The 2026 Yachting Cup got underway this weekend with a lively start beginning with Friday’s Ton Cup - a fast-paced, tactical showdown that set the tone for the racing ahead.
Sailed in J/22s in La Playa, the Ton Cup brought together 16 teams for an exciting afternoon of short-course, round robin racing. Under sunny skies and a steady breeze, the compact format kept pressure high with quick turnarounds, tight mark roundings, and no room for error. Consistency and clean execution were rewarded across the rotation.
Emerging at the top of the fleet was Skeleton Key, skippered by Peter Wagner (St. Francis Yacht Club). Close behind, Given-Ho, skippered by Erika Barth (San Diego Yacht Club), secured second, with Kea, skippered by Matt Brown (San Diego Yacht Club) rounding out the podium in third.
Building on that momentum, 48 boats across eight classes took to the water Saturday for Day One of Yachting Cup, marking the official start of the regatta.
Racing unfolded on several fronts, showcasing the range of conditions San Diego has to offer. J/24s raced windward/leeward courses in San Diego Bay. The ORR fleet featuring boats 50’ and up who typically race offshore events competed in a 20nm course leaving the Bay to a large triangle out in the ocean. ORC-1, ORC-2, J/111, J/105, and Beneteau 36.7 classes headed offshore to the Coronado Roads course for their own buoy racing.
Additionally, 4 PCs are racing with Greg Stewart’s 6m Sprig in the Classics class, sailing windward/leeward courses on Saturday in the Bay, and a 12nm distance race on Sunday. The Classics leader after day one is Rick Arneson’s PC Nepenthe. Rick described Saturday’s racing. “Today’s racing on the bay course was pretty challenging. We had some significant changes in wind direction and velocity throughout the day and there was lots of tight boat-to-boat racing. Fortunately the bay wasn’t too crowded so the fleet was able to sail pretty freely without having to worry too much about the usual weekend traffic.”
Bill Ramacciotti shared how his J/24 Rylah grabbed the class lead on Saturday, saying “The J/24 class was very close, tight racing. In the first race, it was our boat Rylah passing Take Five at the finish line on a quick jibe. Rylah came from behind from fourth place passing three boats to chase down Take Five to win that first race. In Race 2, Rylah got out ahead and didn't look back taking another win. But in Race 3, Rylah had an equipment failure with the tiller extension breaking, didn't make the pin and had to take tack then take all the sterns, and by the end of the race, near the finish line, we were able to pass two boats for the finish the day. Great day sailing. J/24s fleet 70 are very competitive, having fun, camaraderie all the way around. Racing is getting closer. We did hear the rumors of new sails and crispiness of it all, but everybody's having a good time shaking hands, having beers, and just having a great time in a very competitive class in the Yachting Cup. SDYC made it happen today. Tomorrow is gonna be interesting. Let's see how it plays out."
The J/24 class featured 3 teams from out of town (LA, Arizona and Colorado). The Calamity team said "We had a blast on Calamity despite a few mishaps. Always enjoy racing with all you guys and gals in SD."
Mark Stratton racing the J/122 Cheeky in ORC-1 Class said “It’s brilliant to be out on the water at an amazing regatta, the wind conditions were perfect for close racing against top performers. We are looking forward to racing tomorrow where the race could be anyone’s with the top three boats.” ORC-1 has Cheeky and Farr 40 Rode Rage one point behind the Beneteau First 40 Precepts II.
Windward-leeward classes are scheduled for up to six races over the weekend, the Classics fleet at three races, and the ORR class with two distance races. Day One saw competitive fleets settle into their rhythm, with early positioning taking shape across divisions as teams look ahead to a decisive final day.
Mike Hatch's J/105 J Almighty won all three races in class and said "Today's sailboat racing featured incredibly tight competition, where even the smallest mistake could make the difference. The fleet was stacked with highly skilled sailors, and performance ultimately came down to teamwork and execution."
SDYC’s 2026 Race Committee Chair Becky Ashburn, took a moment between races to comment on conditions and their impact on the day stating “Race 1 on the ocean course brought full May Gray conditions: light and cold and misty. Just after the start of Race 2, the RC abandoned due to a big right shift and reset the course with longer weather legs. We’re in sequence for Race 2 now with building breeze, seeing above 12 knots and clearing skies - perfect for the two ORC fleets to stretch out. We see the ORR fleet heeling out on the horizon, past Point Loma, which means more wind is on its way to us.”
Class Leaders After Day 1
J/105, Mike Hatch, J Almighty
J/24, William Ramacciotti, Rylah
Beneteau 36.7, Chick Pyle, Kea
J/111, Peter Wagner, Skeleton Key
ORC-1, Drew Belk, Precepts II (Beneteau First 40)
ORC-2, John Laun, caper (J/120)
Classics, Rick Arneson, Nepenthe (PC)
ORR, Kjeld Hestehave, Velos (Tanton 73)
With tight scoring across multiple divisions, the regatta remains wide open heading into the final day of racing. Awards for both the Ton Cup and Yachting Cup will be presented on the Sailwash Lawn at San Diego Yacht Club on Sunday evening.
San Diego Yacht Club thanks its sponsors Driscoll Boat Works, First National Bullion, Helly Hansen, Mount Gay, Maui Brewing Company, North Sails, and Sun Bum for their continued support of the 2026 Yachting Cup.
