Switzerland’s Eric Monnin, captain of SSL Team Switzerland, and his Capvis Swiss Match Racing Team—featuring Ute Monnin Wagner, Mathieu Renault, Jean-Claude Monnin, Simon Brügger, Julien Falxa, and Maxime Mesnil—clinched a long-awaited victory at the 60th Anniversary Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup, the third stage of the 2025 World Match Racing Tour season. Monnin overcame USA’s Chris Poole, a key figure from SSL Team United States, with a narrow 3-2 victory in a thrilling and fiercely contested final.
The final duel between two prominent Star Sailors League representatives—Monnin and Poole—offered some of the most intense match racing of the week. Poole struck first, but Monnin fought back with two consecutive wins. Poole leveled the score in the fourth race, setting the stage for a dramatic winner-takes-all fifth match.
The deciding race was a tactical masterpiece. Monnin incurred a penalty off the start, but a subsequent mark-touch by Poole offset the Swiss team's disadvantage. The pair fought for every inch down the final run. Despite Poole catching a late gust, Monnin held his nerve to cross the line first, securing both his maiden Congressional Cup title and the coveted Crimson Blazer.
“Chris put a lot of pressure on us, and we were close to cracking under it,” Monnin admitted. “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.”
Notably, Monnin's teammate Simon Brügger has also sailed with SSL Team Switzerland in past international campaigns, further emphasizing the SSL's deep-rooted presence in top-level match racing.
The contest for third place also thrilled spectators, with Australia’s Cole Tapper and his CYCA Youth Sailing Academy edging out USA’s Hood in a tight semi-final. A penalty at the final top mark dashed Hood’s hopes, handing Tapper a career-best third-place finish, improving from eighth in last year’s event.
Earlier in the day, Monnin entered the semi-finals with a 2-0 lead over Hood. Though Hood mounted a comeback with a win in the day’s first match, Monnin closed out the series in race four, capitalizing on a penalty situation at the finish to move on to the final.
The 60th edition of the Congressional Cup was a fitting tribute to match racing excellence. Featuring world-class talent, including veterans of the Star Sailors League, the event underscored its status as one of the sport’s most prestigious regattas.
For more information, visit www.thecongressionalcup.com or www.wmrt.com.
Photos credit: Ian Roman / WMRT