World Sailing is proud to announce that the 2027 World Sailing Nations Cup will be held in Cherbourg, France, at the Cherbourg Yacht Club.
The event will make its return after a break of seven years, to a city with a deep passion and history of hosting Match Racing events having been the venue for the 2021 Women’s Match Racing World Championships and many French National Youth and Women’s Match Racing Championships.
The event’s format is designed to maximise global participation. A pyramid of club and national championships often precedes the international competition. For the 2027 edition, up to 10 teams in both the Open and Women’s divisions will be invited to the Grand Final based on a regional selection process.
The 2027 edition will feature up to 10 teams in both the Open and Women’s divisions and is due to take place from 6-11 September 2027. More information and the Notice of Race will be published shortly.
“The Nations Cup is a celebration of national pride and a proven breeding ground for the future legends of our sport,” said World Sailing Vice-President Cory Sertl. “Its return re-establishes a vital, cost-effective international platform for sailors and Member National Authorities, expanding the reach of match racing and inspiring a new generation of competitors.”
Maxime Mesnil, Director of the Yacht Club de Cherbourg added, “The Yacht Club of Cherbourg is really happy to host again an international Match Racing Event. We had an amazing time hosting the World Women Match Racing Championship in 2021. We are proud to be a part of the Nation’s Cup once again, especially since it has a special meaning to me, as I won the last edition in 2019 in San Francisco.
“We strongly believe in the diversity of participants of the Nation’s Cup, which has a strong echo with the long term work engaged here at the Yacht Club of Cherbourg, to enhance the growth of women and youth in sailing practice.”
Olivier Gosselin, President of the Yacht Club de Cherbourg, said, “Hosting the 2027 Nation’s Cup is both a privilege and a challenge. We want our team and volunteers to match the level of expectations to make sure the event is going smoothly and prove again that the Yacht Club of Cherbourg is a reference in terms of hosting national and international events. We are happy to be a part of such a major Worldwide event, always very rich in sports and emotions.”
The Nations Cup, first launched in 1991, is a unique competition that pits nation against nation, rather than individual skippers, to determine the Open and Women’s world champion nation in match racing. The event is renowned for fostering global talent and providing a clear pathway to elite competition, with many of its alumni going on to compete in The America’s Cup, the World Match Racing Tour, and the Olympic Games.
Esteemed past participants include Mathieu Richard (FRA), Anna Tunnicliffe (USA), Peter Holmberg (ISV), Claire Leroy (FRA), and Lucy Macgregor (GBR), highlighting the event’s role as a crucial stepping stone for sailing’s greatest stars.
The Nations Cup also has a strong history of international representation. The 2015 Grand Final in Vladivostok, Russia, saw 37 teams compete in the continental qualifiers, with Russia (Open) and the USA (Women’s) claiming the titles. In 2019, at the St Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, 19 teams from 13 countries participated, with France achieving a remarkable victory in both the Open and Women’s divisions.
Find out more about the World Sailing Nations Cup on the World Sailing website.
Dark Matter
Still on the subject of cricket superstitions, the player with the most rituals performed during a match is arguably Neil McKenzie of South Africa. Before a game, for example, he would attach his cricket bat to the ceiling with tape. When it’s time for him to bat, he would check all the changing room lights to make sure they were shut off and that the toilet seats were down.
New York Sixlet
Sport Trivia: Which South African who played between 1949 and 1960 was named a Wisden Cricketer of the year in 1956? Answer: Hugh Tayfield. Hugh Tayfield once bowled 137 consecutive dot balls in a 1956/57 Test match against England which was held in Durban. Statistics for bowlers who have played 20 or more tests show that Hugh Tayfield conceded only 1.64 runs per over during his test career.