Newport, R.I. — More than two dozen teams from 11 countries have officially requested an invitation for the inaugural New York Yacht Club International Women’s Championship. With numerous other teams expressing interest, the Club has decided to extend to May 15 the deadline for completing the request for invitation form.
“The response to this event is very strong, which is no small feat for the first edition of any regatta,” says event chair Cory Sertl. “We’re tremendously pleased with the number of requests as well as the geographic diversity. By extending the deadline, we are providing a little extra time for top female sailors around the world to assemble a core team and complete the application. Regardless of additional entries, the selection committee is going to have some challenging decisions in order to trim this talented pool of female sailors to 20 teams.”
The debut edition of the New York Yacht Club International Women’s Championship will take place September 12 to 19, 2026, out of the Harbour Court Clubhouse in Newport, R.I. The Club’s fleet of 20 identically maintained and equipped IC37 yachts along with provided sails and on-the-water umpiring will provide the most level platform in the sport of sailing. The regatta schedule includes three days of training and five days of competition on Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound. The Notice of Race and other essential regatta details can be found here. The RFI form can be found here. The list of accepted teams will be released in late June. The International Women’s Championship is supported by founding partner Rolex.
While the IWC will inevitably draw comparisons to the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, which will take place for the ninth time this coming September and also uses the Club’s fleet of IC37s, it is a unique event. World Sailing Group 3 sailors are encouraged to participate in the women’s event and there’s no requirement that every member of a team hail from the same yacht club or even country.
“We targeted this event at the best women sailors regardless of nationality or classification with World Sailing,” says New York Yacht Club Commodore L. Jay Cross. “It was inspiring to see all the talent that assembled for the PUIG Women’s America’s Cup regatta last fall in Barcelona, and we think the time is right to launch a competition that caters to that caliber of sailor, but utilizes a more accessible, more relatable platform.”
The very reasonable entry fee of $5,000, which includes the charter of an IC37, sails and all regatta social activities held at the historic New York Yacht Club Harbour Court (below), makes this regatta one of the best bargains in the sport. The Club’s fleet of IC37 raceboats, with standardized rig tuning and identical maintenance schedules, ensures that this competition will be decided on the water.
“Within the Club there is tremendous enthusiasm for this event,” says Cross, a former Olympic competitor and IC37 skipper. “The IC37 is an exciting and very level platform. It rewards athleticism and skill and, most importantly, teamwork. One or two great sailors will not be able to deliver a podium finish. Doing well will require a complete team effort.”
While more talent is always better, completing the RFI requires just a core crew of accomplished sailors. The remainder of the team can be filled out in advance of the start of the competition in September 2026.
For more information on the 2026 New York Yacht Club International Women’s Championship, including the NOR, please click here.
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