A Q&A with Felix Weidling ahead of the 2026 World Sailing Women's Match Racing World Championship
by David Schmidt 29 Sep 08:00 PDT
September 29, 2026
St Francis Yacht Club to host 2026 Women's Match Racing World Championship © Simone Staff
Few regatta venues offer more exceptional sailing than San Francisco Bay, which is internationally famous for its breeze-on conditions that are often compounded by tricky currents and wind-against-tide seas. Combine these legendary conditions with 12 of the world's best women's match-racing teams, and the 2026 World Sailing Women's Match Racing World Championship (September 30-October 4), which is being hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club and contested aboard StFYC's fleet of club-owned J/22s, promises to deliver some of the year's best racing.
The event's entry list is a who's who of women's international matching racing and includes skipper Pauline Courtois (FRA) and her Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team (Maëlenn Lemaitre, Louise Acker and Laurane Mettraux), who have won the last five World Sailing Women's Match Racing World Championship titles.
But focusing only on Courtois and her Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team misses the fact that the other 11 teams include Anna Östling (SWE) and her WINGS team (Annika Carlunger, Linnéa Wennergren and Anna Holmdahl White), who are currently ranked number one on the Women's World Match Racing Tour's (WWMRT) leaderboard.
It also includes Martina Carlsson (SWE) and her Beyond Racing Team (Hanna Gaskell-Brown, Amanda Ljunggren and Klara Utterström), who are currently ranked number two on the WWMRT's leaderboard, as well as Julia Aartsen (NED) and her Team Out of the Box (Nerine Usman, Eva Asbeek Brusse and Ismene Usman), who are currently ranked number three.
To give a sense of scale, Courtois and her Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team are currently sitting in fourth place on the WWMRT's leaderboard.
American interests are being represented by three California based teams, including skipper Lindsey Baab (USA) and her Fog Racing team (Kate Shiber, Elena VandenBerg and Helen Lord); Allie Blecher (USA) and her Team BAAM! (Evan Cahill, Rose Edwards and Aimee Famularo), and Nicole Breault (USA) and her Vela Racing Team (Molly Carapiet, Hailey Thompson and Molly Vandemoer), the latter of whom won the 2025 U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship.
If this sounds like a tough regatta, consider that all 12 competing teams are ranked amongst the Top 18 on World Sailing's Women's Match Racing Rankings (Courtois and her Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team, it should be noted, are listed in the pole position in these rankings.)
Then there's the Bay's reputation for serving up windy, current-riven racing.
I checked in with Felix Weidling, who serves as the StFYC's Race Director, via email, to learn more about this world-championship match-racing regatta.
Based on the entry list, can you please tell us about what you think the competition levels will be like at this year's World Sailing Women's Match Racing World Championship?
The level of competition will be exceptionally high. The entry list includes some of the best match racing teams in the world, and the depth of talent in international women's match racing has rarely been stronger. I expect many closely fought battles where a single tactical decision could make the difference between winning and losing.
What kind of racecourse conditions should the 12 competing teams expect to encounter on San Francisco Bay in early October? What are typically the best-case and worst-case weather scenarios for this time of year on the Bay?
Teams should expect classic San Francisco conditions: strong afternoon winds, powerful tidal currents, and a challenging racecourse that rewards both excellent boathandling and tactical awareness.
This unique combination is exactly what makes the Bay one of the most spectacular sailing venues in the world.
How much of an advantage—if any—do you think teams that have experience with San Francisco Bay's winds and tides might enjoy? Also, if there is an advantage, how long do you think it will take the out-of-town teams to level up?
Local experience can certainly be beneficial, particularly when it comes to understanding the tidal currents and the Bay's characteristic wind patterns. However, we are talking about world-class athletes who are capable of adapting to new conditions very quickly.
As a follow-on to that last question, if a visiting team only had a couple of days to try and learn the Bay's tide-driven secrets before the starting guns begin sounding, what advice would you give them about where and what to practice?
My advice would be not to spend too much time chasing every local secret. Instead, focus on developing a feel for how the wind and current interact and make sure the team is comfortable handling the boat efficiently in stronger breeze. Those fundamentals will provide the biggest gains in the shortest amount of time.
I've heard that StFYC's J/22 club-fleet sails are cut a bit flatter than a standard J/22 sail inventory to help compensate for the bigger winds that are often encountered on the Bay. Do you think that teams that have experience with these flatter-cut sails might have any advantages? And, if so, how long do you think it will take the other teams to master their sail-trim game?
Any potential advantage is likely to be short-lived. The crews competing in this championship are highly experienced sailors, and I expect them to identify the optimal trim settings very quickly and adapt their sail-trim techniques within a short period of time.
I realize that crystal balls are in short supply these days, but are there any specific match-ups or rivalries that you are particularly excited to see play out on the water?
One of the great things about match racing is that every confrontation develops its own story. With such a strong and diverse field, I am certain that several exciting rivalries will emerge naturally as the championship progresses.
What's the best way for fans to follow the racing? Also, where are the best publicly available spots for in-town fans to view the racing? Crissy Field?
For spectators [who will be] in San Francisco, there are several fantastic viewing locations around the Bay. The Race Deck at St. Francis Yacht Club, located directly adjacent to the racecourse, will certainly be one of the best places to experience the action up close. It will be open to friends and family during the regatta, and guests can obtain a pass at the club’s front desk. Crissy Field is another iconic viewing spot and offers spectacular views of both the racing and the San Francisco waterfront. The combination of world-class sailing and an iconic venue makes for a truly unique spectator experience.
Is there anything else about this year's World Sailing Women's Match Racing World Championship that you'd like to add or tell us about, for the record?
We are proud to welcome the world's best women match racers to San Francisco. Our goal is to deliver a world-class championship both on and off the water, creating an event that will be memorable for the athletes, officials, volunteers, and fans alike.