MGM Int’l Regatta to open World Match Racing Tour season

The 2025 MGM Macao International Regatta, featuring international sailors and regional champions, will kick off today, with event organizers highlighting cultural exchange opportunities and the growth of maritime sports.

Luís Gomes, president of the Sports Bureau (ID), emphasized the significance of the event as one of the tournaments opens the 2025 World Match Racing Tour season.

The regatta, organized by the ID, MGM, and Ursa Major Sailing Event Management, will feature three major events: the World Match Racing Tour – Macao Match Cup, the Lotus Cup Regatta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Cup Regatta.

The Macao Match Cup will kick off the 2025 World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) season, featuring 12 elite international teams.

Among the sailors are Ian Williams, an eight-time world champion from the UK; Chris Poole from the U.S.; Nick Egnot-Johnson from New Zealand; and Pauline Courtois from France, the world’s top-ranked women’s match racer.

The Lotus Cup and Greater Bay Area Regattas will feature top teams from China and the region, including Olympic gold medalist Xu Lijia, who will debut with Team Ningbo One, as well as defending champions Big Boys Sailing Team and Canados Sailing Team.

“We hope that all sailors will experience Macau’s unique culture during their stay and engage with local and other participating teams to promote the development of maritime sports,” said Gomes in a press conference yesterday.

The Macao Match Cup marks the first time Macau has hosted a stage of the prestigious World Match Racing Tour, which has been running for 25 years, according to event organizer Alfred Ma.

“This is a very high-level event. It is one of the three largest events in the world and also the oldest match racing event,” Ma said.

The event format will feature one-on-one matchups, with the top finishers advancing through a knockout round. All boats used in the competition will be the same standardized “Fight 28” design, ensuring a level playing field.

Ian Williams, the eight-time WMRT champion, expressed confidence in his team’s preparation for the Macao Match Cup.

“At my age, in sailing, you have to be strategic, and with the experience we have on board, we’re here to try to win the regatta,” Williams said.

In addition to the regattas, organizers have planned a variety of activities to increase the event’s appeal, including two fleet parades, a “Family Fun Day” featuring sailing experiences and workshops, and a photography competition.

“We hope the event will be a complete success, leveraging the synergistic effects of this sporting spectacle to promote the integrated development of the leisure, tourism, and sports industries,” said Gomes.

The tournament will run until January 12. Victoria Chan