Casa Vela Cup 2025 at St Francis Yacht Club - Overall
by Women's WMRT 1 Jun 19:33 NZST
May 28-31, 2025
French match racing skipper Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink Normandy team claimed a decisive victory on Saturday at the 2025 Casa Vela Cup, held in the iconic waters of San Francisco Bay and hosted by the St.Francis Yacht Club. Courtois and crew defeated USA's Nicole Breault and the Vela Racing team 3-1 in the final. Sweden's Team Wings skippered by Anna Östling finished in third after winning both races in the first-to-two points petit-final against Julia Aartsen/ Team Out of the Box from the Netherlands.
Battling a strong flood tide in the bay and a fresh westerly breeze which has remained consistent during the four-day event, Courtois and Breault traded wins in the first two final matches to even the score at 1-1.
A close tacking duel along the southerly shore ensued in the third race with Courtois ahead and covering Breault's every move. Choosing to take an earlier lay line to the top mark, a lucky wind shift allowed Courtois to make the first windward mark ahead of Breault and led the race to go 2-1, and match point.
In the deciding race, Courtois held a controlling position again to the windward mark. Breault, finding pace downwind and looking for the pass on Courtois, incurred a penalty as her spinnaker touched the backstay of Courtois's boat. By the final leg of the race, Breault had gained a marginal lead but did not have enough space ahead of Courtois to do a penalty turn at the finish and stay ahead.
In a masterful move, Breault went for a hard luff on Courtois and managed to force a penalty on her opponent, cancelling out her own penalty and leaving both teams for a sprint to the finish. However, as they gybed for the finish, Courtois was able to narrowly cross the line seconds ahead of Breault and securing the 3-1 victory.
"We are so happy with the win here in San Francisco" said a jubilant Courtois. "Nicole sailed a great match against us, but we are thrilled to have got the win here at the Casa Vela Cup!"
Winning the event also awarded the French team with the first prize of a week's stay for the whole team and guests at 'Casa Vela', a hand built 450 m2 (5000 sq ft) four-bedroom treehouse on the beach near Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The prize is generously donated by St Francis Yacht Club members Bruce Stone and Nicole Breault and comes with a private chef and watersports equipment www.casavelaplayadelcarmen.com.
The Women's World Match Racing Tour moves straight to Annapolis next week in a back-to-back event schedule with the Eastport Yacht Club hosting the Santa Maria Cup, the second stage of the 2025 women's world tour. Eight teams will compete for the Annapolis event in the same J22 type boats - see www.santamariacup.org.
Overall Results:
1. Pauline Courtois, FRA Match in Pink by Normandy Elite (crew: Maelenn Lemaitre, Louise Acker, Laurane Mettraux)
2. Nicole Breault, USA Vela Racing (crew: Molly O'Bryan Vandemoer, McKenzie Wilson, Melissa Purdey)
3. Anna Östling, SWE Team Wings (crew: Svea Sahlin, Linnea Wennergren, Annika Carlunger)
4. Julia Aartsen, NED Team Out of the Box (crew: Iris van Gerrevink, Eva Asbeek Brusse, Floortje Hoogstede)
5. Allie Blecher, USA Team Baam (crew: Beka Schiff, Alana Marks, Martha Parker)
6. Lindsey Baab, USA Baab Racing (crew: Kate Shiber, Helen Lord, Sally Wilmot)
7. Katie Cornetta, USA (crew: Krysia Pohl, Stephanie Wondolleck, Courtney Clamp)
8. Kenza Coutard, FRA Speedmuete (crew: Juliette Dubreuil, Victoire Lerat, Elena Circiello-Vaillant)
9. Caroline Bayless, USA Team Something Chill (crew: Nora Ong, Maddy McGrath)
10. Liz Hjorth, USA (crew: Karyn Jones, Julia Jaynes, Liz Hopkins)