Macao hosts season opener for 25th anniversary World Match Racing Tour

The 2025 World Match Racing Tour season kicks off this week at the all-new Macao Match Cup, 8-12 January, hosted alongside the annual MGM Macao International Regatta organized by the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, MGM, and Ursa Major Sailing Event Management. Twelve world class match racing teams will compete in the inaugural Macao match racing event including recently crowned eight-time match racing world champion Ian Williams from Great Britain and his Pindar by Manuport Logistics team.

 2025 also marks the 25th Anniversary of the World Match Racing Tour, founded in 2000. The Macao Match Cup is the first World Match Racing Tour event to be staged in Macao, located 62km from Hong Kong and well-known for hosting international sports events including the Macao Grand Prix, ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup, Women’s Volleyball Nations League, WTT Champions, and International Golf Series.

The 5-day Macao Match Cup event is being sailed in new Far East 28 yachts with a USD100,000 prize purse on offer.

 “We are delighted to be here in Macao for the first event of the 2025 WMRT season” commented WMRT Executive Director James Pleasance. “This is now our second championship stage event in the Asia and China region which marks a key milestone in the growth of the Tour and match racing to new markets.”

Joining Williams in the skipper line-up for the event is the current #1 world ranked match racer Chris Poole from the USA and his Riptide Racing team, as well as 2022 Match Racing World Champion Nick Egnot-Johnson/ Knots Racing from New Zealand. Former America’s Cup skipper Gavin Brady also joins the entry list with his True Blue USA Racing team.

 World #1 ranked women’s match racer Pauline Courtois from France is one of four French teams competing at the event with her all-female Match in Pink Normandy Elite Team, recently crowned 2024 Women’s Match Racing World Champions in Jeddah last month. Courtois and team won the women’s world championship in the same Far East 28 yachts and hope to bring their winning streak to Macao.

Fellow French skippers Tom Foucher, Maxime Mesnil and Martin Allix make up the strong contingent of French teams at the Macao Match Cup, testimony to the current growth of match racing talent in France.

 24 year old Oscar Engström from Sweden competes at the event with his Team Liros. Engström was recently helm for the Swedish Challenge for the Youth America’s Cup in Barcelona last summer.

 Completing the line-up is Australia’s Zac West (Sail+Racing), Max Paul (Bombora Racing) and Italy’s Rocco Attili (RBYS Racing).

Racing starts at 1000 local time Wednesday 8 December through Sunday 12 January.

 Live race results will be available at www.matchracingresults.com and a daily live stream will be broadcast via WMRT channels including highlights on social media.

 Macao Match Cup 2025 Entries;

Chris Poole (35, NY, USA) Riptide Racing

Crew:Axel Stordahl, Ryan Wilmot, Cameron Seagreen
Rocco Attili (27, Italy) RBYS Racing

Crew: LucaMeletani, Andrea Cinerari, Alberto Corneli, Livia Tarabella
Nick Egnot-Johnson (26, NZL) Knots Racing

Crew: Jack Frewin, Zak Merton, Jorden Van Rooijen
Gavin Brady (51, USA) True Blue Racing

Crew: Chris Cowan, Mark Lees, David Swete
Tom Foucher (23, France) APCC Sailing Team

Crew: Armel Le Carrer, Alexandre Declerck, Benjamin Pajusco
Ian Williams (47, GBR) Pindar by Manuport Logistics

Crew: Richard Sydenham, Gerard Mitchell, Jon Gundersen
Zac West (23, AUS) Sail+Racing

Crew: TomPicot, James Hayhoe, Louis Taylor
Maxime Mesnil (35, FRA) Match in Black

Crew: Mathieu Renault, Julien Falxa, Jérémie Marie Mion
Martin Allix (21, France) Sail in Blue

Crew: Swann Pain, Géraud Duclos; Ethan Villain; Florine Bourit
Max Paul (23, AUS) Bombora Racing

Crew: George Richardson, Nathan Gulliksen, Megan Thomson
Pauline Courtois (35, FRA) Match In Pink

Crew: Maelenn Lemaitre, Sophie Faguet, Laurane Mettraux, Louise Acker
Oscar Engström (24, SWE) Team Liros

Crew: Rasmus Alnebeck, Emil Wolfgang, Emil Forsgren