Category: Team Racing

🎙️ Argonauts Radio – Episode 10: Inside the 2026 IOM Worlds…

…with Brian Shore, Peter Feldman & Gary Boell

The latest episode of San Diego Argonauts Radio is now available, and it may be our most ambitious episode yet.

In Episode 10, SD Argonauts’ Commodore Jess Atkinson sits down with three of America’s top International One Metre (IOM) skippers to discuss their experiences competing at the 2026 IOM World Championship in Datchet, England, just outside London.

This special episode features in-depth interviews with:

  • Brian Shore – 9th Place Overall
  • Peter Feldman – 4th Place Overall
  • Gary Boell – Veteran U.S. International Competitor and Multi-Worlds Campaigner

Together, these conversations provide a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of the most competitive radio sailing events in the world.

Also available on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-american-skippers-take-us-behind-the-scenes-of/id1874110517

What You’ll Hear

Brian Shore shares the remarkable story of qualifying for the Worlds after only a handful of IOM regattas and achieving an impressive Top-10 finish. He discusses the challenges of competing against former world champions, adapting to the demanding conditions at Datchet Reservoir, and navigating the intense scrutiny of international measurement inspections.

Peter Feldman reflects on his outstanding fourth-place finish, the mental and tactical challenges of choosing the correct rig in constantly changing conditions, and the preparation required to compete at the highest level of international radio sailing. His insights into fleet management, race strategy, and the grind of a six-day championship offer valuable lessons for sailors of every level.

Gary Boell brings the perspective of one of America’s most experienced international IOM competitors, having represented the United States at World and European Championships for well over a decade. Gary discusses how far the American IOM program has progressed, the camaraderie among the ten U.S. skippers competing in England, and the pride of seeing four American boats sailing in the championship’s final A-Fleet race.

A Strong Showing for Team USA

One of the recurring themes throughout the episode is the continued rise of American IOM sailing. The United States fielded one of its strongest teams ever, with multiple skippers competing at the front of the fleet throughout the event and several finishing among the world’s elite.

The interviews highlight not only the sailing itself, but also the preparation, teamwork, sportsmanship, and dedication required to compete successfully on the world stage. From equipment tuning and rig selection to long race days and international competition, listeners will gain a deeper appreciation for what it takes to race among the best sailors in the world.

Additional Regatta Reports

Episode 10 also includes:

  • A report from the Region 6 DF95 Championship in Seattle from AMYA Vice President Dan Shier
  • Coverage of the Travelers Trophy Team Racing Event at the San Diego Model Yacht Pond
  • Monthly points standings for the ODOM, Soling, DF95, and IOM fleets
  • Results from the Bob DeBow Masters Series ODOM event

Whether you’re an active racer, a casual sailor, or simply curious about what it takes to compete at the highest levels of radio sailing, this episode offers a rare inside look at the world’s premier IOM event through the eyes of three accomplished American skippers.

A special thank you to Brian Shore, Peter Feldman, Gary Boell, and Dan Shier for sharing their time, insights, and experiences with the San Diego Argonauts community.

We hope you enjoy Episode 10 of San Diego Argonauts Radio.

DF95 Team Challenge – Round 2

The Second DF95 Team Challenge of 2025 was held at Mason Park in Irvine on Sunday, August 17th, 2025. Seven 2-Boat Teams competed in the Team Management System (TMS) run event. Just as in Round 1, Teams were organized via seeding in an attempt to even the competition. A shortened ‘reverse-hourglass’ course was sailed in shifty, light to moderate winds (with more than a few holes) under sunny skies. The 7-Team Matrix begins with a Round-Robin Stage where the top 3 teams advance directly to the Finals. The remaining 4 teams race a single-elimination ‘Wild Card’ bracket with the winning team joining the top 3 in the Finals which consists of a 4-Team Round-Robin. This racing format keeps every team ‘in-the-hunt’ for the championship until at least the 22nd Race (out of 30 total Races) and guarantees every Team gets to race at least 7 times.

There were a couple minor changes to the rules in the running of Round 2: Proper course between boats on different legs was emphasized and enforced, and ‘Instant Umpiring’ was adopted. Under RRS Appendix D Team Racing, an Umpire’s involvement after waiting for a voluntary single penalty turn requires a 2-Turn penalty. In Round 2, the Umpire called single-turn penalties immediately but reserved the ability to specify more turns if appropriate. This helped competitors know exactly where they stood following an incident and took the guess work out of protests and fouls. Results follow:

Congratulations to Team Red (Jim Sears & Angelo Greco) who sailed a near perfect regatta; losing only a single Race to 2nd Place Team Green (Larry Grant & Richard Diamond)

Thanks to the Orange County Model Sailing Club and Amya President, DF95 National Class Secretary, and all-around ‘good guy’ Len Bose for setting up the event and making it all possible.

Special thanks also to Jim Sears who rigged a YUUUGE ‘boom camera’ to take live aerial video of the event (drones are not allowed at Mason Park). We’re looking forward to more of his color commentary when he (hopefully) posts his videos on Youtube.