RayGun Wins Etchells Orca Bowl as 63-Boat Fleet completes Final Test before the Worlds
by Melanie Aalbers 28 Apr 23:29 UTC
April 25-26, 2026
RayGun wins the Etchells Orca Bowl at San Diego Yacht Club © Mark Albertazzi
Two weeks before the Etchells World Championship, the fleet got exactly what it needed: changing pressure, difficult starts, and five races where every point carried weight.
The Orca Bowl, the fourth and final event of the 2026 West Coast Spring Series, brought 63 boats to San Diego Yacht Club for one last competitive test before the class returns for its biggest event of the year. Sailed on the same offshore course that will host the Worlds, the weekend was a reminder that talent alone will not be enough when the championship begins.
With one discard in a five-race series, consistency carried huge value. There were limited chances to recover from mistakes - one clean race could move a team quickly up the standings.
Current and the bump were major factors throughout the races. The starting line stretched 1,000 yards. Pressure separated across the course. A good start could unravel quickly, and one mistake at a crowded mark rounding could cost multiple places in seconds.
Orca Bowl Overall Results: (top three)
1st - RayGun (USA 1527) - Austin Sperry, Noel Drennan, John Kostecki
2nd - No Dramas (GBR 1490) - Andrew Lawson, Graham Vials, Billy Russell
3rd - Buschido (USA 969) - Chris Busch, Ben Mitchell, Patrick Powell
Orca Bowl Corinthian Rankings: (top three, within Overall Fleet)
1st - No Dramas (GBR 1490) - Andrew Lawson, Graham Vials, Billy Russell
2nd - Second Wind (USA 985) - Will La Dow, Alex Curtiss, Paula Schmid, Jake La Dow
3rd - Triple Threat (USA 1465) - Ford McCann, Marshall McCann, Wiley Yandell Rogers
Full Orca Bowl results can be found here.
Austin Sperry's team on RayGun leaves the Orca Bowl with another major result and form that has stood out all spring. They have shown speed in breeze, discipline in lighter air, and the ability to stay efficient when races become tactical.
When asked about the weekend, Sperry first pointed to another team's performance. "I think the first thing we need to talk about is Ron [Zarrella, Blackfish] had a great weekend on 1532. I'm really proud of him. Yesterday he had a 2-1, which was pretty good in this fleet."
Sperry then mentioned Sunday required a different skill set. "Today was really hard with the lump. It started out a little windy and then it died down quite a bit, and trying to navigate and drive an Etchells in those conditions was not easy. Position on the course is everything here. It really is. It's everything. But what a great weekend. You guys did a great job and the Worlds are going to be fantastic. So excited to come back in a few weeks' time."
No Dramas delivered one of the standout performances of the weekend, finishing second overall in the 63-boat fleet while also taking top Corinthian honors. The British team built its result through consistency in a packed fleet.
Graham Vials said, "Really tough conditions, tricky sailing and a super competitive fleet. We had a great weekend, just trying to do the basics well and avoiding getting too extreme. We managed five consistent results in the top 10, so very pleased to come second. Back home now for a week (back to work) and then the big event starts."
Buschido rounded out the podium after a strong opening day that set the tone for the weekend.
Chris Busch commented on Saturday and said, "We had a good day yesterday and ended up second with three top-10 finishes, which was hard to do. With the conditions, it was quite challenging with the amount of bump out there. That was about as bad as it gets in San Diego. It was a little bit tricky with the current and a lot of boats going well. We had three good starts, which helped, got going the correct way, and had pretty good speed, so we were able to stay up near the top."
John Dane III's DanEgerous and Scott Kauffman's Rogue completed the top five, another sign of how hard-earned every result has been in San Diego this spring.
Across the starting area were Etchells world champions, America's Cup sailors, Olympic medalists, elite Corinthian teams, owner-drivers, and emerging programs. Few classes produce that mix of pedigree and accessibility, and it is one reason the upcoming World Championship carries so much interest.
For Corinthian competitor, Ivan Batanov, the weekend offered both perspective and progress. "The Orca Bowl / Pre-Worlds was a huge step up for us. Exactly the kind of challenge we came for. Racing in a 60+ boat fleet against some of the best sailors in the world is both humbling and motivating. At this level, there's zero room for mistakes. Starts are aggressive, and with this many boats it's easy to get squeezed out or mistime the line. Around the marks, things get tight fast. You lose focus for a second and you're down five places. Conditions kept things interesting. We started in 12-14 knots with a solid sea state, then the breeze faded to 6-8 with patchy pressure. Staying fast through the swell was tricky, and the teams that adjusted gears quickly were the ones making gains. Great to get time on the Worlds course and start building a feel for it."
Ron Zarrella said the weekend captured exactly why teams keep coming back. "That's the best I've ever done in this fleet. That's why you've got to come sail it, right? Come get involved. This is a great class, great people. This is my favorite place to sail in the country."
The next generation was part of the story as well. Junior sailors were on the line competing alongside the experts, gaining experience in one of the strongest fleets of the season.
Dave Lysinger, a 14-year old San Diego Yacht Club Junior, said the event highlighted both the standard of racing and the atmosphere around it. "This weekend's been really fun. We're all really pumped about the Worlds and sailing in this really competitive fleet here. I always surprise myself with how good we do in this big fleet, but also just the camaraderie of it all."
He added that Sunday's sea state made things difficult. "All the slop and chop and waves made it hard... I just had to focus on driving. It was fun."
Off the water, San Diego Yacht Club delivered the kind of atmosphere expected of a championship venue. Volunteers and staff handled race operations, shoreside logistics, and hospitality throughout the weekend. Competitors and guests also gathered for Saturday evening dinner at the club and Sunday's awards celebration, continuing the camaraderie that has defined the West Coast Spring Series.
PRO Bruce Golison said the weekend gave competitors a clear sense of what awaits at the Worlds. "With the Etchells world championship coming to SDYC in two weeks, this weekend's Orca Bowl regatta gave the competitors a taste of what the world's racing will be like. The breeze was shifty and the velocity would go up and down making for challenging racing. Mix in more current on the Worlds' race course located further down from Point Loma and the task got even harder. With the starting line being 1,000 yards long, there were times when the wind angles were different at either end of the starting line. On the race course, there were wind shifts ranging from small to substantial in many of the races challenging even the best tacticians. The Orca Bowl was a good regatta to give the competitors a feel for what the Worlds will be like."
WCSS Chair Melanie Aalbers said, "It was great to see so many teams already in San Diego and to feel the momentum building toward the Worlds. I'm happy to pass the torch to Vince Brun, Charlie Mann, Casey Schnoor, and their team as they take it forward from here. It has been an honor chairing these spring events and helping build toward the Worlds. What stands out just as much as the racing are the people - driven, generous, accomplished, and a pleasure to host in San Diego."
2026 West Coast Spring Series - Overall Standings:
1st - RayGun (Austin Sperry)
2nd - Stark Raving Mad (Skip Dieball)
3rd - Buschido (Chris Busch)
2026 West Coast Spring Series - Corinthian Standings:
1st - Second Wind (Will La Dow)
2nd - Viva (Don Jesberg)
3rd - Team Shred (Oliver Toole)
Full Spring Series Results can be found here.
Preparation now turns to final details. In two weeks, the fleet returns to San Diego Yacht Club for the 2026 Etchells World Championship. The scores reset. The lessons remain.