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24 hours of sailing news in 5 minutes.
Sailing News for June 30, 2025
From mark collisions in New York to medals on the horizon, sailing’s full spectrum is on display. The U.S. SailGP team had a rough outing, but America One Racing’s youth squad is booming. Ireland’s Optimist sailors are breaking molds, and Foiling Week introduced a dinghy that switches from float to flight with one rig swap. Plus: a crash course in storm seamanship, one sailor’s Olympic build-up, and the 44Cup’s new title frontrunner.
Sail GP/America’s Cup
Penalty Parade: Aussies Rack Up Infractions in New York (4 min read)
The Aussie team had a weekend to forget in New York, picking up more penalties than they had all season combined. Four Part 2 fouls and a mess of boundary calls left them with a shaky 5-1-10-11-5-1 scorecard and a fifth-place finish. Meanwhile, a messy mark-rounding collision earned the U.S. team a four-point penalty and a last-place result. Slingsby admitted the team lacked execution. With 65 protests flying around, it was chaos on foils from start to finish.
Inshore & Offshore Racing
Team Nika’s Golden Wheels Get Shinier After 44Cup Marstrand (4 min read)
Team Nika pulled off a last-minute win at the 44Cup Marstrand, dodging a near meltdown in the final race to beat Aleph Racing and extend their lead on the season leaderboard. GeMera surprised everyone by winning two races and finishing just off the podium, while Charisma kept its tradition alive by winning the post-dinner opener. From broaches to boat swaps and wild downwind runs, this regatta had it all. Next stop is Scheveningen for the Worlds, and it’s game on.
Youth Sailing/Development
Irish Sisters Help Rewrite the Playbook at Optimist Worlds (3 min read)
Three Irish sisters, Maeve, Emily, and Lily Donagh are making history at the Optimist World Championship in Slovenia, leading Ireland’s first all-female squad. They’re not alone. Hong Kong also sent an all-girl team, while India, Paraguay, and the Philippines are each represented by solo female sailors. With 287 competitors from 66 nations, this regatta is where Olympic dreams begin and in 2025, it is the girls who are grabbing the spotlight.
Cruising
Sailing in a Hurricane: How I Escaped Hurricane Beryl (7 min read)
New liveaboard Ben Williams had only owned his 40-foot catamaran for five weeks when Hurricane Beryl came barreling toward Grenada. With no autopilot, limited experience, and a hangover from his birthday curry, he and his family raced south and barely outran the storm. Mangroves were destroyed, boats wrecked, and somehow they made it to Trinidad in one piece. This is a wild, honest, and often funny account of survival, full of rookie mistakes and life-or-death decisions that turned out just right.
A Second-Hand Yacht That Holds Its Value? Here’s How to Get One (6 min read)
Want a boat that holds its value? Look for cult favorites like Hallberg-Rassy, Amel, Ovni, Swan, or Oyster. These brands have loyal followings, solid build reputations, and owners’ networks that are gold for support and resale. The best ones often sell before they ever get listed, so being prepared and plugged in is key. If you’re ready to buy and know what you’re after, you could score a yacht that sails beautifully and stays in demand.
Foiling
Switch Class Captivates at Foiling Week 2025 (4 min read)
The new Switch dinghy stole the show at Foiling Week 2025, turning heads with its flip-of-a-switch versatility. Designed to foil or float with a simple rig change, this singlehander lets sailors swap between displacement and foiling modes in minutes. It’s aimed at clubs and schools but had seasoned pros grinning from ear to ear. Light, fast, and surprisingly stable, the Switch might just be the gateway drug to foiling that sailing has been waiting for.
Spotlight
Riding the Rising USA Tide (5 min read)
America One Racing’s big investment in youth development is paying off with national titles, top international results, and a stacked squad of rising stars. Wingfoiler Makani Andrews is leading the charge after a breakthrough senior debut in Europe and a high-powered training block in Denmark. With the Junior Pan Ams and Senior Worlds on deck, he’s focused, fast, and gaining ground thanks to a tight crew and next-level coaching. This is what the next generation of US Olympic sailing looks like, and it’s clicking fast.
Sailing Highlight of the Day
Young ILCA 7 sailor Hamilton Barclay drops a sharp training edit from late spring into summer as he builds toward the Junior Pan Ams in Paraguay. The clip is all clean tacks, solid pace, and focused intensity. No fluff, just a glimpse of a sailor putting in the work and making real progress. Quick watch, solid energy, and plenty to like.