The St. Francis Yacht Club has announced that Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Paul Cayard will be among the competitors at its annual Spring Fest regatta, scheduled for April 11-12, 2026, on San Francisco Bay. The Notice of Race is posted and registration is now open across nine competitive classes.
For sailors across the Bay Area and beyond, the opportunity to share a starting line with one of America’s most decorated racing sailors is a rare and compelling draw. Spring Fest has long been one of the early-season highlights on the StFYC calendar, but Cayard’s participation elevates the 2026 edition into must-attend territory.
A Living Legend of American Sailing
Paul Cayard’s résumé is one of the most remarkable in the history of the sport. A San Francisco native and lifelong member of the St. Francis Yacht Club, Cayard earned the prestigious Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award and has competed at the highest levels of virtually every major discipline in sailing. He skippered Il Moro di Venezia in the 1992 America’s Cup challenger series, won the 1998 Whitbread Round the World Race aboard EF Language, and has represented the United States in multiple Olympic campaigns in the Star class. His versatility — spanning grand prix offshore racing, match racing, one-design fleets, and Olympic keelboat sailing — is virtually unmatched among American sailors.
Cayard has remained deeply connected to the St. Francis Yacht Club and Bay Area sailing throughout his career, frequently racing on the waters where he first learned the sport. His presence at Spring Fest underscores both his commitment to grassroots competition and the enduring strength of the StFYC racing community.
Nine Classes Set to Compete
Spring Fest 2026 will feature racing across a diverse slate of one-design and handicap classes: Alerion 28, Express 37, Folkboat, J/24, J/88, J/105, Knarr, Star, and ORC/PHRF. The lineup reflects the rich fleet diversity that has long characterized racing at St. Francis Yacht Club and on San Francisco Bay more broadly.
Several of these classes carry deep historical significance at StFYC. The Knarr fleet, a Nordic-designed keelboat class, has been a cornerstone of Bay Area racing for decades and remains one of the most competitive one-design fleets in the country. The Star class, in which Cayard himself has extensive international experience, continues to attract top-caliber sailors worldwide despite its removal from the Olympic program. The J/105 fleet on San Francisco Bay is among the largest and most competitive anywhere, routinely producing tight, tactical racing in the Bay’s famously challenging conditions.
The inclusion of ORC/PHRF handicap racing opens the door for a wider range of boats, ensuring that Spring Fest remains accessible to the broader sailing community while maintaining the high-quality competition the event is known for.
San Francisco Bay in April
April on San Francisco Bay offers some of the most dynamic racing conditions on the West Coast. The transition from winter to the Bay’s legendary summer thermal pattern is often underway by mid-April, with building westerly breezes funneling through the Golden Gate and creating challenging, shifty conditions on the cityfront and central Bay racecourses. Tidal currents add another layer of tactical complexity, rewarding local knowledge and precise boat handling.
For competitors, the chance to test themselves in these conditions — and against a field headlined by Paul Cayard — makes Spring Fest 2026 one of the most attractive early-season events on the Northern California racing calendar.
Registration Now Open
Sailors interested in competing can find the Notice of Race and registration details through the St. Francis Yacht Club. With a sailor of Cayard’s stature confirmed and nine classes on the docket, spots are expected to fill quickly. Spring Fest promises two days of top-flight racing in one of the world’s great sailing venues.
