International Match Race
for the Detroit Cup
Elite international match racing comes to the Detroit River for four days of tactical, head-to-head competition just off the waterfront at Bayview Yacht Club.
International Match Racing Returns to Detroit for the 2026 Detroit Cup
Nine teams representing five nations will compete August 20-23 on the Detroit River at Bayview Yacht Club.
International match racing returns to the Detroit River with one-on-one competition in Bayview Yacht Club's fast and agile Ultimate 20s. Racing will take place immediately off the Club's waterfront, creating one of the sport's most spectator-friendly settings.
View the Official Media ReleaseMeet the 2026 Competitors
Nine accomplished match-racing teams will compete on the Detroit River for the 2026 Detroit Cup.
Select a skipper below to view the team biography, captain photo and crew roster.
Theo Westerlind
Sweden · Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club · World Ranking #61
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Theo Westerlind
Theo Westerlind is a Swedish match-racing skipper representing the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club. Ranked No. 61 in the world, Westerlind reached the semifinals of the 2026 Ficker Cup and has competed at GKSS Match Cup Sweden in Marstrand. He also skippered the College of Charleston to a national runner-up finish at the 2025 ICSA Match Race National Championship.
Tom Picot
International Competitor · Match 2.0
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Tom Picot
Tom Picot began match racing in 2014 and won his first Grade 3 event in 2016. He competed at the 2020 Youth Match Racing World Championship in Auckland before joining the World Match Racing Tour circuit in 2024. Picot earned podium finishes in Detroit and Dublin during the 2025 season and made his first Grade 1 appearance in 2026.
James Pinder
Great Britain · Royal Thames Yacht Club
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James Pinder
James Pinder returns for his sixth Detroit Cup, representing the Royal Thames Yacht Club. His team is based across Boston, New York and Chicago and brings a diverse range of sailing experience, from team racing to offshore and ocean competition. Pinder and his crew return to Bayview with a strong appreciation for racing on the Detroit River and the Club’s renowned hospitality.
Noah Robitshek
United States · Boston, Massachusetts
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Noah Robitshek
Noah Robitshek is an American match-racing skipper originally from Traverse City, Michigan, who currently resides in Boston. A graduate of Boston University, Robitshek also competes as a trimmer aboard IC37 Team Kashmir. His sailing accomplishments include a runner-up finish at the 2021 U.S. Youth Triplehanded Championship.
Josh Hyde
New Zealand · Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
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Josh Hyde
Josh Hyde returns to the match-racing circuit after building a strong record in youth competition, including three Youth International Match Racing Cup titles and a Hardy Cup victory. Representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Hyde and his team arrive in Detroit ready to test themselves against an accomplished international fleet.
Ryan Seago
United States · Bayview Yacht Club · Defending Champion
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Ryan Seago
Defending champion Ryan Seago returns to compete on his home waters after winning the Detroit Cup in 2018 and 2025. He also earned runner-up finishes in 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2024. Seago and his team consider the Detroit Cup a highlight of their racing calendar and return determined to defend their title on the Detroit River.
Christian Prendergast
United States · A Team
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Christian Prendergast
Christian Prendergast began racing in the Optimist at age nine before advancing into 420 and scholastic competition. After winning a local Grade 3 event with his father in 2024, he formed A Team and entered the U.S. Grand Slam circuit. Prendergast won the 2025 U.S. Grand Slam Series, finished runner-up at the 2025 Detroit Cup and placed fourth at the 2026 Macao Match Cup.
Marcello Torre
Australia · Gage Roads Sailing Team
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Marcello Torre
Marcello Torre has competed in match racing for several years, developing his experience through leading youth events in Australia and international competition at the Governor’s Cup. More recently, Torre has competed on the World Match Racing Tour, including the 2026 season opener in Macao. He and his team enter the U.S. Grand Slam looking to build momentum throughout the remainder of the season.
Harrison Strom
United States · San Diego Yacht Club
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Harrison Strom
Harrison Strom is an American match racer representing the San Diego Yacht Club. His recent results include winning the 2026 College Match Race, finishing second at the 2025 Governor’s Cup and placing third at the 2025 Youth Match Racing World Championship. Strom was recruited to sail at Harvard University, where he will represent the varsity program as one of its leading skippers.
About the Detroit Cup
The Detroit Cup brings accomplished match-racing teams to the Detroit River for fast-paced competition just yards from Bayview Yacht Club’s waterfront.
The event is part of the United States Grand Slam Grade 2 Match Race Series and the World Match Racing Tour calendar, placing Detroit among an international schedule of premier match-racing venues.
Watch the Detroit Cup at Bayview
The Detroit Cup’s short courses bring the competition close to Bayview Yacht Club, giving members and guests a unique opportunity to experience international match racing from the waterfront.
Daily race timing and course placement are dependent on wind, weather, river traffic and race committee decisions. Current information will be posted through the official regatta page.
Event Information
Wednesday, August 19
Thursday, August 20 through Sunday, August 23
Bayview Yacht Club, Detroit, Michigan
Detroit River near Bayview Yacht Club
Subject to conditions and race committee decisions
2026 Grand Slam Series
The Detroit Cup is the second event in a four-regatta series featuring international match-racing competition in Chicago, Detroit and Oyster Bay.
Chicago Grand Slam
Detroit Cup
Oakcliff International
Thompson Cup
Official Documents
Access the Notice of Race, current amendment and official regatta page.
Notice of Race View Official Document NOR Amendment 1 View PDF Amendment Main Regatta Page Information, Updates & ResultsMatch Racing FAQ
New to match racing? Open the questions below to learn how the format works and what to watch for during the Detroit Cup.
What is match racing? +
Match racing is a direct, one-on-one contest between two evenly matched boats. Unlike fleet racing, where many boats compete at once, each match focuses entirely on one team attempting to outmaneuver and defeat one opponent.
Why do the teams use identical boats? +
Identical boats place the emphasis on the sailors rather than equipment differences. Boat handling, positioning, communication, tactical decisions and execution determine which team gains the advantage.
What happens before the starting signal? +
The competition begins before the race officially starts. During the pre-start, each skipper attempts to control the opponent, secure the preferred side of the course, create separation or force the other team into a penalty.
How are penalties decided? +
On-the-water umpires observe each match and make immediate rulings. When a team is penalized, it must complete the required penalty turn before finishing, unless that penalty is offset or resolved under the racing rules.
What should spectators watch for? +
Watch the pre-start positioning, close passes, lead changes, penalty situations and the way each team protects its advantage. Because only two boats compete in each match, the tactical story is easier to follow from shore.
Why is the Detroit Cup spectator-friendly? +
The Detroit Cup uses short courses on the Detroit River near Bayview Yacht Club. This brings the racing close to the waterfront and allows spectators to follow the boats, tactics and umpire decisions throughout each match.
Detroit Cup Event Information
Bayview Yacht Club
100 Clairpointe Street, Detroit, Michigan 48215
Email the Detroit Cup Call 313-418-2205 Directions to Bayview