It’s a sailboat race that dates back to the Reagan-era, a long-held tradition that brings out some of the best young boaters from around the world to Orange County.
The Governor’s Cup race got underway Wednesday, July 30, just offshore in Newport Beach, the boats visible through the afternoon from the beach town’s piers as the young sailors navigated the open ocean.
Justin Callahan, from Biscayne Bay Yacht Club (USA), left, and Ethan Fong, from Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (NZL), during the Governor’s Cup off the coast of Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dylan Sih, from Newport Harbor Yacht Club (USA), left, Josh Hyde, from Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (NZL), center, and Justin Callahan, from Biscayne Bay Yacht Club (USA), during the Governor’s Cup off the coast of Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Siena Nichols, from Balboa Yacht Club (USA), left, and Victor Melchoir – Royal Danish Yacht Club (RDYC), during the Governor’s Cup off the coast of Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Adam Leddy, from Greystones Sailing Club (IRL), left, and Siena Nichols, from Balboa Yacht Club (USA) during the Governor’s Cup off the coast of Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Dylan Sih, from Newport Harbor Yacht Club (USA), left, Ethan Fong, from Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (NZL), center, and Josh Hyde, from Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (NZL), during the Governor’s Cup off the coast of Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Adam Leddy, from Greystones Sailing Club (IRL), left, Theo Westerlind, from Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club (SWE), center, and Dylan Sih, from Newport Harbor Yacht Club (USA), during the Governor’s Cup off the coast of Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Justin Callahan, from Biscayne Bay Yacht Club (USA), sails during the Governor’s Cup off the coast of Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Adam Leddy, from Greystones Sailing Club (IRL), left, and Theo Westerlind, from Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club (SWE), during the Governor’s Cup off the coast of Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Theo Westerlind, from Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club (SWE), left, and Victor Melchoir, from Royal
Danish Yacht Club (RDYC), during the Governor’s Cup off the coast of Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Theo Westerlind, from Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club (SWE), left, and Victor Melchoir, from Royal
Danish Yacht Club (RDYC), during the Governor’s Cup off the coast of Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Justin Callahan, from Biscayne Bay Yacht Club (USA), left, and Ethan Fong, from Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (NZL), during the Governor’s Cup off the coast of Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Justin Callahan, from Biscayne Bay Yacht Club (USA), left, and Ethan Fong, from Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (NZL), during the Governor’s Cup off the coast of Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The race, put on by the Balboa Yacht Club since 1967, started when then Gov. Ronald Reagan granted the “Deed of Gift” for the Governor’s Cup to encourage youth racing throughout the state.
The invitation-only match race regatta was started by sailors Chet and Glee Purcell, who had a vision for a national competition for young sailors that would mimic the internationally recognized Congressional Cup Regatta.
Many of the racers who participated in the Governor’s Cup over the years have gone on to bigger stages, some taking titles at the Congressional Cup in nearby Long Beach or even winning the prestigious America’s Cup.
International teams started showing up in 1989, with sailors drawn from Australia, Brazil, Ireland, New Zealand and Spain.
Sailors can not be older than 23 years of age.
Boats are towed from the harbor to the ocean, where robots connected to satellites and controlled remotely mark the race course.
The boats are provided for the regatta, with several different models used through the decades. In 2003, the Balboa Yacht Club debuted the “Governor’s Cup 21s,” which were built specifically for Newport Beach’s weather.
In 2016, for the 50th anniversary, 12 new “GovCup 22s” were built by the famed yacht designer and BYC staff commodore Alan Andrews.
Spectators can watch the race each afternoon from the beach at 15th Street or the Newport Pier.
“Not only are they trying to get to the finish line first, but it’s also about being offensive and defensive when you are sailing,” said Susan Kenney, press coordinator for the event.
Among the 12 teams participating this year are crews from Ireland, New Zealand and Sweden. Sailor Siena Nichols is representing the Balboa Yacht Club and Morgan Pinckney and Dylan Sih are from Newport Harbor Yacht Club.
