2026 U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship
America's Women's Match Racing Championship
The U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship is one of U.S. Sailing's national championships and brings accomplished women match racers together for direct, head-to-head competition.
The format rewards starting, boat handling, tactical control, communication and execution, with every match creating a clear one-on-one contest for advancement.
Bayview Women in the USWMRC
Bayview Yacht Club has a meaningful history in the U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship, with several Club sailors having competed in previous editions of the national championship.
Generations of BYC Women on the Match-Racing Stage
Member of the 2013 U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship-winning team.
Jacque Reardon
Bayview's 2026 event chair will lead the championship with support from an advisory committee.
2026 Sponsorship Opportunities
Interested in supporting the 2026 U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship at Bayview?
Email Sponsorship@byc.comThe Championship Format
Two boats. One opponent. Every maneuver matters. The championship moves from qualifying round-robin racing into elimination rounds and a final series for the national title.
Qualifying Round Robin(s)
Semi-Finals
Finals Series
Competitor Information
The 2026 championship is an invitational event with specific team, crew-weight and membership requirements.
The championship uses an invitation-based entry process administered under the official event requirements.
Competitors must hold current U.S. Sailing membership valid through the end of racing.
U.S. Sailing's event page remains the authoritative source for eligibility, entry procedures and championship documents.
Championship Trophies
Two major trophies recognize the top finishers in the U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship.
Allegra Knapp Mertz Trophy
Awarded to the winner of the U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship. The championship's official identity is built around this trophy, which honors Allegra Knapp Mertz and her legacy in American women's sailing.
Mrs. Charles Francis Adams Memorial Trophy
Presented to the second-place team and part of U.S. Sailing's longstanding national championship trophy tradition.
USWMRC History
The championship's roots reach back more than five decades and reflect the evolution of elite women's sailing in the United States.
The Women's Open Championship Begins
The U.S. Women's Open Championship was founded to provide female sailors a national championship platform in doublehanded and singlehanded one-design competition.
A New Match-Racing Era
A motion was approved to transition the national championship from traditional fleet racing to the match-racing format that defines the event today.
The First USWMRC
The first U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship was held at Southern Yacht Club from November 11–14, 2002. Betsy Alison and crew Lee Icyda, Suzy Leech and Dini Hall became the championship's first winners.
Bayview Welcomes the Championship Back
Bayview has long supported match racing through competition, race management, clinics and major hosted events.
Hosting the 2026 national championship continues that tradition while showcasing elite women's sailing on one of the Club's signature racing venues.
A Proven Match-Racing Venue
Bayview previously hosted the U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship in 2019, bringing the national event directly to the Club's Detroit River waterfront.
The venue's close-to-shore racing environment gives sailors, members and guests a distinctive view of the tactical battles that define match racing.
Bayview's Match-Racing Legacy
For decades, generations of Bayview sailors have competed across the match-racing spectrum—from local clinics and regional championships to national titles and international competition.
Bayview sailors have won the America's Cup, Canada's Cup, Richardson Cup, U.S. Match Racing Championship, U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship and College Match Racing Championship, among other major events.
Stuart Argo, Jr.
A product of Bayview's sailing community, Argo competed in seven America's Cup campaigns and was part of the victorious America³ campaign that won the America's Cup in 1992.
The Detroit Cup
Bayview first hosted the International Match Race for the Detroit Cup in 2008. The event has grown into a fixture on the U.S. Grand Slam match-racing circuit and reinforces Bayview's place in American match racing.
Recent Champions
The 2026 field will race to add its name to the U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship record book.
Nicole Breault
McKenzie Wilson
Hailey Thompson
Allie Blecher
Alana Marks
Katja Sertl
Event Resources
U.S. Sailing is the authoritative source for championship documents, competitor requirements and official updates.
Official Championship Page U.S. Sailing U.S. Match Racing News, Events & Resources Bayview Yacht Club Directions to the Host VenueMatch Racing FAQ
Match racing is very different from a traditional fleet race. These quick explanations make the championship easier to follow from shore.
What is match racing? +
Match racing is a direct one-on-one contest between two boats. Instead of beating an entire fleet, each team focuses exclusively on defeating one opponent.
Why does the pre-start matter so much? +
The tactical battle begins before the starting signal. Teams maneuver for control, work to secure the favored position and may attempt to force their opponent into a penalty.
What do the umpires do? +
On-the-water umpires follow each match and make immediate rules decisions. Penalties can dramatically change the tactical balance of a race.
Why use the same type of boat? +
One-design boats reduce equipment differences and put the emphasis on crew work, starts, positioning, tactics and boat handling.
What should spectators watch for? +
Watch the pre-start positioning, penalties, close crosses, lead changes and how the leading boat controls its opponent. With only two boats in each match, the tactical story is unusually easy to follow.
2026 U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship
Hosted by Bayview Yacht Club
100 Clairpointe Street · Detroit, Michigan 48215
Official Championship Page Directions to Bayview