Knowles Defends Sunfish Junior National Title in Exuma

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EXUMA , BAHAMAS – Drake Knowles is back on top of Bahamian junior sailing, successfully defending his title at the 2026 Bahamas Sunfish Junior National Championship in Exuma.

Sailing for the Mack Knowles Junior Sailing Club, Knowles finished first overall with four first-place finishes in four races, recording a perfect four points in the competition held at Elizabeth Harbour.

Ki Anno Hutchinson of the Exuma Sailing Club finished second with 15 points, while clubmate Sonny Ampleman also finished with 15 points to claim third on the tiebreak.

The championship attracted 27 sailors representing clubs from across The Bahamas, with competitors from Exuma, Long Island, Nassau and other communities taking part.

Kaylee Burrows of the Exuma Sailing Club was the highest-placed female sailor, finishing sixth overall with 30 points.

Knowles’ latest victory adds to an impressive junior sailing résumé. He won the 2025 Sunfish Junior National Championship and also claimed the 2025 Optimist National title, continuing to establish himself as one of the country’s leading young sailors.

The event, hosted by the Exuma Sailing Club and the Bahamas Sailing Association Sunfish Class, concluded on October 25.

Soccer

The Bahamas Under-15 Boys’ National Football Team is testing itself against international competition at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The 14-member squad, led by Head Coach Alexander Thompson and Assistant Coach Marcel Joseph, entered the opening round against teams from Group W, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Myanmar.

The Bahamians suffered defeats in their opening matches, but the tournament offers more than a traditional group-stage campaign. FIFA’s format ensures every team continues playing through the final matchday, with sides placed into performance tiers after the initial round-robin stage.

Matches are played eight-a-side, with two 20-minute halves and unlimited substitutions, providing a different competitive environment for the young players.

Thompson said preparation centred on three principles: character, consistency and courage, with an emphasis on winning individual duels, supporting teammates and playing with confidence and creativity.

Bahamas Football Association Technical Director Bruce Swan described the event as an opportunity to measure the country’s youth development against international standards, while allowing players and coaches to bring new knowledge back to the local game.

The festival runs through October 31 and also includes life-skills activities and opportunities for young players to interact with peers from around the world.

Basketball

Bahamian national team guard Franco Miller Jr. is making an early impact in China’s top professional basketball league, despite a difficult start for his new team.

Playing for the Ningbo Rockets in the Chinese Basketball Association, Miller has scored in double figures in three of his first four regular-season games.

His best performance so far came on October 24, when he led Ningbo with 23 points in an 86-77 loss to Guangdong Dongguan.

Miller also scored 16 points in his regular-season debut against Beijing and added 13 points and eight assists against Shanxi.

Through Ningbo’s first four games, Miller is averaging about 14.8 points and 7.3 assists per game. However, the Rockets remain winless at 0-4.

The Bahamian guard is looking to build on his first NBA G League season with the Santa Cruz Warriors as he continues his professional career on the international stage.

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