Charlottetown Race Week 2026 - Two national championships to be decided
by Kathy Large 9 May 06:05 NZST
16-18 July 2026
Etchells Canadian Nationals © Helen Blake / Charlottetown Yacht Club
Charlottetown Race Week and One Design Speed Week 2026 has some important hardware to hand out this year. The regatta will take place Thursday, July 16th through Saturday, July 18th, 2026 presented by Charlottetown Yacht Club with title sponsors EZ Dock and Warehouse 8.
The Race Week Committee is excited to host the J/70 Canadian National Championship, the Etchells Canadian Nationals and the Farr 30 Northeast Open Championship along with J/29, Melges 24 and PHRF classes.
Registration is now open on Yachtscoring. The early registration discount ends on May 31st, 2026.
Last year's regatta was a great success with over 250 sailors, 34 boats and 15 visiting crews taking part. And this year is likely to be even better.
"We are anticipating crew registrations from Annapolis, MD, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia who are keen to compete for those titles," says Race Week chair Jim Thompson. "And we have lots of ideas to make their visit to our P.E.I. regatta a highlight of their sailing plans for 2026."
A mid-July regatta has been a premier social event in Charlottetown for the public and for the sailors for more than 180 years. Charlottetown Race Week has become the second-largest regatta on the East Coast and continues to grow due to its competitive class racing, accessibility, and exceptional coastal beauty.
"You sail out through the narrows past Blockhouse Point Lighthouse into Hillsborough Bay - the grass is green, the cliffs are red and the water is blue. It is just a beautiful setting for racing," according to Peter Toombs, skipper, sailor and the regatta's title sponsor through his companies - EZ Dock and Warehouse 8.
"I have participated in regattas in Key West and Cowes and everywhere in between. Charlottetown with its hotels, restaurants and other attractions right next to the yacht club and race courses out in Hillsborough Bay within 20 minutes of shore - that's just not normal! Infrastructure can be very limited at other regattas," according to Toombs. "We have a lot more to offer than people realize."
Luke Porter is our Principal Race Officer. Luke is the Race Director at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron. He's managed innumerable races, including World, North American, and Canadian Championships.
Registration for Charlottetown Race Week and One Design Speed Week 2026 is available on Yachtscoring
Crews are invited to take part in an optional "tune-up" race on Wednesday evening. The regatta starts on Thursday morning with a welcome meeting at 9:00 am and a group photo taken on the clubhouse steps. The first warning signal is scheduled at 11:00 on the race course. Fleet parties will take place at the conclusion of racing on Thursday. Races are scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Competitors are invited to a BBQ on the clubhouse deck on Friday with shore games on the lawn and live entertainment. The Awards ceremony will take place after racing on Saturday followed by live entertainment to round out the festivities.