Good morning everyone.
America's Cup fans around the world are still waiting to hear precisely which teams will contest the 38th America's Cup in Naples, Italy in 2027.
In the meantime, in the wake of the US Challenger American Magic's announcement that it will not be part of AC38, the team has issued a follow-up statement to New Zealand news outlet Stuff in which skipper Terry Hutchinson hints that the team may return for another tilt at sailing's oldest and most prestigious competition in the 39th edition.
In an interview with the French website Sailorz (ex. Tip & Shaft) Hutchinson's teammate, Dimitri Despierres, explained how he and the rest of the team were briefed on the decision 24 hours before the announcement was made.
The Frenchman, who headed up the mechatronics department for the US challenge, said he was disappointed not to be able to continue where the team left off in AC37.
"We knew it was 50/50, but when you see time passing, you understand that if you’re not fully engaged while Prada (Luna Rossa) or Team New Zealand are, you’re just falling behind," he said. "So at one point, I started to have big doubts, but I still found it hard to believe that we wouldn’t go, in the sense that, with the new rules, I didn’t see any obstacle to us being competitive for the next edition. When you have these assets, that you don’t have to build a hull, but “just” to manufacture foils, with the added possibility of being competitive in terms of sailors, you tell yourself that the Cup won’t ultimately cost you much, so you ask why you aren’t going."
Over on the America's Cup website, Magnus Wheatley took a closer look at the potential of the introduction of a guest racer cockpit aboard the AC75 foiling monohull – surely the most sought after seat in professional sport and a true unique element to sailing's premier sailing property.
In the Transat Café L’OR, France's Tom Laperche and Franck Cammas stormed to victory in the Ultim division, while their fellow countrymen Jérémie Beyou and Morgan Lagravière on board Charal took an equally convincing win in the IMOCA class.
This video report from PlanetSail's Matt Sheahan sums up the intensity of the racing over the final miles of the transatlantic course for the Ultims, Ocean 50, and IMOCA crews.
Recently Emirates Team New Zealand were worthy winners of the World Sailing Team of the Year award, but were we alone in secretly having our fingers crossed that the all-amateur Irish crew aboard the J24 Headcase would edge out the Kiwis for the title? The Irish Examiner newspaper delved deeper into the Headcase crew's backstory.
Never ones to rest on their laurels, the Kiwi America's Cup winners have been back in action in recent weeks as the New Zealand syndicate set their sights on defending the Cup for a third consecutive time.
Likewise, out at their Cagliari base on Sardinia, the Italian challenger Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli – although yet to officially announce a challenge for AC38 – has been busy on the water.
Over in Lorient in northern France the French K-Challenge are believed to be active in their AC40s too – as well as taking a three-part look back on the team's Orient Express Racing Challenge in AC37. Part 1, Part 2. Part 3.
North Sails boss Ken Read may have his Volvo Ocean Race and America's Cup helming days well behind him now, but he made a big enough impact on our sport at the highest levels in his heyday to recently be inducted into the US National Sailing Hall of Fame. In an article on the Sail-World website David Schmitt sits down with Read to take a look back over his illustrious career.
After local British newspaper the Dorset Echo reported that a £9 million state-of-the-art training base for Britain's Olympic sailing team in Dorset has been scrapped, over on his Rule 69 Blog, Magnus Wheatley suggests that "RYA have made arguably a perspicacious call here and avoided the potential for a ‘white elephant’ that sucks away vital resources at a time in the UK where belts are being tightened all round."
Two great stories from Sailing World magazine caught our eye this week...
The first takes us behind the scenes of the 2025 Admiral's Cup campaign led by New York Yacht Club member Ron O'Hanley. "At the time, it seemed like a no-brainer, which was, in retrospect, quite naive,” O’Hanley tells Sailing World editor Dave Reed. “In the end, it was appropriately a heavy lift.”
In the second story Reed sits down with Quantum Racing skipper Terry Hutchinson to debrief the team's eighth TP52 World Championship victory earlier this year in Cascais, Portugal. For balance, you can also check out our earlier interview with Hutchinson on the same topic.
For those of you looking for early sailing-related Christmas gifts why not scoot over to the website of renowned yachting photographer Rick Tomlinson and check out his spectacular 2026 Portfolio and Desk calendars. Both are chock full of Rick's amazing images to help you while away the hours in the office daydreaming about being out on the water. (Do us a favour – tell them you heard about the calendars from Yacht Racing Life).
Quiz Question...
This week's question:
Who was the first person to complete a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the planet? Give yourself a pair of bonus points if you know both the year and name of the boat.
Answer in the next newsletter...
Last week's answer:
The designer credited with creating the famous winged keel used by Australia II to win the 1983 America’s Cup was Ben Lexcen.
Advertise with us...
Our Racing Roundup newsletter goes out to more than 20,000 sailing fans around the world. If you would like to discuss advertising options for your brand, product, or event, get in touch.
