What a weekend at the 2026 San Diego Yachting Cup! The conditions delivered, the racing was tight, and teams showed up in a big way across the board.
Huge congratulations to everyone who competed. It’s always a highlight of the season to see such a strong turnout at San Diego Yacht Club.
A special shout-out to podium finishers and top performers:
ORR
1st – Victor & Andrea Wild, FOX 🏆 (TP52)
J/105 (A Podium Sweep!)
1st – Mike Hatch
2nd – George Roland
3rd – Chuck Driscoll
4th – Bennet Greenwald
PC Class
1st – Rick Arneson
2nd – Tim Fleming
4th – Gerald Jessop
5th – Jim Oberg
ORC 1
2nd – Drew Belk (Beneteau First 40)
3rd – Peter Cochran (Farr 40)
Beneteau First 36.7
2nd – Eric Hansen
6th – Peter Andreasen
J/24
3rd – Christian Seidel
5th – Jerry Lewis
7th – Bill Leone
J/111
3rd – Ed Sanford
Great job to all the owners and crews on a successful regatta. We’ll see you back out on the water soon!
📷 Colin Grey | @sdyc1886
The 2026 Etchells World Championship is on another level. With 76 teams on the line, the entry list is a "who’s who" of elite sailing. Packed with Olympians, World Champions, and top-tier talent from across the globe, the competition is incredibly fierce, and kudos to San Diego Yacht Club for hosting this world-class event.
Down to the final two days, and it is still anyone’s game. In a fleet this deep, nothing is decided until the final horn, consistency is the only way to keep ahead. One heavy score can change everything, pressure is definitely on to stay clean and stay in the groove.
A huge shout out to Mark Albertazzi for the fantastic snaps. The photos are capturing the intensity out there perfectly!
📸 @markalbertazzi | 2026 Etchells World Championship | @sdyc1886 | @etchellsclass
Hoisting a spinnaker always feels easy, until it’s time to actually do it.
The smoother the setup, the smoother the hoist. Before anything goes up, make sure the tack is ready, the lines are clear and everyone knows their job. Most problems start when people rush.
As the boat bears away, the sail goes up fast, the clew gets pulled aft and suddenly the whole boat gets quiet as the sail fills and starts pulling.
When it works right, it’s one of the best feelings in sailing. When it doesn’t? Everyone onboard knows immediately!
Do you love flying a spinnaker or avoid it whenever possible?
This is where it starts.
In the cockpit, salty hair, a sunset on the horizon and the feeling that maybe life doesn’t always have to happen on land.
Most sailors probably don’t remember the exact moment they fell in love with being on the water, but it usually starts with something a lot like this.
What's your first memory on the water?
The momentum continues for Pieter Heerema and the No Way Back team!
Following up on their debut win in Palma, the team secured a hard-fought 3rd place finish at the Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week. In a fleet where every single place counts, the leaderboard tells the story. They finished just 10 points shy of the win and a mere point out of 2nd. It was a tale of consistency, fending off a charging pack to lock in that podium finish.
The season is just getting started and teams are clearly getting dialed in. Team Vayu out the gates with a race win, Gladiator finding their stride, Alpha+ with pace and Caballo Loco showing strength. This summer is going to be massive, the stage is set, and we are looking forward to the next stop. The Rolex TP52 World Championship in Porto Cervo from June 15 to June 20.
The competition is heating up and we can’t wait to see what the rest of the season has in store!
A huge shout out to the 52 SUPER SERIES media team for capturing all the action. Their on-water coverage always shows the intensity.
📸 @nicomartinezphoto | @52superseries
Are you pulling your lines the wrong way? Pinky lock engaged?
There’s a reason you don’t just grab a line from underneath and pull. When you pull that way, you can lose control of it much easier. The line can slip, jump or run faster than you expect, especially when it’s loaded and suddenly you’re reacting instead of managing it.
Going hand over hand, thumbs toward your body, locking your pinky, keeps everything controlled. You’re guiding the line the whole time, able to ease or trim instantly and if something loads up you’re already in a position to let it go safely. It’s not about strength, it’s about control and once you feel the difference, it’s hard to go back.
