Chicago welcomes Women's Match Racing World Championship

Chicago, USA (16 September, 2025) The Windy City is set to welcome twelve elite women match racing teams this week as the 2025 World Sailing Women’s Match Racing World Championship comes to Chicago, 17-20 September, promising four days of world-class competition on the waters of Lake Michigan. Hosted by the Chicago Yacht Club, the world championship event is also the fifth and penultimate stage of the 2025 Women’s World Match Racing Tour, before the world tour concludes in Bermuda next month.

The Chicago women’s world championship is headlined by defending Women’s Match Racing World Champion Pauline Courtois of France and her Match in Pink Normandy Team of Maëlenn Lemaitre, Louise Acker, Sophie Faguet and Laurane Mettraux who return to defend their crown against a highly competitive field.

“This is our first time sailing in Chicago so we are using the time well to familiarise ourselves with the sailing area, but we are excited to be here in Chicago and we are well prepared so we are looking forward to a competitive week” commented Courtois.

Courtois, who captured her fourth world title in Jeddah in 2024, leads a world class line-up of teams from USA, Sweden, France, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, and Denmark.

Sweden’s Anna Östling and her WINGS Sailing team, two-time World Champions and 2023 Women’s World Match Racing Tour champions competed in the recent Chicago Grand Slam event giving them valuable time to sail the matched Tom 28 boats which will be used this week.

“We are thrilled to be back in Chicago” said Östling. “We have been training hard for this event including being here a few weeks ago so we are feeling confident with the boats and conditions, but we know there is a very strong field here too this week so we know we need to bring our best game.”

The field also includes the United States’ own Nicole Breault, four-time U.S. Women’s Match Racing Champion and winner of the Women’s World Match Racing Tour’s San Francisco stage in May. Breault comes to Chicago with her long-term Vela Racing Team of Molly O’Bryan Vandemoer, Dana Riley Hayes, McKenzie Wilson and Hailey Thompson, eager to claim a first world title on home waters.

“Chicago is an incredible sailing city and the perfect stage for this world championship,” said Event Director Jen Dorsch. “We’re thrilled to welcome these exceptional athletes and showcase the very best of women’s match racing to fans both on site and online.”

Racing will take place in front of the Chicago Yacht Club’s Belmont Shore clubhouse starting Wednesday 17 September at 1030 with a preliminary round robin leading into knockout quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the championship final.