The Schedule Is Set! T-Minus 30 Days To The First Race Of The ILCA 2026 Season.
Here we go! The time for this campaign to shift into overdrive is almost here. It’s hard to believe that we’re only 30 days away from the start of the 2026 season and I can’t thank you all enough for your support and encouragement.
I’m back in the gym and am working hard to regain core strength following my abdominal reconstruction surgery in October 2025. I am feeling stronger and more confident than ever. I absolutely cannot wait to get back on the water and start racing towards the Olympic Trials in 2027!
Where do we go from here and why did we pick these regattas? Let me tell you:
Midwinters East - Key Biscayne, FL - February 19-22, 2026.
This is the first opportunity of the year to earn ILCA-NA Grand Prix Points. Grand Prix Points are critical to my ranking among North American racers and to qualifying for the 2027 World Championships. It is also the first opportunity of the year to earn World Sailing points which contribute to my worldwide ranking against all of the other Olympic hopefuls.
Masters Midwinters West - Coronado, CA - March 6-8, 2026.
This regatta is at my home club and is a great practice/tune up for races later this year. Plus, the competition among the other Masters sailors is always fun and challenging.
California Masters - San Diego, CA - March 14-15, 2026.
This regatta is being held less than 20 minutes away from my home and will feature many, if not all, of the same racers as the Masters Midwinters West. Another good tune up before the racing begins in earnest.
Midwinters West - Los Angeles, CA - March 20-22, 2026.
This regatta is the companion to Midwinters East. 25 ILCA-NA Grand Prix Points and 50 World Sailing Points are up for grabs here. Additionally, this is my second chance to earn automatic qualification for the 2027 ILCA World Championships.
Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia (Sailing Grand Slam Event) - Palma de Mallorca, Spain - March 26-April 5, 2026.
This is the big one. The Sailing Grand Slam is a series of five regattas held all over the world, dedicated to showcasing the world’s top sailors during their buildup to the 2028 Olympic Games. My scores in each of the series events will contribute to an overall ranking for the Sailing Grand Slam and will be the best way to prepare for Olympic-level competition.
Last year, there were 114 boats competing in just my class and 174 ILCA 7s. In all, there were 784 Olympic-class boats participating. They expect similar numbers this year. The competition will be fierce, the line crowded, and every tack, jibe, and tactic will be crucial. In short, it’ll be the perfect proving ground.
Additionally, US Sailing pays particularly close attention to this regatta and awards coveted positions on the US Sailing team based on how I finish. Finish in the top 40 here and I’m on the Olympic Development Team (Tier 3). Finish in the top 20 and I’m considered a Performance Athlete (Tier 2). Finish in the top 10 and I’m considered a Podium Potential Athlete (Tier 1). Each level up unlocks additional support for the campaign from US Sailing.
Finally, World Sailing considers this regatta to be on the same level as a World Championship and 200 World Sailing Points are up for grabs here.
Pacific Coast Championships - Coronado, CA - April 16-19, 2026.
This is another regatta at my home club and is a major championship for ILCA-NA. 30 ILCA-NA Grand Prix Points and 50 World Sailing Points are on the line here.
District 24 Champs - Santa Cruz, CA - May 9-10, 2026.
This will be the only district championship I’ll get to attend this year if I am selected to attend the ILCA 6 World Championships in September. District Championships are smaller regattas but carry 20 ILCA-NA Grand Prix points and can often be a way to pad your rankings depending on who shows up to race.
US National Championships - Corpus Christi, TX - May 22-May 24, 2026.
This regatta needs no introduction. The National Championships are always a big deal. 30 ILCA-NA Grand Prix Points, 50 World Sailing Points, automatic qualification for the 2027 World Championships, and the title of National Champion are on the line here.
Dutch Water Week (Sailing Grand Slam Event) - Almere, Netherlands - May 30-June 7, 2026.
This is the third of the five regattas in the Sailing Grand Slam. (I’m skipping the regatta in France this year because it coincides with the Pacific Coast Championships which is being held at my home club - financing an Olympic campaign is challenging and I can’t turn down a hometown regatta with major points available.) 100 World Sailing Points and series rankings are available here.
Kieler Woche (Sailing Grand Slam Event) - Kiel, Germany - June 20-28, 2026.
Round four of the Sailing Grand Slam will bring me to Kiel. Kieler Woche is one of the largest regattas in the world every year and this will be the 145th year it has been held! Last year, there were 88 competitors in my class and 457 Olympic class boats participating in the regatta. 100 World Sailing points are available here.
North American Championships - Los Angeles, CA - July 9-12, 2026.
The biggest domestic regatta of the year. 40 ILCA-NA Grand Prix points and 100 World Sailing points are available, along with automatic qualification for the 2027 World Championships, and the title of North American Champion which the winner keeps forever. I can’t wait.
Long Beach & San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta (Sailing Grand Slam Event) - San Pedro, CA - July 20-July 24, 2026.
This is the last round of the Sailing Grand Slam, is close to home, and will be held in the same waters as I’ll hopefully be racing in during the 2028 Olympic Games! Last year I raced in this regatta and it was exhilarating! 22 of the top 50 women in the world were here and even with a fully torn core I proved to myself that I could hang with them in light and heavy air. Really looking forward to this regatta. 100 World Sailing points are available and this is the final chance to improve my series scores.
Olympic Classes Regatta - Kingston, Ontario, Canada - September 25-27, 2026.
This is the final major championship of the domestic calendar. My last opportunity to earn up to 30 ILCA-NA Grand Prix points and to try to get to the top of the rankings for the year.
The only other regatta that is on the radar is the 2026 World Championships which will be held in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland from September 5-12, 2026. Applications for the Worlds open on March 9, 2026 and I’ll be submitting it as soon as I can thereafter!
If you would like to follow along with me, sign up for updates here. And, if you want to help support this push to the Olympic Trials next year, share this with others and consider donating to the campaign!
See you on the water,
Lauren
