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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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Monday, December 22, 2025
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Bids Open for LA28 Sailing Qualifiers
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The governing body has launched the process to select hosts for the Continental Olympic Qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games, as well as the Last Chance Regatta, the final opportunity for sailors to secure Olympic qualification.
Candidacies are additionally invited for the 2027, 2028, and 2029 Youth Match Racing World Championship, as well as the Women's Match Racing World Championship, both following the same three-year cycle. World Sailing said the formal bid guidelines and technical requirements are now available online. "These events play a critical role in the global sailing calendar and the Olympic pathway," the governing body stated.
Ireland is playing its part in the LA quadrennial with next season's staging of the 2026 ILCA World Championships at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, a critical mid-cycle indicator.
The LA28 Olympic sailing events are scheduled to take place from July 16th to 28th, 2028, showcasing the sport across two iconic Southern California venues. Belmont Shore in Long Beach will host the board events, while the Port of Los Angeles will be the venue for the boat-based competitions.
The sailing programme begins with men's and women's kite on July 19th, 2028, followed by windsurfing on 20 July. Boat events open with dinghy, followed by mixed multihull and dinghy, with men's and women's skiff closing the competition on 28 July.
The events are structured to ensure gender equality in both athlete numbers and competition opportunities, building on the framework established for Paris 2024. In a move to maximise spectator engagement and broadcast coverage, the ten events will be staged consecutively.
Belmont Shore, which previously hosted sailing during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, will also serve as a hub for aquatics events, including open water swimming and coastal beach sprint rowing. Following the board events, sailors will move to the Port of Los Angeles for the boat-based competitions, set against the stunning Pacific coastline.
The LA28 Olympic Games run from July 14th - 30th, 2028, with sailing expected to be a highlight, demonstrating speed, skill, and strategy at the heart of Southern California's iconic maritime venues.
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Saturday, December 20, 2025
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Fifteen-Strong Squad Set for Orange Bowl Challenge
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A total of 15 Bermuda sailors are preparing to fly the island’s flag at the 2025 Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta in Florida. The prestigious event, hosted by the Coral Reef Yacht Club in Miami, is the largest youth regatta in the United States and serves as a vital proving ground for the world's burgeoning sailing talent.
Bermuda’s contingent will be heavily represented in the massive Optimist Fleet, where 12 sailors are set to test their tactical skills against hundreds of international rivals. The squad includes Leo De Couto, Hudson Pitcher, Benjamin De Couto, Aaron Riker, Miguel Leite, and Ishmael Dill. They will be joined on the start line by Thomas McBain, James De Couto, Alfie Jansma, Rex Henagulph, Calypso Coulter, and Ethan Adelsberg.
While the main Optimist fleet battles for top honors, Thatcher Coulter will be the island's sole representative in the Green Fleet, a category specifically designed to provide high-level competitive experience for less seasoned sailors.
Bermuda will also have a presence in the high-performance ILCA classes. Sean Pedro is set to battle in the ILCA 4 fleet, while Miguel Power will compete in the more physically demanding ILCA 6 Division.
The regatta, which traditionally runs between Christmas and the New Year, offers these young athletes the chance to gain invaluable international experience as they navigate the challenging currents and competitive start lines of Biscayne Bay.
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