ILCAs, Nacra 15s, and 29ers battled for ocean supremacy at the 2026 Lauderdale Olympic Classes Regatta, held January 17–19. With championship conditions and high stakes on the line, the top three teams in the Nacra 15 class earned qualification for the US Sailing Youth National Team, while the top finisher in the 29er class secured a berth at the World Championships in Germany this summer.
Regatta Chair Mike Rutledge had his hands full as the opening day of LOCR unfolded more like a South Florida beach day than a race day. With glassy seas and clear blue water off Fort Lauderdale, competitors anxiously drifted in packs until a Saturday afternoon whisper of breeze finally filled from the south, delivering seven knots of welcome wind. Seizing the moment, PRO Phil Muller sent the 29ers and Nacra 15s onto the course for a single competitive race. Skiff+ 29er sailors Wilder Smith and Wyatt Lipp, along with the Sarasota Youth Sailing Nacra 15 team of Coco Claypool and Mack Johnson, capitalized on their light-air skills to claim victories in the lone race of the day.
Sunday also delivered limited breeze, but just enough for ILCA PRO Tom Lihan to send the fleet around the course once. Peter Hurley of Mantoloking Yacht Club captured the race win, with LYC graduate and Boston College sailor Jack Redmond close behind in second. In the ILCA 6, LYC’s Cole Fanchi seized the opportunity with a bullet, finishing just ahead of fellow LYC sailor Sophia Debs and Ander Luisa Arroyo of Mexico. Oliver Johnston claimed the ILCA 4 win for the day, with Marcus Durlach finishing second.
The 29ers and Nacra 15s managed two races in the light, shifty conditions. Wilder Smith and Wyatt Lipp continued their dominant run in the 29er with two decisive firsts. In the Nacra 15, a tight battle emerged between the Sarasota Youth Sailing team of Coco Claypool and MacK Johnson and LYC sailors Isa and Benjamin, leaving the two teams tied on points heading into the final day.
The final day of racing on Martin Luther King Jr. Day delivered the conditions Lauderdale is known for, reminding sailors why LOCR remains one of the country’s premier winter regattas. A steady northerly breeze paired with a clean northeast swell transformed the ocean north of Port Everglades Inlet into a sailor’s playground, rewarding speed, precision, and confidence after two days of patience-testing light air.
In the ILCA 7, “King of the North” Peter Hurley continued his winning ways, posting five points across six races to take the title. Jack Redmond finished his college break with a silver medal, while Vancouver native Duncan Pearce earned bronze. Cole Fanchi turned it on in the ILCA 6 during the final five Monday races, finishing with eight points to secure gold, followed by Canadian Olympic hopeful Annie Balasubramanian in second and LYC’s Sophia Debs rounding out the podium in third.
Marcus Durlach completed a triumphant return to Lauderdale, where he sailed in the Lauderdale Yacht Club program during his Opti years, by capturing the ILCA 4 title. Eddie Miersch of Sarasota Yacht Club finished second, with Carolina’s Harrison Ward taking third.
The skiff and multihull fleets saved their best for last as the 29ers and Nacra 15s finally received the full Lauderdale treatment on Monday. With breeze and swell in sync, racing turned fast and physical, rewarding confident boat handling and speed. In the 29er fleet, Wilder Smith and Wyatt Lipp capped a dominant regatta by controlling the final races and securing the overall victory. The Puerto Rico team of Diego Rivera and Dylan Hill earned second, while Freida Smith and Maggie Tripp finished third. Finishing as the top team not previously qualified, Noah and Jonah Reischmann earned their berth to the 29er World Championships.
In the Nacra 15, the battle for the podium—and Youth National Team qualification—came down to the wire. The Sarasota Youth Sailing team of Coco Claypool and Mack Johnson and LYC sailors Isa and Benjamin traded blows throughout the regatta. When the spray settled, consistency on the final day proved decisive. Isa and Benjamin locked up the regatta win in the final race, with Coco and MacK finishing second and Orlando Botha and Sara Shumanis earning bronze. All three teams secured their spots on the US Sailing Youth National Team, delivering a dramatic conclusion worthy of the conditions.
As always, LYC’s volunteers delivered the kind of epic regatta the club is known for, with delicious breakfasts each morning and a Sunday cookout prepared by Chef Jason Valerio. On the water, racing was once again seamless thanks to the race course PROs and a top-notch supporting cast on both courses, ensuring fair, efficient, and professional racing throughout the weekend.