Featured
Editor’s Notebook
Could There Be A More Magnificent Class Than France's Ocean-Conquering Ultims?
RC44s Return to Porto Cervo with a Full House
The 44Cup returns to Porto Cervo with 11 teams on the line for the first time since 2016. With new entries, Olympic talent, and a legendary venue, the competition is set to deliver fierce racing in one of sailing’s most iconic settings.
Editor’s Notebook
Could There Be A More Magnificent Class Than France's Ocean-Conquering Ultims?
All together now
A new look and location, but the same Superyacht Cup Palma spirit – writes Phil Riley.
First Green Shoots For The 38th America's Cup?
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli is back on the water, kicking off their America’s Cup training in Cagliari. Their AC40’s first sail of 2025 signals renewed commitment amid recent team withdrawals and hints at progress towards AC38.
Charlie Dalin Is Ready to Defend His IMOCA Globe Series Title
If you follow the IMOCA Class, you will know that Charlie Dalin is a serial race winner, and last season he emerged for the third time in his career as IMOCA Globe Series Champion in a year capped off by a record-breaking victory in the Vendée Globe.
What Should Change for AC38? A Wishlist for the Next America’s Cup
Plenty of rumours are swirling about what AC38’s Protocol will include, but why wait? Here’s my purely speculative take on what should change — from reviving the World Series to spicing up match racing and putting more real sailors on the boats.
Canada Ocean Racing Ups The Ante
Scott Shawyer's Canada Ocean Racing has purchased a proven foiling IMOCA – Emira IV – the boat on which the 11th Hour Racing Team won The Ocean Race and Sébastien Simon finished third in the last Vendée Globe.
NorthStar's Joe Glanfield on Coaching in SailGP's High-Speed Arena
SailGP coaches now operate from F1-style booths, using live data and comms to become vital race-day tacticians. Canadian coach Joe Glanfield explains the balance between performance and development — and why guiding, not instructing, is key to success in this cutting-edge arena.
Optimised for Racing
The latest kit from Henri-Lloyd is designed with regattas foremost in mind.
What Can Fleet Racers Learn From the Match Race Pros?
Watching the 60th Congressional Cup online over the weekend I was blown away by the expertise on show from some of the best match racing crews in the world. I was also struck by how much of what I was watching could be applied by the rest of us mere mortals to improve our fleet racing performance.
Monnin Beats Poole To Win 60th Congressional Cup
At the 60th anniversary of the Long Beach Yacht Club's Congressional Cup, Switzerland’s Eric Monnin finally got his hands on the one prize that's eluded him for years and earned the right to don the event's iconic winner's Crimson Blazer.
Gladiator Claims Victory After Tense Final Day in St Tropez
In the picturesque surrounds of the French Riviera, Britain's Tony Langley and his Gladiator team made a dramatic late charge to secure a career-first victory at the helm on the 52 Super Series circuit.
Poole and Monnin in Control of Congressional Cup Semi-Finals
Light airs and overcast skies added tension and drama to the penultimate day of the 60th Congressional Cup in Long Beach, where the semi-final picture finally came into sharp focus after a day of high-stakes, nerve-jangling match racing.
Congressional Cup Reaches Critical Stage Ahead of Semifinals
With the clock ticking and tensions rising at the 60th Congressional Cup, the fleet’s top skippers and tacticians now find themselves in a familiar place: staring down the fine margins that define the double round robin’s final push.
Editor's Notebook
Ed Gorman’s exploratory post about the movement to revive the Scottish Series sent me tumbling back in time to the seven (I think) editions of this once-iconic regatta that I took part in over the years on the stunningly beautiful Loch Fyne.
Reviving The Scottish Series
Once a highlight of the UK sailing calendar, the Jura Scottish Series is battling falling entries and fading glory. Led by veteran Roddy Angus, organisers and volunteers are fighting to revive the regatta and keep the spirit of Tarbert’s iconic event alive. Ed Gorman finds out more.
Monnin Turns Up the Heat at 60th Congressional Cup
At the 60th Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup, Switzerland's Eric Monnin proved Thursday that experience counts for plenty when the stakes rise. The Capvis Swiss Match Racing Team skipper clicked into high gear, sweeping all three of his races in Round Robin 2 to climb into second overall.
52 Super Series: Gladiator Hits the Ground Running in St Tropez
By the time Tony Langley and his Gladiator crew rolled into Saint-Tropez for the opening salvo of the 2025 52 Super Series, they had already spent ten solid days knocking off the offseason rust.
The Meteoric Rise Of Cole Brauer
The first American woman to race solo around the world will be tearing around Europe this summer aboard a state-of-the-art 60-foot foiling IMOCA. Sean McNeill tracks her 12-year journey from sailing rookie to ocean racing record-setter.
Defender Poole Undefeated On Opening Day of the 60th Congressional Cup
With Long Beach’s classic sea breeze finally filling in after a slow morning, Poole and his Riptide Racing crew wasted no time putting their stamp on the 60th Congressional Cup.
My Favourite America's Cup? AC34 in San Francisco in 2013.
America's Cup fans all have a favourite edition – for me hands down it's the 34th America's Cup held in San Francisco Bay in 2013. Here's why.
Pip Hare Joins Canada Ocean Racing for The Ocean Race Europe
Canada Ocean Racing has given a significant boost to its Be Water Positive Ocean Race Europe campaign with the addition of British offshore sailor Pip Hare, who will sail alongside skipper Scott Shawyer in the four-person crew for the 2025 edition of the race this summer.
The Admiral’s Cup Is Back – And It's About Time
Once hailed as "the unofficial world championship of offshore racing," the Admiral’s Cup is back—and the sailing world is buzzing.
Mixed Doubles
I didn't think I was going to be, but somehow I've found myself hooked on the adventure story that is the 2025 Transat Parec, where a fleet of 19 mixed sex Beneteau 3 crews are fighting it out on a racecourse that takes them from Concarneau, France across the Atlantic to St Barths.
Could this new 45ft foiler be the missing link?
Giuliano Luzzato shares the inside scoop on the Metis 45, which aims to bridge the gap between the avowedly simple Class40 and complex IMOCA.
Runners and Riders for 52 Super Series St Tropez Season Opener
The 2025 52 Super Series season kicks off next week in Saint-Tropez with 11 teams locked, loaded, and ready after months of prep. No clear favorite means wide-open racing on the Côte d'Azur as the world's best TP52 crews chase early glory on one of sailing’s biggest stages.
Matosinhos-Porto Fly-By completes the route for The Ocean Race Europe
With this summer’s edition of The Ocean Race Europe fast approaching, race organizers have confirmed the final piece of the puzzle: a high-stakes Fly-By in Matosinhos-Porto, Portugal, during Leg 2 of the event.
Young Gun Match Racers Assemble in Long Beach for Ficker Cup
There’s no room for faint hearts or fluffed manoeuvres this weekend as eight match racing teams swagger into Long Beach, Ca. for the 2025 Ficker Cup — a bruising, no-second-chances shootout where only two crews will emerge with golden tickets to the big dance: the 60th Congressional Cup.
Billionaire Bailout?
The exit of two billionaire-backed syndicates – Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos Britannia and Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi Red Bull Racing – as potential challengers for the 38th America's Cup is a worrying indicator for the future of sailing's oldest and most prestigious competition.
Heading Home
The 2025 season started well for maxi yachting: first was the RORC Transatlantic Race followed by the latest venture for maxis in the Caribbean, an inshore regatta, the Nelson’s Cup Maxi Series, followed immediately by the RORC Caribbean 600 – reports IMA Secretary General, Andrew McIrvine.
Returning Heroes
When a single point decided the 2024 52 Super Series season championship, no one wants to start the 2025 circuit by giving anything away in the first few races of May's 2025 season opening event in Saint Tropez.
Rob Wilson: Inside The Life Of A SailGP Coach
Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team coach Rob Wilson shares his insights into the evolution of the SailGP coaching role—from limited chase boat support to giving real-time tactical input from a high-tech booth ashore—and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at one of SailGP's most high pressure roles.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing Pulls Out of AC38
There was more bad news for America’s Cup holders Emirates Team New Zealand over the Easter weekend, as Swiss syndicate Alinghi Red Bull Racing confirmed it will not be mounting a challenge for the 38th America’s Cup.
British Vendée Globe Skipper Sam Goodchild
Justin Chisholm’s guest on the Yacht Racing Life Podcast is the British solo around-the-world sailor Sam Goodchild.
Launching into Europe
With military-spec materials, design awards and pro sailor endorsements, Mustang Survival unveils its new ranges of lifejackets and foul weather gear.
Michel Desjoyeaux’s Unforgettable 2008-09 Vendée Globe Comeback Victory
We take an fond look back to 2008-09 when the now legendary French solo skipper Michel Desjoyeaux staged the greatest comeback in Vendée Globe history—starting last but overtaking every rival to win the solo around-the-world race for an unprecedented second time.
Billy Gooderham: Taming the T-Foils
Canada SailGP Team flight controller Billy Gooderham gives an in-depth look at what it takes to fly the SailGP F50 catamarans. From handling the upgraded T-foils, to refining muscle memory and managing complex controls, he breaks down the evolving challenges of this high-stakes role.
The ‘Club’ Problem
Magnus Wheatley explores the challenges facing yacht clubs today – from declining membership to rising costs – and argues that clubs focusing on fun, accessibility, and community sailing, thrive—while those don't, risk decline.
Lebrun Holds Nerve to Win 2025 Finn European Championship
Valérian Lebrun had led from the front for most of the week, but it wasn’t until the very last moments of the final race on Saturday that he could be sure.
Colaninno Surges but Lebrun Maintains Control
The 2025 Open Finn European Championship is edging towards its conclusion with a compelling mix of consistency and resurgence from the the top 10 protagonists.
End of an era: Peter Burling leaves Emirates Team New Zealand
The three-time America's Cup winner's exit comes after he and the Kiwi team failed to agree terms ahead of the 38th America's Cup.
Lebrun Holds Slim Lead as Finn Europeans Head Into Final Days in Italy
As the 2025 Open Finn European Championship moves into its final stretch, France’s Valérian Lebrun continues to lead after six races, though Italy’s Federico Colaninno put in the day’s standout performance to climb into fourth overall with a win and a second on Thursday.
SailGP Rio Cancellation Confirmed After Rig Checks Reveal Structural Flaws
SailGP has officially called off its Rio de Janeiro event, originally slated for May 3–4, after uncovering a structural flaw in the wingsails of several the circuit's fleet of F50 yachts—a safety concern serious enough to bring the globe-trotting circuit to a sudden halt, five events into Season 5.
Opinion: Ainslie Unmoved as Ratcliffe Bows Out
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s America’s Cup story just ended not with a bang, but with a finger-point and a disappearing act. The British billionaire formally stepped away yesterday from what would have been his third Cup campaign—news that came via a frosty press release and landed with a thud.
Revitalised Superyacht Cup Palma Set to Deliver with 29th Edition
There’s a fresh energy pulsing through the Superyacht Cup Palma, and as it prepares to mark its 29th edition this June, the vibe is unmistakably upbeat.
Lebrun Extends Lead on Day 2 of Finn Europeans in Naples
Under the looming silhouette of Mount Vesuvius, the 2025 Open Finn European Championship continued on Wednesday with France’s Valérian Lebrun extending his overall lead to nine points after two more physically demanding and tactically rich races on the Bay of Naples.
Two by Two: The Fastnet's Fiercest Fleet Gathers Steam
Doublehanded racing at the Rolex Fastnet Race isn’t just thriving—it’s now one of the most compelling storylines on the course. With more top-tier short-handed teams and cutting-edge designs on the starting line, the 2025 edition is shaping up to be one for the books.
A synchronised ballet as Sevenstar’s tandem lift manoeuvres 30m racers to the Caribbean
Transporting racing yachts involves complex choreography. If those racing yachts are the 28.3m Bullitt, 30.5m V and 34.5m Galateia, the complexity jumps exponentially, especially when two are loaded in Genoa, and one in Palma de Mallorca.
Lebrun Leads Finn Europeans After Tactical Opening Day in Naples
Under a clear Mediterranean sky, the Gulf of Naples delivered a complex and capricious challenge on the opening day of the 2025 Open Finn European Championship.
Elodie Bonafous: On the Road to the Vendée Globe
With a brand-new IMOCA and her sights set on the 2028 Vendée Globe, Elodie Bonafous is ready to make her mark. Alexander Champy-McLean sat down with France’s latest rising star to find out what drives her, and how she plans to take on the toughest race in sailing.
Francesca Clapcich
Justin Chisholm's guest on the latest episode of the Yacht Racing Life Podcast is Italian / American sailor Francesca Clapcich.
Emma Wilson Leads British Revival In Palma
Under perfect spring skies and a golden Mediterranean breeze, the 54th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca drew to a close on Saturday with British sailor Emma Wilson lifting the event’s highest individual honour: the overall winner’s trophy, awarded to the event's standout performance.
Beckett Secures Fourth Palma Victory as Medal Races Await
As Olympic sailing’s new cycle toward Los Angeles 2028 gathers pace, the 54th Trofeo Princesa Sofía regatta in Palma is set for a dramatic final act on Saturday. Ten classes will contest their medal races in the Bay of Palma’s familiar breeze, but only one sailor will enter without any pressure.
Editor's Notebook
Full disclosure, while doing some 'research' for some stories on the website, I tripped and fell head first down the YouTube rabbit hole. It took me a while to find my way out – and that's why this Editor's Notebook is all about the three great sailing films I came across while I was down there.
Maeder Returns to Top Spot as Trofeo Princesa Sofía Heats Up
For many of the world’s top sailors, the Trofeo Princesa Sofía regatta in Mallorca is not just a competition but a checkpoint—a place to restore momentum, rebuild confidence, and shake off the residual disappointment or rust from a long Olympic campaign.
Paul Goodison on Dual Helming, Simulators, and Collaboration with a Past Rival
On a recent episode of the Yacht Racing Life Podcast Paul Goodison reflected on his AC38 campaign with NYYC American Magic, and peeled back the curtain on the challenges of dual helming, simulator evolution, working with past Laser rival Tom Slingsby, and what it's actually like to steer an AC75.
Britain’s Beckett Extends Lead as Gold Fleet Racing Heats Up in Palma
With classes moving into the Gold fleet phase today at the 54 Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca on Mallorca’s Bay of Palma, so the intensity stepped up and consistency became most important.
Used boats can win
You don’t need a big budget, a shiny new boat, or a crew stacked with pros to be competitive offshore these days. That’s not some clever marketing line—it’s reality.
Featured Photographer: Daniel Forster
“There are no bleachers offshore.” With this simple phrase, Swiss photographer Daniel Forster sums up the ethos behind a career spanning over five decades spent chasing light, wind, and waves in some of the most challenging—and beautiful—conditions on earth.
Fast Company: Martine Grael on Joining the SailGP Elite
After a lifetime of Olympic campaigning and high-performance sailing, Martine Grael was ready for something different—and SailGP was waiting.
The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Campaign Trail Begins in Palma
For Olympic sailors around the world, there’s something about the Bay of Palma in early spring. The sunshine might be hit or miss, but the signal is clear: the long road to the Los Angeles 2028 Games has officially begun.
Rain Resilience and Revelations at the 2025 Hansa and Para World Championships
You don’t come to Pittwater in late March expecting bluebird skies and trade winds. But no one quite anticipated the kind of wild mood swings Mother Nature dished out on the penultimate day of the 2025 Hansa and Para World Championships.
Ragtime Returns: A Legend Reborn for Transpac 2025
If you’ve spent any time on the docks at a major West Coast offshore regatta, chances are you’ve heard the whispers. “That’s the Ragtime.” It’s never just Ragtime. There’s always a pause, a little reverence in the voice.
Fizzing with Innovation
In the offshore apparel market, where heritage counts and habits are hard to break, you’ve got to admire a company like Zhik.
Editor's Notebook
Yacht Racing Life Editor Justin Chisholm shares what's caught his attention in the sailing world this week
Structured Luffs for All
At Europe’s major superyacht crossroads of Palma de Mallorca, the three key experts at the Doyle Sails loft are each involved in projects widely diverse in nature but all sharing a commitment to extract maximum benefit from the company’s groundbreaking Structured Luff technology.
SailGP 2025: A Two-Tier Fleet After First Five Events
We are five events deep into the 2025 SailGP season and the fleet has split into two tiers. In the top group six teams are all jostling for the podium places with just an 11-point gap separating them. Below that, though, there’s a gaping 10-point gulf down to the second tier.
SailGP San Francisco Analysis
A Yacht Racing Life Podcast Episode | Yacht Racing Life editor Justin Chisholm is joined from the UK by Magnus Wheatley as the pair give their independent analysis and commentary on the fifth event of the Rolex SailGP Championship 2025 season which took place in San Francisco, CA this weekend.
The 10th Vendée Globe: A record breaking event of epic proportions
There is no doubt that the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe has raised the bar—on the water, in the media, and in the hearts of millions. Records were shattered, heroes were made, and Charlie Dalin wrote his name in bold across the annals of solo offshore greatness.
A Selfless Spirit: What It Takes to Make It in the America's Cup
The America’s Cup is often seen as the pinnacle of sailing—a glamorous world where only the best of the best get to compete for one of the sport's most coveted trophies. The boats are cutting-edge, the athletes are elite, and the stakes are sky-high.
The Quiet Sailcloth Revolution Gets Louder
In a world where sailcloth innovations are often either overhyped or under-delivered, Dimension-Polyant’s Tyra PLY has managed something far rarer—quiet credibility.
'All to do again' – Tom Dolan launches 2025 Solitaire du Figaro Defence
The spring curtain-raiser is here, and all eyes are on Concarneau as the 49th Solo Guy Cotten lines up to kick off the 2025 French Elite Offshore Racing Championship.
Final Jeopardy Sunday sees Spanish soar in San Francisco as Australians are dismasted
Diego Botin's Spanish crew took control of the fleet on Sunday with a consummate performance that saw them outgun the Canadians and French in the final, while Australia were left picking up the pieces after a startline dismasting.
Canadian Consistency Pays Dividends as San Francisco Bay Delivers
Yacht Racing Life editor Justin Chisholm reports on a scintillating day of racing at the San Francisco Sail Grand Prix
Editor's (San Francisco SailGP) Notebook
This week’s Editor’s Notebook comes from San Francisco, where Yacht Racing Life editor Justin Chisholm is in town to experience first hand the fifth SailGP event of the 2025 season, taking place along the cityfront this weekend.
It’s Good to be a Team Owner in SailGP These Days
Just a quarter of the way into its fifth season, SailGP is close to fulfilling the long-term, commercially sustainable business model that Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts envisioned when they announced the global league in 2018.
Francesca Clapcich announces Vendée Globe campaign backed by 11th Hour Racing
Italian / American sailor Francesca Clapcich has officially announced her bid for the 2028 Vendée Globe, with a campaign backed by 11th Hour Racing and armed with a boat that’s already proved its mettle—Malizia-Seaexplorer.
ROCKWOOL Denmark Sidelined for San Francisco as Season Hangs in the Balance
It’s a hammer blow for the Danes—out of this weekend's SailGP before racing has even begun. Still licking their wounds from a brutal weekend in Los Angeles, they have been forced to withdraw after extensive damage from their run-in with a race mark in LA proved too much to repair in time.
Data and AI Continue to Redefine the America’s Cup
The modern era America’s Cup is often characterised by its breathtaking speeds, cutting-edge yacht designs, and fierce competition on the water. But behind the scenes a secretive world of data analytics, artificial intelligence, and performance management is playing an increasingly crucial role.
The Admiral’s Cup 2025: A Classic Reignited with Global Heavyweights
The Admiral’s Cup is back, and it’s drawing a serious crowd. With 15 top-tier teams already signed up—including heavyweight entries from Royal Irish Yacht Club and Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club—the stage is set for an almighty showdown this summer in Cowes.
The Ocean Race to Return to Auckland
It had to happen. The Ocean Race, that relentless round-the-world marathon that separates the good from the great and the great from the legends, is heading back to its spiritual home in Auckland, New Zealand, for the 2027 edition.
Tributes paid to World Sailing Vice President Line Markert
World Sailing is deeply shocked and saddened to report the death of Line Markert, World Sailing Vice President and a fellow sailor.
Taking on the Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean is a place of fearsome legend—a vast, untamed expanse where the wind screams and the waves tower, where sailors must confront their deepest fears and push their endurance to its absolute limit. British solo ocean racing skipper Sam Goodchild knows this place well.
SailGP Los Angeles Analysis
A Yacht Racing Life Podcast Interview | Justin Chisholm is joined from the UK by Magnus Wheatley as the pair give their independent analysis and commentary on Event 4 of the Rolex SailGP Championship 2025 season which took place in Los Angeles, CA this weekend.
Canadians top the podium after stunning second day in LA
It’s been a long time coming, but Northstar Canada is finally back in the winner’s circle. After two frustrating years of near-misses, new helmsman Giles Scott delivered a statement victory at the Rolex Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix, taking down heavyweights New Zealand and Australia in the process.
Superior starting sees New Zealand Black Foils return to form in LA
The Kiwis lead at the end of opening day in Los Angeles after a blistering performance that included two race wins.
Editor's Notebook
Kylian Mbappé joins France SailGP Team as investor and charity partner There is good news for French SailGP fans on the eve of the Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix their team announces a major investment from French footballer Kylian Mbappé's via his company Coalition Capital. Mbappé’s foundation
Kylian Mbappé joins France SailGP Team as investor and charity partner
The investment comes as the France SailGP Team transitions into full private ownership, led by a consortium of investors supporting French driver Quentin Delapierre – an Olympian and America’s Cup helmsman – along with a powerhouse crew of top French sailing talent.
Nice awarded Ocean Race Europe 2025 stopover
For the first time in its storied history, The Ocean Race will make landfall on France’s Mediterranean coast, adding the city of Nice as a stopover in The Ocean Race Europe 2025.
Congressional Cup at 60 – Poole Chases Historic Three-Peat
Sixty years young and still packing a punch, the Congressional Cup is back, and this year it’s celebrating the big 6-0.
You just won mega millions on the Lottery – but what are you going to race?
You wake up one morning to discover you are rich beyond your wildest dreams. Time to put together your ultimate racing calendar. But which boats would you choose? Yacht Racing Life editor Justin Chisholm already has his plan mapped out.
My America’s Cup Quest
Amateur photographer Michael Silverwood tells the story of his 30-year quest to photograph watch the America's Cup in person.
Stronger Together...
...but Doyle Sails will continue to compete against its former arch rivals.
What do Barcelona’s Big Numbers mean for the Future of the America’s Cup?
Yacht Racing Life is a reader-supported publication for fans of sailing and sailboat racing everywhere. If you enjoy our content then please consider becoming a free or paid member. Having lived and breathed the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona from the inside for over a year – initially as a
52 Super Series to return to Porto Cervo for a thrilling 2025 season finale
From September 22-27, the world’s premier monohull grand prix circuit will take to the stunning waters of the Costa Smeralda, promising a high-stakes season showdown that could once again be decided on the final race.
John Croom: US America's Cup Cyclor
A Yacht Racing Life Podcast Interview. John Croom had an illustrious career as a track cyclist in the US National Team before switching sports to bring his physique and fitness to bear in the America’s Cup with the New York Yacht Club American Magic team AC75 at the 38th Cup in Barcelona last year.
Featured Photographer: Gilles Martin-Raget
This month’s Featured Photographer will need little introduction to regular readers. If you have followed the professional end of our sport over the past several decades then inevitably at some point you will have found yourself captivated by one of Gilles Martin-Raget’s spectacular images.
Will a female skipper ever win the Vendée Globe?
British sports writer Ed Gorman kicks off his regular monthly column on Yacht Racing Life with a thought-provoking question.
Shape of the Future
Marc Lombard Design Group’s highly successful Lift Class40 designs have now evolved into a racer-cruiser – built in the UK at SR Structures in Lymington.
Editor's Notebook
Yacht Racing Life Editor Justin Chisholm shares what's caught his attention in the sailing world this week.
Cut and Paste
The quandary over which of the two British Knights of the Realm – Sir Ben Ainslie or Sir Jim Ratcliffe – will be representing the Royal Yacht Squadron as the official Challenger of Record at the 38th America’s Cup was resolved this week – and in a most discreet and understated way.
Visualising the Invisible
Matthew Sheahan discovers how the answer was blowing in the wind in Barcelona
Taking the load off
It used to be a tough choice for superyachts: either accept very high gearing on the helm or lose the direct feedback from the rudder. Now there’s no need to compromise.
Anderson Reggio: Data Analysis and AI in the America's Cup
A Yacht Racing Life Podcast Interview
What Jimmy did next
US sports writer Bernie Wilson catches up with the inimitable Jimmy Spithill to find out what life ashore has been like for the Australian sailor since his surprise retirement from competition
My time as an America's Cup spy
An insider's view of the 37th America's Cup Joint Reconnaissance Programme
Will cool heads prevail?
The breakup between INEOS and Athena Racing could put British America's Cup hopes back decades
Impressing the unimpressionable
Magnus Wheatley weighs in on the revolutionary foiling technique on display at the recent International Moth World Championship
Glenn Ashby
A Yacht Racing Life Podcast Interview | Joining Justin Chisholm on the Yacht Racing Life Podcast this time is Australian Olympic silver medallist and two-time America’s Cup winner with Emirates Team New Zealand – Glenn Ashby.
Role models
Parents looking for suitable sporting role models for their youngsters to emulate could do a lot worse than Switzerland’s Justin Mettraux and Britain’s Sam Goodchild – the first two non-French entrants to complete the 10th edition of the grueling Vendée Globe single handed around-the-world race.
No furling line required…
New from UBI Maior: an electric version of its Jiber top-down headsail furler
INEOS to challenge for AC38 without Ainslie
Terse corporate statement confirms 'a challenge for the 38th America’s Cup under the team name INEOS Britannia after parting ways with Sir Ben Ainslie.’
An all-time classic
The Rolex Swan Cup has been going great guns for six decades and it’s the enduring appeal of the event that puts it in a class of its own
Beneteau's new Croatian masterclass
A new training programme for First 36 buyers with coaching from pro sailors is part of a drive by Beneteau to help owners get a lot more value out of their boats.
It’s a long way down from here
Synergy between Harken companies ties together high-efficiency rope handling equipment with world class rope-safety and rescue training
Showcasing the future of Yachting
The organisers of the Genoa Boat Show report a record-breaking edition in 2024, staged in their newly redeveloped, purpose-built show ground.
Tom Dolan: From the farm to sailing's top table
A Yacht Racing Life Podcast interview
First Green Shoots For The 38th America's Cup?
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli is back on the water, kicking off their America’s Cup training in Cagliari. Their AC40’s first sail of 2025 signals renewed commitment amid recent team withdrawals and hints at progress towards AC38.
What Should Change for AC38? A Wishlist for the Next America’s Cup
Plenty of rumours are swirling about what AC38’s Protocol will include, but why wait? Here’s my purely speculative take on what should change — from reviving the World Series to spicing up match racing and putting more real sailors on the boats.
Billionaire Bailout?
The exit of two billionaire-backed syndicates – Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos Britannia and Ernesto Bertarelli's Alinghi Red Bull Racing – as potential challengers for the 38th America's Cup is a worrying indicator for the future of sailing's oldest and most prestigious competition.
End of an era: Peter Burling leaves Emirates Team New Zealand
The three-time America's Cup winner's exit comes after he and the Kiwi team failed to agree terms ahead of the 38th America's Cup.
Opinion: Ainslie Unmoved as Ratcliffe Bows Out
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s America’s Cup story just ended not with a bang, but with a finger-point and a disappearing act. The British billionaire formally stepped away yesterday from what would have been his third Cup campaign—news that came via a frosty press release and landed with a thud.
No America's Cup Homecoming As New Zealand Government Rules Out Auckland
For the second consecutive America’s Cup cycle, the holders will not defend the trophy on home waters. Despite months of behind-the-scenes negotiations and public hope for a return to Auckland, Emirates Team New Zealand confirmed today that it will not stage the 2027 regatta in the City of Sails.
A Selfless Spirit: What It Takes to Make It in the America's Cup
The America’s Cup is often seen as the pinnacle of sailing—a glamorous world where only the best of the best get to compete for one of the sport's most coveted trophies. The boats are cutting-edge, the athletes are elite, and the stakes are sky-high.
Data and AI Continue to Redefine the America’s Cup
The modern era America’s Cup is often characterised by its breathtaking speeds, cutting-edge yacht designs, and fierce competition on the water. But behind the scenes a secretive world of data analytics, artificial intelligence, and performance management is playing an increasingly crucial role.
What do Barcelona’s Big Numbers mean for the Future of the America’s Cup?
Yacht Racing Life is a reader-supported publication for fans of sailing and sailboat racing everywhere. If you enjoy our content then please consider becoming a free or paid member. Having lived and breathed the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona from the inside for over a year – initially as a
Cut and Paste
The quandary over which of the two British Knights of the Realm – Sir Ben Ainslie or Sir Jim Ratcliffe – will be representing the Royal Yacht Squadron as the official Challenger of Record at the 38th America’s Cup was resolved this week – and in a most discreet and understated way.
Will cool heads prevail?
The breakup between INEOS and Athena Racing could put British America's Cup hopes back decades
INEOS to challenge for AC38 without Ainslie
Terse corporate statement confirms 'a challenge for the 38th America’s Cup under the team name INEOS Britannia after parting ways with Sir Ben Ainslie.’
Emirates Team New Zealand make history in Barcelona with third consecutive America's Cup victory
Subscribe now Emirates Team New Zealand concluded a historic chapter, winning the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup after an epic final showdown in Barcelona against the Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia, in a single race that ebbed and flowed from the outset but ultimately saw the Kiwis secure victory
Kiwi brilliance takes Emirates Team New Zealand to Match Point in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match
Subscribe now It was a fired-up, proficient and efficient Emirates Team New Zealand that aced the hardest to interpret wind direction here in Barcelona and took two clean races off the fast-charging Challenger of Record, INEOS Britannia who left very little out on the water today but succumbed to a
INEOS Britannia fight back with two wins on fourth day of Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup
Subscribe now A warm and humid day in Barcelona yielded southerly thermal breezes of 7-11 knots for two absorbing races in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match that saw INEOS Britannia, the Challenger of Record, take back-to-back victories to move the scoreline to 4-2. The wins also served
Tight racing as Emirates Team New Zealand take fourth straight win in Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup CUP Match
Subscribe now In a closely fought race that rewarded the most marginal of gains, Emirates Team New Zealand took one more point in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match this afternoon in Barcelona, with a fourth consecutive victory over INEOS Britannia that advanced them to within three points
Start box drama as Emirates Team New Zealand extend to 3-0 in Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Match
There was ruthless execution on display in the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup Match as Emirates Team New Zealand extended their advantage to 3-0 after forcing a penalty on the Challenger of Record INEOS Britannia in the pre-start period of the only race completed today in Barcelona. Conditions were
Emirates Team New Zealand win opening two races of Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup Match
Subscribe now There was a special feeling in the Port Vell, Barcelona this afternoon as Emirates Team New Zealand and INEOS Britannia docked-out of a packed waterway and despite the drizzle, crowds thronged around the harbour as packed pleasure-craft honked horns to send off these two elite teams that are
Drama on fifth day of Louis Vuitton Cup Final as British and Italians remain even at 4-4
Subscribe now The Louis Vuitton Cup Final between INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli is starting to resemble the most tense of penalty shoot-outs. Every time one team feels they have the upper-hand, the other responds and at the end of another truly outstanding day of super-high-octane racing in
Heavyweights all square in electrifying Louis Vuitton Cup Final
Subscribe now The decision to utilise the first Reserve Day of the Louis Vuitton Cup proved to be a far-sighted one by Race Director, Iain Murray, as perfect conditions greeted INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli today for the fourth day of their epic, locked-in battle to win the
All tied in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final as second day's only race is timed out
Subscribe now After a near two-hour delay waiting for a southerly ‘Migjorn’ thermal breeze to eke its way above the wind-limit of 6.5 knots, finally racing got underway between INEOS Britannia and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli just after 1600 CET on the second day of their epic first-to-seven-points Louis
NYYC American Magic: Excellence Determination and Passion
Representing the New York Yacht Club in the America’s Cup comes with a huge amount of responsibility and a serious weight of expectation. The most famous yacht club in the world, the architects of ‘America’s Cup,’ is an elite organisation built on excellence and a reputation that is peerless.
Editors’ Picks
What Should Change for AC38? A Wishlist for the Next America’s Cup
Plenty of rumours are swirling about what AC38’s Protocol will include, but why wait? Here’s my purely speculative take on what should change — from reviving the World Series to spicing up match racing and putting more real sailors on the boats.
NorthStar's Joe Glanfield on Coaching in SailGP's High-Speed Arena
SailGP coaches now operate from F1-style booths, using live data and comms to become vital race-day tacticians. Canadian coach Joe Glanfield explains the balance between performance and development — and why guiding, not instructing, is key to success in this cutting-edge arena.
What Can Fleet Racers Learn From the Match Race Pros?
Watching the 60th Congressional Cup online over the weekend I was blown away by the expertise on show from some of the best match racing crews in the world. I was also struck by how much of what I was watching could be applied by the rest of us mere mortals to improve our fleet racing performance.
The Admiral’s Cup Is Back – And It's About Time
Once hailed as "the unofficial world championship of offshore racing," the Admiral’s Cup is back—and the sailing world is buzzing.
Rob Wilson: Inside The Life Of A SailGP Coach
Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team coach Rob Wilson shares his insights into the evolution of the SailGP coaching role—from limited chase boat support to giving real-time tactical input from a high-tech booth ashore—and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at one of SailGP's most high pressure roles.
Billy Gooderham: Taming the T-Foils
Canada SailGP Team flight controller Billy Gooderham gives an in-depth look at what it takes to fly the SailGP F50 catamarans. From handling the upgraded T-foils, to refining muscle memory and managing complex controls, he breaks down the evolving challenges of this high-stakes role.