2026 ILCA Bahamas National Champions showcase rising talent in The Bahamas

The annual highlight of ILCA dinghy sailing in The Bahamas took place this weekend as top Bahamian, regional and world-class sailors gathered for the 2026 ILCA Bahamas Open Nationals.  The presence of international competitors and coaches, notably Olympian Andrew Lewis (TTO), added another layer of quality to the event and proved to be a great warm-up for the Central American and Caribbean Games, being held later this year.

Twenty-three sailors competed including competitors from across the Caribbean, Portugal, Great Britain, USA and Canada.  The ILCA 7 fleet included Olympian Eduardo Marques (last year’s Open Champion) and Britain’s Arthur Farley (GBR Top 10 ILCA 7 sailor) as well as top Bahamian sailors Joshua Higgins and Paul de Souza.  Competition was also fierce in the ILCA 6 fleet, including reigning ILCA 6 national champion Eliza Denning, American Landon Stahl (Top 5 USA ILCA 6 sailor) and top Bahamian youth sailors John Alexiou and Finley McKinney, as well as top Exuma youth sailor Joss Knowles.

Sailing off the tongue of the ocean off Lyford Cay delivered exciting conditions on both days, with 20 plus knots, large swells and challenging current. Overall, the regatta highlighted the growing enthusiasm for competitive sailing in The Bahamas, set against the backdrop of its world-class sailing conditions.

Niels Broekhuizen, Head Coach at Lyford Cay observed:

“Bahamian sailors proved highly competitive throughout the event, consistently challenging their international counterparts. The event reflects a broader effort to position The Bahamas as a hub for high-performance sailing, where local athletes can train and compete at an increasingly high level.”

Final positions were:

Special congratulations to Joshua Higgins, top Bahamian and National Champion on winning his first ILCA 7 national title and to Eliza Denning top Bahamian in the ILCA 6 fleet.

Full results on the event website:

Bahamas ILCA Open Nationals 2026

Amanda Maritz