Bermuda Headline Group I in SSL Gold Cup Qualifying
IslandStats.com
Bermuda’s sailing team will look to convert regional pedigree into a finals berth this week as the decisive qualifying stage for the second edition of the SSL Gold Cup gets under way in Rio de Janeiro.
Dubbed the "Football World Cup in Sailing", the prestigious regatta reaches its final qualification hurdle from 12 to 15 November, directly preceding the main finals series on Guanabara Bay.
The Pan American qualification series represents the last chance for nations to book their tickets, with the fleet battling to secure the remaining open places on the starting line.
Group I brings together three familiar rivals from the Caribbean and western Atlantic, with SSL Team Bermuda drawn alongside SSL Team Antigua and Barbuda and SSL Team Guatemala.
Currently sitting 47th in the SSL Nations Ranking, Bermuda enter the round-robin contest as the highest-ranked outfit in the group.
Both Bermuda and Antigua and Barbuda arrive with proven tournament pedigree, having navigated the knockout stages during the previous edition's qualifying rounds. The two island rivals previously emerged together from the 1/32 final to reach the 1/16 finals, where Antigua ultimately placed 26th overall and Bermuda finished 31st.
Guatemala complete the trio, aiming to break through after falling short of the finals stage in the inaugural edition.
With only the group winner guaranteed to advance to the showpiece finals alongside sailing’s global elite, the stage is set for a fierce battle on Brazilian waters.
Tuesday, November 03, 2026
Eckerd Second after Solid Opening Day at SAISA Fall Championship
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Bermudian sailors PJ Rodrigues and Jordan Vieira played key roles as Eckerd College mounted a strong challenge on day one of the SAISA Fall Open Fleet Race Championship in Charleston, South Carolina.
Contesting the conference championship regatta, the Tritons closed out the opening day of racing in second place overall with a combined tally of 73 points, anchored by consistent sailing across both fleet divisions.
In Division B, Bermudian skipper Jordan Vieira teamed up with crew Avery Guck to deliver a masterclass in consistency. The pairing opened their regatta in scintillating form, claiming four consecutive second-place finishes across the opening four races. That blistering sequence helped secure third position in the division standings with 30 points, providing the backbone to Eckerd's podium push.
Over in Division A, fellow Bermudian PJ Rodrigues took the helm alongside crew Peyton Seidle. The duo enjoyed their standout moment in the sixth race of the day, crossing the line in third place. A steady series of results saw Rodrigues and Seidle accumulate 43 points, good enough to hold fourth place in the Division A table at the midway stage.
With both divisions firmly in the hunt, Eckerd College remain well positioned to challenge for the conference crown when racing resumes for the decisive final day on the water.
Sunday, November 01, 2026
Champions Claim Titles as Bermuda Keelboat Regatta Concludes
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John Hele, David Leach, and American skipper Doug Newhouse secured championship honours across three competitive fleets as the 2026 Bermuda Keelboat Regatta drew to a close in the Great Sound.
Staged in brisk autumn breezes on the waters off Hamilton, the multi-class showcase delivered sharp tactical racing across the Etchells, RS21, and FarEast28R divisions.
In the Etchells fleet, John Hele steered Renegade to a commanding series triumph, relying on relentless front-running form across all six races. Hele logged three race wins and three runner-up finishes to close out the regatta with an unbeatable net score of 9.0 points.
Olympian Paula Lewin mounted a spirited challenge aboard Trash, taking second place on 12.0 points. Paul Wright helmed Tiburon to third position on 21.0 points, edging out Aiden Young on Renegade 2 on countback after finishing level on scoreline. Tyler Simmons guided Critter to fifth with 37.0 points, while Cameron de St Croix rounded out the division aboard Avalanche on 42.0.
The RS21 fleet saw David Leach assert his authority over a compact three-race schedule. Leach opened with back-to-back victories before sealing overall honours with a third-place finish in race three, finishing top of the leaderboard with 5.0 points.
Sebastian Round produced a consistent series of results, culminating in a win in the final race to take second place on 7.0 points. Patrick Cooper claimed third with 8.0 points after posting two runner-up finishes, while Richard Neame finished fourth on 11.0.
In the FarEast28R class, visiting American skipper Doug Newhouse delivered a masterclass aboard his Imperial Poona Yacht Club entry. Dominating the nine-race slate, Newhouse chalked up seven victories and a second-place finish to seal a runaway victory with 9.0 net points.
Canada’s Andrew McCrae took second place for Oakville Yacht Squadron on 16.0 points, while Bermuda’s Somers Kempe was the top local finisher in third aboard his Royal Bermuda Yacht Club entry on 24.0 points.
Great Britain's David Maclean took fourth on 26.0 points, followed by Bermudians Kelsey Durham (44.0) and Hal Kempe (44.0) in fifth and sixth, with American Lance Ryley finishing seventh on 45.0.
Saturday, October 31, 2026
Meyers leads strong final-day charge for Bermuda at South Americans
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Bermuda's young sailors signed off in style at the 54th Optimist South American Championship, producing a series of sharp final-round finishes as the regatta drew to a close in Maldonado Bay, Uruguay.
Faced with a solitary race to settle the final standings, the Bermudian fleet capitalised on testing coastal waters to make decisive late strides up the international leaderboard.
Heath Meyers led the charge with a standout performance on the final day of racing. Meyers executed a brilliant tactical race across the bay to cross the line in fourth place, surging 12 places up the overall standings from an overnight 45th to conclude the championship in 33rd position with 106 net points.
Rex Henagulph and Jesse Savage finished locked on 130 net points apiece after solid concluding outings. Henagulph crossed the line 15th to climb two spots into 73rd overall, while Savage took 18th in the finale to wrap up his regatta in 74th, slipping just two places from his starting mark of 72nd.
Further down the fleet, Aaron Riker and Elaine Jones capped their campaigns with top-20 finishes in the final race. Riker placed 19th on the day to rise two places into 131st on 168 net points, closely followed by Jones, who took 20th in the race to finish 133rd overall on 169 net points, climbing one spot from 134th.
Alfie Jansma rounded out an encouraging regatta for Bermuda with an impressive charge of his own. Jansma sailed cleanly to take 12th in the concluding race, gaining six places from his overnight mark of 151st to finish 145th overall with 203 net points.
Friday, October 30, 2026
Adderley Helps Rollins College clinch Lake Virginia Invitational
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Rollins College secured victory at the 2026 Lake Virginia Invitational in Winter Park, Florida, underpinned by a commanding weekend on the water from Jack Adderley.
The hosts delivered a remarkably consistent display across two gruelling days of competition, posting a winning combined low-point total of 71 points to lift the regatta trophy on home waters.
Adderley proved pivotal to the triumph, steering his crew to a runner-up finish in the B Division with 40 points across 14 fiercely contested races. Demonstrating sharp boat speed and clean tactical execution, he claimed four individual race victories and added three second-place finishes to keep Rollins firmly in control of the overall standings.
The regatta got underway in tricky, tactical conditions, as a light and shifty northerly breeze averaging 8–10 knots tested fleet positioning early on. Both A and B divisions rotated continuously throughout the afternoon as pressure steadily built.
By the time race officials halted proceedings at 16:00, gusts were punching well into the 20-knot range, pushing crews and equipment to the limit. Eight races were completed per division on day one, with clean sailing prevailing throughout—only one breakdown was awarded and the protest committee went completely untroubled.
Day two brought similarly demanding racing to Lake Virginia. While race officers initially targeted a full second round, the regatta cut-off time ultimately intervened, leaving the schedule one set short. Six further races were completed in each division under familiar patterns: an initial 10-knot northerly that built aggressively into the high teens before delivering another sequence of heavy gusts north of 20 knots.
Rollins handled the high-wind transitions with composure across both fleets, keeping their scores low while rivals faltered in the breeze to seal a well-earned regatta victory.
