The 2025 44Cup season reaches its climax with tension running high and the title race wide open. At the previous event in Porto Cervo, the fight for victory could not have been closer. Going into the final day, Charisma, Aleph Racing and Team Nika were level on points, and the showdown came down to the very last race. Nika briefly saw its lead slip away due to a tactical misjudgement mid-race, but the crew recovered brilliantly on the final downwind to snatch victory. That result cemented their position at the top of the leaderboard with five points overall, ahead of Charisma on eight, though the top four remain close enough for the championship to be decided by the finest of margins.
For the first time in its history, the 44Cup will visit both the Netherlands and the North Sea. The fourth event of the season doubles as the 2025 44Cup World Championship and will be hosted in Scheveningen, The Hague’s seaside district, from tomorrow 28 to 31 August. Known for its vibrant sailing culture, shifting sandbanks and strong tides, Scheveningen is home to the North Sea Regatta and staged the Sailing World Championships in 2023. Conditions promise to be challenging: late-summer winds from the southwest typically reach 12 to 15 knots, while the cold waters hover around 10°C, making for a tactical and physically demanding racecourse.
Hosting duties fall to Nico Poons, skipper of Charisma and winner of the 44Cup in 2022 and 2023, racing out of the Jachtclub Scheveningen. Poons knows these waters from his youth, although the complexity of the venue means no real home advantage. Leading the overall standings is Team Nika, with owner Vladimir Prosikhin and tactician Nic Asher aiming to extend their remarkable record. They remain the only crew ever to have claimed three consecutive World Championship titles (Cascais 2015, Marstrand 2017 and Cascais 2018). Asher has raced in Scheveningen before and is well aware that the combination of currents, shifting breeze and chop can turn every leg into a tactical puzzle.
One of the hallmarks of the RC44 class is not just its competitive intensity but also its unique logistics and welcoming atmosphere. The yachts are designed to be disassembled and shipped in 40-foot containers, allowing the circuit to explore new venues worldwide. Over the last two seasons the tour has expanded to several new locations and attracted fresh owners through its “black boat” programme, which provides a trial boat for new teams. Among the latest is the Dutch entry Warp 5, owned by Jan Scholtes, which made its debut in Marstrand. After that baptism of fire, the team arrives at their home waters with valuable experience and greater confidence.
With twelve high-performance owner-driver one-designs on the start line, a mix of Olympic medallists and America’s Cup veterans, and a title fight that has already produced breathtaking drama, the stage is set. Scheveningen’s debut on the 44Cup circuit promises a World Championship to remember – one where every metre will count and the outcome is far from certain.
Currently, there is no television coverage announced to watch the 2025 44Cup World Championship in Scheveningen live, but you can enjoy daily competition highlights on the event’s YouTube channel: the44cup.
1. Team Nika (MON10) 3 1 1 – 5
2. Team Charisma (MON69) 1 4 3 – 8
3. Aleph Racing (FRA17) 2 8 2 – 12
4. GeMera Racing (SWE30) 8 3 4 – 15
5. Artemis Racing (SEW44) 6 2 8 – 16
6. Peninsula Racing (GBR18) 7 6 5 – 18
7. Team CEEREF Vaider (SLO11) 4 9 6 – 19
8. Team Aqua (GBR2041) 5 7 9 – 21
9. Black Star Sailing Team (SUI27) 11DNC 5 7 – 23
10. Lanzarote Calero Sailing Team (ESP1) 9 10 10 – 29
11. WOW! Sailing Team (TUR4425) 11DNC 11 11 – 33
12. Warp 5 (NED20) 11DNC 13DNC 12 – 36
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