14 races, three wins and five second place finishes equal one World Champion. Over the weekend, the Yacht Club de Monaco’s Nico Poons retained his 44Cup World Championship title in Cowes.

Poons won in the water of Portoroz, Slovenia in ultra-light conditions last year, and he repeated that feat off the coast of Cowes this time around.

Consistency was key for owner-helmsman Poons and tactician Hamish Pepper.

“In this class, because of the level, the trick is to be as consistent as possible. You win the regatta by reducing the damage of the back races,” said Poon.

Two YCM members on the podium

For four days, Poons and Pepper, determined to retain their title, raced in near-optimal conditions despite the complex tides in the Solent.

On board Charisma, the duo were dominant and entered into the final day of competition on Sunday with a five-point lead over Team Nika. The Vladimir Prosikhin-led boat are also from the Yacht Club de Monaco, and ensured two Monegasque teams finished on the podium as they secured third place. However, they never got close to Charisma, who won with a race to spare.

Another Yacht Club de Monaco team, Artemis Racing, led by Torbjorn Tornqvist, was amongst the nine-team-strong flotilla in Cowes, and they came eighth, rounding off a successful weekend for the Principality vessels, whose flag flew high in this category.

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Photo source: Yacht Club de Monaco