Strong finish decides Champ of Champs

After three days of racing on Buzzards Bay, Chris Raab and Keith Ives, representing the Mercury class, claimed the 2025 US Sailing Championship of Champions and lifted the coveted Jack Brown Trophy for the second time. Twenty teams raced the 15-foot Sandpiper on September 11-13 in Dartmouth, MA.

The duo’s victory was hard-earned. After a slow start that left them in 12th place and trailing the leaders by 30 points on the opening day, Raab and Ives staged an impressive comeback in the 18-race series. Consistency became their hallmark, with no scores outside the top 10 after Day one. They sealed the title in dramatic fashion by winning the final two races.

“Championship of Champions is one of the most fun regattas you can come do,” said Raab. “The camaraderie between the top one-design sailors in the nation, coming together to sail some random boat—it’s special.”

2025 Championship of Champions podium:
1. Chris Raab and Keith Ives (Mercury)
2. Mark Zagol and Andrew Buttner (Viper 640)
3. Brian Bissel and Phillip Toth (Harbor 20)

The event, hosted by New Bedford Yacht Club, brought together national, North American, and world champions from across 19 different one-design classes. True to the spirit of the regatta, sailors faced the unique challenge of mastering the gaff-rigged single sail catboat.

This year’s regatta once again highlighted the depth of talent and experience in the U.S. one-design sailing community, with several past champions—including Raab and Ives—showing the value of patience and consistency in the round-robin format.

The 2026 edition will be held in E Scows at Wawasee Yacht Club in Syracuse, Indiana in mid-September.

Event information – Race details – Photos

Source: US Sailing