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Sailing News for November 28, 2025

Abu Dhabi is set for a chaotic SailGP Grand Final, with $2 million on the line and Britain, New Zealand and Australia separated by a razor-thin margin. Peter Burling is racing with a stitched-up finger while Tom Slingsby doubles down on execution over mind games, boosted by superstar supporters Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds. Spain lurks as the spoiler in light winds on a tight course. In offshore racing, Ian Williams leads a stacked World Match Racing Tour Final as he hunts a ninth world title. Tech and seamanship bring a sharp reminder that a simple mooring mistake can destroy a line in 20 minutes. And for America’s Cup fans, rare footage of USA17 “Dogzilla” resurfaces from 2009.

Sail GP/America’s Cup

Crews eye $2 million SailGP prize in Abu Dhabi final (4 min read)
SailGP’s season comes down to Abu Dhabi, where light winds and a tight racecourse mean chaos is absolutely on the menu. Britain leads the standings, with New Zealand and Australia close behind, but Spain lurks in fourth hoping the fleet trip over itself. Peter Burling is racing with a stitched-up finger, Tom Slingsby has Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds cheering him on, and everyone knows the $2 million winner-takes-all final could blow wide open. Perfect conditions for an upset.

“If we’re focused, we win”: Slingsby sets Aussies’ intent for SailGP Grand Final showdown (4 min read)
With Britain, New Zealand and Australia split by just five points, Tom Slingsby isn’t hiding from the pressure. He says the Aussies will skip the mind games, keep their heads down and trust that execution will carry them into the $2 million winner-takes-all final. Peter Burling’s bandaged finger adds late drama, while Slingsby’s crew rolls out new partners and the boost of superfans Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds. Abu Dhabi is shaping up to be a full-noise, no-excuses showdown.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

Eight-Time World Champion Leads Line-Up for World Match Racing Tour Final in Shenzhen (7 min read)
The WMRT Final is headed back to Shenzhen, and Ian Williams is chasing an unreal ninth world title. He’ll face a stacked 16-skipper lineup, from U.S. points leader Chris Poole to Sweden’s Bermuda-crushing Johnie Berntsson and France’s powerhouse contingent. Toss in rising stars like Cole Tapper and the possibility of Pauline Courtois pulling off a historic Open-plus-Women’s double, and this finale looks spicy. Six days, tight match racing, Far East 28s, and a USD200k purse on the line. It’s going to be rowdy.

Tech & Gear

The simple mooring mistake that can chafe through your rope in 20 minutes (8 min read)
This skipper caught a near-disaster when a single slip line between two fairleads started sawing itself apart in just 20 minutes of tide and breeze. The fix was simple: always use a round turn on the mooring ring and run the load through one fairlead or two separate warps. The story snowballs into a goldmine of mooring tips, from anchoring tricks to lassoing buoys. If you’ve ever thought “it’ll be fine for now,” this one proves how fast “fine” can turn sketchy.

Spotlight

Clipper Race: Dorset sailor turns 21 in one of the world’s most remote oceans (4 min read)
Most people spend their 21st with friends and bad club photos; Lauren Corn spent hers blasting through the Roaring Forties. The Dorset sailor is First Mate on Washington, DC, co-leading one of three all-female leadership teams in this edition of the Clipper Race. Her crew surprised her with fancy dress and carrot cake before getting back to the small task of holding second place in the Southern Indian Ocean. It’s a milestone birthday, mid-ocean, doing 40,000 miles. Not bad for a Parkstone dinghy kid.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

A gem from the archives shows USA 17 training off San Diego in 2009 with a conventional mast and sails, just days before that rig famously snapped. The trimaran would return with its monster wingsail and dominate Alinghi 2–0 in the 33rd America’s Cup. The video is raw, loud and full of that pre-wingsail chaos, giving a glimpse of the beast before it became an icon. For Cup junkies, it’s pure candy.