Please select your home edition
Edition
Savvy Navvy 2024

Sweden's Johnie Berntsson victorious at 72nd Bermuda Gold Cup

by World Match Racing Tour 4 Nov 12:31 UTC 29 October - 3 November 2024
Sweden's Johnie Berntsson victorious at 72nd Bermuda Gold Cup © Ian Roman / WMRT

Sweden's Johnie Berntsson and his Berntsson Sailing Team of Herman Andersson, Oscar Angervall and Björn Lundgren have won their fourth Bermuda Gold Cup, successfully defending their 2023 title by narrowly defeating Switzerland's Eric Monnin/ Capvis Swiss Match Racing Team 2-1 in the final match held in light and shifting winds on Hamilton Harbour late yesterday.

After levelling 1-1 in the first-to-two-point final, the winning moment came down to the last 20 meters of the third race, with Berntsson holding a slim lead while carrying a penalty. In a decisive move, Berntsson successfully forced a penalty on Monnin, clearing all penalties and crossing the finish line first to secure the title. Rounding out the podium is New Zealand's Nick Egnot-Johnson and his Knots Racing team.

"It was such close racing, and we knew Eric and his team would be strong in the light wind, so we needed to perform our best." commented Berntsson. "It really came down to the last 20 meters; it was very close racing, and they gave us a good push, but we are delighted with the win!"

After a strong performance all week, a dissapointed Monnin reflected on their near win;

"We almost had the win there and just had to grab it but unfortunately we made one of our most careless moves of the season, so that hurts a bit," the Swiss helmsman said.

It was a day marked by light and challenging conditions for sailors and race organizers. Starting with a postponement on land to wait for the wind to build, once on the water, there were several race abandonments as the wind direction settled. First to race was the petit-finals with New Zealand's Egnot-Johnson/ Knots Racing against Chris Poole's Riptide Racing. In the first-to-one match due to the light conditions, Poole held a penalty around the course as Egnot-Johnson crossed the finish line ahead to secure their overall third-place podium finish.

"Last year we ended up seventh and this year we ended up third so we are really happy with that result for sure," Egnot-Johnson said.

In what turned out to be a thrilling final series, Berntsson took the first win off Monnin before Monnin tied the score 1-1. In the match point race, the racing could not have been tighter. Berntsson cleared his penalty just before crossing the finish line victorious for his fourth Bermuda Cup win.

The 2024 Bermuda Gold Cup saw eight of the world's top match racing teams worldwide compete for the King Edward VII Gold Cup Trophy and a prize purse of USD 75,000 under demanding and varied conditions throughout the week.

As the penultimate event on the 2024 World Match Racing Tour season, the tour now moves to Shenzhen, China for the season finale from 10-15 December.

For more information visit:

Related Articles

Governor announces marine infrastruce investment
Vote Yes on Florida's Amendment 2 this election day Not many people get to turn their favorite hobby into a full-time job. Thankfully, I'm one of the lucky few. Posted on 4 Nov
Max Bet Bayliss 64' on the water
The culmination of over 60,000 man-hours of dedicated craftsmanship The well-respected team behind Max Bet is no stranger to the Bayliss Boatworks family, having previously entrusted us with the repower of their 66' Spencer. Posted on 4 Nov
Bayliss Boatworks new construction updates
Big Deal Bayliss 75', Tarheel Bayliss 64', Mama Seata Bayliss 76' With the glassing phase complete on Big Deal's mezzanine, our exterior team has applied Awlfair, and sanding is currently under way to ensure a smooth, polished finish before the primer is applied. Posted on 3 Nov
IGFA Red Sea Championship returns to Egypt
Multi-species tournament celebrates Red Sea sportfishing in 2025 Multi-species tournament celebrates Red Sea sportfishing while advancing game fish conservation. Posted on 1 Nov
Meet the all-new 29BAY
Capture performance, comfort, range and versatility in Contender Boats biggest bay boat ever Looking for a boat that can do it all? Contender is proud to introduce your answer in the all-new 29BAY — a handcrafted fishing machine that is everything you need it to be and more. Posted on 31 Oct
EGO® Fishing's S2 Slider: Still the champion
Thousands of happy anglers later, S2 Slider remains the most innovative landing net on the water It's said that a system is only as good as the weakest link. Then how is it that some anglers rely on junk landing nets with warped hoops and rotten or torn meshing? Posted on 31 Oct
New Breakwater waterproof gloves!
The perfect blend of flexibility and comfort for all-day wear The Breakwater gloves are built to keep your hands dry, even when fully submerged, thanks to a 100% waterproof membrane that delivers total protection in cold, wet or windy conditions. Posted on 31 Oct
New Hurricane 24 CC 24-foot Center Console
Designed from the ground-up as a family-friendly boat Punching well above its weight class with features, ride and functionality for a 24-ft boat, the Hurricane 24CC was designed from the ground-up as a family-friendly boat that is equally in its element as a platform for fishing, tow sports or day cruising. Posted on 31 Oct
Fishing: Late Fall Walleyes
Quick Q&A with seasoned walleye professional Jason Przekurat Quick Q&A with seasoned walleye professional and Whitewater Fishing pro staffer Jason Przekurat. Posted on 31 Oct
A new Freedom debuts
Freedom 345 is making its debut in Fort Lauderdale Grady-White's NEW Freedom 345 is making its debut in Fort Lauderdale. Posted on 31 Oct
Maritimo 2023 S600 FOOTERSavvy Navvy 2024