Champagne Sailing, Close Racing and Good Company
The Sequoia Yacht Club hosted a big Double Championship Weekend, combining the South Bay Championship with the 2026 Open 5.70 North American Championship. And, well … almost everyone showed up. Those who did were rewarded with some of the best sailing the Bay could offer. Five races over two days, great breeze, sunshine and the kind of conditions that make you wonder why anyone would ever choose to stay ashore. Champagne sailing at its finest.
The Open 5.70s were right in the middle of it. With the fleet small but competitive, there was nowhere to hide. The boats are evenly matched, and every start, shift and tactical decision matters. A few boat lengths can make the difference between a good result and a disappointing one.
There was also a bit of new technology making its debut in the class. For the first time, the fleet raced with Velocitek’s RTK system, which can identify an OCS start instantly. A red LED ring on the RTK Puck gives the crew an immediate visual indication, while the OCS alert is also shown on the connected watch. A small addition, perhaps, but a useful one when the action at the starting line gets busy.
After five races, Felix Oehme and the crew of Dixie came out on top to take the Open 5.70 North American Championship, followed by Samantha Chiu on Altair and Andrew Lesslie on Hummingbird. But the results tell only part of the story.
One of the things that makes the Open 5.70 class so much fun is the combination of serious competition and genuine camaraderie. On the racecourse, everyone is fighting for every inch. Once the boats are back at the dock, the competitive edge quickly gives way to beers, stories, advice and plenty of laughs.
That atmosphere was on full display throughout the weekend. Stephen Stickells and his race committee team kept the racing moving and the sailors entertained, while the committee boat Voyager provided the perfect platform for getting five races into the books. And with good food and an excellent dessert waiting ashore, there wasn’t much left to complain about.
A big thank-you goes to the Sequoia Yacht Club for hosting the championship weekend, PYSF, Larry and Winston for the use of Voyager, Stephen and all the race committee volunteers for putting together a first-class event, and everyone who came out to race.
The Open 5.70 fleet may not have been the biggest fleet on the Bay that weekend, but it certainly made the most of it. Close racing, great conditions and a group of sailors who genuinely enjoy racing against and hanging out with one another.
That’s probably the best thing about the Open 5.70s: You can race someone as hard as you can, then help them tune their boat afterward.
If you missed this one, make sure you don’t miss the next one.
You can find the full results of the regatta here.