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Sailing News for September 04, 2025

SailGP is loading into Saint Tropez for one of the fastest stops of the season with tickets already nearly sold out. Offshore, Ambrogio Beccaria survived a blackout scare to claim a dramatic Ocean Race Europe win in Genoa while Magnetic Island wrapped with sunshine, spinnakers and countbacks. Olympic classes saw France’s Laurent Hay take the Finn Gold Cup lead in Cascais and Melges unveiled the brand new 19. Junior sailors impressed at the Cadet Worlds in the Czech Republic. For cruisers, the Dufour 44, Laser 16 retrospective, and a lineup of 2025 boat show debuts steal the spotlight. And in today’s highlight, a wingfoil ride turns a monster wave into pure magic.

Sail GP/America’s Cup

Saint-Tropez Loading: Race Times and Map Confirmed (4 min read)
SailGP is back on the French Riviera and the stage is set for one of the fastest stops of the season. Saint-Tropez hosts the ROCKWOOL France Sail Grand Prix on September 12–13, with tickets already gone for Saturday and Friday nearly sold out. Expect two days of tight fleet racing before a three-boat shootout decides the winner. With France riding high after victory in Germany and the season leaderboard razor-close, this weekend could make or break who gets to Abu Dhabi for the Grand Final.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

Magnetic Island Race Week Comes to a Close as Winners Declared (7 min read)
Sunshine, spinnakers, and plenty of countbacks wrapped up a cracking week at SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week. Daguet 2 edged Hartbreaker for Division 1 on tie-break, while Kate Leeson’s Wazza Red Boat stole the spotlight in Division 4 with her first-ever regatta at the helm. Multihull honors went to Storm Bay by a single point, and other divisions saw just as much drama, including birthday wins and last-race heartbreakers. With perfect weather, lively socials, and close racing, Maggie proved again why it’s the north’s favorite regatta.

Beccaria Survives Blackout Scare to Win in Genoa (6 min read)
Ambrogio Beccaria turned a near disaster into hometown glory, steering Allagrande Mapei to victory in Leg 4 of The Ocean Race Europe. A mid-race power outage left the crew sailing blind for an hour at night before Morgan Lagraviere fixed the alternator, keeping them in the fight. Team Paprec Arkea closed within eight miles on the final approach, but Beccaria found breeze and held on for a triumphant Genoa win. After crashing out of Leg 1, this comeback couldn’t have been scripted better.

Olympic Class/Dinghy Sailing

From Zenda Comes The New Melges 19 (6 min read)
Melges just dropped the 19, a three-person rocket built with Reichel/Pugh that slots neatly between their hot Melges 15 and bigger scows. At just 395 pounds with a deep, comfy cockpit and 319 square feet of kite to light up downwind legs, this boat screams speed without being twitchy. It’s aimed at crews of all shapes and sizes, with a sweet spot around 500 pounds. Price tag: $34,500. First stop for racing? The new Melges 19 Winter Series in Florida this December.

2025 Finn Gold Cup: Hay Leads After Day 2 in Cascais (5 min read)
France’s Laurent Hay jumped into the lead at the Finn Gold Cup after snagging a race win on a light and shifty Day 2 in Cascais. Italy’s Arkadii Kistanov took the other bullet, while Alessandro Marega (ITA) and Valerian Lebrun (FRA) kept pressure on in second and third overall. With black flag casualties thinning the fleet and winds barely breaking 10 knots, it was a test of patience and positioning. Stronger breeze is forecast for Thursday, setting the stage for a big shake-up.

Youth Sailing/Development

International Cadet Worlds: Aussie Juniors Shine on Lake Lipno (5 min read)
Royal Geelong’s juniors lit up the 2025 International Cadet World Championship in the Czech Republic, with Jack Benyan and Louis Davis grabbing bronze in a stacked 79-boat fleet. Benyan also scooped the under-16 and under-15 helm trophies, marking him as one to watch. Teammates Charlie Stephens and Jack O’Brien finished 7th, while the youngest crew in the fleet, Will Garner and Jack Jones, stormed home 12th. From podiums to personal bests, RGYC’s squad showed serious depth on the world stage.

Cruising

Laser 16: The Trailer-Sailer That Punched Above Its Weight (7 min read)
Back in 1987, the Laser 16 showed up as the dayboat/weekender nobody knew they needed. Bigger-feel than her 16 feet, she handled like a “proper” yacht on the water yet could still be hauled around by a family car. With a self-draining cockpit, clever reefing, a tent option for overnighting, and that classic Bruce Kirby pedigree, she proved both fun and family-friendly. Not quite a Wayfarer killer, but definitely a boat that made sailors stop and think: maybe this trailer-sailer thing could actually work.

14 of the Most Exciting Boats to Watch at the 2025 Boat Shows (8 min read)
Boat show season is here, and 2025’s lineup is stacked. From the Italians flexing at Cannes with the new Swan 51, CNB 62, Ice Yachts and Grand Soleil 65, to the multihull madness of Balance’s sleek 580, McConaghy’s MC68, and Lagoon’s spaceship-like Eighty 2, there’s something for every taste (and budget). Add in debut models from Beneteau, Jeanneau, and Excess, plus wild cards like the Tortue 147 “turtle boat,” and you’ve got a dockside spectacle worth the airfare.

Dufour 44: Evolution at Sea (7 min read)
The new Dufour 44 takes everything sailors already loved about the brand and adds clever upgrades that make life easier on deck and below. Designed by Umberto Felci, it’s quick, balanced, and friendly for shorthanded crews, with options for a self-tacking jib or more horsepower up front. Down below, you get flexible layouts ranging from a roomy owner’s suite to a four-cabin charter setup, plus smart touches like dual swim steps and a galley that actually feels like home. Price as tested? About $580K.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Waves, not wind, are what break sailors offshore and modern weather routing is how you avoid getting smashed. In this deep dive, Sailing Zingaro shows how tools like GFS, ECMWF, Spire and PredictWind let you see secondary swells, plan safe departures and even build custom polars for your boat. It is packed with pro tips, real world examples and a few secret weapons you will want to steal. If you have ever dreamed of crossing an ocean, this is essential viewing before you go.