Road trip, Southern style

It has become popular for one design classes to schedule several winter events in Florida, but they require back-and-forth travel. However, the Lightning Class continues their tradition of organizing a Southern Circuit with two regattas within a week. Can you say road trip?

The 2026 edition got underway with the 68th Winter Championship (St. Petersburg, FL) on March 15-18 with 34 boats and competitors from across the United States, Chile, Colombia, and Canada. Emerging on top of the 6-race series was two-time Olympian and class newcomer Mark Mendelblatt with crew Carolina Mendelblatt and Lara Dallman-Weiss, followed by Augie Diaz and David Starck.

The fleet included sailors of all experience levels, from seasoned champions to new owners entering the class. Married Olympians Luke Ramsay and Annie Haeger joined the competition as new boat owners, representing the continued growth of the Pacific Northwest Lightning Fleet.

The circuit concluded on March 20-21 at the 62nd Deep South Regatta in Savannah, Georgia. In the 5-race series, 23 boats had fresh conditions while navigating the currents of the Savannah River, with class legend Ched Proctor providing a standout performance to claim victory, followed by David Starck in second and Joe Starck in third.

Forty-three boats participated across both events, with the overall title awarded to David Starck, Jenna Probst, and Tom Starck, marking their fifth circuit championship in the past six years.

Beyond the results, the 2026 Southern Circuit highlighted the Lightning Class’s unique community:

• 32% female participation, including three female skippers and one all-female team
• 35% of competitors under age 32, with 14 teams featuring two or more U32 sailors and five all-U32 teams
• 49% of teams composed of family members, including six all-family crews

Source: Carly Starck, Haven Media