WELCOME TO THE INTERNATIONAL LIGHTNING CLASS
The Lightning, a 19-foot trailerable centerboard sloop, designed by Sparkman & Stephens as an affordable family day sailor and racing boat. She has evolved into one of the most popular and competitive one-design racing classes in the world. The Lightning's rig is simple, but offers sophisticated sail shape controls. The hull features a unique hard chine design that combines the stability that provides sail-carrying power, with flat bottom sections that promote planing. There's room in the cockpit for two couples or a family to daysail. The Lightning is easy to launch and light enough to trailer with ease. In the event of a capsize, she can be righted and sailed dry by her crew. Get "The Best of Both Worlds." Get into a Lightning!
Lightning Regattas – 2013
Click on link above to view still calendar
         75th Anniversary Slideshow
3D Lightning
Lightning Ski Weekend 02/2/13-02/3/13
Houston YC Midwinter Regatta 02/9/13-02/10/13
Deep South Regatta 03/9/13-03/10/13
Lightning Midwinter Championship 03/11/13-03/13/13
Winter Championship 03/14/13-03/17/13
TX District Champ & SW Circuit Regatta 03/23/13-03/24/13
Western Carolina Springboard Regatta 04/6/13-04/7/13
2nd Annual Virginia Moonshine Regatta 04/13/13-04/14/13
SSA Spring 04/20/13-04/21/13
Long John Regatta 04/27/13-04/28/13
Burl Harmon Memorial Indiana Open 05/4/13-05/5/13
McIntosh Cup Regatta 05/4/13-05/5/13
Doc Gilbert Potomac Cup 05/4/13-05/5/13
No Gas 05/11/13-05/12/13
Lake Lansing Tune Up Regatta 05/11/13
Spring Classic 05/18/13-05/19/13
Hernando DeSoto Regatta 05/18/13-05/19/13
Early Bird Regatta - 2013 NAs Site 05/18/13
Leukemia Cup Regatta 05/18/13
Southeastern District Championship 05/18/13-05/19/13
Salinas-Tomine Champ - date moving TBD 05/24/13-05/26/13
Memorial Day Regatta 05/26/13-05/27/13
Memorial Day One Design Fleet 301 Opener 05/27/13
PNW District Champ &Vancouver Lake Regatta 06/1/13-06/2/13
Spring Regatta 06/1/13-06/2/13
Celebration of Spring 06/1/13
Lighthouse Regatta 06/1/13-06/2/13
Bayview One Design Regatta 06/1/13-06/2/13
Fleet 301 Spring Regatta 06/1/13-06/2/13
Intl Master & European Championships 06/3/13-06/7/13
World Championship 06/7/13-06/14/13
Dixie District Championship 06/8/13-06/9/13
Boyne City Regatta 06/8/13-06/9/13
Miss Valley Districts & Mid Continent 06/8/13-06/9/13
NJ Governors Cup 06/15/13-06/16/13
Caz Flash Bash 06/15/13-06/16/13
Brant Beach Annual Regatta 06/15/13
Ohio Districts at Cowan Lake 06/15/13-06/16/13
Lake Erie Districts 06/22/13
Metropolitan Districts & Magnus Pedersen 06/22/13-06/23/13
Midwest District Championship 06/22/13-06/23/13
Bay City Open Regatta 06/22/13-06/23/13
SSA Summer Series I 06/22/13-06/23/13
Michigan Women/Junior Championship 06/28/13
Michigan District Championship 06/29/13-06/30/13
Canadian Open Championship 06/29/13-06/30/13
Champagne Regatta 06/29/13-06/30/13
CT/RI District Championship 06/29/13-06/30/13
Great Lakes Championship @ North Cape YC 07/6/13-07/7/13
Lightning Lab @ Surf City YC 07/12/13
Central Atlantic District Championship 07/12/13-07/14/13
Kitsilano Invitational Regatta 07/13/13-07/14/13
SSA Summer Series II 07/13/13-07/14/13
CNY District Championship & Open Regatta 07/20/13-07/21/13
L.I. Lightning Districts 07/20/13
California District Championship 07/21/13
Evans Regatta 07/27/13-07/28/13
Atlantic Coast Championship 07/27/13-07/28/13
Finnish Championship 08/9/13-08/11/13
Down Bay Invitational Regatta 08/10/13-08/11/13
BCC Youth Invitational Regatta 08/11/13-08/12/13
2013 WJMs NA Championships 08/14/13-08/17/13
2013 Lightning North American Championship 08/17/13-08/23/13
Duck Challenge 08/24/13-08/25/13
The Brotz Regatta 08/24/13-08/25/13
LDYC 5th Annual Lightning Regatta 08/24/13
Crescent Sail Yacht Club Regatta 08/24/13
Massabesic Regatta 09/7/13-09/8/13
SSA Fall Series 09/7/13-09/8/13
Whitecap Regatta @ Pontiac YC 09/7/13-09/8/13
PRSA President''s/Leukemia Cup 09/7/13-09/8/13
Bruce Goldsmith Regatta @ Devils Lake YC 09/14/13-09/15/13
Caz-One-Day 09/21/13
Red Flannels Regatta 09/21/13-09/22/13
Cotton Pickin'' Regatta 09/21/13-09/22/13
Red Flannels Regatta 09/21/13-09/22/13
Southampton Yacht Club Fall Regatta 09/21/13-09/22/13
Philadelphia Cup 09/28/13
Last Blast Regatta 10/5/13
Fall Blowout @ North Cape YC 10/12/13
Fleet 301 Leaf Peeper 10/12/13-10/13/13
PA Gov Cup 10/12/13-10/13/13
62nd Frigid Digit 10/19/13-10/20/13
Wild Oyster Regatta 11/9/13-11/10/13
Youth World Championship 06/28/14-07/2/14


Racing Results, Photos & Reports
Click on link above to view all results
5/11      LSC Lightning Tune-Up Regatta
Lake Lansing Sailing Club/Fleet 387, Haslett, MI
  1. Ryan Flack
  2. Mark Allen
  3. Trey Rose
5/10-5/11      No Gas Regatta
Severn Sailing Association-Fleet 329/Annapolis, MD
  1. Allan Terhune, Katie Terhune, Sam Parisi
  2. David Starck, Jody Starck, Ian Jones
  3. Ched Proctor, Meredith Killion, Jamie Ewing
5/4-5/5      Doc Gilbert Potomac Cup
Potomac River Sailing Association-Fleet 50, Washington, DC
  1. Steve Constants, David Constants & Mike Constants
  2. Justin Coplan, Trevor Prior & Jason Phelan
  3. Richard Hallagan, Rick TinEyck & John Steiner
5/4–5/5      Burl Harmon Memorial Indiana Open
Indianapolis Sailing Club-Fleet 279, Indianapolis, IN
  1. James Taylor, Carl Taylor, George Aver
  2. George Sipel, Jeff Hagman, Steve Morrow
  3. Michael Thomas, Bill Thomas, John O'Brien
  • NEW! ILCA Office Schedule: Please note that the ILCA Class Office will be operating on a limited function from May 29 - June 19 due to the 2013 ILCA European, International Master and World Championships. Memberships may be processed and posted on the website during this time but membership cards will not be sent until the end of June. If you need to reach the class office, please use email, office@lightningclass.org  Sail Royalties or store merchandise ordered during this time will not be shipped until after June 20th. Please plan accordingly. Remember Father's Day is Sunday, June 16th - Please remember to order before May 27th!
  • 2013 World, Master and European Championships The 2013 ILCA World, Master and European Championships will be held at the Club Velico Castiglionese in Castiglione del lago, Italy. June 3-14, 2013. Information  World Area Allocation List    USA Qualifier List   NOR   NEW! Regatta Website
  • NEW! 2015 Pan American Games: The Lightning has been chosen by PASAF to be included in the 2015 Pan American Games that will be held in Toronto, Canada - July 10-26, 2015. 7 total spots (including one by host country Canada) are open for Mixed Crews. Country Qualifier Schedule.
  • NEW! US Sailing Championship of Champions Regatta: The Columbia Sailing Club is hosting the 2013 Championship of Champions Regatta, October 24th – 27th on Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina. This event will be sailed in Lightnings. Boats are needed, please consider supporting this event - letter from organizing committee/call for boats/volunteers. For more information please visit the Regatta Website
  • Wooden Lightning Events: For more information about Classic Lightnings Click Here! or visit our Active Message Board    2013 Classic Lightning Rally - August 14-17, 2013 Nyack Boat Club, Nyack, NY
  • 2014 Youth World Championships - Location - Buffalo Canoe Club, Point Abino, Canada. Event dates: June 28-July 2, 2014. More Information
  • Notice of Meetings - The next meeting of the International Lightning Class Association Governing Board (District Commodores, Vice Presidents and Executive Committee Members) will be held on Sunday, June 9the at 0900 during the World Championships at the Club Velico Castiglionese in Castiglione del lago, Italy. One proposed temporary amendment pertaining to the 2014 Youth World Championship will be voted on. Reminder** Governing Board Members, written reports may be submitted to the Class Office prior to Monday, May 27th for inclusion in the meeting materials. The Annual Meeting of the International Lightning Class Association will be held on Monday, June 10th at 1800 during the World Championships at the Club Velico Castiglionese in Castiglione del lago, Italy. The Nominating Committee has announced the 2013/2014 Slate that wll be voted on during this meeting. Please note that all dues must be current in order to record a Governing Board Member or Fleet Captain's Vote.
  • Lightning Labs! A Lightning Lab is typically a two day sailing clinic aimed to improve skills for Lightning sailors of all abilities. It is run by a coach with extensive experience in the Lightning.  Boat handling drills, starting practice, tuning and sail trim are common themes. No matter what your skill level, there is always something to learn. A lab is also a real fleet-building activity. Lightning Labs are supported by the ILCA Fund. Please contact George Sipel Lightning Lab, VP if you would like more information and/or schedule a Lightning Lab.
  • 2013 ILCA Boat Grant Program! The Boat Grant Committee is please to announce this years recipients. Mitch Hall (24) and his team of Ali Blumenthal and Brooks Clark are from Charleston, SC and will be sailing with the Charleston Fleet. Colin Smith (22) of Fort Lauderdale, FL and his team of Fred Strammer from Sarasota, FL and Lucas Adams of Middletown, RI are or were all members of the Brown University sailing team.  The team will be based out of Boston, MA and will be racing in most of the east coast regattas this summer. 2013 marks the 7th Season of the Boat Grant Program. To date 70 young adults have experienced the Lightning Class through the Boat Grant Program. 8 are now boat owners and nearly half are still active in the Class! Thank you to the generous ILCA Members for making this program possible. Program Information     2013 Recipient Press Release
  • Special 75th Anniversary Photo Project! Get more details on this special 75th Anniversary Project, the party list and also available, Special 75th Anniversary Merchandise: Hats, Men's polo's and new Women's sized polos.
  • 2013 Atlantic Coast Championship will be held on July 27-28, 2013 at the Carolina Yacht Club, Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. The NOR has been posted and the regatta website is up. Please review the posted NOR. A special ACC participants meeting has been announced for Saturday evening. Attendance by all skippers registered for the regatta is needed. Decisions will be made to change the date for future ACC Championships.
  • 2013 North American Championships have been awarded to Cedar Point Yacht Club, Westport, CT home to Fleet 126 and the Women's, Juniors and Masters' North American Championships to Nyack Boat Club, Nyack, NY home of Fleet 75. WJM's August 13-17 and NA's August 17-23, 2013. The 2013 Junior North Americans will be the US qualifier for the 2014 Junior Worlds to be held at the Buffalo Canoe Club, Ontario, Canada. The Executive Committee has set the qualifying ratio to 1:1 for the NA's! Make your plans to attend today! Please note that the 1:1 quota still requires you to qualify via your District Championship Regatta. Event Website  Fun for the entire family!
  • 2014 Southern Circuit - 1 year trial of just two venues: Miami Midwinter Championship -sailing Sunday-Tues March 16-18 and St Petersburg Winter Championship - sailing Thurs-Sat, March 20-22, 2014. *Awards Banquet will be Saturday night, March 22nd.
  • 2015 World Championships - Location - Buffalo Canoe Club, Point Abino, Canada. Event dates have not been set yet, but will most likely be scheduled around the 2015 Pan American Games, Toronto, Canada (July 10-26, 2015).
  • International Fleet Development Initiative Report - an ILCA Fund project.  6th container arrived in Chile 11/2011! Container arrives in Australia! Photo
  • If you have old Flashes from 1976, 1977, or 1978 and are willing to donate them to the Class, please contact Laura at office@lightningclass.org.