Bermuda's rising sailing star, Sebastian Kempe, is putting in intensive work on his home waters ahead of the 2026 season, but he is not training alone. Kempe is hosting a high-calibre training camp, welcoming elite international competitors to the island.
Kempe, who recently rounded off an excellent 2025 by finishing strong at the Vilamoura Grand Prix, is using the Bermudian climate and challenging conditions for his pre-season preparations.
He is being joined by two significant figures from the international sailing circuit: James Perceval-Cooke (UK): Perceval-Cooke sails for the highly regarded British Sailing Squad and is actively campaigning in the ILCA 7 class with his sights set firmly on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Juan Maegli (Guatemala): The trio is completed by the hugely experienced Juan Maegli, a five-time Olympian for Guatemala. Maegli's expertise and long career at the highest level provide invaluable mentorship for the younger sailors.
The trio is dedicating time to training in the wide range of weather conditions Bermuda has to offer, putting in the necessary hours and physical effort required at the elite level.
For Kempe, this intensive training camp is a crucial part of his path towards his own long-term goal of representing Bermuda at the Olympic Games. The opportunity to train alongside sailors with current Olympic-level campaigns, like Perceval-Cooke, and a five-time veteran like Maegli, offers a significant advantage as he refines his skills in the highly competitive ILCA 7 class.
Tuesday, December 09, 2025
Curtis & Tucker Crowned Winter Series Champions
IslandStats.com
The Comet Class Winter Series has concluded with all races taking place in the breezy St. George's Harbour, resulting in a decisive victory for the duo of Maxwell Curtis and his crew Wesley Tucker, who were crowned overall champions.
The partnership of Maxwell Curtis and Wesley Tucker proved to be the most consistent pairing over the series, finishing as champions with a low score of just 8 points. Their overall performance across the regattas sealed a convincing victory.
Dale Brangman and his crew, Tre’sure Nanette, secured the runner-up spot in the series. They finished second overall with a total of 20 points.
Rounding out the podium was the duo of Gladwin Lambert and his crew Gregory Proctor, who finished the series in third place with 25 points.
The successful conclusion of the Winter Series in St. George’s Harbour marks a competitive season for the Comet Class fleet.
Evans Returns to Offshore Racing in Cabbage Tree Challenge
IslandStats.com
Bermudian sailor Rockal Evans has successfully completed a challenging 172-nautical-mile race in the Cabbage Tree Island event, marking his return to offshore sailing after nearly a decade away.
Evans competed in the race as part of the crew aboard the TP52 yacht named Smuggler, where he served as mainsheet trim. The race presented a rigorous test of endurance and navigation, starting late in the afternoon and running overnight to finish the following day.
"I competed in this race on the weekend," Evans confirmed. "It was an overnight race starting at 5:00 in the afternoon and finishing the next day. My first time offshore sailing in about 9 years".
The Smuggler crew, with Evans contributing to the mainsheet trim, finished strongly in both the overall and divisional rankings finishing 34th overall and 14th in Division One.
Evans' successful return to offshore competition on the high-performance TP52 signals his continued engagement in high-level sailing.
Sunday, December 07, 2025
Curtis & Tucker Dominate Comet Class Regatta
IslandStats.com
Maxwell Curtis and Wesley Tucker delivered a flawless performance to win the Comet Class Third Winter Series Regatta in the breezy conditions of St. George’s Harbour, securing victory with three straight race wins.
The partnership of Curtis and Tucker proved untouchable, claiming the overall title with a perfect score of just 3 points. They achieved this feat by winning all three races on the day, posting a dominant 1-1-1 scorecard.
Gladwin Lambert and Gregory Proctor finished in a clear second place with a total of 8 points. They sailed consistently well, securing second place in the first two races before finishing fourth in the final heat, recording a 2-2-4 finish.
The tightest battle of the regatta was for third place, which resulted in a tie between two teams, both finishing on 10 points. Jahshon Smith and Tre’sure Nanette finished with a 5-3-2 record, while Gregory Wade and Geno Smith finished with 3-4-3. Smith and Nanette are likely to be awarded the third-place finish based on having the best individual race score (a second place).
Kempe Finishes 13th Overall in Portugal Grand Prix
IslandStats.com
The 8th Portugal Grand Prix in Vilamoura concluded with three final races successfully completed on Day Four, where Bermuda’s Sebastian Kempe capitalized on the competitive conditions to race up the leaderboard, finishing the regatta in an impressive 13th place overall in the ILCA 7 fleet.
Kempe, sailing in the Senior Division, began the final day in 21st position overall with 77 net points after climbing dramatically from an initial 40th place standing, demonstrating exceptional consistency to solidify his final result.
The Bermudian sailor maintained his focus throughout the final three races:
He started the day’s action with a strong 13th-place finish in the first race.
Kempe then followed up with finishes of 11th place before recording a finish in the top ten, crossing the line 9th in the final race of the regatta.
His final day performance—with finishes of 13th, 11th, and 9th—ensured a final ranking of 13th overall in the highly competitive ILCA 7 fleet. This high finish against an elite group of international sailors marks a successful conclusion to his participation in the prestigious regatta.
