08/31/2026
INAUGURAL AMBASSADOR CUP BRINGS GREAT LAKES 70 RACING TO DETROIT’S RIVERFRONT
Santa Cruz 70s deliver spectacular close-to-shore racing as OHANA claims the inaugural Ambassador Cup
DETROIT — August 31, 2026 — The inaugural Ambassador Cup concluded Sunday on the Detroit River after a weekend that brought the Great Lakes 70 fleet and Santa Cruz 70 racing directly to downtown Detroit, giving spectators along the Riverwalk an unusually close view of some of the Great Lakes’ most impressive racing yachts.
Rain Sunday morning didn’t stop the fleet, Race Committee or volunteers from showing up and showing Detroit what sailors are made of. Once racing was underway, conditions improved enough to deliver another day of competitive racing on the Detroit River.
After the storms moved through, however, they took much of the wind with them. Combined with the Detroit River’s strong current, conditions eventually became unsuitable for the quality of racing expected at the Ambassador Cup, and the Race Committee made the decision to conclude racing.
That current proved to be one of the defining characteristics of racing in Detroit.
As the 70-foot boats worked the course and sailed toward the U.S. shoreline, the combination of current and local wind conditions produced significant tactical opportunities, at times bringing the fleet remarkably close to the Riverwalk. Spectators found themselves with a front-row view of the action—on some passes, close enough that competitors aboard the boats were actually talking with people watching from shore.
It created a spectator experience rarely seen in big-boat sailing.
THE GREAT LAKES 70s COME TO DETROIT
The Great Lakes 70 fleet represents an important part of Great Lakes sailing and offshore racing history. These powerful 70-foot racing yachts were built for speed and serious offshore competition, with boats of this type having long histories connected to some of the most celebrated distance races in North American sailing.
Individually, a Santa Cruz 70 under sail commands attention. Bringing four of them together on a starting line and racing them through the heart of downtown Detroit created something entirely different.
The Ambassador Cup brought together OHANA, DYNAMIS, EVOLUTION and TRIDENT for level GL70 competition sanctioned by the Great Lakes 70 Class Association.
Rather than sending the fleet miles offshore, the Ambassador Cup was designed to put these boats where people could experience them. The combination of 70-foot racing yachts, commercial shipping, strong river current and the Detroit skyline created a sailing venue unlike a traditional offshore regatta.
For the competitors, the Detroit River presented an entirely different tactical challenge. Current, shoreline effects and changing wind conditions rewarded crews that could quickly read the river and adapt.
The result was close, highly visible racing that showcased both the performance of the GL70s and the skill of the sailors aboard them.
OHANA WINS THE INAUGURAL AMBASSADOR CUP
OHANA, owned and skippered by Tor Hough, captured the inaugural Ambassador Cup.
DYNAMIS, owned and skippered by Brien Baker, finished second, followed by Chris Saxton’s EVOLUTION in third and Kent Colpaert’s TRIDENT in fourth.
For the Ambassador Cup Organizing Authority, however, the weekend represented something larger than the final results.
“Our goal from the beginning was to bring sailing to the city,” said Kent Colpaert of the Ambassador Cup Organizing Authority. “We wanted people walking along the Riverwalk to be able to stop and experience these incredible boats racing right in front of them. What we didn’t anticipate was the amount of support and enthusiasm we would receive from across the city.”
Throughout the weekend, spectators gathered along the Detroit Riverfront, photographed the racing and shared images and videos across social media. People who had never planned to attend a sailboat race simply stopped along the waterfront to watch four 70-foot racing yachts compete in front of downtown Detroit.
The response from the competitors was equally enthusiastic, with sailors praising both the quality and uniqueness of racing on the Detroit River.
“We saw people who may never have watched a sailboat race before stop what they were doing and watch,” Colpaert said. “These boats are impressive anywhere, but seeing four 70-footers racing together through downtown Detroit is something completely different. At times we were close enough to shore that we were talking to spectators on the Riverwalk as we raced by. That is exactly the kind of connection between sailing and the city we wanted to create.”
A PROUD MOMENT FOR THE AMBASSADOR CUP
The Ambassador Cup served as the Organizing Authority (OA), with the Great Lakes 70 Class Association serving as the Sanctioning Authority for the event.
The inaugural Ambassador Cup was made possible through the commitment of the Great Lakes 70 Class Association, GL70 owners and competitors, Race Committee, volunteers, sponsors, community partners and the many organizations that supported bringing the event to the Detroit River.
For the Organizing Authority, the level of citywide support surpassed expectations.
“Our goal was to bring sailing to Detroit,” Colpaert said. “We accomplished that, but what surprised us was how strongly Detroit responded. We saw people stopping along the Riverwalk, taking pictures, asking questions and then sharing what they saw with others. The feedback from competitors and spectators alike has been extraordinary.”
The inaugural event demonstrated the potential of combining serious sailboat racing with one of the country’s most active urban waterways and putting the competition directly in front of the public.
“This first year showed us what is possible,” Colpaert said. “Detroit has an extraordinary waterfront, the GL70s put on an incredible show, and together they created something people genuinely wanted to see.”
Planning is already beginning for the 2027 Ambassador Cup, with the Organizing Authority looking to build on the success of the inaugural event.
“We came here to bring sailing to the city, and Detroit showed up,” Colpaert said. “Now we build on it.”
2026 AMBASSADOR CUP RESULTS
1st — OHANA — Tor Hough
2nd — DYNAMIS — Brien Baker
3rd — EVOLUTION — Chris Saxton
4th — TRIDENT — Kent Colpaert
ABOUT THE AMBASSADOR CUP
The Ambassador Cup is a Detroit-based sailing event created to bring competitive big-boat racing directly to the city’s waterfront. The Ambassador Cup serves as the Organizing Authority (OA), with the Great Lakes 70 Class Association serving as the Sanctioning Authority.
Racing on the Detroit River creates a unique spectator-focused sailing venue connecting Great Lakes sailing, Detroit’s maritime heritage and the public along one of North America’s most recognizable urban waterways.
MEDIA CONTACT
Ambassador Cup Race Office
[email protected]
ambassadorcup.com
