International Etchells Class Association
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2026 World Championships Review

published 05/16/2026

Five incredible days of racing in San Diego are officially in the books as the 2026 International Etchells World Championship came to a close yesterday with the crowning of 2026 World Champions and the presentation of awards (full list below) across the fleet. From tight racing on the Coronado Roads to unforgettable camaraderie ashore, and one of the deepest fleets in recent memory, this week showcased everything that makes the Etchells Class so special.

“San Diego Yacht Club is so proud to have hosted a great Etchells World Championship. Over the last five days we had nine races with 278 competitors over 76 teams from 11 countries,” said SDYC Commodore Alli Bell. ”As Commodore, I’d like to thank the almost 200 volunteers, our staff and all the competitors for making this regatta truly amazing. I look forward to seeing everybody next year in Hong Kong.”

The overall champion of this year’s Etchells Worlds is Magpie AUS 1526 crewed by James Mayo, Paul Cayard, and Ben Lamb. More on their victory can be found in Friday’s press release.

The Corinthian Class was won by No Dramas GBR 1490. “To win the Corinthian prize is such an incredible that we are really proud of, especially with how talented our competition in this regatta has been,” said Graham Vials. “Genuinely, I feel that there isn’t a better fleet out there when it comes to strength of talent.” The United Kingdom’s Etchells fleet will host the 2028 World Championships in Cowes.

The next Etchells World Championship will be held in Hong Kong in November of 2027. Two teams representing Hong Kong competed in this year’s Worlds: Mark Thornburrow’s Racer Smitty HKG 1496 and Jamie McWilliam’s Shrub HKG 912. “It’s fantastic to have the Etchells Worlds back in Hong Kong next year, and there is quite a lot of enthusiasm around the Etchells fleet,” said Thornburrow. “I think everybody in Hong Kong is really pumped about 2027 Worlds. The fleet has grown significantly since the last time we hosted in 2015,” added McWilliam.

Thank you to everyone around the world who followed along with our media coverage throughout the week. 

A huge thank you goes out to all of our sponsors and partners who helped make the championship possible, especially Palm Beach Motor Yachts for providing the VIP and media support boat all week long, Mount Gay Rum for hosting an outstanding party, and Zhik for donating raffle gear in support of the SDYC Junior Program. Together, the raffle raised nearly $3500 over the course of the championship week, another thank you to the generosity of our sailors. 

Thank you to the competitors, volunteers, race officials, San Diego Yacht Club, and everyone who made this championship such a memorable event. 

See you next year in Hong Kong, November 9-13, 2027!

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