Four teams secure their place in the medal fight at 2026 Team Racing World Championship

The four leading teams had pulled clear by early afternoon, and the sole remaining race will not change this. The decision of the Race Committee was that they would advance directly to the semi-finals, where they will race for the medals.

The remaining eight teams will fight it out in a so-called ’King of the Castle’ for places five to 12.

Sweden poised in sixth

For the Swedish home team, the day ended with a particularly dramatic result. They are now placed sixth overall, with the smallest possible margin separating them from Bermuda.

The two teams finished on the same number of points and had each won one of their head-to-head races. But because Sweden won their final meeting, they took sixth place in the overall ranking.

“We are incredibly happy! It has been a rollercoaster today. When we came ashore, we could hardly believe the result. We have beaten our target and are looking forward to some exciting final races,” said a delighted Swedish team leader Fabian Bergman.

"Tomorrow is all about doing the best we can, and it can actually lead to a fifth place for us."

A long wait and challenging conditions

Saturday began with an agonising wait of more than two hours. With either no wind, too little wind or conditions that were simply too unstable, racing could not get underway until around midday, when the starting signal for Race 97 finally sounded.

The new wind direction brought with it a completely different challenge. The breeze was shifty and unpredictable, ranging from almost nothing to gusts of 5–7 m/s, forcing teams to constantly reassess their tactics.

When the wind finally died completely late in the afternoon, the final race of Round Robin 2 – between Ireland and New Zealand – had to be postponed. It will now be sailed on Sunday morning after a first race of King of the Castle.

A race that refused to end

One of the day's most extraordinary battles came between New Zealand and USA 2. The race became so close and lasted so long that the following race, between Denmark and Australia, sailed past them and concluded before they had crossed the finish line.

It was another example of just how unpredictable team racing can become when the wind is light and the boats are locked into a tactical battle.

Peter Warrer: a rookie at 73

Saturday also brought one of the championship's most remarkable stories: Peter Warrer, the 73-year-old Danish skipper and the oldest sailor competing in Stockholm.

A two-time Optimist World Champion, lifelong sailor and father of Olympic gold medallist Jonas Warrer, Peter has spent six decades on the water. Yet team racing is a completely new discipline for him.

Far from being intimidated by starting over, he has embraced the challenge.

“I am so motivated by this. Oh my God, this is really fantastic.”

Warrer's story is a reminder that sailing is not simply a sport of youth and performance. At 73, he is still discovering new formats, learning from younger sailors and already thinking about how to develop team racing in Denmark.

Finland and Bermuda go the distance

Another of the day's longest and most dramatic battles came between Finland and Bermuda, with the lead changing hands repeatedly.

Finland started strongly, securing a 1–2 at the top mark and holding the advantage deep into the race. A poor rounding allowed the Bahamas back into contention, but Finland recovered and regained the 1–2 after a penalty.

Then the wind shifted, one of many such instances during the day.

On the final downwind leg, new pressure filled in from behind. The Bermudan boats found the breeze first and were able to sail over Finland. In the extremely light conditions, the difference in speed became decisive.

Lucas Karlemo of Team Finland summed up the frustration afterwards:

“We had the cards and the opportunity to win it, but unfortunately we didn’t quite manage it. When the wind is that light and you’re almost standing still, the difference in speed becomes huge very quickly.”

USA 2 remain on top

For the American teams, Saturday was about maintaining their position ahead of the final day.

USA 2 skipper Will Bailey described the conditions as particularly challenging, with the new southerly breeze producing shifts of up to 30–40 degrees and pressure ranging from almost zero to 10–12 knots.

“We had a decent day. We won some races, we lost some races, but ultimately I think we're still in contention.”

That was the key objective from the beginning, to reach the final day with a realistic chance of winning the championship.

And that chance remains very much alive.

One day to decide it all

After three days and 131 completed races, the championship has delivered almost everything team racing promises, lightning-fast tactical decisions, dramatic comebacks, penalties, shifting conditions and races that can turn in seconds.

Now just one Round Robin race remains before the final stage and the medal deciders.

Racing at the 2026 Team Racing World Championship concludes on Sunday 16 August. For more information, including live tracking and results, visit the official Team Racing World Championship website.

Competition at the 2026 Team Racing World Championship concludes on Sunday 16 August.