The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is once again keeping an eye on Jeddah this week, with the 2024 World Sailing Women’s Match Racing World Championship set to start racing 5th December and run through till the 8th, the event is once again hosted by the Saudi Sailing Federation at the prestigious Jeddah Yacht Club & Marina in Saudi Arabia.

The women’s event will see six racing teams competing in FarEast 28 keelboats, with a crew of up to five sailors.

New Zealand and the RNZYS will be represented by Megan Thomson and her 2.0 Racing Team of Josi Andres, Anna Merchant, Charlotte Porter, and Tiana Wittey. Thomson, Merchant and Porter are all graduates of the RNZYS’ prestigious Mastercard Youth Training Programme (YTP) while three current YTP sailors join the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) team helmed by Sumaya Bamakhrama.

Megan Thomson and her 2.0 Racing Team of Josi Andres, Anna Merchant, Charlotte Porter, and Tiana Wittey.

Thomson, currently ranked number five in the Women’s rankings is excited about the opportunity to square up against world number one and two Pauline Courtois and Anna Oestling. When asked about the quality of the entry list Thomson said “having so many of the top female sailors here for the event is great, our team is looking forward to getting out there and competing with such a high calibre line up for the world title”

On the experience in Jeddah so far Thomson said “our crew have been out in the FarEast 28’s twice now to train and we are getting used to the conditions, the Saudi Sailing Federation & Jeddah Yacht Club have been great hosts.”

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Sumaya Bamakhrama & Shahad Nour joined by RNZYS Mastercard Youth Training Programme sailors Ella Arnold, Madison Rist & Alissa Marshall.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Sumaya Bamakhrama & Shahad Nour joined by RNZYS Mastercard Youth Training Programme sailors Ella Arnold, Madison Rist & Alissa Marshall.

RNZYS Performance Sailing Coach Zak Merton, who was also in Jeddah with the youth teams last week talked about the accumulated knowledge, “It’s been great to have got the youth event away last week and our youth crews have had lots of learnings from sailing the boats to pass on.”

Representing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Sumaya Bamakhrama & Shahad Nour will join RNZYS Mastercard Youth Training Programme sailors Ella Arnold, Madison Rist & Alissa Marshall. Talking to Ella Arnold who has been in Jeddah since the 24th November “I’ve spent the last week watching the youth racing, so now I’m very keen to put into practice what I observed over that time.”

Set on the scenic Red Sea coast, Jeddah Yacht Club has quickly gained a reputation as a premier sailing venue, recently hosting the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta during the 37th America’s Cup cycle.

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Live results: Match Racing Results.

Entry List

Pauline Courtois / FRA

Megan Thomson / NZL

Anna Oestling / SWE

Kenza Coutard / FRA

Martina Carlsson / SWE

Sumaya Bamakhrama / KSA