17th Annual Robie Pierce Regatta Weekend Success!
May 28-31, 2026, marked the seventeenth running of the Robie Pierce Regattas for sailors with disabilities. Hosted jointly by American and Larchmont Yacht Clubs, and held this year at AYC, the Robie merges the resources and volunteers of the two Clubs to host this complex event. Ideal-18s are equipped with adaptations to enable almost any physical or neurological disability or level of visual impairment to compete safely.
Thursday’s Women’s Regatta results: Dawn Hart (Tampa, FL) and Rio Paralympic Gold Medalist Maureen McKinnon (Salem, MA) took top honors in the 6-boat fleet with Kate Morgan (Noroton YC) as their able-bodied sailor.
The 3-day open Robie started on Friday under excellent conditions. Again, keeping an eye on the weather, and seeing that Saturday’s forecast was for (un-sailable) winds in the high 20’s, the race committee pushed to run four races on Day 1 in very shifty conditions. Throughout these races, lead changes would happen in a matter of minutes as the wind shifted. When the sailors returned to the AYC docks that afternoon, Jim Hahn (Norwalk Yacht Club) and Colin Smith (Bennington, VT) had a 1-1-1-3 scoreline with the promise of repeating their 2025 Robie victory.
Indeed, Saturday’s winds were excessive, and the volunteers and sailors worked together to make sure the regatta tent didn’t fly away. Despite the high winds, Saturday’s regatta dinner proved fun and cordial for the sailors that came from as far away as San Diego, CA, Denver, CO, and Ontario and Ottawa, CA.
The sailors were greeted on Sunday morning by champagne Ideal-18 sailing conditions, 8-10 knots with little oscillation. In the stable winds, Sunday’s racing was extremely competitive. Hahn and Smith, with young Nick Hahn as AB, would go on to repeat as Robie champions with a 3-3-1 final day scoreline.
In second for the Open was Julie Smith (San Diego, CA) sailing with Victor Pena (New Rochelle, NY), and Philip Logan as AB. This performance by Smith, Pena, and Logan was particular poignant as they received the Tillman Paca Logan Trophy, that was created to honor Philip’s son Tillman who sailed in the Robie as a young teenager.
The Robie regattas are held every year on the weekend following Memorial Day. Next year the Robie returns to LYC June 3-6.
We're gearing up for the 18th Annual Robie Pierce Regatta Weekend!
Experience friendly competition and camaraderie as we empower individuals of all abilities to feel the thrill of the sport.
We look forward to seeing you set sail with us!
