Four Newport Beach-area sailors earned spots on the 2026 US Sailing Youth National Team in the ILCA 6 class, the Olympic-pathway singlehanded dinghy (formerly the Laser Radial) for athletes under 19.

Paloma Arrigo and Charlotte Carmichael of Newport Beach join Corona del Mar's Maddie Nichols and Siena Nichols on the 61-member national squad, announced in April by US Sailing. All four qualified through the ILCA Midwinters West regatta held March 20–22 in Newport Beach, one of two qualifying events for the class.

Their next gate: the US Youth Championship, October 9–12 in Long Beach, which serves as the qualifier for the Youth Sailing World Championships in Vilamoura, Portugal, December 11–19. Up to 16 athletes from the national team will earn spots on the Youth Worlds roster.

Phil Muller, US Sailing's Youth Performance Manager and head coach of the US Youth Team, said in April that the program aims "to bring the top youth sailors in the US together as one team, to train in collaborative settings and compete for the USA."

Local clubs run the same boats year-round

Newport Harbor's yacht clubs run junior programs in the same ILCA and RS Tera classes these sailors race nationally.

Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club operates Camp Corinthian and offers spring, summer, and fall programs. Its progression chart moves beginners from Naples Sabots through Club Flying Junior and C420 dinghies before advancing racers into ILCA and RS Tera fleets. The Bahia Sail Racing Association provides financial support to community, club, and high school sailing programs across the area.

Balboa Yacht Club hosts the annual Governor's Cup Youth Match Race each summer and served as the venue for the 2025 US Youth Match Racing Championship. The 90th Flight of Newport Beach, held in July at Balboa Yacht Club, featured ILCA and RS Tera classes alongside the traditional Harbor 20 fleet, drawing more than 60 registered boats to a course around Newport Harbor.

The four local sailors will compete for Youth Worlds berths at the October championship in Long Beach. The Southern California Youth Yacht Racing Association hosts additional fall regattas at Balboa Yacht Club throughout the season.