“I tacked on the right shifts and once I was ahead I just kept going until the end and it all worked out!” – Charlotte Rose, ICLA 6

An ecstatic and emotional Charlotte Rose, America 1 Racing team member and long-time Foundation grantee, was thrilled with her win in Hyeres at the 57th Semaine Olympique Française, the second stop of the 2026 Sailing Grand Slam series which concluded on Sunday.

Rose overcame a slow start to the event – ending the qualifying series in 14th place – to ultimately prevail with a 2-6 in the medal series. In the first final race, she finished second to Eve McMahon’s third. In the second final, Rose placed sixth while McMahon (IRE), who won in Palma just last month, finished eighth, allowing Rose to overtake her overall, winning by just one point over McMahon. Maria Erdi (HUN) took third. This marked Rose’s second Semaine Olympique Française title, having also won in 2024.

The ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 fleets competed in a week of consistent racing over six days, with conditions described as near ideal between the Giens peninsula and the Îles d’Or. The forecast westerlies arrived early, and on the final day the wind built from around 15 knots to 18 knots by the time the ILCA fleets launched, with a gently rippling sea state. A new format introduced two-race finals, increasing the pressure and producing notable shifts in the standings.

“Going into the last race, my team and I played out the two races really well,” Rose said. “I just attacked the race, I knew I was strong in the conditions, and at any chance to slow Eve down I did, and all the cards played out. That second upwind I knew she was in front and I was like, I just need to get my speed back and I made it happen; I tacked on the right shifts and once I was ahead I just kept going until the end and it all worked out – I’m really happy about it!”

Rose added, “I’m going to wake up the next day and do it all over again and work just as hard. A lot of the processes that my coach and my team have been working on for the past year and a half are obviously paying off and we are just going to keep doing that. I won here two years ago and Hyères is one of my favorite venues. Last year, I almost won and ended up fourth, the year before I wore yellow, so Hyères is my favorite spot and to come away with gold means a lot.”

“We’re thrilled with Charlotte’s result, especially in light of the Foundation’s recent and important fundraising annual Auction which makes it possible for us to help athletes like Charlotte reach their goals,” Elizabeth Little, Foundation President said. “Well done Charlotte, we are proud of you.”

Other notable finishes from US teams include Nevin Snow and Ian MacDiarmid who also delivered a strong performance in the 49er skiff class, finishing fourth with 74 points after a strong second half of the event.  Andrew Molleurs and Trevor Bornarth surged to the top of the overall standings after posting consistent finishes in the first half of the week to finish fifth overall, just 4 points behind their American counterparts.

Held annually in Hyères, France, the regatta is one of the premier events on the international sailing calendar, drawing more than 700 athletes from nearly 60 nations to compete across Olympic disciplines.

Results: https://sof.regatta.ffvoile.fr/en/default/races/race-resultsall