Philadelphia Cup Regatta set for October 3, 2026
by Carol Bareuther 1 Jul 18:18 BST
October 3, 2026
Sailboats racing on the Delaware River with a Center City backdrop in the 2025 Philadelphia Cup Regatta © Irina Bernatsky
Sailors and spectators alike, mark your calendars now! The Philadelphia Cup Regatta - the only sailing regatta in Center City Philadelphia - is set for Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Hosted this year by the Liberty Sailing Club, Riverton Yacht Club, and The Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia on the Delaware River with Center City as the backdrop, several classes of sailboats are expected to race in the chance of earning their name inscribed on the prestigious perpetual trophy that is the Philadelphia Cup.
"Philadelphia is celebrating the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding, and this year's Philadelphia Cup Regatta is honoring its own history by once again being co-hosted by the three clubs that founded the event in 2011—Liberty Sailing Club, Riverton Yacht Club, and The Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia," says Mark Girardot, Commodore of the Liberty Sailing Club. "We invite sailors from across the region to join us for a day of racing on the Delaware River, whether in nimble dinghies or majestic keelboats. After racing, we'll come together for an awards ceremony and celebration, where the historic Philadelphia Cup perpetual trophy will be on display, and each class winner will earn a place in the regatta's history."
Entry is open to everyone! This includes one-design classes like J27s, J22s, Lightnings, Flying Scots, Mariners, V15s, Lasers, Sunfish, and more, as well as PHRF Spinnaker and Non-Spinnaker Classes. Registration and the Notice of Race will open soon at www.yachtscoring.com
One of last year's class winners was Jon Burnham, from Collingswood, NJ, whose J/29, Defiant, championed the PHRF handicap class. Sailing under the burgee of the Riverton Yacht Club, Burnham says, "We wanted to race this event to support sailing in Philly." Burnham's crew on Defiant included Tori Burnham, Bob MacCausland, Liz Irwin, Max Pignetti, Andrew Coleman, and Chaz Burnham.
Past to present
The Philadelphia Cup Regatta was first hosted by Liberty Sailing Club, Riverton Yacht Club, and The Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia from 2011 to 2016 and returned in 2024. The Cup itself dates back over 40 years.
"We're thrilled to co-host this year's Philadelphia Cup Regatta," says Lynn Mills, Commodore of the Riverton Yacht Club. "From our rich racing heritage and generations of championship sailors to our welcoming spirit on and off the water, we're looking forward to providing competitors with great racing, great hospitality, and a memorable experience on the Delaware River."
Roel Hoekstra, Commodore of The Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia (CYCOP), says, "Co-hosting the Philadelphia Cup Regatta is a privilege because it celebrates the rich sailing tradition of the Delaware River, something CYCOP has been part of for more than 130 years. We're proud to bring our long history of championship racing, volunteer support, and hospitality to an event that showcases the best of our sailing community."
The regatta will be governed as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing for 2025-2028 (RRS), including the prescriptions of U.S. Sailing, except as modified by the Sailing Instructions.
More Information
For more information, visit libertysailing.clubexpress.com or contact the regatta director at . Check out the Philadelphia Cup Regatta on Facebook and Instagram @philly_cup_regatta. Registration and the Notice of Race will open soon at yachtscoring.com