Features

86 posts

Expert insight and context around sail racing's latest stories.

SailGP trial new 27-metre wingsail for possible use in Season 5 Grand Final

SailGP is in the final stages of testing a 27 metre wing sail configuration that could be used as early as the 2025 Season 5 Grand Final in Abu Dhabi in November.

British Olympic campaigners take to social media over proposed Medal Race changes

British Sailing Team members Micky Beckett and John Gimson have made their feeling's public on World Sailing's proposed plan to modify the Medal Race format at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

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Ferrari Hypersail Update

Last week I made a ‘trains, planes, and automobiles’ round trip to attend an update presentation on Giovanni Soldini’s Ferrari Hypersail project at the spectacular all-new North Sails loft in Genoa, Italy.

Editor's Notebook

Naples planning to do AC38 in style | Artemis Racing joins SailGP for Season 6 | Time to rethink the Olympic Medal Race

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Supercharging the America's Cup

The new AC38 Protocol promises to end the America’s Cup’s boom-and-bust cycles, and ushers in a more dynamic, inclusive, and commercially viable future for sailing’s most prestigious prize. Here's why I think the future is bright...

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AC38 back on track after Defender and COR ink bold new Protocol

The Protocol for AC38 has been signed, introducing a new partnership model, budget caps, fleet racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup, no new AC75s for existing teams, five-person crews including a mandated female sailor, battery power, the return of the Youth and Women's ACs, and no non-compete clause.

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Editor's Notebook

Peter Lester 1954 – 2025 | Are there signs of détente in the long-running America’s Cup dispute? | Spectacle and drama in Kiel at the start of The Ocean Race Europe 2025

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Admiral’s Cup 2025 – What went well – and how to make it even better

With the dust now settled on the 2025 edition of the Admiral’s Cup I thought it would be a good time to celebrate the many successful elements of the event – and also to reflect on what I think could be improved on for the next edition, which is scheduled for 2027.

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Simon Fisher’s 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race weather and routing outlook

With light to moderate winds forecast, this year's Rolex Fastnet won’t be a record‑breaker, but according to legendary British navigator Simon Fisher, it could be brutal on the brain – with moderate breeze, tricky tides, and a high‑stakes routing game from Cowes to Fastnet Rock and on to Cherbourg.

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Admiral's Cup: Old heads and new tricks

The Admiral’s Cup returns with inshore and offshore challenges testing veterans and newcomers alike. After three races, Monaco and Hong Kong lead the standings, with New Zealand and Italy close behind. Crews are relishing the mix of conditions and some classic Solent complexity.

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SailGP draws the crowds as the Admiral's Cup returns to the Solent

I am in England’s sailing capital, Cowes on the Isle of Wight, soaking in the heady atmosphere at the first Admiral’s Cup to be held in 22 years. But I also sneaked away over the weekend to catch the action at the SailGP event in nearby Portsmouth.

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Enzo Balanger’s Garda Breakthrough

France’s Enzo Balanger claimed the 2025 Moth World Championship on Lake Garda with a week of near-flawless racing. Tom Slingsby stormed back for second, while Kiwi Jacob Pye sealed third and the Youth title in a stacked fleet of Olympic medallists and rising stars.

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