Brad Read of Middletown outlasted his younger brother Ken in a three-day battle to win the DF95 National Championship on Sunday, completing 14 races of remote-controlled sailing at Sail Newport.
The victory came down to the final day of competition, with Brad holding off Ken by three points. Brian Shores of Lakewood, Texas, finished third, followed by Peter Feldman of Harrison Township, Michigan, in fourth and Tony Gonsalves of Bridgetown, Barbados, in fifth.
“Don’t call these toy boats,” Brad Read said. “These are every bit as serious and competitive as big boat sailing.”
Brad Read is executive director of Sail Newport, which hosted the event.
Sailors from across the United States, Barbados and the United Kingdom traveled to Newport for the event, which required regional qualification. The racing took place in Brenton Cove adjacent to the Sail Newport Sailing Center, drawing crowds to watch the miniature vessels navigate the course.
The weekend featured varied conditions typical of October sailing in Newport. Sunday brought a southerly breeze of 9 knots that built to 14 knots by day’s end, allowing organizers to complete five races across four flights.
Brad dominated Friday’s racing before Ken seized the lead Saturday, setting up Sunday’s decisive finale.
“After the first race today, I felt like I was going pretty fast and I didn’t have to take chances,” Brad said of his conservative strategy. “I stayed away from people.”
Both brothers are world-class sailors with numerous championships. Ken, president of North Sails, was recently inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame.
“The success I had this weekend was due to the push” from Ken, Brad said. “I would not be nearly as good as I’ve gotten without him pushing me.”
The Newport Model Sailing Club co-hosted the event with Sail Newport. The fleet grew in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s addicting, I love it, and it’s made me a better sailor,” Ken said.
