Day Two of the 2026 Macao Match Cup delivered a steadier breeze of 6â8 knots as twelve international teams fought for points in the qualifying stage. French skipper AurĂŠlien Pierroz and his Match Again by NET crew lead the standings after posting seven wins from eight races. Swedenâs Oscar EngstrĂśm sits close behind with six wins from nine races.
The morning wind built, testing crews on the Far East 28 race boats and producing tight, close-quarters racing â and a few unexpected collisions.
Pierroz and his team found strong form on Day Two, winning all but one of their races across the day and moving closer to a guaranteed quarter-final berth.
“It was a challenging day out thereâ said Pierroz. âThe wind shifted constantly which made every match demanding. But we managed the conditions well and came away with just one loss. There were plenty of tight battles but overall we were happy with our starts and speed. We now have three matches left to complete the Round Robin before moving into the quarterfinals, so thereâs still a lot of work ahead.â
One of the dayâs most dramatic moments occurred just before a start between Australiaâs Tom Picot and Denmarkâs Jeppe Borch. While attempting an inside manoeuvre, Picot misjudged spatial clearance and made contact with the stern of the race committee boat as the start horn sounded. Umpires assessed light damage to Picotâs boat and issued a double penalty.
âIt was an unfortunate errorâ added Picot. âJeppe was below me and I thought there was room inside him and the committee boat, and believed he was giving me space. I tried to go in and thought it was allowed under the rules, but that only applies when thereâs an overlap. I misjudged it, and unfortunately we had a collision.â
With three qualifying flights remaining tomorrow, Australiaâs Marcello Torre and Cole Tapper and Irelandâs RuairĂ Finnegan each face must-win races to avoid finishing in the bottom four and ending their event early.
The top eight teams from the round-robin qualifying will progress to the quarter-finals by the close of tomorrowâs racing.
Racing continues through Sunday 29 March.
