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24 hours of sailing news in 5 minutes.
Sailing News for January 23, 2026
The Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix delivered more than just a win for Emirates GBR, with fresh data showing DS Team France quietly dominating starts, lead time and consistency before the Brits struck late with ruthless racecraft, proving once again that SailGP rewards timing as much as pace. Ashore, Auckland’s Anniversary Day Regatta is set to turn the Waitematā into a full-scale spectacle with record fleets, new features and classic harbour theatre, while offshore attention stays locked on the Jules Verne Trophy as the all-women crew aboard IDEC SPORT pause smartly near the Azores to repair damage and wait out brutal winter conditions. Cruisers get a look at the new Swan 51 blending space and performance for modern Mediterranean sailing, practical sailors dive into a hands-on guide to adding reefs and luff slides to an old mainsail, and the day wraps with a sharp-eyed video breakdown of the controversial Perth collision that left both teams frustrated and the rulebook firmly under the microscope.
Sail GP/America’s Cup
Deep dive: what the data reveals about the Oracle Perth Sail Grand Prix (5 min read)
Emirates GBR won the Perth season opener, but the numbers say DS Team France were quietly on fire. France crushed the start line, led more often, and posted the best average finish across the fleet races. The Brits? Slow starters, but lethal once racing, pulling off a ridiculous 26 overtakes and peaking at exactly the right time. Perth was a reminder that SailGP rewards timing and nerve, not just raw pace.
Inshore & Offshore Racing
Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta returns with new features and record fleets (4 min read)
Auckland’s birthday regatta is back on the Waitematā for its 186th year, and 2026 is shaping up to be a big one. Expect record dragon boat fleets, a brand-new Sail Past from Westhaven, and a warbirds flyover for extra wow factor. Tugboat racing hits its 20-year milestone, youth fleets pack Kohimarama, and the whole harbour turns into a free, front-row show. Classic Auckland.
The Famous Project CIC update: The path of reason (5 min read)
The all-women crew aboard IDEC SPORT are playing the long game on the final stretch of their Jules Verne Trophy attempt. A torn mainsail, brutal winter storms, and Biscay doing Biscay things forced a smart pause near the Azores. They’re down to reef two only, waiting out 50-knot winds and monster seas before charging for Ushant. Slower than hoped, tougher than ever, and still very much on track to make history.
Cruising
Swan 51 review: A new generation of performance cruising (9 min read)
The new Swan 51 is bigger, brighter, and way roomier than its famous ancestor, but it hasn’t forgotten how to sail. German Frers stretched the volume hard, then clawed back performance with a slippery hull, twin rudders, and a well-balanced rig. It’s happiest cruising the Med, sipping fuel and soaking up space, rather than charging offshore. Not cheap, not radical, but very much a modern Swan with manners and muscle.
Tech & Gear
Fitting reefing points and luff slides to a sail (8 min read)
Bought a £900 Quarter Tonner, got a reefing reality check. Rupert Holmes walks through adding two deep reefs and luff slides to a second-hand mainsail, turning a spicy Etchells sail into something far more short-handed friendly. There’s proper sailmaker logic here, patch sizing, cringle placement, and why two reefs might still not be enough. It’s nerdy, practical, and oddly satisfying if you like fixing things instead of buying new ones.
Sailing Highlight of the Day
The Foil breaks down the Perth collision frame by frame and lands in the uncomfortable middle ground. Yes, Peter Burling was technically at fault, and yes, he probably should’ve turned earlier and accepted a splashdown. But the Swiss weren’t spotless either, with late course changes and messy onboard communication. The real twist is a same-day rule change that wiped out season points penalties, leaving both teams angry and scoreless. Racing on a knife edge, rules included.