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Sailing News for August 25, 2025

Offshore headlines roar this week as Black Jack set a new Palermo-Montecarlo record while Manticore topped the IRC standings, and Hamilton Island Race Week celebrated 40 years with 155 boats and plenty of trophies. X-Yachts revealed its XR41, a weapon built for ORC domination, while the Fireball Worlds on Lake Garda turned into a British showcase. Cruising stories remind us of practical wisdom, from when to replace standing rigging to a mother-daughter duo conquering the Melbourne Osaka Cup. Plus, Switzerland’s SailGP team pedals toward a greener future. For inspiration, today’s highlight relives the raw grit of the reborn Golden Globe Race.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

Platz Eins or Bust: X-Yachts’ New XR41 (6 min read)
X-Yachts is gunning for ORC dominance with the new XR41, a sharp-bowed, gennaker-loving machine that can hit 14 knots and still swap into a comfy cruiser in under three hours. The Danes poured serious design muscle into hull shapes, ballast, and sail plan, and it shows. Twenty boats are already sold, nearly all to hardcore racers. With Jesper Radich and other top crews lined up for the ORC Worlds, the XR41 is built for one thing: finishing first.

Black Jack Smashes Palermo-Montecarlo Record, Manticore Takes the Crown (5 min read)
The 20th Palermo-Montecarlo had everything: fast breezes, thunderstorms, and a new record from Black Jack 100, which stormed home in just under 39 hours. It was the yacht’s seventh line honours in the race and third big win of the season after Gotland Runt and the Fastnet. But under IRC it was Manticore’s moment, topping the standings by more than six hours. With 41 boats on the line and the Maxi Offshore Challenge season wrapped, all eyes now shift to the Rolex Middle Sea Race.

Champions Crowned at Hamilton Island Race Week’s 40th Edition (6 min read)
More than 155 boats wrapped up a sun-soaked week at Australia’s Hamilton Island Race Week, celebrating its 40th anniversary in style. Marcus Blackmore’s TP52 Hooligan, steered by Gavin Brady, dominated Rating 1, while Seeking Alpha topped Rating 2 with a near-perfect scorecard. Ray Roberts’ Team Hollywood owned the Super 40s, and the multihulls saw everything from sleek Gunboats to family cruisers taking trophies. With divisions packed from trailer yachts to 60-footers, this year proved why HIRW remains the must-sail regatta Down Under.

Olympic Class/Dinghy Sailing

British Teams Shine at Fireball Worlds on Lake Garda (4 min read)
Lake Garda turned on its classic conditions for day two of the Fireball Worlds with sunshine, steady Ora breeze, and a racecourse that rewarded the cliffs. DJ Edwards and Vyv Townend (GBR) tightened their grip on the lead with a 3-1, while six British crews now sit in the top ten. Aussies Brendan Garner and Ben O’Brien hold second, with Czech and French teams also pushing into the mix. Ireland leads the U25 and the mixed categories are heating up too with strong challenges.

Cruising

When Should You Replace Standing Rigging? (6 min read)
Standing rigging isn’t forever, and waiting until it snaps could cost you your mast or even your insurance payout. Surveyor Ben Sutcliffe-Davies says check it properly every 5 years, budget for a full replacement at 10 to 15, and keep an eye on hidden wear like toggles and furlers. Some rigs fail in as little as seven years if they’re never taken down. A few hundred quid on inspections now could save you a £20k heartbreak later.

Mother-Daughter Duo Conquer the Melbourne Osaka Cup (8 min read)
Annette Hesselmans and her daughter Sophie Snijders took their 49-foot Najad cruiser Fika on the 5,500-mile Melbourne Osaka Cup, the world’s longest longitudinal yacht race. They battled stuck halyards, squalls, lightning, and days of drifting in the doldrums before blasting into Osaka Bay in a nail-biting duel that finished just minutes behind a rival. Thirty-eight days at sea tested their resilience but also deepened their bond, proving that family grit can carry you through the toughest ocean miles.

Sustainability

Swiss SailGP Team Goes Pedal Power to Cut Carbon (4 min read)
Forget cars, the Swiss SailGP squad is swapping horsepower for pedal power. Grinder Matt Gotrel biked 184 km to the UK event, saving 40 kilos of CO₂, and now he’s eyeing a 600 km ride from Saint-Tropez to Geneva over Tour de France climbs. CEO Boet Brinkgreve even sold his own car in favor of an e-bike. The team is also partnering with H55, the solar aviation pioneers, to tackle bigger travel emissions. Sailing fast and riding greener.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Imagine racing solo around the world with no GPS, no autopilot, and only a sextant to guide you. The Voyage of Madmen follows the 2018 revival of the legendary 1968 Golden Globe Race, where 18 sailors set off and only five made it back. It’s a raw, emotional story of knockdowns, broken masts, rescues, and sheer stubborn human spirit. Robin Knox-Johnston, the original hero, returns as a guiding presence while a new generation gambles everything to chase the same dream.