Anyone under the impression that Pauline Courtois was in for a victory lap of honour at the Aspen Bermuda Women’s Match Racing Tour regatta can think again.

Courtois has already made a successful defence of her 2024 Women’s Match Racing Tour crown and is counting down the days until she is presented with the 2025 championship trophy, but the pre-regatta favourite did not have it all her own way on the opening day in Bermuda.

After beating American Lindsey Baab in the first of four flights in Hamilton Harbour, the French skipper was beaten in the second by Lea Vogelius, of Denmark, and in the third by American Nicole Breault.

A five-times US national champion, Breault won three of her first four races — the others came against compatriot Baab and Denmark’s Kristine Mauritzen — as she tackles the steep learning curve of racing in IODs, and in Bermuda, for the first time.

“’Humble’ is my keyword for this week,” Breault said. “I’m here to enjoy racing in Bermuda, racing against my friends and to learn.

“I don’t have high expectations, so anything that comes my way is frosting on the cake. We’ll take it one race at a time.”

Breault was most thrilled to come out on top against Baab, her protégé.

“We come from the same club, train together and she is my mentee,” Breault said. “I love racing a good race against her because it means I am winning in a different way, as she can dish it out.

“We went head-to-head in the finals of the US women’s match racing championship and I’m very proud of her. We’re good friends, but I will enjoy putting the wins over her.”

Despite losing out to Breault, Baab was one of the happier skippers upon her return to the dock after picking up her first two wins at the regatta against Vogelius and Martina Carlsson. Another of the competitors grappling with IODs for the first time, Baab was pleased with how quickly she learnt.

“Once you accept the fact that they don’t turn, it’s a little easier,” she said.

“It was definitely a little adjustment needed, as it handles like a bigger boat than it actually is. But our boat speed was pretty good, although our pre-starts were sketchy.

“Everybody here is so good that it’s always nice to post a point on the scoreboard; it’s really fun to be in the mix.”

Anna Ostling is one of three sailors atop the leaderboard with three wins after the first day alongside Vogelius and Breault.

The Swedish skipper’s only defeat in four flights came against Courtois, an old rival who beat her in the final in Bermuda last year, but she was pleased with victories over Julia Aartsen and Scandinavian rivals Carlsson and Mauritzen.

“It was a great day and the wind that we were hoping for came,” she said.

“We’re here to win but we know that is going to be tough, as there are many teams here that are hoping to do that.

“A lot will come down to producing your best performances at the end of the event, but we are hoping to develop and learn as much as we can through the week.”