CAC Sailors Shine at 2026 ILCA Midwinters East Championships

Central American and Caribbean sailors made a powerful statement at the 2026 ILCA Midwinters East, hosted by the Key Biscayne Yacht Club in Key Biscayne. Representing nations across the region, from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to Bermuda, Mexico, Sint Maarten, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, and Trinidad & Tobago- the CAC contingent brought both depth and front-of-fleet speed to one of the premier winter regattas in North America.

Congratulations to our Bahamian sailors at ILCA Midwinters East, notably Eliza Denning for finishing as Top Junior Female in the ILCA 6

In the ILCA 7 event, our 3 male sailors competed fiercely for top Bahamian finisher:

- Paul de Souza - 17th (of 51 competitors) and 124 points

- Joshua Higgins - 20th overall and 129 points

- Norman Cartwright Jr - 21st overall and 138 points.

Results in the ILCA 6 event (106 competitors):

Gold Fleet

- Eliza Denning - Top Junior Female and 9th overall with a best finish of 3rd

- John Alexiou - 30th with a best finish of 10th

Silver Fleet

- Armaan Manwatkar - 63rd overall

- Callum Pritchard - 81st overall

- Nash Cartwright - 86th overall

Coach Niels Broekhuizen (@SailBetter) noted:

“This year’s ILCA Midwinters East wasn’t just about racing. It was about managing energy. Hours on the water. Switching constantly between “chill mode” and full race intensity. Staying mentally sharp when the breeze was unstable and the schedule unpredictable.

But beyond podiums, what matters most is the effort. The willingness to show up. To put yourself on the line in big fleets. To risk failure publicly and learn anyway.

That’s how high-performance programs are built. That’s how standards rise. Very proud of this group!”

The BSA is incredibly proud of all the sailors and thanks are extended to coaches Niels Broekhuizen and Andrew Lewis OLY.