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CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOL TO HOST
2026 ISSA TEAM RACE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
2026 ISSA TEAM RACE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
(BAKER TROPHY)
MAY 15-17, 2026
MAY 15-17, 2026
May 15–17, 2026 | Christchurch School, Virginia
Christchurch School has been selected to host the 2026 InterScholastic Sailing Association (ISSA) Team Race National Championship, known as the Baker Trophy, one of the most prestigious events in U.S. high school sailing. The championship will take place May 15–17, 2026, on the Rappahannock River at the school’s waterfront campus in Virginia.
Rarely hosted on a secondary school campus, the Baker Trophy brings together the top high school sailing teams from across the country. Christchurch is one of the few schools nationally with the facilities, fleet, and river access capable of hosting a regatta of this caliber.
The three-day regatta, held annually since 1989, features the nation’s top teams competing in team racing, a fast-paced and highly strategic format. Twenty schools will qualify through regional and national competitions leading up to the championship.
The event is free and open to the public.
This marks only the second time in the event’s history that the Baker Trophy will be hosted at a secondary school rather than a yacht club or dedicated sailing venue.
“Hosting the Baker Trophy places Christchurch on the national stage in a meaningful way,” said Head of School Billy Coyle. “This event reflects the strength of our sailing program and the unique advantage of learning and competing on a river campus.”
Christchurch is no stranger to the Baker Trophy. The school won the national championship in 2019, bringing the trophy to campus and earning national recognition, including a cover feature in Chesapeake Bay Magazine.
Christchurch is uniquely positioned to host the championship, with its Clyde V. Kelly IV Sailing Pavilion, a full fleet of Zim FJs, and direct access to the Rappahannock River from its 125-acre waterfront campus. The school has previously hosted major Mid-Atlantic regattas and national qualifiers.
Founded in 1921, Christchurch School has a long tradition of sailing, with the sport central to its identity. The sailing program includes varsity, junior varsity, and Learn-to-Sail, with athletes training and competing year-round directly from campus.
THE CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOL WATERFRONT AND
CLYDE V. KELLY IV SAILING PAVILION
HOME TO OUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SAILING TEAM
CLYDE V. KELLY IV SAILING PAVILION
HOME TO OUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SAILING TEAM
The Seahorses launch spring, summer, and fall directly onto the Rappahannock River, just 12 miles as the crow flies from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.
The CCS fleet is the largest school fleet on the East Coast:
21 ZIM FJs, JACK DOZIER '65 FLEET
18 Varsity 420s, Builder-Laser Performance
9JV 420s, Laser Performance
6 C420 Travel 420s, PS2000
assortment of lasers and other small sailboats
Coach Boats:
5.8 Fareast, CCS NELSON
16' Zodiac Rib
13' Whaler
19' Pro-Line Center console
21' Pro-Line Cuddy Cabin
Questions?
Contact Mary Pryor, Sailing Coach
mpryor@christchurchschool.org
