Argentine team got off to a dominant start and opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Colidio headed home a fine cross from Marcos Acuna on the left. Driussi doubled the lead three minutes into the second half, capitalising on a poor header back from Marius Hoibraten to head the ball over the advancing goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa and into an empty net. Striker Driussi was forced off soon after, having picked up an injury in the build up, and Urawa pulled one back in the 58th minute through Yusuke Matsuo, who calmly converted a penalty following a foul by Acuna. While Urawa pushed hard for an equaliser, substitute Meza delivered the decisive blow in the 73rd minute, with yet another header from Acuna's corner, his second assist of the match. River will face Mexico's Monterrey on Saturday, while Urawa take on Champions League runners-up Inter Milan in Group E. (Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico CityEditing by Toby Davis)
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Fluminense show Brazilian mettle in Dortmund draw
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group F - Fluminense v Borussia Dortmund - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. - June 17, 2025 Borussia Dortmund's Julian Brandt in action with Fluminense's Hercules REUTERS/Jeenah Moon EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Reuters) -Fluminense sent a message that they would not be pushed around by their European rivals at the Club World Cup on Tuesday, as they held Borussia Dortmund to a 0-0 draw at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT European teams have won the last 11 editions of the tournament and many pundits expect them to run roughshod again over the newly expanded field at the Club World Cup. But with legions of enthusiastic fans turning up to cheer them on, South American teams - including 2023 runners-up Fluminense - believe they can put up a fight and begin a new chapter of intercontinental rivalry. KEY QUOTES Renato Gaucho, Fluminense head coach: "I would like to send a warm hug to our supporters - I am sure that our fans here and in Brazil are very proud of our first match here in this tournament. We were superior to our opponent most of the time - almost all of the time. "There are many teams that are financially better off than we are but on the pitch it's 11 against 11 and it's up to the attitude of our players and I'm so proud of them." Niko Kovac, Dortmund head coach: "As a former player and also as a coach I'm not surprised because I know Brazilian football very well and I knew that they have a lot of quality, a lot of experienced players. "It is always also a battle - European football and South American football... for me, this was not a surprise and I'm convinced that most of these South American teams will pass into the next round." (Reporting by Amy Tennery in East Rutherford, by Toby Davis)
