Please select your home edition
Edition
X-Yachts Leaderboard 2024 2

55th LBYC Congressional Cup - Day 1

by Betsy Crowfoot 3 Apr 2019 22:38 PDT 3-7 April 2019

It's been 10 years since Johnie Berntsson (SWE) won the Congressional Cup, but if today's opener is any indicator, he could be celebrating his decennial anniversary with another Crimson Blazer.

The Berntsson Sailing Team looked confident and strong in their bright orange jerseys, as they routed the competition on Day One of Congressional Cup racing at Long Beach Yacht Club.

In mild conditions, with winds of 6 to 10 knots, flat water and blue skies, Stage One Round Robins got under way in the 55th running of this prestigious Grade One match race regatta.

Results were random, as number-one-ranked Ian Willams (GBR) and defending champion Taylor Canfield (USA) found themselves in the middle of the pack with last week's Ficker Cup winners Harry Price (AUS) and Chris Poole (USA).

But while several past Congressional Cup titleholders struggled, newcomer Nick Egnot-Johnson (NZL) sat in second place. Egnot-Johnson, 20, is the winner of the 2019 Nespresso Youth International Match Racing Cup and last year's Oakcliff International Grade Two regatta. As victor in the US Grand Slam Series in September, he received an invitation to Congressional Cup, hand delivered by Chairman Arleen Tolle and LBYC Commodore Camille Daniels.

"The Congressional Cup is a most prestigious event, a top level match race regatta, so such a privilege to get invited and to sail against the world's best," Egnot-Johnson said.

In the past, he's duelled mostly against fellow Aussies Will Boulden and Price. "We do a lot of match racing down in the Southern Hemisphere, but I haven't got to race against the likes of Ian Williams, Taylor Canfield and Johnie Berntsson the big names," he said. "It's cool to be able to line up and see how we go against these guys."

He credited, in part, the morning yoga his team has added to their routine; starting the day out "centered, limber, and emotionally neutral." Following his success, with five wins out of six matches, sailors may be flocking to the yoga mats the next four days.

The Congressional Cup is one of the leading match race events in the sport, bringing top talent from around the globe to compete in this exciting one-on-one competition. Established in 1965 by the Long Beach Yacht Club, it is recognized as the "grandfather" of match racing, pioneering the concept of on-the-water umpiring 30 years ago.

Racing continues through Sunday April 7 as competitors battle through a Double Round Robin series, to advance to semi-finals and finals over the weekend. Racing takes place in the Congressional Cup Stadium, a designated course off the Long Beach Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier, where spectators can enjoy the action and commentary, free, from 11:30AM to 5PM daily.

Follow Congressional Cup at www.thecongressionalcup.com and on Facebook @CongressionalCup. Coverage will include skipper interviews, results and daily highlights, press conferences and special events. For broadcast schedules and more information visit www.thecongressionalcup.com.

Related Articles

Monnin Victorious in 60th Congressional Cup
Defeating defending champion Chris Poole 3-2 in a closely contested final Switzerland's Eric Monnin and his Capvis Swiss Match Racing Team of Ute Monnin Wagner, Mathieu Renault, Jean-Claude Monnin, Simon Brügger, Julien Falxa, and Maxime Mesnil clinched a long awaited win of the 60th Anniversary Congressional Cup on Sunday. Posted on 5 May
60th Anniversary Congressional Cup Day 4
High-stakes racing on the penultimate day Light airs and overcast conditions brought high-stakes racing to the penultimate day of the 60th Congressional Cup in Long Beach as the final four teams advanced to the semi-finals. Posted on 4 May
60th Anniversary Congressional Cup Day 3
Crucial races to decide Semi-Finalists The race to the semi-finals at the 60th Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup is going down to the wire. With just two flights remaining in the double round robin stage, four teams are locked in a high-stakes battle for the final semi-final slots. Posted on 3 May
60th Anniversary Congressional Cup Day 2
Monnin in the hunt for semi-final spot Switzerland's Eric Monnin and his Capvis Swiss Match Racing Team delivered a faultless performance today, the second day of the 60th Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup. Posted on 2 May
60th Anniversary Congressional Day 1
Strong start for defending champion USA's Chris Poole, defending champion of the Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup leads the first day of the 60th Anniversary event with six straight wins in the opening round-robin stage. Posted on 1 May
60th Anniversary Congressional Cup preview
Defending champion leads world-class line up at anniversary event The prestigious Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup, this year celebrating its milestone 60th Anniversary, today confirmed the line-up of ten skippers from seven countries to compete at the anniversary event from 30 April-4 May. Posted on 13 Mar
Notice of Race posted for 60th Congressional Cup
Recognized as the 'Grandfather' of modern world-class match racing The Long Beach Yacht Club today posted the Notice of Race for its milestone 60th Anniversary of The Congressional Cup, the club's flagship event, from April 30 - May 4, 2025. Posted on 20 Oct 2024
59th Congressional Cup at Long Beach overall
Back-to-back wins for Chris Poole and his Riptide Racing team The intensity of the 59th Congressional Cup, the opening event for the 2024 World Match Racing Tour, reached its peak today as USA's Chris Poole and his Riptide Racing team won his second consecutive Congressional Cup and Crimson Blazer. Posted on 29 Apr 2024
59th Congressional Cup at Long Beach Day 4
Williams and Poole lead their semi-finals 2-0 Day 4 of the 59th Congressional Cup in Long Beach, CA concluded the quarter-final stage of the event, advancing the top four teams to the semi-finals led by defending Congressional Cup champion USA's Chris Poole. Posted on 28 Apr 2024
59th Congressional Cup at Long Beach Day 3
Australia's Cole Tapper advances to Quarter-Finals Australia's Cole Tapper, sailing with his CYCA Youth Sailing Academy team from Sydney Australia, today secured a crucial spot in the quarter-finals of the 59th Congressional Cup, the opening stage of the 2024 World Match Racing Tour. Posted on 27 Apr 2024
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic RangePredictWind - Offshore App 728x90 BOTTOMLloyd Stevenson - AC ETNZ 1456x180px BOTTOM