2025 U.S. Match Racing Championship Kicks Off at Chicago Yacht Club
The nation’s top match racers are headed to the Windy City this weekend as Chicago Yacht Club hosts the 2025 U.S. Match Racing Championship, the premier event in American match racing. Ten high performance teams will go bow-to-bow on Lake Michigan over three days of tactical duels, where razor-sharp boat handling, on-the-water umpire calls, and pre-start chess matches will determine the next National Champion.
This event serves as the culmination of the U.S. Match Racing Qualifier Series, a national circuit designed to expand access and elevate competition across all regions of the country. Competitors earned invitations through performances at qualifier events, past national titles, or resumes, ensuring a field stacked with the nation’s most skilled and experienced sailors. Racing will take place in Chicago Yacht Club’s fleet of Tom 28 one-design boats built for precision, maneuverability, and close-quarters match racing.
Among the skippers are defending champion Pearson Potts, representing the Guardians of the Monohull, alongside local Peter Holz of Chicago Yacht Club, Nicole Breault and Molly Carapiet from St. Francis Yacht Club, Mason Cook of Eastport and Annapolis Yacht Clubs, and other returning standouts including Cormac Murphy, Ryan Seago, and Peter Wickwire. With teams representing both coasts and the Great Lakes, the competition promises fierce rivalries and national bragging rights.
“The U.S. Match Racing Championship represents the pinnacle of our national match racing pathway,” said Karen Butler, Chair of the U.S. Match Racing Championships Committee. “My committee has developed a Qualifier Series to help promote match racing around the U.S. and ensure that sailors from every region have a chance to compete and earn a spot at the Championship. We hope that through these events, sailors get hooked on the sport, build long-lasting friendships, and continue to grow the match racing community.”
For Regatta Manager, Patrick Burks, one of the best parts of hosting comes from watching the evolution of the match racing community over time.
“Seeing them develop and grow over time, particularly by regularly hosting qualifiers annually and championships every few years, in the small world of match racing, you see the same sailors come back year after year, and the development is fun to watch,” Burks said.
This year’s championship follows the 2024 edition where Potts captured his third national title in dramatic fashion. Chicago Yacht Club, which recently hosted the Women’s Match Racing World Championship, continues to be a leading hub for the sport, offering both world-class facilities and challenging conditions that test even the most seasoned crews. The lake’s shifting breezes and short, steep chop make it an ideal proving ground for match racers who thrive under pressure.
The format will feature a round-robin stage followed by knockout semifinals and finals, with each match lasting roughly 15 to 20 minutes which means they’ll be short, intense, and brimming with tactics. “By only having eight to ten skippers at these events, everyone gets to know one another through morning briefings and umpire debriefs,” Butler added. “It’s competitive, but it’s also a community.”
Spectators and fans can follow live updates, results, and photos on the event website and the US Match Racing Instagram account.