Charlotte Rose Climbs to the Top at Hyeres

Charlotte Rose’s expression upon winning ILCA 6 gold at Semaine Olympique Francaise in Hyeres, France, is fitting given the battle she waged through the regatta. Sailing Energy

Following her win at the 57th edition of the Semaine Olympique Francaise in Hyeres, France, Charlotte Rose was in the comfort of her home in Houston, laid up on the couch nursing a cold, with Mo, her lab SPCA mutt, at her feet. The ILCA 6 sailor wasn’t feeling great when we caught up with her but she was very proud of her hard-earned trophy. It is the second time she’s stood atop the podium with gold in Hyeres; last time was in 2024 just as she was embarking on her first Olympic quad.

“It feels really good and I’m really happy with my performance; it wasn’t easy,” Rose says. “This fleet, I think, every season just gets harder and harder.”

No matter that she currently ranks number one in the world, Hyeres was hard for Rose; she ended the qualifying series in 14th place and climbed back to take a 2-6 in the medal series.

Her regatta golden moment was more than just one well calculated move, she recalls with her characteristic thoughtful intensity.

“Honestly, it was the entire week. We had a variety of conditions and I’ve really been working on my light-wind technique, trying to stay focused and attack every single race. I feel really proud that I can look back on the entire regatta knowing I never for a second took my foot off the gas. I just tried to keep doing the right thing, like the next move, I was always trying to pass another boat and attacking every single race.”

She continued, “Looking back on the medal races, I wouldn’t say my performance was perfect but I feel really proud about my mental process going into that day, like I needed to get the job done and I did it. So yeah, I’m really, really proud about it.”

I have things I need to work on, and other people have other things they need to work on. It seems like it is always up and down in this fleet.

—ILCA 6 Olympic hopeful Charlotte Rose

Rose, now 26, is known on the circuit for her deeply focused demeanor. A member of the America One Racing team, Rose is one of few American women to have accomplished success in the ever-challenging ILCA 6 class in the past few decades. While she missed out on the 2024 Olympic berth—it went to Erika Reineke—Rose took all she could from the experience and is folding that into her game plan for LA2028, fully aware that the ILCA is a difficult class to conquer.

“I think the ILCA 6 and 7 fleets are among the hardest fleets to sail; there’s always someone different at the top and the racing is always super close but that is sailing; some people are gonna win, some people are gonna lose. I have things I need to work on, and other people have other things they need to work on. It seems like it is always up and down in this fleet.”

Anna Tunnicliffe-Tobias, a powerful mentor to Rose, was one of her first coaches as far back as Rose’s early participation in the Olympic Development Program. The two-time Olympian in the Laser Radial (2008, 2012) and four-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, Tunnicliffe-Tobias agrees that the ILCA 6 (formerly known as the Laser Radial) requires an elevated approach.

“The ILCA 6 is a class that relies heavily on fitness, tactical awareness, and decision-making,” Tunnicliffe-Tobias says. “Unlike many other boats where sailors can adjust settings and rigging to suit changing conditions, the ILCA 6 is a strict one-design class. The boats are essentially identical, which means performance comes down almost entirely to the sailors themselves. In a fleet as deep and competitive as the ILCA 6, even the smallest mistake can have major consequences.”

Tunnicliffe-Tobias holds the rare privilege of winning gold (2008, Beijing) in the Laser Radial making her gold medal that year the first for an American female sailor in 20 years – and since. She places value on the age-old maxim: experience.

The one-design simplicity of the ILCA puts success not on the boat but on the sailor, the fleet management, and especially the start. Sailing Energy

 “As with anything in sailing, experience matters. In the ILCA 6, where there are very few variables to adjust on the boat itself, gaining experience becomes even more valuable. I truly believe that U.S. sailors are fast. When we compete internationally, we are not far behind in straight-line speed, if at all. Where we tend to struggle more is in the strategic side of racing. The international racing style is different from what most sailors experience in the United States, mostly because of fleet depth and strategy. The more situations’ sailors encounter, the more they learn how to manage races, minimize mistakes, and capitalize on opportunities.”

In her second quad, with years of experience in the boat, Rose is not only consolidating these skills but also working on a different focus: herself in conjunction with her training.

“I’ve kind of changed my mindset going into this quad. I really thought about if I were to do another one, how would I do it? I sat down with Leandro Spina (A1R executive director), and told him I wanted to be the best version of myself at the end of the day, and at the end of this quad, I want to stand up on that podium at LA 2028 and be proud of all the work I have done in the past four years.”

It’s early in the season but with two successful 2026 Olympic Class Regattas – both part of the Sailing Grand Slam Series— under her belt (she finished fourth overall  in Palma just weeks before Hyeres) Rose is in a good space. She’s learning to work with the new shorter medal race format (see below), and with an on-going nemesis—her confidence.

“In Hyeres I did really well with my starts in all conditions. With the shorter format, I think starting has become more of an important factor, if you don’t have a good start then you’re already behind. My starts and speed off the start, boat maneuvering and having a good downwind technique is make or break, especially in a big fleet like ours. Looking back, I think the Palma result was about my confidence, and I also had different support in Hyeres. I had a lot of friends around me, plus Hyeres is just a great environment. We had a great week of racing; it was super sunny and pretty the entire week.”

Rose’s regular coach is multiple championship winner and Olympian Nick Thompson, from Britain, who was a significant role model for Rose as a young ILCA 6 sailor, and Olympian Eve McMahon, who won gold  in Palma earlier in the year and is currently ranked No. 1 in the ILCA 6 class, is her training partner. Rose also trains with the British squad in addition to her work with A1R.

“All of us are super fit,” Rose says. “I see the British girls in the gym and we’re always pushing each other out on the water, it’s really good. My inspiration is Anna, she was like my first coach at ODP, and she really did whip us into shape.”

Rose says she is thriving as a member of the A1R team; the coaching from Charlie McKee, the help of a physio, and just the togetherness that comes with being part of a team.

“It’s fun to have our entire team hang out and be together. That was almost the best part of the Hyeres,” Rose says. “I’m really happy with A1R; I feel like it’s a very good fit for where I am right now as an athlete. It’s just such a great model and it works for all the athletes. We’ve got a really strong group at the moment, it’s a great vibe, we all get along and we’re all learning together, I can take that energy into the water. It’s the side of racing that you don’t consider just how important it is.”

New Medal Race Format for Sailors LA028

The Progression: The opening series seeds the fleet, with the top 10 advancing to finals day.

Leaderboard Compression: Total points are adjusted going into the final to compress the leaderboard. No sailor can carry more than a 9-point margin to the competitor directly ahead/behind, and athletes ranked 4th to 10th cannot be more than 18 points in arrears of third place.

The Final Series: Instead of a single “medal race” with double points, the final is now contested across two single-point races for all 10 boats. (Source Yachting World Magazine)

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