Seattle’s Brian Ledbetter on the Winning Team at the Etchells North Americans

The 2025 Etchells North American Champions about to spray the champagne: Luke Lawrence (holding big trophy), John Kostecki (not pictured), and Brian Ledbetter (3rd from left) on team ‘Bayou Hustler’. Team organizer Rod Hagebols (2nd from right) and Coach Fuzz Spanhake (2nd from left).

One of the biggest one design events in North America next year will be the 2026 Etchells World Championships in San Diego. The teams and the San Diego Yacht Club got a good practice event under their belts this last weekend at the 2025 North American Championships. Seattle's own Brian Ledbetter was on the winning 'Bayou Hustler' along with Skipper Luke Lawrence and John Kostecki.

Before we get into last weekend's results, a bit of a review. The 2024 and the 2025 Etchells Worlds were held in Australia. With the 2024 event in Fremantle and then in Brighton for the 2025 Worlds. Aussie Graeme Taylor won both events. Brian's team very nearly won in 2024 but finished 2nd in an event clouded by protest/redress troubles and finished in seventh place in 2025. Brian was sailing with Andy Beadsworth driving in those events in the land down under, but this last weekend was sailing with Luke Lawrence in San Diego while Andy was winning the Dragon Worlds in Vilamoura, Portugal.

The just completed 2025 North Americans had some crazy place changes in the last three races. However, the story about 'Bayou Hustler's' win can't be told without talking about Peter Duncan first. Peter, hailing from American Yacht Club in Rye, NY, has been tearing up the J/70 Miami circuit this winter winning Event 2 of the Bacardi Invitational Winter Series, the Bacardi Cup Invitational, and the J/70 Midwinters. After five races had been completed (and the throw out would not come into play until after the sixth race), Peter Duncan was still counting a 22nd in race 2. He had won race five which moved him from 9th to 5th place. Then he continued his march with a third place in race six (the last race on Saturday). Overnight crews had to be doing some serious statistical modeling to calculate the effects of the throw out and the five boats that still had a shot at the title.

Brian and 'Bayou Hustler' finished 2nd in race 6, so they carried the lead in the regatta into the final day. Peter Duncan and his team on 'Oatmaeal' started Sunday in 3rd in the regatta, and in between them in second was Simon Cooke from Royal Akarana Yacht Club in New Zealand on 'New Order' who had lead the regatta since race 2.

OK, enough set up, now the fun starts. In race seven, 'Bayou Hustler' and Simon Cooke's 'New Order' end up 12th and 11th. We don't know if they pushed each other back, but being in a fight for first, it seems likely. Peter Duncan continues his march with another third -- putting him in the regatta lead by 2 points. So, Peter Duncan's regatta standing had gone from 9th to 5th to 3rd to 1st in the last 4 races. He just needed to stay ahead of Luke/Brian and within 5 of Simon in the final race.

The eighth and final race of the regatta was won by Matt Reynolds from San Diego Yacht Club, second went to Jim Cunningham from St Francis Yacht Club, and third to Simon Cooke, fourth to Luke/Brian/John on 'Bayou Hustler' and Peter Duncan and his team on 'Oatmeal' had to count a 12th. Luke Lawrence, John Kostecki and Brian Ledbetter took back the lead and won the 2025 Etchells North American Championship by 3 points.

Here is a place changes chart to help you visualize how much fun it must have been to watch that last race.

Press release and link to full results and photos

Correction: This article has been changed to correctly reflect that there were two races on the final day (it had been three).