COWES, UK — September 24, 2026 — The 44Cup World Championship opened in Cowes on Thursday with three highly tactical races on the Solent, where changing tidal conditions and a 12–15 knot south-easterly breeze produced a tightly contested opening day.
Photos by Sailing Energy and Nico Martinez / 44Cup
Aleph Racing finished the first day at the top of the standings on countback, level on nine points with GeMera Racing. Team Aqua sits just one point behind the leading pair after three races.
The Turkish WOW! Sailing Team made an immediate impact in the opening race. Steered this week by Murat Edin, the team crossed the finish line in second place, behind defending World Champion Team Nika and ahead of Aleph Racing.
© Sailing Energy
24 September, 2026
Team Nika, skippered by Vladimir Prosikhin, took the opening race after making a strong start and quickly establishing a lead. The Monaco-based team arrived in Cowes as the defending World Champions and has previously won the RC44 World Championship five times.
Aleph Racing responded in the second race, taking the win and moving into the overall lead. Pietro Loro Piana’s team also benefited from a strong tactical performance in the difficult Solent conditions, where tidal changes played a major role in the positioning of the fleet.
In the final race of the day, Team Aqua claimed its first victory of the championship. A strong start put Chris Bake’s team at the front early, allowing them to hold off the fleet and finish the opening day only one point behind the leaders.
The racing took place in the central Solent’s North Channel, with the race committee setting a windward-leeward course. The south-easterly breeze remained between 12 and 15 knots, while the changing tide added another tactical layer to an already demanding race track.
At the end of the opening day, Aleph Racing and GeMera Racing share the lead on nine points, with Team Aqua on 10 points. With three more racing days remaining, the championship remains wide open.
The 44Cup World Championship is being held in Cowes from 23–27 September and also serves as the 2026 RC44 World Championship. Racing continues on the Solent, one of the world’s most tactically demanding sailing venues because of its complex tidal conditions and shifting currents.
Day 1 highlights
- Aleph Racing: 1st overall, 9 points
- GeMera Racing: 2nd overall, 9 points
- Team Aqua: 3rd overall, 10 points
- WOW! Sailing Team: 2nd in Race 1
- Team Nika: Race 1 winner
- Aleph Racing: Race 2 winner
- Team Aqua: Race 3 winner
