JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville University alumna Charlotte Rose won the 2026 International Laser Class Association 6 Women’s World Championship yesterday in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland.
Rose is the first American woman to win the event since Paige Railey in 2005.
The victory marks a major milestone for Rose as she prepares for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The ILCA 6 is a one-person dinghy raced at the Olympic level and more than 100 boats competed at this year’s world championship, compared to just more than 40 boats in Olympic competition.
Rose, who graduated from Jacksonville University in 2022, reflected on joining the roster of past world champions. “It feels really great. It’s the cherry on top of the season,” Rose said. “It’s something you dream of your entire career. I have this big plaque with all the previous winners and they’re Olympic gold medalists, medalists of all kinds and such amazing sailors. To be part of that is just so crazy to me.”
Jon Faudree, head sailing coach and waterfront executive director at Jacksonville University, watched Rose clinch the victory alongside the current JU sailing team from their team van shortly before competing at a regatta. While many current team members have never met Rose, her impact on the collegiate program remains significant.
“It’s hard for people outside the sport to really appreciate what an accomplishment this is,” Faudree said. “Charlotte really helped put us on the map and to be a part of that journey was definitely emotional for me.”
During her time at Jacksonville University, Rose won back-to-back singlehanded national championships in 2021 and 2022, earned two Collegiate All-American honors and captained the sailing team while training with the U.S. Sailing Team.
Two years prior to her world championship, Rose finished second at the 2024 World Championships and third at the U.S. Olympic Trials, narrowly missing a berth for the Paris Games.
Rose said the disappointment of missing the Paris Olympics changed her approach to the sport. “I feel like losing the Olympic Trials doesn’t define me anymore,” Rose said. “That chapter’s closed and I wanted to be a different person and approach this campaign a lot differently than I did the last one.”
Rose has shifted her training focus to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. “The goal is obviously still the same,” Rose said. “I’m looking for a gold medal in LA. I just keep pushing, keep training and put my head down, always striving for more.”
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