2026 Resolute Cup at the New York Yacht Club Day 1
by Stuart Streuli 30 Sep 16:16 PDT
September 30 - October 3, 2026
2026 Resolute Cup at the New York Yacht Club Day 1 © Paul Todd /
www.outsideimages.com
Usual Suspects Surge to the Front
Institutional knowledge doesn't usually get a lot of credit in sailing, but it seemed to be the key to Day 1 of the Resolute Cup. After four races, the podium is full of former champions with 2010 winner Eastern Yacht Club in first, two-time defending champion Corinthian Yacht Club—also from Marblehead, Mass.—in second and 2014 champ Newport Harbor Yacht Club, from Newport Beach, Calif., in third. While the Corinthian team is the same crew that topped the field in 2022 and 2024, the teams from Eastern and Newport Harbor are almost entirely different from the crews that previously won this Corinthian championship. But each crew navigated the light winds and tricky full-moon tides like it was their own backyard.
"We stuck to the game plan," said Alden Reid of Eastern. "We were conservative when we needed to be. We took a little bit of risk in the first race when we were a little deeper after the start. And we rolled top-five finishes.
"I don't know if there was any secret today. It seemed like there was some right-side dominance with the current. And so we tried to use that game plan in the second and third race, get off the line clean and try to sail up the middle as much as possible."
In fourth place is Bayview Yacht Club from Detroit, Mich., with The San Francisco Yacht Club from Belvedere, Calif., in fifth. Individual race wins were recorded by Newport Harbor, Charleston Yacht Club from South Carolina, Corinthian and New York Yacht Club. The host club was off to a challenging start, but used a bye in Race 3—the 23 teams rotate through 18 boats, sailing three of every four races—to reset and then turned a strong start into a race victory.
The four races are a good start, but this regatta is a long way from over. The breeze forecast looks stronger for the rest of the week.
"I believe there's going to be, like, 18 to 20 races, so we still have a lot to go," said Alex Curtiss, skipper for the Newport Harbor Yacht Club team. "We've been here to the New York Yacht Club quite a few times, sailing. I've done probably 10 Morgan Cup [team race regattas] and the Global Team Race Regatta too. So we understand that when you come here, the sailing level is going to be extremely high, the regatta management is going to be exceptional and then the conditions are more than likely going be pretty fantastic as well."
From the Sailors:
"It's always such close racing. All the boats are almost the same speed, so it really comes down to who the better sailors are.", Michael Kirkman, Bayview Yacht Club
"This is my first time, so last night was beautiful, the reception hosted by the yacht club. I think my favorite part about coming to Newport is just the camaraderie around the water and around sailing. It's super unique and super special to this place.", Alex Curtiss, Newport Harbor Yacht Club
Results after Day 1:
- Eastern Yacht Club, bye,3,2,3; 8pts
- Corinthian Yacht Club, 2,bye,1,8; 11pts
- Newport Harbor Yacht Club, 1,2,bye,10; 13pts
- Bayview Yacht Club, 6,4,4,bye; 14pts
- San Francisco Yacht Club, 10,bye,3,2; 15pts
- Shelter Island Yacht Club, 4,bye,12,4; 20pts
- Chicago Yacht Club, bye,5,10,6;21pts
- San Diego Yacht Club, 3,bye,5,14; 22pts
- Charleston Yacht Club, 7,1,bye,15; 23pts
- Annapolis Yacht Club, bye,6,9,9; 24pts
- New York Yacht Club, 11,13,bye,1; 25pts
- Little Traverse Yacht Club, bye,11,9*,5; 25pts
- Lakewood Yacht Club, 9,7,11,bye; 27pts
- Conanicut Yacht Club, 5,8,bye,17; 30pts
- Encinal Yacht Club, 8,16,6,bye; 30pts
- Larchmont Yacht Club, 12,9,bye,12; 33pts
- California Yacht Club, bye,10,15,11; 36pts
- St. Francis Yacht Club, 16,15,bye,7; 38pts
- Duxbury Yacht Club, 13,bye,8,18; 39pts
- Seattle Yacht Club, 14,12,14,bye; 40pts
- Fort Worth Boat Club, bye,14,17,13; 44pts
- Stamford Yacht Club, 17,17,13,bye; 47pts
- Northeast Harbor Fleet, 15,bye,16,16; 47pts
*1-point penalty
Since 2010, the Resolute Cup has served as a Corinthian Championship for U.S. yacht clubs and the only guaranteed pathway for an American club to earn a berth in the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, Corinthian sailing's most prestigious international competition. The eighth edition of the biennial competition—the event was not sailed in 2020—is scheduled for September 28 to October 3 at the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court in Newport, R.I. The 2026 Resolute Cup will utilize the Club's fleet of Sonars, with provided sails, equalized rig tune and on-the-water umpiring ensuring sailing's ultimate level playing field. The 2026 Resolute Cup is supported by official apparel sponsor Musto.