2026 Optimist Atlantic Coast Championship Recap & Results

The Jersey Shore is known for a few things. This weekend, Optimist racing was one of them.

More than 120 sailors were on the start line in the Gold Fleet at the 2026 USODA Atlantic Coast Championship hosted by Lavallette Yacht Club in New Jersey. Six races were completed over the weekend.

It was Briggs Kossmann of Optiway/CRYC who took the title with just 6 net points, finishing one point ahead of Brooks Pardi (LISOT/Riverside Yacht Club). Both sailors had multiple first-place finishes throughout the six races. Theodore Hutler IV (CERT) rounded out the podium in third with 18 total points. Hutler was a consistent sailor, posting five top-three finishes.

But the podium is only part of the story. 

Female sailors also made a strong showing near the top of the fleet. Avery Cherng (LISOT/Indian Harbor Yacht Club) was the top female finisher in eighth overall, followed by Frances Smith (CERT/BHYC) in ninth. Finley Lambert, Hayden Spamer, and Isla Chin also finished inside the top 20.

11th-place finisher Briggs Siewert (Shelter Island YC/CERT) never finished outside the top eight, closing out the event with a strong overall finish. That kind of consistency is worth noting.

Hayden Spamer (CERT) finished 15th overall. After a 44 in Race 4, Spamer came back with a 3 in the next race. The comeback shows the resilience it takes to sail at a championship level.

The White Fleet, the youngest division of Optimist racing, was led by Caleb Goldman, who finished 27th overall. The future of the opti fleet looks bright!

You can find the full results HERE.

Congratulations to all the competitors, and well done to Lavallette Yacht Club and the event team for putting on the championship.

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