Welcome to Issue 022
SailGP transfer deals rumble on
We begin the final Yacht Racing Life Racing Roundup of 2025 with more transfer news from SailGP.
The biggest news here – although perhaps not the most surprising – is Kiwi Andy Maloney's move from Mubadala Brazil to complete the star-studded line-up at the Swedish-flagged Season 6 newcomers Artemis.
Prior to switching to the Brazilians for Season 5, Maloney was the long-time flight controller for Peter Burling’s New Zealand Black Foils crew.
The New Zealand sailor is a three-time America’s Cup winner with Emirates Team New Zealand and a key member of the Kiwi campaign to defend the Cup for the third consecutive time at AC38 in Naples in 2027.
His move to Artemis sees him join fellow Emirates Team New Zealand sailors Nathan Outteridge (helmsman) and Chris Draper (wing trimmer) aboard the Swedish F50, completing a trio that – on paper at least – is one of the league’s most potent ‘speed groups’.
Meanwhile, over in the French camp, team bosses Bruno Dubois and Stephan Kandler have made moves to boost their team's prospects for the coming season, with the re-recruitment of Englishman Leigh MacMillan as wing trimmer (replacing the outgoing Kevin Peponnet), as well as securing the services of French supercoach Philippe Presti from Red Bull Italy as the new Team Manager.
Also joining the line-up are grinder/trimmer Bruno Mourniac and reserve sailor Enzo Balanger, while Amélie Riou returns to the team as reserve strategist.
Read more on the French changes here.
The final swap – for now at least – sees Australian Olympic gold medallist Will Ryan jump from the BONDS Flying Roos to join Red Bull Italy as a grinder/reserve.
Podcast: NorthStar SailGP Team CEO Phil Kennard
My guest on the latest episode of the Yacht Racing Life Podcast is Phil Kennard – CEO of the Canadian NorthStar SailGP Team. We had a wide-ranging conversation that covered Phil's early life as an Olympic campaigner as part of the 49er squad within the British Sailing Team, to his extended periods within Formula 1, professional golf's PGA Tour – as well as a spell with Ben Ainslie's first British America's Cup campaign.
Raceboat of the Week
HH Catamarans HH66 LEE OVERLAY PARTNERS III
The HH66 catamaran is a high-performance, luxury sailing yacht designed for those seeking speed, comfort, and cutting-edge technology.
Built by Hudson Yacht Group and designed by Morrelli & Melvin, the HH66 blends carbon fibre construction with a sleek, modern aesthetic to deliver both lightness and strength.
At 66 feet in length, this cruising catamaran offers an ideal balance between powerful sailing capabilities and luxurious onboard living.
One of the standout features of the HH66 is its use of advanced materials and construction techniques. Sixteen large solar panels provide an environmentally friendly power source.
The hulls and structural components are made from carbon fibre, reducing weight and increasing stiffness, which translates into faster, more responsive sailing.
Inside, the HH66 is equally impressive, featuring a spacious saloon, a modern galley, and four double cabins with en-suite bathrooms. Large windows and skylights provide excellent natural light and panoramic views. The interior is fully air-conditioned and equipped with large refrigerators.
LEE OVERLAY PARTNERS III is a custom HH66 configured to be equally at home on the racetrack or at anchor. She is specified with race sails that are robust and lightweight, and twin helm positions aft that offer excellent vision, comfort, and safety for racing and for watchkeeping.
She has a separate sail-handling cockpit forward, so lines are all kept safe and away from the leisure cockpit aft.
Professionally maintained since her launch, she offers an exceptional combination of speed, style, and comfort—whether used for competitive sailing or blue-water cruising. She appeals to sailors who demand top-tier performance without sacrificing the luxury and amenities of a high-end yacht.
Thai Queen Suthida wins historic SEA Games gold medal with sailing team
Queen of Thailand Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana has helped the national sailing team to a historic victory, securing the gold medal in the SSL47 keelboat event at the 33rd SEA Games with one race to spare.
The sailing competition, held from Dec. 15 to 18 at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Sattahip, Chonburi, marked the debut of the SSL47 keelboat class in a SEA Games.
On Wednesday, the third day of competition, Queen Suthida boarded keelboat SSL47 number 6 to compete directly in the sixth and seventh races in the Gulf of Thailand. Facing rivals from Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Myanmar, the Queen served as the team's tactician and navigator.
According to Bangkokbiznews, this role was crucial for reading wind direction and currents to adjust tactics amidst constantly changing sea conditions. Her accurate calculations allowed the boat to optimize speed, while her use of a compass helped analyze favorable and unfavorable factors in complex wind and wave conditions.
British IMOCA skipper Pip Hare gives TED Talk
Pip discussed her heartbreaking 2024/25 campaign to be the first woman to ever finish the Vendée Globe twice and her long physical and psychological journey back when her race catastrophically ended 800 miles south of Australia dead in the water alone and without help.
A time for reflection at Luna Rossa
As 2025 draws to a close, it is time for reflection at Luna Rossa. A look at the team and its journey toward the 38th America’s Cup takes shape through two complementary perspectives: that of Josh Junior, who joined the sailing team in April and is experiencing his first months at the base, and that of the team’s long-standing photographer, Carlo Borlenghi, returning to Cagliari with an experienced and familiar eye. Between sailing, safety training and end-of-year reflections, the team is already looking ahead to 2026 and the new challenges that lie ahead for Luna Rossa.
Sodebo powers south on latest Jules Verne Trophy attempt
Life aboard Thomas Coville’s Ultim maxi trimaran Sodebo is steadily improving for the seven-strong crew as the French foiling multihull powers its way south at record pace on the team’s latest tilt at the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest nonstop lap of the planet by sea.
Road to Gold Opti Tech Talk
This week the Road to Gold coaching platform brought together two of the sharpest national coaches in Opti sailing: Omari Scott (USA) and Ton Thörn (SWE) – a pair that has spent years coaching sailors at the very front of the fleet – and asked them to share exactly what it takes to get there.
If your goal is to be fast in 2026 – not “occasionally fast,” but consistently, predictably, championship-level fast – this one’s for you.
These two have spent countless hours analysing what separates the fleet leaders from everyone else: the trim habits, boat feel, micro-adjustments, and decision-making patterns that turn raw speed into race-winning speed. In this video they break it all down for us.
‘NEXT GEN 27’ AND THE AMERICA’S CUP TROPHY
With preparations well underway in Naples ahead of the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup in the summer of 2027, the America’s Cup trophy and the Louis Vuitton Cup were shown to pupils at the Marie Curie Industrial Technical Institute in Naples as a remarkable initiative – ‘NEXT GEN 27’ – was launched.
Working together with The Ministry of Education and Merit, America’s Cup Events has activated a widespread educational path capable of actively involving students and teachers through training experiences, both creative and participatory. An initial three-day workshop for students under the tagline: Sport & Scuola (Sport and School) represents the first step in a structured programme leading up to the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup 2027 in Naples.
America's Cup Defender hard at it in Auckland
As 2025 draws to a close, Emirates Team New Zealand are not winding down for the holidays just yet. Instead, the Hauraki Gulf has become the stage for high-intensity internal competition, with the team maximising their time on the water with two-boat racing in the AC40s.
