Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Cole Tapper and his Kairos Racing Team from Sydney delivered a sensational performance to win the 61st Congressional Cup at Long Beach Yacht Club, April 29-May 3, earning Tapper the legendary Crimson Blazer and etching his name into sailing history.

Sailing with crewmates Max Brennan, Jack Frewin, Nathan Guliksen, George Richardson, and Hamish Vass, Tapper became the first Australian skipper to win the prestigious event since Peter Gilmour in 2004. Defending champion Eric Monnin (SUI) finished runner-up, while Chris Poole (USA) claimed third place.

The final day of racing delivered high drama, surprise twists, and an unforgettable comeback. Entering the morning, former champions Johnie Berntsson (SWE) and Chris Poole both held commanding 2-0 leads in their semifinal matches and appeared destined to advance to the final.

But Tapper and Monnin had other ideas. Facing elimination and needing three consecutive wins to survive, both teams mounted extraordinary turnarounds. Tapper reeled off three straight victories over Poole, while Monnin matched the feat against Berntsson, setting the stage for a thrilling championship showdown.

In his first-ever Congressional Cup final, Tapper remained calm under pressure against defending champion Monnin. In race one, Tapper forced an early penalty during a tense pre-start dial-up, then capitalized on a second Monnin penalty downwind to seize the opening point.

Tapper followed with another composed performance in race two to move ahead 2-0, leaving Monnin once again needing three straight wins to keep his title hopes alive.

Race three brought one final dramatic battle. Monnin led at the first windward mark, but Tapper struck decisively at the leeward gate with a perfectly timed luff that forced another penalty. A difficult spinnaker takedown from Monnin’s crew opened the door, and Tapper surged ahead, never looking back as he crossed the finish line to claim the 2026 Congressional Cup crown.

“This means so much to me and to the team,” said Tapper moments after victory. “Waking up this morning, we definitely felt like we were facing an uphill battle. But we’re so glad to have rallied and come back, and the only reason we were able to do that is because of these guys on my crew. Also from us, a very special thank you has to go to Jordan Reece, our coach, as he’s done a huge amount of work helping us get where we are today.”

All six sailors came through the CYCA’s world-renowned Youth Sailing Academy (YSA) program and are a prime example of the high quality of the Club’s pathways, delivered by CYCA head coach Jordan Reece.

It’s the second time in the event’s 61-year history that an Australian team has topped the podium, 38 years after the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club’s Peter Gilmour tasted victory.

CYCA Commodore Dr Sam Haynes said he could not be prouder of the resilience the Australian team. “Congratulations to Cole and the crew on a sensational performance at the Congressional Cup,” Haynes said. “All of them have come through the CYCA’s Youth Sailing Academy and all are still Members. Their result today reflects the strong work ethic and outstanding program that Jordan (Reece) and his team have built.”

Tapper’s dramatic victory will be remembered as one of the great final-day comebacks in the Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup history.