2026 Opti New England Championship Regatta Results & Report
By Airwaves Writer Grayson Tella
The 2026 Optimist New England Championship went off August 11 to 13 at Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island. The regatta drew a 154 boat fleet to Narragansett Bay. Hosted by Sail Newport, the event served as an official qualifier for the 2027 Optimist Team Trials.
Conditions were not always cooperative. Light and shifting northerlies on Wednesday forced a long postponement, pushing racing back to the afternoon and testing the patience of sailors and race committee alike before the breeze settled in.
Top Three:
1st: Henry Latell (Fishing Bay Yacht Club), 26 net points
2nd: George Wyatt Tyson (Annapolis Yacht Club), 27 net points
3rd: Brooks Crawford (Annapolis Yacht Club), 28 net points
During racing, the large fleet was split across three starts. Eight races were completed for the fleet. The racing at the top of the fleet was razor close. Just one point separated first from second, and one more point separated second from third. Latell’s win came on the strength of three top three finishes across his counted races, just edging out Tyson and Crawford.
Among the fleet’s female competitors, Sofia Fantarella (JK Sailing/Sachem’s Head Yacht Club) and Surina Kelchner (Portland Yacht Club) tied on net points to lead the way, both finishing inside the top 15 overall, a strong showing in a fleet that ran well over 150 boats deep.
As always, the size and scope of the Opti New Englands is a credit to Sail Newport’s race management team and the volunteers. With the 2027 Optimist Team Trials qualification on the line for the top finishers, expect several of these names to show up again on the national stage this winter.
Full results are available HERE. Photo credits: Lexi Pline
