ETHAN THOMPSON WINS 2026 WASZP NORTH AMERICANS

Halifax Delivers a Strong Championship Finish

The 2026 WASZP North American Championship brought the swarm to Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron for the final stop in a busy month of WASZP activity in and around Halifax.

Nine sailors came to the line hoping to claim the North American title. By the end of the regatta, Ethan Thompson had completed a near-perfect series and was crowned the 2026 WASZP North American Champion.

The win continued an impressive run for Thompson, who had also won the Canadian Championship the weekend before. Back-to-back titles made Halifax a memorable stretch for one of the top sailors in the North American fleet.

A Familiar Podium

The final podium looked familiar to anyone who followed the Canadian Championship the week before.

Ethan Thompson took first, Andi Kinnear finished second, and Callum Ruch claimed third. It was a repeat of the Canadian Championship podium and a strong showing from three sailors who handled the conditions well throughout the Halifax events.

While Thompson controlled much of the series, the racing behind him stayed close. The fight for the final podium position was active throughout the weekend, with several sailors putting pressure on the top three.

Draper Claims the U19 Title

Daniel Draper finished fourth overall and claimed the U19 Championship, ending the regatta just two points behind Callum Ruch.

It was a strong result in a competitive group. Henry Krieble and Christopher Draper were also close behind, keeping the middle of the fleet tight and making every race matter.

The WASZP format continues to be valuable for younger sailors because they race directly against the overall fleet. Youth sailors are on the same starting line, making the same decisions, and getting immediate feedback from each race.

A Tough Break for Adrien De Pas

Adrien De Pas was another sailor showing strong pace during the weekend. He was pressing the fleet and putting together solid results before an unfortunate boat breakage took him out of contention.

It was a frustrating end to what had been a promising regatta, but his performance before the breakage was one of the notable efforts of the weekend.

Fifteen Races Across the Weekend

The Race Committee did an excellent job managing the conditions and completing 15 races over the course of the regatta.

That is a full championship test. A series that long rewards more than one good race. It requires consistency, fitness, clean boat handling, and the ability to recover quickly from mistakes.

By the end of the event, the sailors were tired, but the number of races gave the championship a fair and complete feel.

Technology Supporting Better Debriefs

Vakaros RaceSense was used during the event and helped bring more precision to the racecourse.

For sailors, RaceSense provides useful information before, during, and after racing. It helps improve starts, supports cleaner race management, and gives competitors more data to review when looking back at their performance.

That data becomes even more useful when it turns into better debriefs. Through FOILFAST partner SailSync.ai, sailors and coaches are beginning to use race information, tracking, and performance review tools to make training more specific and easier to understand.

The goal is simple: help sailors see what happened, understand why it happened, and turn that into better decisions the next time they go racing. In a boat like the WASZP, where small changes in timing, height, mode, and positioning can make a big difference, that kind of review can be especially valuable.

Together, RaceSense on the water and SailSync.ai in the debrief point toward a more complete training environment. The technology does not replace coaching or time in the boat. It helps make both more effective.

More Than Just the Results

As always, the best part of a WASZP event is not only what happens on the racecourse.

The sailors competed hard during the day, then spent time together off the water with mini-golf, World Cup viewing, and the usual mix of stories, repairs, debriefs, and dock talk.

That balance matters. The Class works best when the racing is serious but the atmosphere stays open and enjoyable. Halifax delivered that combination well.

A Strong Month for WASZP Sailing in Halifax

The North Americans closed out a major stretch of WASZP activity in the Halifax area, following the Canadian Championship and other foiling activity connected to the broader summer schedule.

The Canadian and US WASZP Class communities are grateful to Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron, Mark Postles, the Race Committee, and the many volunteers who helped make the event run smoothly.

Events like this depend on local leadership, and the Halifax group put together a strong championship for the sailors.

A special thank you also goes to Rooster and the NorthStar Canada SailGP Team for supporting the event and providing prizes for the racers.

Looking Ahead to Kingston

The next major stop on the summer tour is the WASZP Americas Championship in Kingston, Ontario, from August 6 to 9, 2026.

After winning both the Canadian Championship and the North Americans, Ethan Thompson will arrive in Kingston with momentum. The question now is who can challenge him at the next stop.

The Halifax stretch gave the Class a good look at the current North American field, highlighted some strong youth performances, and showed how regular racing, useful data, thoughtful debriefs, and shared time on the water all help sailors improve.

Next stop: Kingston.