2025 O'pen Skiff North American "Un-Regatta at Pensacola Yacht Club
by Jen Guimaraes 25 Apr 2025 15:27 BST
April 11-13, 2025
2025 O'pen Skiff North American `Un-Regatta` © Tauri Duer
More than seventy junior sailors from as far as Switzerland traveled to Pensacola Yacht Club to experience the O'pen Skiff "Un-Regatta" vibe.
With PYC's amazing venue and hospitality, sailors and spectators enjoyed three days of excellent camaraderie, food, and off-water activities. Sixteen races and the legendary freestyle contest with thirty teams made for a jam-packed and unforgettable experience.
To kick-off the weekend, sailors and parents were invited to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos minor league baseball game. Just before the game Nevin Sayre, the founder of the "Un-Regatta," was taken by surprise and called up to the pitcher's mound to welcome the O'pen Skiff sailors and throw out the first pitch.
It is called an "Un-Regatta" because it is un-conventional in format, courses, and some of the rules. After an upwind leg, sailors then reach across under the "Bridge of Doom" and continue through a downwind slalom course with challenges such as mandatory capsizes, standing up, or 360s. One of the best parts of this event is watching the massive improvement over the course of three days.
All sailors race together but are also scored in their age groups- U12, U15, and Open. With some very close competition, Finn Harrison from Fort Walton Yacht Club came out top in the U12 Class, and Pensacola's own Emmett Perez bested a very tight U15 Class.
Showing his mastery of the O'pen Skiff in his fifth year at the "Un-Regatta" North Americans, Lachlan Duer of Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club repeated as overall champion- this time in the Open age group. Oceane Affolter came from Switzerland for second place in Open, and continues the O'pen Skiff history of young women on the podium. Ben Mohrman, six-time North Americans veteran, placed third. Ben, committing to King's Point Merchant Marine Academy in the fall, is considered too large for the O'pen Skiff but wouldn't miss it- "It's just so much fun!"
In the freestyle competition, thirty teams donned costumes, carried props, and displayed their boat handling prowess to impress the panel of undistinguished judges. One team enlisted their dog to pirate boats while another competitor demonstrated top notch gymnastic skills, completing several back walkovers on the hull of the boat. It was an extremely difficult decision for the judges, but in the end, the duck hunter team (Logan Penn & Baker Scott) with their chocolate lab and the unicorn ballerina (Giulia Piovesana) were crowd favorites. The winners of the freestyle competition all went home with a beautiful model of the O'pen Skiff sailboat.
New to the event this year, was Tahe Outdoors' own, Jen Guimaraes. She has recently joined the O'pen Skiff team and is thrilled to be part of such a unique event and inclusive community. If you're interested in learning more about the O'pen Skiff or other watersports gear, reach out to .
Event web site and results are found at: www.regattanetwork.com/event/28814#_newsroom.