Bermuda is preparing to take center stage in the global sailing calendar once again, with next week marking exactly 50 days to go until the APEX Group Bermuda Sail Grand Prix.
The world’s most exciting racing on water returns to the island's iconic Great Sound on May 9th and 10th, 2026, promising a high-adrenaline spectacle that has become a hallmark of the Bermudian summer.
The event will see a record fleet of international teams pilot cutting-edge F50 foiling catamarans. These "flying boats" are expected to reach blistering speeds exceeding 60 mph (100 km/h), transforming the Great Sound into a natural nautical stadium.
This year’s Grand Prix serves as the fifth stop of the 2026 Rolex SailGP Championship, a season that is already being hailed as the most expansive in the league’s history. For Bermuda, it is a chance to reassert its status as a premier global destination for elite sport.
To mark the 50-day milestone, organizers have released a suite of digital assets designed to help fans and partners build momentum. The "50 Days To Go" assets are available for use across social media, newsletters, and internal communications as the island gears up for the fleet's arrival.
The weekend is structured as a full-scale festival, featuring: Waterfront Race Stadium: Located at Morgan's Point, offering big-screen coverage and live commentary. Vela Beach Club: A premium experience presented by the Bermuda Tourism Authority. Bring Your Own Boat (BYOB): An exclusive programme allowing fans to watch from the perimeter of the racecourse.
While excitement reaches fever pitch, organizers have warned that tickets are selling quickly. Various packages remain available, but fans are encouraged to act fast to secure their spot at the water's edge.
For those looking to host staff or clients, a 10% group booking discount is currently being offered for parties of 25 or more. Interested groups can enquire via the official Group Booking Form or by contacting the community team directly.
As the countdown enters its final stages, Bermuda is once again ready to prove why it remains one of the most iconic backdrops in world sport.
Monday, March 09, 2026
Kempe & Penruddocke Find Late Form in Grand Prix
IslandStats.com
Bermuda’s premier sailors faced a stern test of patience and skill at the 8th Portugal Grand Prix Round 2 in Vilamoura, where Olympian Adriana Penruddocke and Olympic hopeful Sebastian Kempe battled through a grueling week of light and inconsistent conditions. The regatta eventually concluded in a stabilizing northerly breeze, allowing a strong international fleet to complete the scheduled program across the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 classes.
In the ILCA 7 fleet, Kempe navigated a frustrating series that saw only six races completed over the course of the event. Despite the limited opportunities to climb the standings, the Olympic hopeful demonstrated his potential by finishing the regatta on a high note. Kempe secured 29th place overall with 84 net points, anchored by a standout performance in the final race where he crossed the line in a superb 9th position.
Competing in the ILCA 6 class, Penruddocke finished 43rd in a fleet that managed seven races during the competition. The Olympian showed flashes of her top-tier pace, particularly as the breeze settled later in the week. Penruddocke recorded two impressive 9th place finishes in races five and seven, proving her ability to compete at the front of a world-class field when the conditions allowed for consistent racing. Both sailors will now look to build on these late-regatta breakthroughs as they continue their preparations on the road to the summer's major international championships.
Friday, March 06, 2026
Road to Rio: Pan American Teams Complete the Line-Up
IslandStats.com
The stage is set for a thrilling Pan American showdown as the final line-up of nations is confirmed for the journey towards the SSL Gold Cup. Leading the charge in the latest group is Bermuda, who currently occupy forty-seventh place in the SSL Nations Ranking. As the highest-ranked nation in this specific cluster, the Bermudian side will carry the weight of expectation into the upcoming fixtures.
Both Bermuda and Antigua arrive with significant pedigree, having previously demonstrated their competitive edge in the knockout stages of the SSL Gold Cup qualification rounds. The two regional rivals are no strangers to one another on the water, having famously raced in the same one-thirty-second final group during their previous campaigns. That encounter saw both teams successfully navigate the pressure to advance into the one-sixteenth finals.
While their previous journeys were ultimately halted, both nations recorded respectable finishes on the global stage. Antigua concluded their last campaign in twenty-sixth place overall, while Bermuda followed closely behind in thirty-first position. Joining them in this edition is Guatemala, a nation that completed the full qualification series in the previous tournament. Although they were unable to secure a spot in the finals on that occasion, their experience in the series makes them a formidable opponent as the race for Rio intensifies.
Monday, March 02, 2026
Round Sails into Overall Lead as Winter Series Heats Up
IslandStats.com
The Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club’s Inter Club Winter Series has a new name at the summit of the standings following a clinical display of sailing on the third day of competition. Sebastian Round, representing the host club, produced a masterclass in consistency to overhaul the field and take the overall lead with a total of 27 net points.
In a demanding afternoon featuring six races, Round dominated the fleet by securing three victories. His worst result of the day was a third-place finish, which he complemented with two second-place finishes to end the session with an impressive seven net points. This surge was made possible in part by the absence of the previous leaders from Sandys Boat Club. Skipper Miguel Power did not compete on day three, causing the Sandys boat to slide down the leaderboard into fourth place with 53 net points.
The race for the podium remains fiercely contested behind the new leader. Maxwell Cuis, helming the Bermuda Comet Class entry, moved into second place overall with 40 net points. Cuis and his crew displayed remarkable reliability throughout the day, recording five third-place finishes before finally finding the top gear to win the fifth race of the afternoon.
The St. George’s boat, skippered by Paul Wright, is also firmly in the hunt after a highly successful day on the water. Wright moved into third place overall with 43 net points, having secured the second-best score of the day with eight points. His performance was highlighted by two race wins and four second-place finishes, placing significant pressure on the crews above him as the series progresses into its final stages.
Thursday, February 26, 2026
Comet Class Dominates Day 2 as Power Retains Lead
IslandStats.com
The Bermuda Comet Class delivered a masterclass in the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club’s Inter Club Winter Series 2026, sweeping the honours on the second day of racing. In a display of tactical brilliance across five races in the RS21 fleet, the Comet squad proved to be the class of the field, despite having missed the opening day of the competition.
The crew of Allan Frith, Dale Brangman, Greg Wade, and Sarah Frith ignited their campaign immediately, securing back-to-back victories in the first two races of the afternoon. A tactical rotation saw Maxwell Curtis step in for Brangman during the third and fourth races, where the team maintained their consistency with a third and second-place finish respectively. With Brangman returning to the helm for the final race of the day, the Comet Class boat steered back to the top of the podium to wrap up a dominant session.
When the points were tallied, the Comet Class finished the day with a remarkable five Net points. David Leech, representing the host Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, pushed them close to finish second with seven Net points after claiming victories in races three and four. Miguel Power, sailing for the Sandys Boat Club, rounded out the day's podium in third place with eleven Net points.
While the day belonged to the newcomers, the overall standings tell a story of a tight battle at the summit after ten completed races. Miguel Power remains the overall leader with twenty Net points, holding a slender one-point advantage over Sebastian Round of the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club. Maxwell Curtis currently occupies third place overall with thirty-two Net points. With the Comet Class boat now firmly in the mix, the pressure is on the leaders to maintain their consistency as the series progresses toward its conclusion.
