Thanks to all who helped out yesterday, especially Jess and Jason for getting the skiff out and the marks set; Kerim and Tom for serving as RD’s; and Jack, Kerim and Keith for collecting the marks and putting the skiff away.
It was a nice day to enjoy the sunshine and to fight the fickle winds on the pond. There were many tight races and the close scoring reflects that. In the end, Larry Grant dominated the IOMs and Dennis Rogers edged out Jess Atkinson for the DF 95’s.
The inaugural Filippo Busalacchi Soling 50 Masters Regatta took place on a beautiful fall day, October 18, 2025, at the San Diego Model Boat Pond. The event brought together some of our club’s most experienced and passionate sailors for a day of exciting, highly competitive racing in honor of long-time Argonaut and legend, Filippo Busalacchi.
After a full day of tight competition and shifting pond conditions, Ty Beach delivered a brilliant performance, securing first place with an impressive seven bullets. He was followed by Chris Davidson in second, Gerry Wold in third, David Woodward in fourth, and Filippo Busalacchi himself, rounding out the top five.
A special thanks goes out to Ben Reeves and Tom Warren for capturing beautiful photos of the day and to Steve Ross for recording and sharing videos of the action — both of which you can enjoy below.
Also, a big shout-out to Ben and Jack for their help with scoring and running the event, and to Bob for grilling up what are, without a doubt, the best hot dogs in radio sailing! Thanks as well to Ty Beach and Jack for their assistance with the boat, and to Chris “the man from Oz” Davidson for getting the pond race-ready, setting the gate, and making sure the Bob Dog Grill was fired up and ready to go. And to Jess Atkinson for organizing and running the event.
This event marked the fourth and final Masters Regatta of the year — the closing chapter of our inaugural Masters Series, which celebrates the Legends of the San Diego Argonauts. This time, it was an especially meaningful occasion as we paid tribute to our dear friend and sailor, Filippo.
We look forward to continuing this wonderful tradition in the years to come, honoring the great sailors who have shaped our club and community.
Videos:
The DF95 National Championship drew top remote-control sailors from across the U.S., Barbados, and the U.K. to Newport for three days of highly competitive racing in classic October conditions.
Racing off the Sail Newport Sailing Center in Brenton Cove, the fleet battled through 14 races in steady, building winds, with tight starts and finishes throughout. The regatta came down to an intense duel between brothers Brad and Ken Read, both world-class sailors, with Brad’s consistent, conservative approach on the final day earning him the national title by three points. The event showcased just how serious—and skill-sharpening—RC sailing can be, and left competitors eager to return to Newport for future regattas.
Our friend from Seattle, Dan Shier, did a great job capturing most of the racing on video—all while competing himself.
Click here for Sail Newport’s coverage and more information about the event.
Below you’ll find the results and videos from the regatta.
