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Friday, January 09, 2026
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Great Sound Showdown Bermuda Preparing for SailGP 2026
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The countdown to SailGP’s 2026 campaign has officially shifted up a gear, and if CEO Russell Coutts is right, fans are in for a year where nothing comes easy and no podium place is guaranteed.
As the league expands to a record 13-team fleet, the high-octane championship is set to return to the turquoise waters of the Great Sound for the Apex Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix on May 9th - 10th, 2026.
The return to Bermuda marks a significant milestone in what Coutts describes as the league's "most fiercely contested era." After a fifth season that saw eight different teams claim event titles, the myth of a dominant "Big Three" has been firmly dismantled.
“With eight different teams winning events last season, it’s already extremely competitive,” Coutts said. “With the Artemis SailGP Team joining the fray, I’d expect them to be fighting for podiums straight away given the talent they’ve assembled.”
Bermuda has long been a "kingmaker" on the SailGP calendar, known for producing some of the most dramatic moments in the sport’s short history.
2024: The Spanish Sting: In the most recent visit, Diego Botín’s Spain SailGP Team stunned the heavyweights, executing a late dive to leeward in the final to snatch victory from Australia and New Zealand. It was the catalyst that eventually propelled Spain to their first-ever Season Championship.
2021: Ainslie’s Perfect Opener: Sir Ben Ainslie and Emirates Great Britain famously dominated the 2021 Bermuda opener, winning a winner-takes-all final by just four seconds over Tom Slingsby’s Australia.
The Practice Perils: The Great Sound is also remembered for its unpredictability; in 2024, the United States team was forced to withdraw before racing even began after a dramatic practice capsize caused significant wing damage.
Bermuda’s role as a host is more than just sporting; the 2024 event generated a reportedly staggering $14.1 million in total economic impact for the island and reached a global broadcast audience of over 13 million.
For the 2026 season, the Bermuda event will be the fourth stop in a global tour that begins in Australia and Rio de Janeiro. With the fleet reaching speeds nearing 100 km/h against the backdrop of the iconic Great Sound, the May fixture is expected to be a pivotal "moving day" for the Season 6 standings.
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Thursday, January 08, 2026
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Bermuda’s Patton Finds Rhythm in Hobart
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 Patton in Hobart Action IslandStats.com  The River Derwent provided a punishing test for the 191-strong fleet this week as the 2026 ILCA Oceania & Australian Open & Youth Championship concluded in Hobart.
While double Olympic gold medalist Matt Wearn secured his seventh Australian title, Bermuda’s Olympic hopeful Campbell Patton proved he can mix it with the world’s elite.
Patton, finished 11th overall in a stacked 40-boat ILCA 7 fleet, navigating six days of "short, sharp waves" and shifting tides that saw many veteran sailors struggle for consistency.
Training out of Sydney, Patton finished with 86 net points across the 12-race series. His performance was defined by remarkable consistency in the top tier of the field:
Top 10 Finishes: Patton placed 10th or better in eight of the 12 races.
Standout Moment: His championship highlight came in Race 5, where he crossed the line in 2nd place, splitting the dominant Australian Sailing Team contingent.
Gritty Finale: Despite the physical toll of the six-day regatta, Patton remained in the hunt for a top-ten spot until the final day, eventually finishing just outside the single digits.
Patton’s performance in Hobart continues a strong run of form following his recent victory at the NSW & ACT State Championships, signaling his intent as he ramps up his international World Cup schedule later this year.
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Tuesday, December 30, 2025
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McBain Surges Up Leaderboard as Orange Bowl Concludes
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The 2025 TUUCI Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta drew to a close on Biscayne Bay, with Bermuda’s young sailors delivering a series of resilient performances following a week defined by tactical patience and fluctuating winds.
The story of the final day belonged to Thomas McBain in the 225-boat Optimist fleet. Entering the final session in 73rd place, McBain produced a stunning climb up the standings to finish 37th overall. His late-regatta surge was sparked by remarkable back-to-back fourth-place finishes in races five and six, ending the competition as the top Bermudian with 113 net points.
Teammate Rex Henagulph also secured a respectable top-100 finish, claiming 72nd place overall. Henagulph saved his best for the penultimate race, where a superb ninth-place finish helped him conclude the week with 171 net points. They were followed by Miguel Leite in 107th and Aaron Riker in 116th, with Leite notably picking up an 18th-place finish earlier in the series.
The Bermudian contingent showed depth across the middle of the pack, as Calypso Coulter finished 124th—highlighted by a brilliant 10th place in race seven—while Ishmael Dill took 135th after a strong 15th-place finish in the final race of the regatta. Further down the standings, the fleet was rounded out by Benjamin De Couto (155th), Alfie Jansma (173rd), James De Couto (191st), Leo De Couto (195th), Hudson Pitcher (214th), and Ethan Adelsberg (222nd). In the Green Fleet, Thatcher Coulter completed a marathon 10-race series to finish 76th, with a personal best of 33rd in his opening outing.
In the high-performance ILCA divisions, Miguel Power remained a standout performer. Competing in the ILCA6 fleet, Power navigated eight races to finish a commendable 16th overall. His regatta was anchored by an exceptional second-place finish in the very first race, proving he could compete with the elite of the international fleet. In the ILCA4 division, Sean Pedro finished 23rd overall after seven races, maintaining the consistency that saw him open the regatta with a strong 17th-place showing.
As the sailors head home, the experience on the tricky waters of Miami provides a vital stepping stone for the 2026 season.
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Monday, December 29, 2025
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Bermuda Sailors Battle at Orange Bowl International
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The 2025 TUUCI Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta finally found its rhythm on Biscayne Bay as a stubborn lack of wind gave way to a steady enough breeze for the Bermuda contingent to launch their campaigns. After a testing period of inactivity that left sailors and coaches alike watching the horizon, the arrival of the wind allowed for a full day of high-stakes racing across multiple fleets.
In the highly competitive Optimist Division, the patience of the young sailors was rewarded with four races completed in quick succession. Thomas McBain emerged as the leading Bermudian performer, currently sitting in 73rd place overall with 111 points. McBain showed significant improvement as the day progressed, peaking with an impressive 12th-place finish in the fourth and final race of the afternoon. He is followed closely by Rex Henagulph in 82nd position, who matched that 12th-place feat earlier in the day during race two, ending the session with 120 points.
Further down the leaderboard, the Bermudian fleet showed flashes of brilliance despite the heavy traffic on the water. Aaron Riker occupies 113th place after a strong 29th-place showing in his final outing, while Miguel Leite and Ishmael Dill find themselves separated by just two points in 142nd and 144th respectively. Leite’s highlight came with a 28th in the second race, while Dill managed a 32nd in that same heat. Calypso Coulter currently holds 157th, ahead of Benjamin De Couto in 166th and Alfie Jansma in 169th. Jansma notably recovered from a difficult start to post a superb 19th-place finish in the fourth race of the day.
The lower end of the Optimist standings features Hudson Pitcher in 197th and James De Couto in 198th, both of whom found their best form in the closing race. Ethan Adelsberg sits in 207th, having secured a 60th-place finish in the third heat, while Leo De Couto rounds out the group in 212th after showing remarkable consistency with 59th-place finishes in both the second and fourth races.
In the ILCA classes, Bermuda’s representatives thrived in the slightly more stable conditions. Sean Pedro leads the charge in the ILCA4 division, occupying 21st place overall after four races. Pedro started the regatta with intent, recording a best finish of 17th in the opening race to keep himself within touching distance of the top twenty.
The standout performance of the regatta so far belongs to Miguel Power in the ILCA7 fleet. Competing across five total races, Power has navigated the tactical challenges of Biscayne Bay with maturity to sit 8th overall. His regatta began with a sensational second-place finish in the opening race, and with a net total of 22 points, he remains firmly in contention as the fleet looks ahead to the final stages of competition.
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Sunday, December 28, 2025
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Wind Drought Stalls Opening Exchanges at Orange Bowl
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The 2025 TUUCI Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta has commenced in uncharacteristically quiet fashion, with a persistent lack of wind on Biscayne Bay resulting in a frustrating standoff for the international fleet.
While 15 of Bermuda’s most promising young sailors have descended upon the Coral Reef Yacht Club for the prestigious year-end event, the testing conditions meant only a fraction of the contingent saw competitive action on the opening day.
In the high-performance ILCA Divisions, Miguel Power made an immediate statement despite the light air. Competing in the physically demanding ILCA 6 fleet, Power navigated the tactical complexities of the bay to sit in third place overall after the opening exchanges, finishing with just two points.
Fellow ILCA sailor Sean Pedro also found himself in the thick of the action in the ILCA 4 fleet. Following a single completed race in the burgeoning division, Pedro occupies 17th position with a score of 17 points.
The Developmental Green Fleet provided the only other avenue for Bermudian participation as the race committee grappled with the elements. Thatcher Coulter, the island's sole representative in the division designed for less seasoned competitors, endured a marathon session consisting of three races.
Coulter currently sits in 54th place overall with a total of 159 points, though his campaign was highlighted by a resilient 34th-place finish in the day's opening race.
With better breeze forecast for the coming days, the remaining 12 Bermudian Optimist sailors wait in the wings, eager to begin their own tactical battles against hundreds of world-class rivals.
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