Santa Maria Cup 2026 Women's World Match Racing Tour Stage 2 - Day 3 Spectacle: Who Advanced to the Semis?

The end of day 3 in the Santa Maria Cup 2026 Women’s World Match Racing Tour was met with breathless anticipation: the semi-finals were within reach. As the stage concluded, four teams emerged victorious - defending Santa Maria Cup champion Allie Blecher (USA), Sweden’s Anna Östling and Martina Carlsson, and Julia Aartsen from the Netherlands. These teams had expertly navigated the waters and defeated their competition from a fleet of ten teams, securing their places in the tournament’s exciting knockout rounds.

A less-than-ideal day in Annapolis made for a late start, as scorching temperatures deferred the usual early sea breeze. Nonetheless, the final qualifying round matches went off without a hitch. Each victory and defeat was a crucial step towards confirming the final four line-up.

At the conclusion of the double round robin stage, Allie Blecher and her Team BAAM were declared winners, totalling fifteen victories. Their flawless performance meant little room for others to make mistakes, setting a high benchmark. Sweden’s Anna Östling and Team Wings were a mere point behind with fourteen overall wins.

Joining these top players in the semi-finals were Martina Carlsson and the Beyond Racing Team, making their debut appearance at this tournament, and Dutch skipper Julia Aartsen and her Out of the Box Team. Demonstrating agility and successful navigation, the teams secured slots in the semi-finals, setting into motion an electrifying next stage of the Santa Maria Cup.