Hey everyone,
The 2026 ILCA 6 North American Championships, hosted by Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club in San Pedro, was one of those events that just sticks with you. Not only because of the results, but because of who was on the starting line and where we were racing. I was surrounded by giants - in more ways than one.
Sailing with giants - photo by: Polish National Team sailing coach, Zdzisław “Zizi” Staniul
The Result: First U19 American Female, Gold Fleet
I finished as the first U19 USA female and made the Gold fleet. For me, as a 17-year-old, that felt huge. The fleet was stacked — more than 20 of the top Olympic-level women from around the world showed up, as well as North American sailors, to prepare for the Olympic Classes Regatta (“OCR”) a week later.
These aren’t just strong sailors; a lot of them competed in one (or more) Olympics, and some were medalists. They used the N.A.s as serious prep for the Olympic Classes Regatta that followed, and the level was next-level. Racing against them every day was the best possible training I could ask for heading into the ILCA6 Youth World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark.
Making the Gold fleet exceeded my expectations and, under normal circumstances, would have been satisfying in and of itself, but it was extraordinary for me to accomplish that against the best sailors in the world. It meant I got to keep racing against that group in the final series. I learned so much just by being in the same races as them — starts, mark roundings, how they manage the shifts and current in the harbor, the way they stay calm when things get chaotic. That experience is pure gold for me right now.
Training and Racing with True Olympians
In the ten-day lead-up to the North Americans and the OCR, I was allowed to train with the Polish National Team with permission from coach Zdzisław “Zizi” Staniul, an Olympic 470 sailor. This allowed me to line up daily with European, World, Athletes, and Olympians.
And then there was the Olympic Classes Regatta itself… OCR was a whole other story. As a 17-year-old, I was honestly just honored to have the opportunity to sail against the best in the world — so many women who have already represented their countries at the Olympics. Sailing on the same race course with them is something I’ll never take for granted.
What This Sets Up
Between the NAs result and the OCR experience, this stretch of racing at Cabrillo Beach was exactly the kind of preparation I needed heading toward the ILCA6 World Championships. I got fleet racing reps against Olympians, a Gold Fleet finish as the top U19 American female, and a very direct look at what the next level requires.
Grattitude
Also, I’m so grateful to my sponsors, my coach, John Bertrand, my family, and every sailor who pushed me out there. Events like this remind me why I love this sport so much. The learning never stops, the competition keeps getting better, and the dream of one day racing on that same water in an Olympic Games feels a little more real every time I leave the dock.
Fair winds,
Paloma Arrigo
USA 226942
ILCA 6 | CDMHS ’26 | Tulane ’30