The Performance Regattas Fast Eddie Cup will bring high-speed foiling sailboat racing to Fairhope this spring, introducing a spectator-friendly format designed to showcase speed, precision and accessibility on the water.

The series, which features identical foiling BirdyFish boats, puts sailors on a circular racecourse where boats lift above the water, creating fast-paced, short heats supported by real-time race data, a news release said. The format is designed to eliminate traditional barriers to entry while delivering continuous action for fans on shore and on the water.

“Fairhope is the perfect place for this kind of racing,” Chris Morrison, founder of the Performance Regattas Fast Eddie Cup, said in the release. “It’s a waterfront community that embraces innovation and sport, and we’re excited to introduce a faster, more spectator-friendly version of sailing.”

The 2026 Fast Eddie Cup season includes eight events across the Southeast, structured into three two-part mini-series. Each mini-series offers a $15,000 prize pool, leading into a “Last Chance Qualifier” and a Grand Final in Pensacola with a $50,000 prize pool.

Fairhope will host two of those events just off the Fairhope Municipal Pier. The first is scheduled for April 10-12, followed by a second regatta June 26-28. Each event is expected to feature up to 15 two-person teams.

Competitors may participate in a single weekend to win an individual regatta or race in both events within a mini-series to compete for the overall title, increase prize earnings and secure a berth in the season-ending Grand Final.

The competition is open to sailors age 15 and older, with participants under 18 required to compete alongside an adult. Registration for both Fairhope events is available at www.performanceregattas.us.

Spectators can view the races from the end of the Fairhope Municipal Pier during the April event at the following times:

• Friday, April 10 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saturday, April 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunday, April 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.