Comet Class Winter Series & National Optimist Champion
IslandStats.com
The Comet Class 2025 Winter Series has successfully launched in the challenging St. George’s Harbour, with the team of Maxwell Curtis and Wesley Tucker setting an early marker for the season with a commanding performance.
Curtis and Tucker showcased exceptional consistency throughout the day’s three races, securing the overall win with a low score of just 4 points. Their victory was built on dominance in the early stages, where they won the first two races before securing a crucial second-place finish in the final race.
The chase for the top spot was closely fought, with Gladwin Lambert and his crew, Gregory Proctor, finishing in a strong second place overall with 6 points. Lambert and Proctor remained competitive throughout, finishing second in the first race and third in the second, before finding their winning form to claim the victory in the decisive third and final race.
Dale Brangman and his crew, Tre’sure Nanette, rounded out the podium positions, finishing the day in third place with a total of 9 points. Their consistency saw them post finishes of a second, third, and fourth across the three races.
The results point toward a highly competitive winter series in the St. George’s Harbour, with minimal points separating the top three finishers after the opening day of action.
Meanwhile the 2025 Bermuda Optimist Open National Championships, serving as the crucial "Road to the 2026 North Americans," delivered competitive sailing action in the Great Sound, with international and local champions crowned. The regatta was successfully organised by the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club (RHADC) with the endorsement of BODA and the BSA.
The overall title in the Championship Fleet was claimed by visiting sailor Arthur Baker from the Ryde School in Great Britain. Baker delivered a dominant performance over the weekend to secure the Open Championship win with an impressive low score of just 7 points.
While Baker claimed the open victory, the title of National Champion was awarded to the top Bermudian finisher, Thomas McBain from the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. McBain finished the event with 27 points, securing the national title on retrogression over his Royal Bermuda Yacht Club peer, Rex Henagulph, who also finished with 27 points.
The emerging talent in the Green Fleet saw a full sweep for the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club: Eamon Tiwari claimed the victory, finishing the series with 16 points. Hughes Woodward secured second place with 31 points. Rowan Smith rounded out the top three, finishing third with 32 points.
The successful event provides a strong platform for the Bermudian sailors as they now look ahead to qualifying for the 2026 North American Championships.
CHAMPIONSHIP FLEET TOP 5 (after 8 races):
07 Arthur Baker (Ryde School, GBR) 27 Thomas McBain (RBYC) 27 Rex Henagulph (RBYC) 32 Heath Meyers (RBYC) 35 Jesse Savage (RHADC)s
GREEN FLEET TOP 5 (after 12 races):
16 Eamon Tiwari (RBYC) 31 Hughes Woodward (RBYC) 32 Rowan Smith (RBYC) 82 Samuel Kirkos (Endeavour) 84 Juliet Genevethird (RHADC)
Sunday, November 02, 2025
Near Miss for Evans & Doolali in Thailand
IslandStats.com
Bermudian sailor Rockal Evans and the crew aboard Doolali made a valiant push on the final day of racing but ultimately had to settle for a hard-fought second place in Series 6 of the Thailand Platu Sailing Championships.
Evans, sailing onboard the Platu-class yacht skippered by Colin Simonds, alongside Carolin Simonds, Senan Bottomley, and Sergy, showcased remarkable resilience and speed in the climactic races.
The crew entered the final day needing strong results to challenge for the top spot. In the first of three races, they finished in fifth place, putting them on the back foot against their rivals.
However, Doolali then found top gear. Evans and the crew responded emphatically, securing back-to-back victories in the final two races of the series.
The late surge generated a total of 17 net points for Doolali. Yet, in a nail-biting conclusion, this proved to be just one point shy of the overall winner, Chris Way, who clinched the title.
The second-place finish marks a strong performance for Evans and the Doolali crew in the competitive Thai waters, confirming their status as major contenders in the Platu class.
Saturday, November 01, 2025
Rough Waters for Cutler Who Slips Down J/70 Standings
IslandStats.com
The 2025 J/70 World Championship on the Río de la Plata delivered another chaotic day of scoring, despite the fleet reaching a crucial milestone: the introduction of the discard race into the standings after eight races were completed.
The day began as a light air affair, a stark contrast to the heavy-air "Tango" conditions of the initial two days, before the wind picked up to a steadier pace for the day’s second contest. This shift in conditions continued the trend of roller-coaster scorelines across the 71-boat fleet.
Unfortunately for the Bermudian contingent, the day proved costly. Alec Cutler, skipper of the Bermuda boat Hedgehog, and his crew of Ryan Cox, Charles Pucciariello, and Brad Rodi, were unable to recover their momentum after a challenging start to the championship.
Following finishes of 40th and 18th in races five and six, the crew recorded a Did Not Compete (DNC) in both races seven and eight. This significant setback severely impacted their overall position.
Cutler and Hedgehog now sit in 34th place in the highly competitive 71-boat fleet, accumulating 198 Net Points despite the introduction of the discard score. With the world championship reaching its final stages, the Bermudian team will be battling to gain ground in the remaining races.
Saturday, November 01, 2025
Evans & Doolali in Second in Thailand Platu Series
IslandStats.com
Bermudian sailor Rockal Evans and the crew aboard Doolali have made a highly consistent start to Series 6 of the Thailand Platu Sailing Championships, finding themselves firmly in second place after the opening day's racing.
Evans is sailing onboard the Platu-class boat, skippered by Colin Simonds, with Carolin Simonds, Senan Bottomley, and Sergy completing the crew. Following their victory in Series 5, the team has immediately established themselves as front-runners once again.
The first day of competition saw five races completed in tricky conditions, but the Doolali crew showcased remarkable consistency, a hallmark of their recent success. Simonds and his team recorded 10 Net Points, placing them just three points behind the current leader, Chris Way.
Their strong scorecard for the day includes: Two second-place finishes Two third-place finishes One fifth-place finish
Unfortunately, Day Two saw no action as a lack of wind forced a postponement, leaving the standings unchanged and the battle for the top spot temporarily on hold. The Doolali crew will be eager for the breeze to return to challenge Chris Way for the Series 6 title.
Thursday, October 30, 2025
Odenbach Seizes Lead at J/70 Worlds as Cutler Slips
IslandStats.com
Buenos Aires is certainly living up to its reputation, delivering a spectacular—and challenging—"Heavy Air Tango" for Day Two of the 2025 J/70 World Championship. With strong winds and choppy conditions on the Río de la Plata, the leaderboard underwent a major shake-up, ushering in a new front-runner in one of the world's most competitive fleets.
At the end of the day, it is Travis Odenbach of the United States, sailing Honeybadger, who has moved to the top of the leaderboard and now wears the figurative Sheriff’s badge. Odenbach and his crew delivered a brilliant performance in the heavy weather to accumulate a total score of just 24 points after four races were completed.
While the event is proving unforgettable for the 71 teams—including the strong contingent from Bermuda—Day Two proved a significant challenge for the local island hopes.
Alec Cutler, skipper of Hedgehog, and his crew of Ryan Cox, Charles Pucciariello, and Brad Rodi, were unable to replicate their podium success from the opening day. They struggled to find pace and consistency in the strong conditions, recording finishes of 20th and 22nd in the day's two races.
This demanding day on the water caused *Hedgehog* to drop down the standings. They fell from a position in the top ten to 14th place overall, accumulating a net score of 68 points.
With six more races still scheduled in the series, including the application of a discard score expected soon, the Bermuda crew will be focusing on regaining their form to climb back toward the top of the fleet.
