Insights & Report of the 2026 San Diego Worlds
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Etchells Worlds Report from Peter (Billy) Merrington at the 2026 San Diego World Championship
What Did We Learn?
It has been widely reported that the 2026 Etchells World Championship was one of the greatest Etchells regattas of our time — the highest standard, the best fleet and arguably one of the best-run events the class has seen.
It certainly felt that way.
The fleet was packed with former World Champions, Olympic medallists and some of the most accomplished sailors in the class. More than one of them described it as the hardest Etchells regatta they had ever sailed.
And then there was Magpie.
The history books will record another emphatic victory for James, Ben and Paul — their third consecutive World Championship title. Three Worlds in a row is an extraordinary achievement, and the manner in which they achieved it was even more impressive. Their consistency, speed and ability to execute under pressure set a benchmark for the rest of the fleet.
So, congratulations to the Magpie team. An amazing result and one that deserves to be recognised.
I could write an article going through every race, who won, who lost and where the championship was won and lost. But the more interesting question for us is:
What did we actually learn?
Preparation and Boat Setup
Sails
The first thing that stood out was just how consistent the sail choices were among the leading boats.
The vast majority of the top ten were using North Sails PCFM radial-head mainsails and MAL jibs. Magpie used the MAL-M as their primary AP jib, with the MAL Light as their down-range option. Other leading boats were using the MAL radial-head configuration for their down-range sail.
The third- and fifth-placed boats were using Doyle sails, although we still need to confirm the exact mainsail and jib combinations.
The bigger takeaway is perhaps less about the individual sail model and more about the maturity of sail development in the class.
The primary sailmakers are doing an excellent job of developing the Etchells package. There doesn't appear to be a huge amount of performance left to be found simply by choosing a different loft or radically different sail design.
Getting the boat set up correctly and then sailing the sails properly appears to be becoming much more important.
Rig Tune
The overall rig-tuning philosophy of the fleet has become noticeably simpler compared with what we have historically been doing.
One of the biggest changes was the lack of adjustment to the cap shrouds.
Across the leading boats there appeared to be minimal, and in some cases virtually zero, cap adjustment being made during the sailing day.
Most teams are now using the Spinlock Rig Gauge, which is considered more accurate and repeatable. The base number is around 220, approximately equivalent to 19–20 on the old Loos gauge.
Rake numbers remain broadly similar to what has traditionally been used, but again there appears to be less adjustment being made than in the past.
The big area of focus is now the D1/lower adjustment.
The leading boats are using the lowers very actively to move through the wind range. That means the boat needs to be set up so that these adjustments can be made quickly and efficiently.
This also places more responsibility on the foredeck.
The foredeck crew need to be very good at feeling the power in the boat and the rig, understanding what the helm and trimmers are experiencing, and making the lower adjustment quickly when required.
The ram and backstay remain highly active parts of the package, much as they have always been. They require constant and proactive adjustment, using all available controls together to manage mainsail power, forestay tension and balance as the conditions change.
The difference is that the fleet now appears to have a much clearer understanding of where the useful adjustment range is and which controls really matter.
Mainsail and Jib Setup
One of the most interesting observations from San Diego was how different the leading boats looked compared with some of the trends we have been seeing in Australia.
There has been a trend in Australia towards sailing with the traveller down and the mainsail relatively tight, primarily to keep the forestay tight.
That remains a successful and fast setup in many Australian conditions.
But San Diego provided a good reminder that what works in one venue isn't necessarily the optimum solution somewhere else.
In the bumpy, underpowered conditions we experienced, this setup was simply not as effective.
The leading boats were generally looking for significantly more power.
The traveller was often very high — in some cases as much as 300 mm above centre when looking for power — combined with considerably more mainsail twist than we have traditionally been comfortable with.
The jib was also being powered up more aggressively.
The leading teams were carrying a deeper jib foot and generally running the jib car slightly further outboard than we would typically use in Australia.
The result was a much more powerful and forgiving package.
The lesson isn't that we should simply copy the San Diego setup.
The lesson is that we need to be prepared to challenge our own assumptions.
If another boat is clearly going faster, we need to look honestly at what they are doing and understand why.
Trim Technique
As has always been the case in Etchells racing, the best boats were extremely active.
The difference is that the level of concentration required to maintain speed in these conditions was enormous.
With the chop and relatively light breeze, the helm and crew needed to remain completely focused on keeping the boat at maximum speed.
The best teams appeared to have at least two crew whose primary responsibility was speed.
That is an important distinction.
The third or fourth person needs to be released from the continuous trim-speed loop so that they can concentrate on tactics, fleet positioning and the bigger picture.
When the boat is fighting for every tenth of a knot, it is very easy for everyone to become absorbed in speed.
But somebody still needs to be looking up the course.
Starting — The New Standard
Perhaps one of the biggest changes in the fleet is the standard of starting.
The widespread adoption of the Vakaros RaceSense system has made a significant difference.
The reality now is that the best boats are consistently arriving at the line one to two metres below the line at full boat speed.
That is an extraordinary level of precision.
And it doesn't happen by accident.
The only way to consistently achieve that standard is through a well-drilled and repeatable pre-start programme.
More time needs to be allocated to preparation before the start.
Teams need to understand:
- The length of the starting line.
- The time required to sail the line.
- Layline positions.
- Burn times to the line.
- Boat speed at different angles.
- The effect of changes in wind strength and direction.
- The effect of chop and sea state.
Most importantly, teams need to complete at least three timed runs along the line in the period immediately before the start.
These runs provide the data required to establish the burn time.
And burn time cannot simply be treated as a number that was worked out ten minutes ago.
It needs to be constantly discussed and reassessed.
A small change in wind angle, wind strength or boat speed can make a significant difference to the time required to reach the line.
The best teams have turned this into a repeatable process rather than relying on feel alone.
Where to Start?
Another interesting lesson came from talking to Lamby about starting strategy.
His approach is surprisingly conservative.
He doesn't particularly want to "win the end" of the line, especially in a fleet of this size.
His view is that starting at the extreme end of the line carries additional risk.
Instead, the objective is to start somewhere around the middle of the line, generally biased towards whichever end has the geometric advantage.
The priority is low fleet density.
This is particularly important in a big fleet.
A heavily favoured end might look attractive from a distance, but if twenty boats are trying to occupy the same piece of real estate, the theoretical advantage can quickly disappear.
The goal is to have clear air, full speed and options.
There is also an important distinction between the geometrically favoured end and the end that appears favoured from the committee boat.
In San Diego, there were situations where the pin end looked attractive, but the course geometry meant that the real objective was to be positioned correctly by the top of the first beat.
The best starting strategy therefore wasn't necessarily about winning the first 50 metres.
It was about putting the boat in a position where it could sail its own race.
The Bigger Lesson
Perhaps the biggest lesson from the 2026 Worlds wasn't a particular sail, rig number or trimming technique.
It was adaptability.
The Etchells fleet is now operating at an incredibly high level. There are very few secrets left, and the top teams are all working from broadly similar equipment and concepts.
The performance differences are increasingly coming from execution.
The teams that succeed are the ones that prepare better, collect better information, communicate better and are prepared to change when the evidence tells them they should.
San Diego was a good reminder that our historical assumptions can become habits.
Something can be fast because it has always been fast.
But that doesn't mean it is still the fastest way to sail the boat.
The best teams were continually asking:
What is working?
Who is going fastest?
Why?
And then they adjusted.
That is probably the biggest takeaway for us.
What We Should Take Forward
For the next campaign, the priorities are clear:
- Prepare the boat properly. — The basic Etchells equipment package is highly developed. Our focus should be on getting the rig, sails and controls working together correctly.
- Simplify the rig programme. — Less emphasis on cap adjustment and more emphasis on making the D1/lower system fast and efficient to adjust.
- Become more comfortable with power. — Don't be afraid of a high traveller, more twist and a more powerful jib setup when the conditions demand it.
- Build a repeatable speed programme. — At least two people need to be completely focused on boat speed.
- Improve the pre-start process. — Three timed line runs should become standard practice. Burn time needs to be constantly updated.
- Start in clear air. — Don't get obsessed with winning the end of the line. A fast, low-density start with options can be worth far more over the first beat.
- Keep challenging ourselves. — Most importantly, don't become trapped by what we have always done.
The 2026 Etchells Worlds showed just how high the standard has become.
The good news is that the gap isn't necessarily about finding some secret piece of equipment.
It's about doing the basics better, preparing more thoroughly, communicating more effectively and being willing to learn from whoever is going fastest.
And, as Magpie demonstrated once again, doing that consistently is what wins World Championships.