WASZP Games 2025: Women's Sprint Championship and SailGP Qualifier Race - Day 1
by Nicola Hoyle 19 Jul 2025 22:22 PDT
19-25 July 2025
2025 WASZP Games - Women's Sprint Championship and SailGP Qualifier Race © Down Under Sail
The start of the WASZP Women's Sprint Championship delivered a spectacular showcase of talent, tactics, and tight racing as female sailors went head-to-head on the SailGP sprint course.
With a place at the SailGP WASZP Grand Final 2026 in Sydney for the top two overall finishers, competition was fierce across five short-course races that tested starting precision, boat handling and tactical choices in the light winds.
Racing on the SailGP course, the women's fleet launched shoulder to shoulder for Race 1, with the start line favouring the committee boat end. Pernille Baann Eftang (NOR) and Mina Ferguson (AUS) had strong starts, with Pernille leading at the top mark and Mina close behind. It was neck and neck to the gate, where Mina edged ahead and extended her lead by choosing the southerly side of the course. However, a flurry of boats on starboard forced her off her line, allowing Pia Henriette Brun Tveita (NOR) to seize the lead. With a clean final mark rounding, Pia sprinted to the finish for the win. Maja Larsson-Bergqvist (SWE) battled through to take second, with Mina holding on for third. Reflecting on the racing, Mina noted "Everyone is coming in pretty hot so you have to pick your lane."
Race 2 saw a less congested start and a reshuffled front pack. Pearl Lattanzi (USA) launched cleanly and stayed ahead of Pernille at the top mark. "Start lines are competitive," Pearl said, "and with it being so light today, you needed to be on the foils at full speed at 'go'." The south side once again paid, and with just one tack down the lay line, Pearl rounded the gate in the lead. Pernille followed through the left gate, while Linnea Messing (SWE) took the right. A sharp final beat from Liv Häggström (SWE) saw her move into second, but Pearl remained unchallenged for the win. Pernille secured third.
In Race 3, Marie Butler Wang (NOR) hit the start at pace, already foiling, and led at the top mark with Madilyn Anderson (USA) in pursuit. The right again proved profitable, with Pernille briefly taking the lead. But Marie, with fewer manoeuvres, regained control and stormed to the finish. Pernille crossed second, with Julia Gebhard (GER) in third.
Race 4 opened with Maya Kwasniewski (USA) leading off the start, but Mina reeled her in to round first at the top mark. Mina and Pearl battled downwind, rounding left and right gate simultaneously. With the sailGP Grand Final in her hometown in Sydney, she's giving it everything to fight for a place. Mina crossed ahead up the beat, but an extra tack cost her the lead, allowing Marie to capitalize again. Pearl slipped to fourth, with Louise Metenier (FRA) climbing into third.
The final race of the day set the stage for a battle between those vying for the top overall standings. Pearl and Mina went head-to-head to the top mark, with Pia just behind. The trio stayed tightly packed down the run and up the beat, finishing in that order: Pearl first, Pia second, and Mina third leaving the overall standings after 5 races as follows:
Pia Henriette Brun Tveita (NOR) — 19 points
Pearl Lattanzi (USA) — 21 points
Mina Ferguson (AUS) — 26 points
Full results here.
With just one point separating third from fourth, and a strong showing of depth across the fleet - evidenced by top-ten finishes from Nora Doksrød (NOR), Chloe Collenette (GBR), Elsa Aronsson (SWE), Sol Lopez Navarro (ESP), Helena Mills Bowers (GBR), Melia van Laaten (GER), and Harriet George (GBR)—the level of competition is high heading into the final day.
Slalom races kick off tomorrow morning, promising some great action. As Pearl Lattanzi put it: "I'm excited to be racing all these girls and excited to see how it all shakes out."
Follow the action tomorrow here on TracTrac.
Find out more at racehub.waszp.com/eventdetail/360