Sailing: Berntsson records nine victories across three days
Defending champion Johnie Berntsson of Sweden has become the first skipper to secure a semi-final place at the 2025 Bermuda Gold Cup, after a second consecutive flawless day of round-robin action on Hamilton Harbour.
Berntsson’s nine victories across three days, with three races still to go, ensures his crew are safely through to the knockout stages. “The first goal at this regatta is to make it to the semi-finals… it’s good news for us,” he said.
The pressure remains high for the rest of the fleet, with five skippers still fighting for the final three semi-final spots.
New Zealand’s Nick Egnot-Johnson thrust his team back into contention, posting three crucial wins after what he admitted was a tough start. “Today it feels like it finally started to click,” he noted after adjusting to the demanding IOD yachts.
In the Aspen Bermuda Women’s Match Race Regatta, the rivalry between Swedish skippers Anna Östling and French defending champion Pauline Courtois intensified. Östling overcame a pre-start penalty to beat Courtois, maintaining her lead at the top.
Östling’s compatriot Martina Carlsson also celebrated, picking up three wins after a disappointing start to thrust herself back into the mix.
The race for the women’s semi-finals is tight: Östling leads with nine points, followed by Courtois (eight points), with the USA’s Nicole Breault (seven points) and Denmark’s Lea Vogelius (six points) battling for the remaining two spots.
