Racing on San Francisco Bay home waters this week in the Casa Vela Cup, the first stop of the six-event series of the 2025 Women’s World Match Racing Tour (WWMRT), 4-time US Women’s Match Racing Champion Nicole Breault and her talented crew will be among the top teams to watch. The Tour returns to the US after taking a break in 2024 when the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup and other key events drew the attention of top ranked women sailors.
The Women’s World Match Racing Tour (WWMRT) was launched in 2022 to continue the legacy of the Women’s International Match Racing Series that built upon the success of women’s match racing in the London 2012 Olympic Games. Breault has always felt excited to race in these top tier events, as they are always a great opportunity to see where she and her teammates stack up against top women match racers around the world.
“I really respect the level of competition they bring while keeping such a positive vibe,” Breault said. “I’ve made some good friends over the years racing these events, and this week we are excited for the return of the Casa Vela Cup to San Francisco.”
McKenzie crewing for Molly Carapiet in 2025 NYYC Women’s 2v2
On the challenge of putting her team together for the Casa Vela Cup, Breault explained, “I have a big network and pretty much love all the people with whom I have ever raced. For this team I cast a net out to sailors with the right skills and size, but also the ability to do as much of the racing this year as possible; I wanted to build a team for the Tour with good chemistry and consistency.”
Breault’s team for Casa Vela Cup includes Molly O’Bryan Vandemoer, McKenzie Wilson, and Hailey Thompson.
“Molly’s an Olympian in match racing, and I love having her steady, solid tactical calls in my ear,” Breault smiled. “McKenzie was a college kid at Stanford when we first sailed together on our J/105. We match raced in Russia 10 years ago at the Nations Cup – she’s really good energy and athletic.”
Thompson was in high school when Breault identified her raw talent and drive.
Hailey on helm, Nicole & Molly crewing, 2023 USWMR Championship
“After Hailey crewed for me a couple of times, we decided she would helm the 2023 season, and she won bronze at the USWMRC in Annapolis! She’s fantastic and will be a pillar of the team.”
Four contenders racing this week include skippers Pauline Courtois (France), Anna Östling (Sweden), Julia Aartsen (Netherlands) and Kenza Coutard (France), all ranked in the top six among women. Breault will also face 4-time US Women’s Match Racing Champion (and current title holder) Allie Blecher (Los Angeles, Calif.)
“Allie just sailed the Congressional Cup with me as my tactician – she’s a super good friend and match racing rival here in the US,” Breault said. “We love racing together and against each other. Her team is strong with lots of ambition.”
Blecher is sailing with Beka Schiff, Alana Marks, and Martha Parker.
“Beka and I have sailed together for ten years now; Alana and I have sailed together on and off over the last five and ten years – the three of us went to the College of Charleston together at varying times so we have a past,”Blecher explained. “Martha has also sailed with us so I think as a team we will stack up okay. I’m not setting any expectations by any means. We’re out there to use it as a practice with our sights on the Worlds later in the year.”
In recent years Blecher’s racing focus has been offshore racing, notably TransPac, in addition to match racing and big, yacht club style challenge races. While her practice time will be limited to Tuesday prior to the event, that’s how it plays out with her team scattered around the country.
“Our practice days tend to be the day before the regatta unfortunately, but we make it work,” Blecher smiled. “I have sailed against a bunch of the main players who will be competing and it’s nice to see some new players come in, fueling the next generation.”
Nicole & Molly 2023 Casa Vela Cup mark rounding
Match racing events are hosted by venues that provide equally matched boats. The size of a Club fleet is one of the limiting factors on how many teams can attend. The St Francis Yacht Club can host a high-profile international event like the Casa Vela Cup with 10 teams because of its 13-strong fleet of J/22s. The St Francis Sailing Foundation helped to establish this fleet expressly for match and team racing and to bolster the Club’s participation in hosting marquis regattas in these disciplines of the sport. Later this summer, the StFYC will host the 2025 US Women’s Match Racing Championship.
To fund a WWMRT event is costly compared to an internationally ranked fleet race regatta when fifty to a hundred or more boats may show up. While both require the host club to fly international umpires and race officers to the venue, in match racing there are only ten entry fees to amortize the costs. The St Francis Sailing Foundation has extended a grant to assist this year’s Casa Vela Cup.
“We were able to lower the entry fee per skipper with the Foundation grant which helps us bring in the best skippers from all over the world – we’re on a tight budget – as are the competitors – so everyone appreciates that assistance,” Bruce Stone, Regatta Chair, noted. “We’re expecting some exciting competition among tough sailors who do a lot of racing. The high-wind venue, of course, is the perfect place to showcase all their boat-handling and match racing talents.”
This year, Breault plans to do the three US events in the 2025 Tour: San Francisco (Casa Vela Cup), Annapolis (Santa Maria Cup), and Chicago (World Sailing Women’s Match Racing Championship), and possibly the Bermuda Gold Cup. Two European events will be held, one in France and another in Sweden.
“It’s really fun to be part of the whole process and especially to advocate for the newer sailors to get into the game,” Breault commented. “I’ve always worn two hats, one helping other sailors who are reaching toward their goals – maybe coaching a little or crewing for them – meanwhile I wear the hat of a competitor too. There’s a switch that flips in me when I’m racing and you’ll see the competitive part of me just come out.”
The Casa Vela Cup runs May 28-31, and will be sailed off the St Francis Yacht Club in J/22s, with great spectator viewing from Crissy Field and the race deck at the St Francis Yacht Club. https://womenswmrt.com/events/casa-vela-cup-2025/
Feature Image: Nicole & Molly Casa Vela Cup 2023
Images: Courtesy Nicole Breault & US Sailing