(Long Beach, May 4, 2025) – 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 today clinched a long awaited win of the 60th Anniversary Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup, stage three of the 2025 World Match Racing Tour season. Monnin defeated defending Congressional Cup champion, USA’s Chris Poole 3-2 in a closely contested final.
The final series between Monnin and Poole delivered some of the closest racing of the week, with the score trading back and forth. Poole was the first to put a point on the board before Monnin responded with two wins to take the lead. Poole evened the score in race four, setting up a decisive fifth and final match for the title.
The deciding final race was about as close as it could get. Monnin was penalized off the start but stayed close in the light and variable breeze. At the first windward mark, Poole clipped the mark, earning a penalty of his own and clearing Monnin’s. From there, it was a game of inches. Down the final run, with Monnin leading, the boats split gybes at the bottom of the course. Poole caught a late puff to close the gap, but Monnin held on to cross the line ahead and secure his first Crimson Blazer.
“Chris put a lot of pressure on us, and we were close to cracking under the it,” explained Monnin. “But winning this regatta is a big step for us. It’s a big deal, and it means a lot to do it with this crew.”
The battle for the final podium spot came down to the wire as well. Australia’s Cole Tapper and his CYCA Youth Sailing Academy and USA’s Hood delivered an equally exciting semi-final series that went to the last race, with the young Australian tead edging out as Hood picked up a costly penalty at the final top mark. Tapper’s third-place finish marks a major leap from his team’s eighth-place result in their Congressional Cup debut last year, as they round out the podium.
Earlier in the day for the semi-finals, Monnin entered with a 2-0 advantage over Hood. Hood took the first match of the day to keep the series alive, but Monnin sealed the deal in the fourth race. Hood was leading into the finish, but carrying a penalty. Their only option was to clear it around the finish pin, but Monnin stayed close enough behind and crossed the line just moments ahead to advance to the final.
It was an action-packed final day of racing in Long Beach, closing out a landmark 60th anniversary edition of the Congressional Cup. From start to finish, the event reaffirmed its status as one of the world’s elite match racing regattas.
Rewatch the action on World Match Racing Tour and Congressional Cup social media and YouTube channels.
For more information, visit www.thecongressionalcup.com or www.wmrt.com.
FINAL CONGRESSIONAL CUP RESULTS
2025 CONGRESSIONAL CUP SKIPPERS
1. Chris Poole / Riptide Racing (USA)
World Ranking: 1
crew: Joachim Aschenbrenner, Ben Lamb, Mal Parker, Rob Scivenor, and Harry West
2. Johnie Berntsson / Berntsson Sailing Team (SWE)
World Ranking: 5
crew: Fredrick Aurell, Scotty Dickson, Per Frykholm, Pete Nicolas, and Carl-Johan Uckelstam
3. Eric Monnin / Capvis Swiss Match Racing (SUI)
World Ranking: 4
crew: Ute Monnin Wagner, Mathieu Renault, Jean-Claude Monnin, Simon Brügger, Julien Falxa, Maxime Mesnil
4. Rocco Attili / RBYS Racing (ITA)
World Ranking: 8
crew: Paolo Iacchia, Andres Guerra, Ludovico Mori, Gianluca Perasole, and Aurélien Pierroz
5. Ian Garreta / Med Racing (FRA)
World Ranking: 7
crew: Calixte Benoit, Thibaut Demai, Pierre Garreta, Vicenç Girodeau, Mathieu Richard, and Gaultier Tallieu
6. Cole Tapper / CYCA (AUS)
World Ranking: 13
crew: Jack Frewin, Max Brennan, Hamish Vass, Nathan Gulliksen, and George Richardson
7. Dave Hood / DH3 Racing (USA)
World Ranking: 30
crew: Ted Hackney, Chris Main, Ricky McGarvie, Steve Natvig, and Chris Steele
8. Björn Hansen / Hansen Sailing Team (SWE)
World Ranking: 68
crew: Johan Bäckman, Mikael Berg, Nils Bjerkås, Hugo Christensson, and Martin Berntsson
9. Nicole Breault / Vela Racing (USA)
World Ranking: 23
crew: Allie Blecher, Tony Festa, Dylan Finestone, Sidney Gathrid, Cameron Feves, and Cade Morris
10. Peter Wickwire / Storm Match Racing (CAN)
World Ranking: 9
crew: Dan MacMillan, Steve Flam, Travis Odenbach, Savannah Taylor, James Heyhoe
For more information on the Long Beach Congressional Cup, visit www.thecongressionalcup.com
For more information on the World Match Racing Tour, visit www.wmrt.com and via social media at Facebook and Instagram @wordmatchracingtour, and via YouTube