CALLUM RUCH DOMINATES ATLANTIC COAST CHAMPIONSHIPS AT TOMS RIVER YACHT CLUB

 

The Atlantic Coast Championships brought the WASZP Class back to Toms River Yacht Club for three days of racing over the long weekend, and once again the venue delivered. With professional race management, outstanding volunteer support, 16 races and a busy river full of energy, Toms River proved to be a fantastic host for a championship weekend that tested sailors across a wide range of conditions.

Over three days, the fleet saw wind from multiple directions, changing conditions, and plenty of boat traffic as the weather improved and the river came alive. It was exactly the kind of venue that rewards smart decision-making, clean boat handling, and the ability to reset quickly from race to race.

At the front of the fleet, Callum Ruch put together a dominant performance for Canada. Ruch was fast, composed, and consistent all weekend, scoring bullets every day and making a clear statement at the Atlantic Coast Championships. Whether the breeze was shifting, building, fading, or coming from a new direction, Ruch seemed to find another gear when it mattered most.

Christopher Draper kept the pressure on and claimed a race win on Saturday to keep the championship close. Draper showed strong speed and tactical awareness throughout the weekend, but in the end Ruch’s consistency and daily race wins proved too much to overcome.

Shane Kilberg rounded out the podium with a reliable and consistent performance across the full event. In a regatta where conditions varied and mistakes could quickly become expensive, Kilberg’s steady approach earned him a well-deserved place in the top three.

Beyond the racing, one of the best parts of the weekend was seeing the WASZP fleet integrated into the broader sailing life of Toms River Yacht Club. TRYC remains one of the most active junior sailing venues on the East Coast, and each day the club launched fleets of Optis and C420s for training on the river. That created a great opportunity for the WASZP sailors to connect with the next generation, put on demonstrations, and show young sailors what Dinghy Foiling looks like up close.

For many of those juniors, seeing the WASZP ripping across the river was a clear reminder of where the sport is heading. The boat is fast, physical, visual, and exciting, but it is also becoming more accessible through the growing North American pathway. Events like this help connect the dots between junior sailing, club training, high school and college competition, and the next level of performance sailing.

Toms River Yacht Club deserves huge credit for making the weekend possible. The Race Committee handled a complicated race area with professionalism, the volunteers kept the event running smoothly, and the club created a welcoming environment for sailors, families, coaches, and supporters throughout the long weekend.

The Atlantic Coast Championships were another strong step forward for the WASZP Class in North America. With Canadian talent at the top of the leaderboard, American sailors pushing hard, and junior sailors watching from the docks and coach boats, the weekend captured exactly what makes this moment in the Class so exciting.

The racing is getting better. The pathway is getting stronger. And the next generation is already watching.

REGISTER FOR CANADIANS AND NORTH AMERICANS UP NEXT ON RACEHUB