2026 WOMEN’S WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR SEASON OPENS IN DENMARK
Rungsted, Denmark (Friday 8 May) The 2026 Women’s World Match Racing Tour kicked off yesterday in Rungsted, Denmark on the opening day of the KDY Women’s Match Race, the first of five events on the 2026 Women’s world tour season. The Denmark event is hosted by the Royal Danish Yacht Club.
Featuring 8 teams from France, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands, the four-day event format will see each of the teams completing a double round robin qualifying stage before advancing to the semi-final and finals.
Defending Women’s Match Racing World Champion Pauline Courtois from France and her Match in Pink Normandy Elite Team finished their first day undefeated on five wins from five races, setting an early pace as favourite for the Denmark event.
2024 winner in Denmark, Sweden’s Anna Östling and her WINGS Sailing Team had a slower start to their event posting three wins and two losses, but the event is still in its early stages and Östling and team have traditionally been very strong in the DS37 boats, winning the 2022 and 2023 events.
“It was a little up and down for us” added Östling. “But we had a good day, and we would rather mistakes early on in the event - we still have plenty of racing to go.”
Local team the ‘Seagulls’ skippered by Kristine Mauritzen from Denmark is using every bit of their home advantage and knowledge of the DS37 boats, posting four wins in the first day, just one point behind Courtois.
Racing continues through Sunday 9 May
Teams competing:
🇫🇷 Pauline Courtois, Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team
Crew: Maelenn Lemaitre, Louise Acker, Thea Khelif, Laurane Mettraux, Sophie Faguet – Club de Voile St Aubin Elbeuf
🇸🇪 Anna Östling, WINGS – SWE
Crew: Anna Holmdahl White, Linnea Wennergren, Jenny Axhede, Svea Sahlin, Annika Carlunger
🇩🇰 Lea Vogelius, WOW Racing
Crew: Louise Ulrikkeholm, Sille Christensen, Josefine Rasmussen, Joan Hansen
🇳🇱 Julia Aartsen, Team Out of the Box
Crew: Nerine Usman, Iris Van Gerrevink, Eva Asbeek Brusse, Ismene Usman
🇸🇪 Martina Carlsson, Beyond Racing Team
Crew: Klara Utterström, Amanda Ljunggren, Hanna Gaskell-Brown, Esther Lagerstand, Hedvig Hedström
🇫🇷 Julia D’Amodio, Shark Caviar Team
Crew: Alice Chiappori, Lilou Ruat, Clarisse Baissac, Roxane Perrot, Maïa Gargani
🇩🇰 Kristine Mauritzen, Those Seagulls
Crew: Maria Reinhold, Julie Erhardsen, Sofie Vendelboe, Julia Toroi, Helena Formgren
🇩🇰 Louise K Olesen, Team Louise
Crew: Camilla From, Mille Jensen, Line Mørkebjerg, Sara Keir Wright, Sophia Jørgensen
For more information on the KDY Women’s Match Race, visit https://womenswmrt.com/events/kdy-womens-match-race-2026/
For image gallery, click here https://photos.app.goo.gl/tuFNMKiA9aoKAXww6
See all of the results here
For information on the Royal Danish Yacht Club https://kdy.dk/
For information on WWMRT, visit womenswmrt.com
See the WWMRT website for more information and photos:
https://womenswmrt.com/events/kdy-womens-match-race-2026/
Women’s World Match Racing Tour 2026:
Stage 1 – KDY Women’s Match Race, Royal Danish Yacht Club, Rungsted, Denmark, 7-10 May - DS 37
Stage 2 – Santa Maria Cup, Eastport Yacht Club, Annapolis, USA, 3-6 June - J/22
Stage 3 – Nordea Womens Trophy – Match Cup Sweden, Marstrand, Sweden, 29 June – 4 July - Fareast 28R
Stage 4 – Bermuda Women’s Match Race, Hamilton, Bermuda, 13-18 October - Fareast 28R
Stage 5 – WWMRT FINAL AMAALA, Saudi Arabia, TBC November - J/70
About Women’s World Match Racing Tour
The Women’s World Match Racing Tour was launched in 2022 to continue the hugely successful legacy of the WIM Series (Women’s International Match Racing Series) providing a global match racing series for female sailors. The name of the series was re-launched as the Women’s World Match Racing Tour with its continued mission to expand and strengthen global match racing and promote opportunities for competitive women’s sailing at every level.
The Women’s World Match Racing Tour is the world’s first and only professional sailing series for women providing a valuable pathway for aspiring female world champions in the sport of sailing. womenswmrt.com
Contact: Women’s World Match Racing Tour info@wmrt.com
