Bill and Jackie Baxter’s J/111 Fireball Win 2026 ORC Midwinter Regatta in St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL – February 25, 2026 – Bill and Jackie Baxter’s J/111 Fireball secured the overall win at the 2026 ORC Midwinter Regatta, held February 13-15 as part of the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series in St. Petersburg, Florida. The regatta, hosted by the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, saw variable conditions throughout the three-day event, testing the skills of the 11-boat fleet.

Challenging Conditions and Close Racing

The regatta began with a postponement on Day One due to a lack of wind. Eventually, one windward/leeward race was completed in light to medium conditions. Adam Prettyman and Katie Lass’s Tartan 10 Two Trailer Park Girls took the win in that initial race, finishing 20 seconds ahead in corrected time after a 51-minute race. Complete results are available on YachtScoring.com.

Day Two also saw delayed starts, but two races were ultimately held in low and low/medium winds. Fireball demonstrated their consistency, winning both races. Day Three brought brisk 20-knot conditions, with Fireball continuing their strong performance with another win in the first race. The final race of the day saw several retirements, but Two Trailer Park Girls persevered to secure the win and claim second place overall.

First ORC Championship Title for Fireball

This victory marks Fireball’s first championship win at an ORC event. The team previously achieved success with a Bronze medal in Class B/C at the 2024 ORC World Championship in Newport, Rhode Island, in October 2024.

Final Results – Top Three (11 Entries)

• Fireball (J/111) – Bill & Jackie Baxter – 6 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 3 – 12.0
• Two Trailer Park Girls (Tartan 10) – Prettyman & Lass – 1 – 2 – 5 – 4 – 1 – 13.0
• Peacemaker (Nelson/Marek 30) – Sampson & Scoville – 4.5 – 3 – 3 – 2 – 4 – 16.5

2026 Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series

The Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series St. Petersburg kicked off the 2026 season with 225 entries. The event featured multiple one-design midwinter championships, including the ORC, S2 7.9, Hobie 33, L30 North American Championship, and the Melges 24 Midwinter Championship. More information about the series can be found on the US Melges 24 website.