Game time for Para Championships

The 2026 U.S. Para Sailing Championships will be held alongside the 24th C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta on June 26-28 in Newport, RI.

This will be the fourth time that the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta has hosted the US Para Sailing Championships. Clagett Sailing hosted the championships in 2018, 2021, and 2023 and has previously hosted the Blind Sailing National Championships in 2011.

Twenty-five entries have been received from sailors from across North America traveling from the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Among the registrations are a number of Clagett Sailing Boat Grant recipients who will be racing boats provided through this program established by Clagett Sailing in 2016.

Chuck Allen Peter Eager, Siobhan MacDonald, and Julio Reguero, who all represented Team Clagett at the 2025 2.4mR World Championships in Lake Garda Italy, will be joining the 2.4mR fleet this year along with many returning sailors and new sailors joining the ranks.

Traveling to Rhode Island to defend her 2025 US Para Sailing Champion title is Californian Julie Smith, who sailed in the Hansa 303 in 2025 and will be sailing in the doublehanded Martin 16 class in 2026.

“We are proud to be partnering with Clagett Sailing for the U.S. Para Championship. Our missions align perfectly, to promote the development and accomplishments of Para Inclusive sailors in the United States and in North America,” said Betsy Alison, Adult Director at US Sailing.

“This event, and its commitment to building the next generation of Para sailors is helping World Sailing’s efforts for reinstatement in the Paralympic Games in Brisbane and beyond.”

The U.S. Para Sailing Championships is one of the oldest sailing regattas in the U.S. for sailors with disabilities. The talented field often includes Paralympians, US Sailing Team members, and new contenders. This year’s championships will be raced in two fleets, all of which are adapted for sailors with disabilities.

• The U.S. Para Sailing Singlehanded Championship for the Judd Goldman Trophy will be raced in the 2.4mR class.
• The U.S. Para Sailing Doublehanded Championship for the Chandler Hovey Trophy will be raced in the Martin 16

First established in 1986, the U.S. Independence Cup became US Sailing’s National Championship for sailors with disabilities in 1989.

In 2007, the regatta moved under the championships division of US Sailing and was renamed the U.S. Disabled Sailing Championship. In 2018, the event was renamed the U.S. Para Sailing Championships to align with International Paralympic Committee terminology for all sports.

Many competitors racing at the U.S. Para Sailing Championships and the Clagett Regatta have gone on to represent the United States at the Paralympics Games, including 2008 gold medalists Nick Scandone and Maureen McKinnon and bronze medalist John Ruff in Beijing; Jennifer French and J.P. Creignou, silver medalists in 2012 in London, and Rick Doerr, Hugh Freund, and Brad Kendell, silver medalists in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

The coaching line up working with sailors at the clinic and regatta this year includes Betsy Alison, Brian Todd, and Mike Ingham, who have all coached at multiple Clagett Sailing regattas over the last 24 years.

Details:
www.clagettsailing.org
www.ussailing.org