Expert insight and context around sail racing's latest stories.
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Sailing’s Olympic classes, SailGP, the America’s Cup and the Vendée Globe, all showcase our sport at its highest level. But they rarely interconnect. Is sailing missing a chance to dramatically grow its audience by failing to align its biggest competitions?
America’s Cup Defender’s AC75 poised to take flight in Auckland; AC38 late entry deadline looms with rumours of up to three potential additional challengers; Three Vendée Globe superstars return to their Figaro roots
Maybe it was the 07:30 start time in Europe. Maybe it was the light winds on Sydney Harbour turning racing into a driftathon. Or maybe it was that I was watching in between bingeing episodes of Drive to Survive. Whatever the reason, I found myself yawning my way through both days of SailGP Sydney.
This weekend’s third event of the 2026 SailGP season in Sydney, Australia will see the 11 foiling F50 catamarans race as a single fleet as the event organisers look to put the Auckland France/New Zealand crash in the rear-view mirror.
This weekend’s SailGP event in Sydney, Australia looks set for near-perfect wind conditions for F50 racing, with forecasts for the Sydney Harbour racecourse adjacent to Shark Island calling for easterly winds in the eight-to-13 knot range on Saturday and slightly stronger northeasterlies on Sunday.
The initial findings from a technical review carried out by SailGP into the cause of the high speed crash between the New Zealand and French F50 catamarans at the last event in Auckland recently have ruled out any system failures aboard the Kiwi boat.
A past America’s Cup sailor has lodged a legal complaint with the New York Attorney General’s Charities Bureau alleging “serious violations of the America’s Cup Deed of Gift” by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Club – current holders of the America’s Cup.
This weekend’s crash between the French and New Zealand boats competing in the Auckland SailGP event has set the sailing world alight online, as sailing fans around the world weighed in with their opinions on the shocking incident that saw both boats badly damaged and two sailors hospitalised.
A shocking high-speed collision between the New Zealand and French F50s on the first day of the SailGP Auckland regatta has forced event organisers to abandon racing after both boats were badly damaged and two Kiwi crew members were taken to hospital.
Heavy rain and an ominous forecast of thunderstorms for the Auckland area put paid to Friday’s scheduled SailGP practice session. Nevertheless, anticipation is high for a thrilling couple of days of racing action, with the tantalising possibility of a new SailGP speed record adding some extra spice.