The unseasonably fine weather on the Solent continued for the opening day of the 44Cup World Championship Cowes, the highlight of the five event 2026 44Cup series.
Blazing off the start line in the first race was Vladimir Prosikhin’s Team Nika, defending World Champion, and in fact the only RC44 team to have earned this title on five previous occasions, to take the early lead.
The Turkish Wow! Sailing Team, being steered this week by Murat Edin finished Thursday’s first race in second place, ahead of Aleph Racing.
Aleph Racing, the team which won the first time the RC44s visited here in 2019 under Hugues Lepic, then took an early lead at the World Champion after winning today’s second race. Helmsman Pietro Loro Piana enjoyed sailing out of Cowes on the Solent for the first time.
In Thursday’s final race, Team Aqua resolved race two slipping through their fingers to claim their first win. Again this win was built off an immaculate start.
Chris Bake commented: “I think we managed to get a decent start and get off the line well and that put us ahead on the first leg. We had a few boats chomping at our tail, but managed to stay ahead, and that was a nice result.”
This being a World Championship naturally the pressure is on more than usual.
Aleph Racing leads at the end of day one on count back, tied on 9 pts with Markus Törnqvist’s GeMera Racing, both a point ahead of Team Aqua.
