Darien, CT (August 11, 2026) – Top youth sailors from across the country converged on Noroton Yacht Club in Darien, CT on August 7-10th for the 2026 Chubb U.S. Youth Triplehanded Championship for the Sears Cup. The regatta marked the 105th Anniversary of the Sears Cup, US Sailing’s oldest Championship.
“This was a once in a generation opportunity for our club” says Noroton’s Commodore Scott Harrison. “It was great to see all the teams and parents interact and getting to know each other and we hope we created lifetime memories and friendships and have inspired junior sailors all around the US.”
The team of Beckett Kern, Rhett Krawitt, Ava Adamson and Harrison Doyle representing San Francisco Yacht Club / St. Francis Yacht Club in Area G won the Championship. San Francisco Yacht Club also won the 2025 Sears Cup, with sailor Rhett Krawitt at the core of both championship teams.
Final Results – 2026 Chubb U.S. Youth Triplehanded Championship
🥇 Sears Cup Perpetual Trophy: San Francisco Yacht Club / St. Francis Yacht Club
🥈 Judges Trophy Perpetual Trophy: Sachem’s Head Yacht Club/ North Cove Yacht Club
🥉 San Francisco Yacht Club/St. Francis Yacht Club
🏆 Shipshape Perpetual Trophy: Lakewood Yacht Club
🏆 Cox Sportsmanship Perpetual Trophy: Waikiki Yacht Club
“We had a challenging couple days with challenging conditions, but it was really rewarding to figure it out as a team and learn to sail on the Long Island Sound” said Krawitt. “We’re extremely grateful to Noroton YC and US Sailing for the opportunity, and the opportunity to have sailed in four Sears Cups over four years.”
The team representing Sachem’s Head Yacht Club / North Cove Yacht Club in Area B earned second place and the Judges Trophy Perpetual Trophy, while another team from San Francisco Yacht Club / St. Francis Yacht Club in Area G rounded out the podium in third place.
Special honors also went to the Lakewood Yacht Club, who received the Shipshape Perpetual Trophy for exceptional seamanship and care for boats and equipment, and Waikiki Yacht Club who were awarded the Cox Sportsmanship Perpetual Trophy. This marks the 2nd year in a row that Waikiki has been voted Sportsmanship award winners.
“On behalf of everyone at Brown & Brown, congratulations to all of the Sears Cup competitors who participated in this year’s US Sailing Chubb Championship. A special thanks to Commodore Scott Harrison and the entire team of volunteers at Noroton Yacht Club for their outstanding regatta management and for creating such an exceptional championship experience for the sailors. We also want to thank Chubb Insurance for its long-standing commitment to the US Sailing Chubb Championship and the sport of sailing, as well as its partnership with Brown & Brown and US Sailing in support of the Burgee Insurance Program for yacht clubs,” said John Fisher, Senior Vice President, Brown & Brown Insurance.
Jon Pensa, Chubb Senior Vice President and Branch Manager, presented the 2026 Sears Cup Trophy to the winning team at the Chubb U.S. Youth Championship awards ceremony. From the podium, Pensa shared Chubb’s pride in serving as the longtime title sponsor of the championship and congratulated all of the competitors on an outstanding event. He wished the sailors continued success in their sailing futures and said he hopes to see many of them return next year to compete for the Sears Cup.
The Noroton Yacht Club assembled an army of volunteers to support the event. “It was great to see so many young sailors at our Club” said Noroton Yacht Club Event Co-Chair Lee Morrison. “They handled our boats competently and sailed well. We were very fortunate to have 2 days of sailable breeze in August on Long Island Sound. Our PRO and RC team took full advantage and knocked off 10 quality races, and the team of Umpires adjudicated on-the-water disputes. The fleet was made up of evenly-matched Sonars from Noroton Yacht Club and Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, providing a fleet of 16 evenly matched boats for the competition. After months of planning and effort the end result exceeded my greatest expectations.”
US Sailing’s US Junior Championships Committee Chair Jamie Jones echoed Morrison’s enthusiasm. “The team at Noroton YC ran a top notch event and set the bar high going forward,” said Jones. “Their planning was second to none and everyone had a great time. To get 10 races completed in August in Long Island Sound was a feat in itself and being able to have the fleet sail as a whole was paramount to that success. Watching the competition up close, it was easy to see this group of sailors were not only some of the best in the country but showed amazing sportsmanship both on and off the water.”
Prior to racing, US Sailing coach Dan Thompson led a clinic for all the teams, sharing information on the boats and leveling the playing field. Days one and two of racing delivered classic Long Island Sound conditions, with light to medium winds and strong current, allowing for 10 races. Unfortunately, the third and final day featured glassy, no-wind conditions, so no additional races were held.
In addition to winning the Sears Cup, Team SFYC / StFYC earned a wildcard invitation to the Youth SAILING Champions League Final, offering the team the chance to compete against the world’s best youth sailors on an international stage.
About the Chubb U.S. Youth Triplehanded Championship
First sailed in 1921, the U.S. Youth Triplehanded Championship for the Sears Cup is one of US Sailing’s oldest and most prestigious youth sailing events. The championship showcases the top triplehanded teams from across the country, fostering skill development, teamwork, and sportsmanship at the highest level of youth competition.