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24 hours of sailing news in 5 minutes.
Sailing News for July 10, 2025
From a surprise three-person F50 race in New York to record-breaking Gulf of Maine conditions, this week’s stories are packed with action. Estonian youth sailors get a rare home regatta with the Zhik Nordic Champs, and tech upgrades abound as PSA opens a new ILCA factory and sailors embrace smartphone nav systems. Plus, the 69F Cup returns to Lake Garda, the iQFOiL Medal Series looms, and U.S. teams set their sights on European podiums.
Sail GP/America’s Cup
Jeremy Wilmot: I Love Shorthanded Racing! (3 min read)
When SailGP threw a last-minute curveball in New York, the U.S. team had to race their F50 with just three crew. Wing trimmer Jeremy Wilmot was all in. He juggled wing trim and jib duties while Taylor Canfield played tactician and flight controller, and Mac Agnese filled every other gap. It was chaotic, creative, and kind of awesome. Despite a rough scorecard, Wilmot says the experience showed how crucial adaptability and full-weekend focus really are if they want to climb the leaderboard.
Inshore & Offshore Racing
Abracadabra Returns for 2025 Admiral’s Cup with Doyle Sails and NYYC (4 min read)
The iconic Admiral’s Cup is back, and the Ker 43 Abracadabra is leading the U.S. charge with the New York Yacht Club. Powered by a full Doyle Sails arsenal and led by sailmaker Brad Boston, the multigenerational campaign blends pedigree, tech, and pure racing grit. Expect Structured Luff headsails, a custom IRC-optimized main, and some serious offshore pedigree. It’s a sleek, high-stakes comeback for both boat and event. Keep your eyes on Cowes.
What a Race! Records Broken, Winds Held, and Crews Soared Across the Gulf of Maine (4 min read)
The 2025 Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race delivered pure offshore gold. Temptation/Oakcliff smashed the course record by 45 minutes with legends like Dawn Riley and Gary Jobson on board. Boudicca and Scowling Dragon weren’t far behind, and Overdraft X lit up the tracker with a wild 15.6-knot VMG. Nine boats are still racing, including two-person crew Arion grinding their way to Halifax. Fast, fierce, and full of surprises, this year’s race will be one to remember.
Olympic Class/Dinghy Sailing
American Melges 15 Crews Expected to Set Standard at Europeans in Dublin Bay (4 min read)
The inaugural Melges 15 European Championships kick off this week at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta with 33 boats, 12 brand-new charters, and a stacked American lineup expected to set the pace. Family duos, college champs, and seasoned Irish contenders like McCartin and Byrne are all in the mix. Vakaros RaceSense tech will keep starts razor sharp, and planing conditions could shake things up fast. It’s youth meets experience in one of the fastest-growing dinghy classes on the planet. Racing starts Friday.
Youth Sailing/Development
Tallinn to Host Zhik Nordic Youth Sailing Championship (4 min read)
Estonia is about to host its biggest youth regatta ever as 300 sailors from eight nations descend on Tallinn for the 2025 Zhik Nordic Youth Sailing Championship. With five boat classes on the water and a regatta village on shore, it’s shaping up to be part high-stakes racing, part summer sailing festival. For Estonia’s rising stars, it’s a rare shot at international racing on home turf and a launchpad toward Olympic dreams. Racing kicks off July 21, and the energy is already building.
‘Building Confident, Connected Female Sailors’: Starling Girls Accelerator Opens for Applications (3 min read)
Yachting New Zealand is now taking applications for the second round of its Starling Girls Accelerator, a year-long program designed to help young female racers step up their game. With on-water coaching, regatta support, mentoring from pros, and even a taste of wingfoiling and double-handed sailing, it’s all about building skills and confidence. If you’re under 18, racing a Starling, and aiming for youth classes like the ILCA 6 or 29er, this is your launch pad. Only 14 spots are up for grabs.
Tech & Gear
PSA Opens New ILCA Facility in Morriset (4 min read)
After last year’s auction rumors, PSA is back in action with a shiny new ILCA production facility in Morriset and a serious focus on quality. Chairman Nick Ogden says mast rake variance is now under 10mm, a huge leap from the 60mm norm of the past. With veteran builders, new hires, and gear molded from Bruce Kirby’s original plugs, PSA is aiming to be the gold standard. Oh, and there’s a mystery project called the Rascal in the works. Watch this space.
Smart Navigation by Smartphone (6 min read)
Who needs a full nav station when your smartphone can do the job? The Navionics Boating App, paired with Garmin gear like the Quatix 7 Pro smartwatch, turns your phone into a legit navigation tool. From plotting routes to checking real-time depth and seabed info, it’s like having a digital crew on board. Add touchscreen control, satellite overlays, and wrist-ready data, and even Odysseus would have shaved a few years off his voyage. Anchoring in the right spot just got way easier.
Foiling
2025 iQFOiL Worlds in Aarhus Heats Up on Day 4 (4 min read)
Day 4 of the iQFOiL Worlds delivered four races per fleet after a long wait ashore, thanks to that endless Nordic daylight. Emma Wilson surged into the women’s lead with two wins, while Andy Brown narrowly topped the men’s leaderboard. Tight margins, slalom shifts, and some late-night heroics are setting up a serious showdown for the Medal Series. Bonus drama: 18-year-old Maya Gysler is holding strong in the top 8. The wind is tricky and the pressure is building.
The Stage is Set in Torbole for the Second 69F Cup Event (2 min read)
The 69F Cup is back and heating up in Torbole, where five foiling teams are set to battle it out just weeks after FIN1 Racing took top honors at the European Championship. Led by Olympic medalist Allan Norregaard, the Finns face challengers from Germany, Switzerland, France, and Australia, all eyeing circuit points and Youth America’s Cup bragging rights. Expect up to six races a day, with course setups called minutes before the gun. Fast boats, tight racing, and big stakes ahead on Lake Garda.
Sailing Highlight of the Day
In one of sailing’s most jaw-dropping stunts, solo round-the-world sailor Alex Thomson straps in, climbs 30 meters up the mast of his speeding HUGO BOSS, and calmly dives into the ocean. No CGI, no green screen, just pure balance, nerve, and a ridiculous amount of style. It’s bold, it’s beautifully shot, and it’s the kind of thing that makes you ask, “Wait, he actually did that?” Yes. Yes he did.