The Tribune

By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

Sienna Jones has booked her ticket to a national championship after the young Bahamian sailor battled her way onto the podium at the 2026 Midwest Interscholastic Sailing Association (MISSA) Single-Handed Championship.

Jones, a member of the Culver Academies Class of 2028, placed second in the girls' International Laser Class Association (ILCA) 6 division at the championship in Belmont, Chicago, Illinois, earning a berth in the 2026–2027 Interscholastic Sailing Association (ISSA) Single-Handed Championship, also known as the Cressy Trophy.

The national championship is set for October 31–November 1, 2026, at the American Yacht Club in Rye, New York, where Jones will represent Culver Academies.

Jones finished the MISSA championship with a net score of 14 points. Ella Bowers of Minnetonka High School in Minnesota won the division with 11 points, while Cate Baldwin of Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago was third with 16.

The second-place finish came after Jones put considerable work into her preparation, particularly in boat handling, speed and race strategy.

“It was exciting,” Jones said. “I put a great deal of effort into training before the competition, working on my boat-handling skills, speed, and race strategy. To see this work pay off in competition against the best female sailors in the region was validating and gave me confidence moving forward to nationals.”

Jones, 16, has been building her sailing résumé for several years.

She started sailing in the Optimist class at nine years old through the Lyford Cay International School Sailing Program before moving into the ILCA classes.

In 2024, she claimed top honors at the Bahamas Junior ILCA 4 National Championship, Sir Durward Knowles National Junior Championship in the ILCA 6 class, KPMG Youth Winter Championship and Midwinter East Championship.

Jones also finished fifth in the ILCA 4 division at the 2024 North American Championship, part of the North American Grand Prix.

Her ability to adjust to changing conditions played a major role in her latest result.

“On the first day of the regatta, the conditions were shifty, and it took a great deal of observation to develop a winning strategy,” Jones said. “I had to be forward-thinking, so that I could place myself in the right position to take advantage of the shifts in the wind.”

Jones was one of just two sailors from the 18-person field to qualify for the Cressy Trophy. She is also among 12 female sailors who earned a place in the national championship.

The event brings together some of the top high school single-handed sailors in the United States, with competitors tested on their tactical decision-making and boat-handling skills.

Jones said she expects the competition in New York to be demanding but sees the opportunity as another chance to improve.

“I expect the regatta to be very competitive, especially with it being the top 12 female sailors in the United States,” Jones said. “I am training very hard for the event, and I will learn a lot from racing with such strong athletes. This will make me a better sailor.”

With a national championship now ahead, Jones will have another opportunity to compete against some of the best young sailors in the country while representing both Culver Academies and The Bahamas.

“I hope to represent both Culver Academies and The Bahamas well,” she said.