America's top ranked male and female sailors say competing in their home country gives them an edge
) - Pensacola Bay is home this week to the 2026 International WASZP Games, the first time the world championship has ever been held in North America. The WASZP is a one-design racing sailboat that uses retractable hydrofoils to fly above the water, where skill matters more than equipment.
Over 70 sailors from 12 countries are competing for the top spot through Saturday, including Pensacola’s own Alejandro Galavis, who at just 13 years old is racing against some of the best foilers in the world. “I feel like it’s going to teach me the WASZP. I have all these people that’s teaching me to help me rig my boat and helping me learn,” Galavis said. Among the favorites are Gavin Ball, the country’s top ranked male sailor, and Pearl Lattanzi, the top ranked American female who won the world championship last year. Both say competing on home soil gives them a real edge. “Anything you want you can make happen in 30 minutes compared to when I had to travel to Europe if small logistics falls out of place it causes days and days of problems,” Ball said. “We also just have a lot of time on the water here in Pensacola because we’ve spent a lot of time training here the last couple of years, so it feels very comfortable out on the water so we’re just going to go for another sail and this time it’s racing the world’s best,” Lattanzi said. Calm water and steady winds made for perfect racing conditions on day two. But Ball says every race demands total focus. “You’re working all parts of your body while also having your mind run on overdrive reading the wind, seeing the calculations and keeping up with the rest of the fleet,” Ball said. Both Ball and Lattanzi have been near the top of the leaderboard through two days of racing and say it would mean a lot to win this year’s games in their home country. “Everyone I know, my whole team is here, my coaches, my supporters so it would be really special to win again here,” Lattanzi said. “I’ve spent more time here in Pensacola than I’ve spent at home this year so it would mean a lot to win it here and share it with the people I know and love,” Ball said.Chuck Norris, martial arts master and actor, dies at 86WCSO provides update after Walton Middle School stabbing
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