2026 ILCA NA's Regatta Report
Colin Brochard
While not technically a D24 event, I thought some of y’all might be curious to hear how the “other” regatta on the calendar went last weekend.
D24 was represented by Julian Soto, Colin Brochard, and James Baurley in the ILCA 7, and Jenny Maybee in the ILCA 6. Our “team”—which also included Tahoe juniors Ethan Mooiweer (ILCA 6) and Caspian McCarthy (ILCA 7)—was coached by a familiar face, Nick Pullen. Beyond our crew, the "globe" was well represented by some of the very best in the world, from Olympic hopefuls to hungry up-and-comers eager to prove themselves.
Our D24 group got down to SoCal well in advance to train at the venue. The fan was ON, and we enjoyed several days of breezy conditions in the open ocean with warm, blue water. But when the event itself came around, the skies turned grey and the fan turned OFF. Four days of racing were ultimately held in a light, oscillating southerly.
Day 1 consisted of a long tow outside the breakwall, where three races were completed in light and lumpy conditions. The races were long and slow, with a surprisingly strong down-coast current further slowing upwind progress. Clean boat handling and a nose for finding a lane—both upwind and downwind—were highly rewarded. (I managed it once!)
Day 2 was a complete bust. After another long tow outside the breakwall and six hours on the water, we attempted just one race, which was abandoned after over an hour of drifting around. To make matters worse, about a third of the fleet—including James and Duncan—were black-flagged.
Days 3 & 4 were much more action-packed. The regatta moved inside the breakwall to flat water. While the light and shifty conditions continued, we at least didn't have current or sea state to contend with. Still, with 230 boats split into four fleets and stuffed onto a single race course with a weather mark less than a half-mile away, the racing was a college-sailing-style gladiator pit.
The start was immensely important and incredibly competitive, with very little room to spare on the line. If you could hold clear air for even 30 seconds off the line, you were going to beat a lot of boats to the weather mark. That said, there were plenty of other opportunities to pass. With crowded laylines and hectic mark roundings, if you played your cards right, you could easily pass half a dozen boats at a shot by taking the right line. Equally, if you found yourself on the outside of the pinwheel, you could watch yourself helplessly get rolled by just as many.
I think it’s fair to say we mostly got our asses kicked, but in the end, we sailed hard, sailed a lot, and learned a thing or two along the way.
Stephen Aguilar
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