Diaz tops Lightning North Americans

The 2026 Lightning North American championship was held on August 12-15 in Sheboygan, WI. With 57 teams on the starting line, the championship was decided in the final race—and ultimately, the final leg of the eight-race series. Augie Diaz (USA), sailing with Katherine and Elizabeth Starck, held off David Starck (USA) and Felipe Robles (CHI) to secure the championship.

Rounding out the top five included Jody Lutz (USA) and Luke Ramsay (CAN). The top three teams sailed in the Pan American Games configuration which consists of one male and two females.

The championship was also a strong showcase of the diversity and growth of the Lightning class. Nearly 170 sailors from five countries competed throughout the event. Approximately 50% of the sailors were U32 (under age 32), while women represented 33% of the fleet.

Details: https://yachtscoring.com/emenu/50471
Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/125154754@N06/albums/72177720335089431