The Long Beach Yacht Club has announced the full lineup of eight skippers for its 2026 Ficker Cup match racing regatta, to be held 24 – 26 April 2026.
The Ficker Cup is a Grade 2 match race event on the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) and serves as a qualifier for the Congressional Cup, sailed with ten entries.
The top two finishers earn invitations to the Congressional Cup, a WMRT Championship event, scheduled for April 29 – May 3, 2026.
The Ficker Cup will be followed April 29 – May 3, 2026, with ten of the world’s top match racing skippers competing in The Long Beach YC’s 61st Congressional Cup.
The Ficker Cup is named after Bill Ficker, who won the 1970 Americas Cup, as skipper of Intrepid, and the 1974 Congressional Cup.
2026 Ficker Cup Skippers
1. Oscar Engström, SWE (WS rank #16)
2. Nicole Breault, USA (WS rank #17)
3. Lennard Bal, NED (WS rank #18)
4. Patryk Zbroja, POL (WS rank #19)
5. Tom Picot, AUS (WS rank #26)
6. Ruairi Finnegan, IRL (WS rank #33)
7. Chris Weis, USA (WS rank #68)
8. Scotty Dickson, USA (WS rank #210)
61st Congressional Cup (2026) Skippers
Registered Skippers 23 Feb 2026
1. Cole Tapper AUS
2. Jeppe Borch DEN
3. Ian Garreta FRA
4. Ian Williams GBR
5. Eric Monnin SUI
6. Johnie Berntsson SWE
7. Christian Prendergast USA
