Canada’s Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance are making a strong mid-regatta push at the San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta in San Pedro, California, sitting fifth overall in the 49erFX fleet after three days of racing — and first among all Pan American nations.
The annual event, running August 3–8, has drawn competitive Olympic-class fleets to the waters off the Southern California coast, with 18 entries in the 49erFX, 31 in the 49er, and 21 in the Nacra 17. For Canadian sailors, the regatta carries dual significance: a chance to contend for the podium against top international competition, and a critical opportunity to solidify qualification positions ahead of the 2027 Pan American Games.
Lewin-LaFrance Sisters Set the Pace in 49erFX
Through nine races completed over three days, the Lewin-LaFrance sisters have climbed four positions to fifth overall in the 18-boat 49erFX fleet. Their trajectory puts them firmly in contention for their stated goal of finishing inside the top ten after Friday’s racing.
More importantly for Canada’s Pan American Games ambitions, the duo currently leads all entries from the Americas. The Pan American qualification pathway requires teams to finish among the top six Pan American nations, and with Canada holding the top spot ahead of the United States in seventh overall, Argentina in 16th, and Puerto Rico in 18th, the picture looks encouraging.
Fellow Canadians Georgia Phillips and Anika Lange-Sorensen sit 17th in the same fleet, gaining valuable international racing experience in the high-performance skiff class.
49er Challenge Proves Steeper for Staples Brothers
In the 49er class, Thomas and William Staples face a tougher road, currently placed 25th in the 31-boat fleet after gaining one position through Day 3. The larger and deeper fleet has made the top-ten target more difficult, and the brothers will need a significant surge in the remaining three days of racing to reach podium contention.
The Pan American qualification picture in the 49er is also more competitive. Uruguay leads the continental standings with a commanding second-place overall finish, followed by the United States in eighth, Argentina in 22nd, and Canada in 25th. Mexico in 27th and Puerto Rico in 30th round out the current top six. With the Staples brothers needing to stay inside that top-six Pan American window, every race from here forward becomes crucial. The gap between Canada’s 25th and Mexico’s 27th is slim enough that a poor day could see the positions flip.
Nacra 17: Richardson and Gillis Looking to Build
Galen Richardson and Madeline Gillis find themselves 21st in the 21-boat Nacra 17 fleet, a position that leaves significant work to do. The foiling multihull class has evolved into one of the most physically and technically demanding events in Olympic sailing, and building consistency at the international level takes time.
On the Pan American front, Argentina leads the Nacra 17 continental standings with a sixth-place overall finish, followed by the United States in 12th and Canada in 21st. With only three Pan American nations currently represented in the fleet, Richardson and Gillis have secured a de facto continental qualifying position, though stronger results would bolster Canada’s case heading into the formal selection process.
San Pedro as a Proving Ground
The San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta has established itself as a key fixture on the international Olympic-class calendar. The venue’s reliable thermal breezes and challenging Pacific Ocean conditions make it an ideal testing ground for teams building toward major championship cycles. With the 2027 Pan American Games on the horizon, regattas like San Pedro offer both ranking points and the kind of high-pressure racing that prepares athletes for the intensity of multi-sport games competition.
For Sail Canada, the regatta provides a real-time snapshot of where its emerging Olympic-class programs stand against continental rivals. The Lewin-LaFrance pairing in the 49erFX appears to be the strongest Canadian entry, and their current form suggests they could be a genuine factor not just in Pan American qualification but in broader international competition.
With three days of racing still remaining, there is ample opportunity for standings to shift. The back half of a regatta often separates teams who can maintain intensity and manage pressure from those who fade. All eyes will be on Friday’s results to see which Canadian crews can hit their top-ten targets and which Pan American qualification battles tighten further.
Source: View original post on SailCanada
