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Sailing News for July 24, 2025

This week’s action hits hard. The Admiral’s Cup is turning brutal in the Solent, with New Zealand and Callisto trading punches and rigs going down. The 2025 Fastnet Race is launching its biggest edition ever, with over 450 boats and a live stream to follow the madness. Also making waves is Magic Carpet-e, the world’s first fully electric Maxi, already scoring wins. Add Bavaria’s new CEO pushing bold ideas and a youth regatta built for building skills, and you’ve got one seriously stacked issue.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

Follow the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race (3 min read)
The 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race is about to explode off the line in Cowes with more than 450 boats and crews from 34 countries. This centenary edition is set to be the biggest ever, featuring everyone from teenage first-timers to salty veterans. You can stream the start live, track every boat, and follow the action with real-time updates. The Admiral’s Cup is also making a comeback, adding even more heat to an already legendary race.

Admiral’s Cup Heats Up as New Zealand and Callisto Set the Pace (6 min read)
The 2025 Admiral’s Cup kicked off with tight Solent racing, big breeze, and zero room for error. Callisto nailed two wins to stay perfect, while New Zealand’s squad is quietly dominating the overall. Spinnakers exploded, rigs failed, and IRC time corrections kept the leaderboard razor close. Black Pearl, Jolt 3, and Beau Ideal all had standout moments, but consistency is already proving to be the real weapon. With three races down, this Cup is shaping up to be an all-out battle to the end.

Olympic Class/Dinghy Sailing

Flying Fifteen Open Delivers Close Racing at Grafham Water (4 min read)
It was all rain and no wind on Saturday, but Sunday brought the breeze and a full-on Flying Fifteen showdown at Grafham. Jeremy Davy and Martin Huett absolutely owned it, going three-for-three to take the win. Local duo Dave and Harry Lucas kept the pressure on with a clean run of second-place finishes, while the rest of the fleet traded spots in tight battles all day. Smaller turnout, sure, but big energy and solid racing ahead of next month’s FF Worlds in Weymouth.

Youth Sailing/Development

Join Division 3 at SAWKR 2025 – River Racing for Trailerables and Small Keelboats (3 min read)
SAWKR 2025 is calling all women skippers and crews for three days of racing, fun, and flat-water action on the Port River this October. Division 3 is tailor-made for trailerables and small keelboats, making it perfect for newer sailors who want to race without the Gulf swell. With secure storage, orientation sessions, and a packed social calendar, this regatta isn’t just about competition. It’s about building skills, community, and confidence in a welcoming, all-women environment.

Tech & Gear

“Boating Needs to Become Mainstream Again,” Says Bavaria’s New CEO (3 min read)
Bavaria Yachts has a new captain at the helm, and it’s someone who knows the engine room inside out. Norbert Leifeld, the new CEO, is betting big on electric drives, intuitive design, and no-nonsense usability to bring boating back to the masses. He has a plan, a solid track record, and 15,000 LinkedIn followers watching his every move. Bavaria wants to do more than just build pretty boats. They’re out to make buying one feel a lot less like rocket science.

Are Lithium Marine Batteries Already on the Way Out? (7 min read)
Lithium batteries might be the buzz, but longtime battery pro Stuart James says the smarter bet for liveaboards and cruisers could be carbon nano gel. They charge faster, handle deep cycles better, and won’t torch your boat if things go sideways. Turns out lithium’s not as green or safe as it seems, especially in cold weather. Plus, they’re basically impossible to recycle. If you’re thinking about a power upgrade, this one’s worth a serious look before dropping the cash.

Spotlight

Magic Carpet-e: The First Fully Electric Racing Maxi Sets Sail (11 min read)
Imagine a 100-foot rocket ship that runs on silence. Magic Carpet-e is the world’s first fully electric racing Maxi, and it’s got the brains, brawn, and beauty to back it up. Designed by Guillaume Verdier and packed with tech borrowed from Formula E, this beast slices through 8 knots of breeze doing 12 upwind. Canting keel, canard foil, carbon everything, and interiors so sleek they’d make Hermes jealous. Two bullets at PalmaVela say she’s not just a show pony. This thing might just change everything.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Season 5 kicks off with high drama as Red Bull Italy scrambles to assemble a boat just days before race time, while Team USA fields a totally new lineup hoping to shake off last year’s flop. Olympic champ Ruggero Tita shows flashes of brilliance, but the F50 doesn’t forgive inexperience. Meanwhile, Taylor Canfield leads USA to a podium in Dubai, only to get humbled again in heavy air. The underdogs are swinging hard. The question is, who’s going to land the knockout?