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Sailing News for August 27, 2025

This week’s racing is all about high stakes and shifting fortunes. The Ocean Race Europe fleet hurtles into the Med for a final sprint to Nice, while the 44Cup makes its Dutch debut in Scheveningen’s choppy North Sea. Dinghy sailors battled breeze and nerves at the RS300 Nationals and ILCA U21 Worlds, where leaderboards flipped by the hour. Cruisers get a taste of speed and style with the Mylius M72 and Dufour 54, and for pure grit, Igor Stropnik’s 1,100km Hobie Cat adventure shows what minimalism at sea really looks like.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

The Ocean Race Europe | Leg 3: Fierce Battle Ahead on the Road to Nice (6 min read)
The Ocean Race Europe fleet is charging into the Med for Leg 3, a sprint from Cartagena to Nice with light-air traps, surprise squalls, and plenty of points still in play. Biotherm leads overall, but rivals like Paprec Arkéa and Holcim-PRB say it’s wide open, and the Mediterranean’s mood swings could rewrite the standings overnight. Fresh crew changes add spice, and Nice is set to throw a big welcome party for the only French stopover. Expect drama, uncertainty, and some serious coastal chess.

44Cup Makes its Dutch Debut Next Week (4 min read)
The RC44 World Championship is heading to Scheveningen for the first time, bringing 12 teams to The Hague’s tricky North Sea waters. Team Nika leads the season standings, while host Nico Poons and his Charisma crew are eyeing a comeback on home turf. Expect unpredictable tides, chop, and plenty of seagulls according to tactician Nic Asher. Newcomer Warp 5, fresh off its Marstrand debut, is also jumping in for a shot. It’s shaping up to be a high-stakes, hard-fought Dutch debut.

Olympic Class/Dinghy Sailing

RS300 Rooster National Tour at Snettisham Beach (5 min read)
The RS300 fleet got the full British seaside sampler at Snettisham Beach: Saturday brought 20-knot gusts and rolling waves, Sunday turned into a drifting match with patchy breezes. Sam Davy dominated the big wind with two wins, but Stephen Jones thrived in the lighter conditions, taking both races on Sunday and edging the overall victory on countback. It was close, scrappy, and classic dinghy sailing where a capsize or a wind hole could flip the leaderboard in a heartbeat.

2025 ILCA Under-21 World Championships – Day 3 (6 min read)
Day 3 in Dun Laoghaire shook things up with shifty offshore winds, endless restarts, and a long grind on the water. Australia’s Edward Reid leads the ILCA 7s after a pair of solid second-place finishes, with countryman Isaac Schotte sitting third and Germany’s Ole Schweckendiek hot on their heels. In the ILCA 6s, Roos Wind of the Netherlands is dominating with three race wins and a 19-point cushion. The fleets are tight, the breeze is tricky, and the next few days promise plenty of leaderboard drama.

Cruising

Mylius M72 Performance Cruiser (5 min read)
The new Mylius M72 is a 72-foot carbon-fiber rocket that mixes top-tier racing pedigree with Italian style and comfort. Designed by Shaun Carkeek and built in Podenzano, it carries an inverted bow, twin rudders, a lifting keel, water ballast tanks, and a towering Hall Spars mast. Inside, Studio Parisotto + Formenton Architetti created a sleek, customizable layout with three cabins and a modern finish. It’s a regatta-ready machine that you could just as easily take cruising in serious comfort.

Dufour 54 First Look: Trademark Features with Innovative Cabin Options (4 min read)
Dufour’s new 54-footer keeps the brand’s signature outdoor galley and barbecue but adds fresh interior twists from designer Luca Ardizio. Buyers can pick between a “master cabin” with a forward-facing peninsula bed and big floor space, or a clever “master suite” that flips the bed athwartships with its own sofa, office, and spacious en suite. On deck, owners get the choice of fabric covers or a rigid arch and hardtop for extra protection and solar panel space. It’s Dufour comfort with some smart new tricks.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Igor Stropnik sails his Hobie Cat FX One 1100km from Monfalcone, Italy to Dubrovnik, Croatia over 14 days, camping right on the trampoline each night. He battles light winds, surprise gusts, and endless powerboat chop while cruising past lagoons, lighthouses, and even sea turtles. Armed with Crocs, cookies, and a very trusted hat, Igor shows how a small beach cat can double as both an offshore rocket and a minimalist camper. It’s equal parts sailing adventure and DIY survival trip.