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Sailing News for February 16, 2026

Youth sailing stole the spotlight in Valencia as France’s Alexandre Mostini and Raphaël Allain dominated the 29er Eurocup with a flawless scoreline in big breeze, while San Diego’s Women’s Winter Invitational once again proved that high-level competition and an inclusive atmosphere can thrive on the same start line. Grassroots seamanship gets its moment with a detailed, no-nonsense guide to building a laminated wooden tiller that actually fits the boat and the helm, reminding us that good sailing often starts in the workshop. For those who like their boats loud and airborne, a look back at the Superfoiler revisits one of the boldest, fastest, and most chaotic foiling projects ever launched, and the day closes with the U.S. SailGP Team showing in Auckland that when they start clean and trust the process, they can fight their way straight to the front.

Olympic Class/Dinghy Sailing

This event is a genius-level blend (2 min read)
The Women’s Winter Invitational Regatta is back in San Diego, and it’s stacked. Twenty-four teams from across North America are lining up in J/22s for tight, short-course racing in La Playa Cove, with warm sunshine as a bonus for those fleeing winter. The vibe is competitive but supportive, with past podium finishers calling it intense, fun, and refreshingly inclusive. Fast races, packed leaderboard, and apparently flamingo-themed outfits. What’s not to like?

Youth Sailing/Development

2026 29er Eurocup at Valencia Youth Olympic Week – Overall (3 min read)
After two windless days, Valencia finally delivered, and the 29er fleet made up for lost time with four punchy races in 18 to 25 knots. France’s Alexandre Mostini and Raphaël Allain were untouchable, winning every race and wrapping up the Eurocup with just 3 points. Behind them, it was a proper scrap, with Italy edging out the local Codoñer brothers on countback for silver. Big breeze, tight racing, and a stacked youth podium across every category.

Cruising

How to make a tiller for a boat (8 min read)
The old tiller on a Snapdragon 23 was warped, worn, and way too high for comfy steering, so David Pugh built a new one from scratch. Think ash and sapele laminates, waterproof resin glue, a homemade jig, and a lot of careful planing and sanding. No fancy workshop, just solid technique and patience, turning a chunky blank into a smooth, rounded work of art. Seven coats of varnish later, the result looks sharp and actually fits the boat properly.

Spotlight

World’s coolest boats: The Superfoiler (3 min read)
Luke Parkinson calls the Superfoiler one of the coolest boats ever built, and it’s easy to see why. Launched in 2017, this 26-footer mashed up Sydney 18ft skiff chaos with full-send foiling, topping 35 knots with three crew on trapeze and electronic rake control. It toured Australia like a flying circus, complete with drones and big-name sailors, before fading out in 2019. Hard to sail, brutally quick, and way ahead of its time.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Day 2 in Auckland brought split fleets, rain squalls, and a proper bounce-back from the U.S. crew. A penalty at Mark 1 in race one made things messy, but they clawed back through the pack to limit the damage. Race two was the real statement: clean start, full control, and a bullet to finish it off. After a long team debrief the night before, everything clicked. When they start well, they’re dangerous.