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Sailing News for September 19, 2025

SailGP swaps the Med for the Alps this weekend with Lake Geneva set to host its first-ever Grand Prix. Offshore, the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart has topped 100 entries, promising a record breaking fleet. Youth sailors are making waves, from Wales’ gritty championship to GBR’s 2025 Youth Worlds squad. Cruising tales include Nico Jonville’s Pegasus 50 Sine Finis, built to chase horizons without borders. In the spotlight, Ella Hibbert becomes the first British woman to solo the Northwest Passage, a milestone in polar sailing. Finally, jump onboard with Tom and Guy for RS800 skiff chaos at the Nationals.

Sail GP/America’s Cup

Foiling Forecast: Geneva (4 min read)
SailGP swaps the Med for the Alps this weekend, with racing on Lake Geneva after last week’s stormy Saint-Tropez showdown. Saturday looks perfect for fast foiling with sunshine, 82°F temps, and a steady SSW breeze that should see teams roll out the 24m wings. Sunday cools off with clouds, light rain, and softer winds around 5 mph. Expect trickier conditions that could shake up the leaderboard and test the crews’ patience.

Geneva Incoming: Race Times and Map Confirmed (5 min read)
SailGP makes its Swiss debut this weekend as the F50s hit Lake Geneva for the Rolex Switzerland Sail Grand Prix. Racing runs 3:30–5:00pm CEST on both days, with a winner-takes-all Final closing out Sunday. Fans can watch from the lakeside Race Stadium with big screens, live commentary, and plenty of food and drink. Geneva is famous for the Bol d’Or, but it has never seen foiling catamarans like this. Home driver Seb Schneiter and Team Switzerland will feel the heat from the local crowd.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

Sailing the Transatlantic Race on Hound (7 min read)
Conrad Humphreys joined the crew of Hound, a 1970s Aage Nielsen sloop, for the RORC Transatlantic Race and found a boat that blends classic beauty with modern bite. The crew lost a key sail early, forcing a risky northern route, but Hound still showed surprising pace for her 25 tons and carbon upgrades. Along the way they dodged wind farms in fog, spotted whales and dolphins, and even got an uninvited boarding from UK Border Force. She didn’t win, but the ride was pure ocean-racing magic.

Will Italy Reclaim Melges 24 World Title? (1 min read)
The Melges 24 Worlds kick off in Trieste next week with 75 boats from 16 nations, and the stage is set for a proper showdown. The USA has dominated since 2020, winning three straight titles, but Italy has the home turf advantage with 29 entries and a history of winning here in 2019. With seasoned pros and hungry Corinthian crews lining up, this regatta looks primed for fireworks. The big question is whether Italy can take the crown back.

Youth Sailing/Development

2025 Sailing Summits Roadshows Showcase the Camaraderie of Sailing Community (6 min read)
Australian Sailing took its annual Summits on tour in 2025, expanding from the usual eight capital cities to 26 regional stops from Cairns to Coffin Bay. The result was record turnout with nearly 600 club and class reps, a 58% bump in participating clubs, and stronger female representation. From swapping stories about burnt-down clubhouses to tackling big issues like youth retention and funding, the roadshow turned into a celebration of grassroots sailing. The takeaway? Community spirit is the sport’s best asset.

Introducing the 2025 Youth Sailing World Championships GBR Team (7 min read)
Sixteen young sailors have been picked to represent Great Britain at the Youth Sailing World Championships in Vilamoura, Portugal this December. They’ll line up across six classes including 29er, ILCA 6, iQFOiL, Formula Kite, 420, and Nacra 15. For some it’s a first taste of the big stage, for others it’s a shot at redemption, but all are chasing experience and results. With alumni like Ben Ainslie proving the pathway works, the GBR squad is fired up to make its mark.

Welsh Youth and Junior Championships 2025 at Plas Heli (6 min read)
More than 80 young sailors braved big breeze and rolling seas at Plas Heli for the Welsh Youth and Junior Championships. With winds gusting over 20 knots, organizers rotated fleets between sheltered and open water to keep racing safe but exciting. Saturday turned into a packed day with up to five races for some classes before Sunday’s racing was called off due to worsening forecasts. From all-female race committees to wellbeing boats and plenty of volunteer power, the event showed Welsh sailing at its gritty and spirited best.

Cruising

Sailing Sine Finis: The Boat Built to Chase New Horizons (8 min read)
Nico Jonville’s Pegasus 50 Sine Finis is more than a performance cruiser, it is a philosophy in motion. From a squall in the Adriatic to a smooth Atlantic crossing, the carbon-built Slovenian design proved fast, safe, and surprisingly comfortable. With watch rotations, rainbows, dolphins, and moonlit surfing at 12 knots, the boat delivered more than miles. It delivered clarity. Jonville isn’t chasing a circumnavigation just yet. For now, Sine Finis is living up to her name by sailing without borders.

Spotlight

Ella Hibbert Becomes First British Woman to Sail the Northwest Passage Solo (7 min read)
At just 28, Ella Hibbert etched her name into sailing history by soloing the Northwest Passage aboard her 38ft steel ketch Yeva. She battled ice, brutal weather, and even ran aground, but still made it through to Alaska as the first British woman to ever do it alone. The Arctic circumnavigation isn’t finished yet. She’s hitting pause for safety this winter and will take on the Northeast Passage next summer.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

ump onboard with Tom and Guy as they kick off the RS800 Nationals in lumpy Eastbourne seas and 12 to 15 knots of breeze. The commentary takes you right into the action with pinched starts, lane holding duels, tactical jibes, and drag races downwind at nearly 20 knots. You can feel the tension as they battle Mo and Hugh before chasing leaders Tim and Arthur. They settle for second in race one, but the video captures why twin trapezing skiffs are some of the most exhilarating dinghies to race.