Switch Global Championship 2026 - Overall: Lake Garda saves the best for last

Lake Garda saved the best for last for the 57 competitors from 16 nations at the Switch Global Championship 2026 with an incredible 18 to 20 knot northerly Pelèr thermal wind in the morning powering a morning session of four races, and then a building 15 knot Ora arrived after lunch for the twelfth and final race of the series.

The first race of the day - race 8 in the series - saw New Zealand's Sean Herbert hit the afterburners to pick up his first win of the event, with Denmark's Magnus Overbeck in second and Italy's Federico Bergamasco third.

Switch Global Championship 2026 Day 4 - photo © Mark Jardine

Overbeck then dominated race 9 to put serious pressure on overall leader, the Netherlands' Paul Hameeteman, who had his worst race of the regatta in 13th.

Hameeteman though didn't buckle under the pressure, taking the gun in races 10 and 11 to seal the Global title with a race to spare.

In the women's category, Malta's Antonia Schultheis revelled in the conditions, taking four more wins in the morning to win overall ahead of Denmark's Camilla Svensson, with the USA's Pearl Lattanzi third.

Switch Global Championship 2026 Day 4 - photo © Mark Jardine

After lunch the pressure was off for the winners in the Ora, but many of the other places were still up for grabs. The waters off the northern end of Lake Garda were busy with many of the locals enjoying the conditions, but the Switch foilers were the stars of the show.

The building swell made for challenging and spectacular times for the tired sailors, with only a handful calling it a day early. The home club's Mattia Cesana took the win in the building breeze while Hawaii's Pearl Lattani took her first victory of the event in the women's category.

Switch Global Championship 2026 Day 4 - photo © Mark Jardine

The sailors were having so much fun that many stayed out for a fun race at the conclusion, with screaming reaches at 30+ knots after the windward mark providing thrills and spills aplenty, including champion Paul Hameeteman going down the mine at top speed.

The fleet came ashore tired but exhilarated, knowing that they'd competed in a watershed moment for the fast, foiling one design dinghy.

For overall winner Paul Hameeteman it was a combination of relief and celebration after his mixed day on the water:

"It was quite a stressful day. Another 5.30am wake up and early morning start. I needed an extra coffee and then went into the day, and with still five races on the schedule everything could happen. I had a bit of a shocker in the first one but managed to recover quite well. Then the second one, I had a really bad race and was very deep into the fleet. And Magnus, the Danish sailor, was still in contention with a second and a first, so it was all open again. I knew he had a bigger discard, so I tried to match race him before the third start. I got him quite well up until 2 minutes, 30 seconds, and then I fell out of my boat in the tack, so it was all open again.

"We battled all the way through, and I got away with the win in that one, and then I knew I just needed to finish in front of him, and I managed to win the last morning race, so then I kind of knew it was done, but I wasn't sure until the results showed up, so I was very happy about it."

Paul Hameeteman celebrates winning the Switch Global Championship 2026 - photo © CodeZero Digital

Paul was exuberant in his praise for the event and the class, "I think the Switch is the best boat around. You can see it in the calibre of the sailors with people from America's Cup, SailGP, the top of Olympic sailing, as well as people just enjoying the racing, coming together here and sailing these boats. Everyone has the same boat, so you know it's the sailor, not the gear. Racing in Lake Garda is always a pleasure, so for me this is the best thing in the world."

Women's champion Antonia Schultheis added, "I'm having an absolute blast. I mean, it's really fun and it's quick."

The Switch is proving a hit with female sailors and Antonia is keen for more to join the class, "If seeing the racing here hasn't attracted them enough, I think honestly, the fact that it is one design, it is a platform available for other girls to jump on and get proper and fair racing in. I think that itself shows enough to attract more and for them to enjoy it."

Antonia Schultheis wins the Women's title at the Switch Global Championship 2026 - photo © CodeZero Digital

Antonia came through the youth ranks, and was looking for a new challenge after an Olympic campaign, "I started in the usual Opti, 29er, 49er route, and then I did a campaign with my sister for the Olympics, and we sadly didn't qualify, but we took that summer wanting to do the Waszp Games, but then we were in Garda and we saw the Switch demos and jumped on that and didn't really want to go back into the Waszps."

On sailing at Lake Garda Antonia said, "Honestly I've never really been a fan of strong wind, but since I've been sailing the Switch I really enjoy the wind because it also gives you the chance to be up there with the boys since you have a little bit lighter body weight but then also a little bit smaller sail so it doesn't slow you down, so yeah, I'm having a blast here."

Spanish 470 Olympic medallist Jordi Xammar was smiling from ear to ear back ashore and is hooked on the class, even though his main focus has to be on his current LA2028 Olympic campaign, "It's been extremely fun. Some of the best racing I've ever done. I struggled a bit at the beginning with some physical issues on both my arms, but on the last day I managed to perform and it's been really good. It's been really cool to watch the class growing so much."

Switch Global Championship 2026 Day 2 - photo © Mark Jardine

On the boat itself Jordi added, "I think it's an incredible boat. I think it's extremely well built and I think sailing has missed a boat like this because it's extremely high speed and it's relatively simple for the good sailing. Once you try it, you always want more, no? I have now to focus on my Olympic campaign, because it's less than two years away, but every time I have a break I'm gonna come Switch sailing."

America One Racing have come over in force with Executive Director Leandro Spina and the team chartering several hulls while bringing some of their own equipment such as sails, spars, wings and sheets. Leandro was hugely impressed with the class and the event:

"The class is fantastic to develop talent in the new foiling world. We loved every piece of the event - the whole experience was fantastic. The level: I'm in shock as to how good the sailors are, and the conditions were fantastic in Lake Garda.

"Our squad has a great culture. Every day is an opportunity to get better, to sail hard, and we know where the baseline is, and now we're ready to come back better prepared."

Switch Global Championship 2026 Day 4 - photo © Mark Jardine

Race Officer Tim Hancock summed up with his view of the event, "It's always great to get the whole series in. We had a difficult first day and a half, but then the local conditions, the Pelèr and the Ora, kicked in and did their job.

"It was close, tight racing at the top mark, leeward gate and finishing. It's very exciting to watch."

Switch Global Championship 2026 Day 4 - photo © Mark Jardine

The prize-giving celebrated the category winners, but more than anything it was a celebration of the sailing itself, with all the competitors coming together with tired smiles and stories after an exceptional event.

The Switch class is changing the game and providing the kind of sailing that sailors from a wide variety of other classes yearn for.

Switch Global Championship 2026 Prize Giving - photo © CodeZero Digital

Overall Results:

Women's Results:

Full results and more information can be found here.