"We're coming to Stockholm to have fun"

Defending Team Racing World Champion Will Bailey on returning to the world stage

Team Corinthian, winners of Team Racing World Championship 2025 in NY

When the Team Racing World Championship returned to the sailing calendar in 2025 after a decade-long break, it was an emotional moment for many of the world's best sailors. No one understood that better than American skipper Will Bailey, whose team from Corinthian Yacht Club claimed the title on home waters at the New York Yacht Club.

"It was a great culmination of everything we'd been working towards for so many years," Bailey says. "Team racing has continued to grow in the United States even without a World Championship, so to finally have the opportunity to compete again, and then win, was incredibly special."

For Will Bailey and his teammates, the victory meant more than lifting a trophy. One of his crew members had won the championship twenty years earlier, making the 2025 triumph a moment filled with excitement, relief and nostalgia.

"There were definitely some tears. It was a very emotional day for all of us."

This August, however, the challenge will be very different.

The defending champions travel to Stockholm knowing they will no longer enjoy the advantages they had in New York. Last year's event was sailed in boats they knew well, at a venue they visited regularly.

"It really felt like a home regatta. We knew the boats, we knew the venue and even our daily routines. That gave us a real advantage."

In Stockholm, everything changes.

The championship will be sailed in J/80s, a class the Americans rarely race. To prepare, Bailey's team has been borrowing boats from a local sailing club in the United States, trying to adapt to a boat that behaves very differently from the Sonars they normally sail.

"It's definitely been a learning experience. Even though the boats are similar in size, they sail like much bigger boats than we're used to."

He also expects the competition to be tougher than ever.

"The international teams improved tremendously during last year's championship. I'm sure everyone went home, analysed what they learned and trained hard. We expect the level this year to be extremely high."

Will Bailey highlights New Zealand as one of the strongest challengers but also believes Sweden's home advantage could prove decisive.

"The Swedish team has already spent a lot of time sailing these boats. We know from our own experience how valuable that can be."

Despite arriving as defending world champions, Will Bailey says the pressure feels very different this time.

"Last year there was much more pressure because we really wanted to win. Now we're looking forward to enjoying the event. If we sail freely and have fun, I think the results will follow."

That philosophy extends beyond the racecourse.

During long championships, he believes it's important to switch off from sailing whenever possible. His team often plays tennis or pickleball between racing days, and they also make time to experience the places they visit.

"We want to explore Stockholm, enjoy the city and spend time together away from the boats. That helps us come back refreshed the next day."

For Will Bailey, that balance reflects what makes team racing unique.

Unlike many other sailing disciplines, races are short, close and highly tactical. Every race matters, but no single race defines the week. Just as importantly, the community is exceptionally welcoming.

"You see the same people at regattas all over the world. Of course everyone wants to win, but after racing it's about sitting down together, having a beer and talking about what happened on the water. That's one of the things that makes team racing so special."

It will also be Will Bailey's first visit to Stockholm, and he is already planning to make the most of it.

"We're really looking forward to exploring the city. We're staying in the Old Town, renting bikes and hopefully seeing as much of Stockholm as we can."

Whether the Americans retain their world title remains to be seen.

One thing, however, is certain: the defending champions are arriving in Stockholm with confidence, curiosity and a determination to enjoy every moment on and off the water.