Pauline Courtois wins sixth consecutive Women’s Match Racing World Championship

Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team secured a historic sixth consecutive title at the 2026 World Sailing Women’s Match Racing World Championship. Hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, the event took place from September 30 to October 4.

Competing in J/22 boats, Courtois and her crew—Maëlenn Lemaitre, Louise Acker, and Laurane Mettraux—demonstrated exceptional dominance, winning 19 of their 20 matches. In the Grand Final, the French team defeated Nicole Breault’s Vela Racing team with a score of 3-0, navigating the challenging tides and currents of the San Francisco Bay despite light wind conditions.

The regatta featured 12 of the world’s top all-women match racing teams. Race officials worked to maximize competition throughout the four days of racing, which included a Round Robin phase followed by quarterfinals and semifinals.