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Sailing News for December 17, 2025

The 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart is coming into sharp focus as teams balance speed preparation and safety. Olympic sailor Charlotte Rose opens up about missing Paris 2024 and rebuilding toward LA28 with renewed purpose. Youth sailing stays busy with strong momentum in Wales and the return of the Palamós Christmas Race, while a deep dive explains how the ORC system really works behind the numbers.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race Doyle Sails Preview (4 min read)
The Sydney Hobart turns 80 this year, and the build-up feels suitably serious. After a 2024 race that delivered record performances and heartbreaking loss, the focus heading into Boxing Day is equal parts speed, preparation, and safety. Doyle Sails will be everywhere again, from double-handers to 100-foot maxi LawConnect, tipped for another line honours run. With a stacked international fleet and months of hard offshore miles behind them, this edition is shaping up to be fast, fierce, and deeply respectful of what this race demands.

Olympic Class/Dinghy Sailing

The Hard Climb for Charlotte Rose (6 min read)
Charlotte Rose had the Paris 2024 Olympics within reach, then watched it slip away in one brutal regatta. After winning races, qualifying the US spot, and still missing selection, she nearly quit sailing altogether. Instead, she regrouped, won gold in Hyères just months later, and found her spark again watching the Paris Games from afar. Now 25, Rose is all in on LA 2028, focused less on results and more on building an unbreakable process and a version of herself ready for the biggest stage.

Youth Sailing/Development

RYA Cymru Wales Reflections 2025 (5 min read)
Welsh sailing had a big 2025, and Chair Siân Reynolds is rightly proud. From four Welsh sailors making Youth Worlds history to new Pathway Clubs, foiling plans, and stronger governance, the momentum is real. Inclusion, safeguarding, and grassroots growth all got a serious push, backed by standout performance results across classes. Add a future Foiling Academy and a thriving volunteer network, and Wales is setting itself up nicely for 2026 and beyond.

Palamós begins countdown to the 49th Christmas Race (4 min read)
One of winter sailing’s classic warm-ups is back, with Palamós gearing up for the 49th Christmas Race from December 19–22. More than 350 sailors from 15 countries will race across 420s, 29ers, ILCAs, and the returning Europe class, making it a proper end-of-season showdown. The regatta keeps its Clean Regatta status too, with zero single-use plastics and strong sustainability creds. Big fleets, international flavour, and serious youth talent, all wrapped in festive Spanish sunshine.

Tech & Gear

Understanding how the ORC system works (6 min read)
Ever wondered how ORC actually turns wildly different boats into a fair handicap? This deep dive explains the VPP, a massive science-driven model that predicts boat speed using physics, data, and some serious computing power. It also clears up why limits exist, what happens when designers push into unknown territory, and how ORC updates the rule without knee-jerk reactions. Nerdy, yes, but essential reading if you race under ORC and want to know what is really behind your number.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Ever wondered what SailGP teams are actually talking about when they shout about rake, camber, VMG and gain? U.S. SailGP flight controller Hans Henken breaks down the key F50 buzzwords in plain language, from ride height and foil angle to why flight time really matters. It is nerdy, yes, but also weirdly satisfying. Think of it as SailGP subtitles for your brain, and a fast track to sounding smarter during race day chat.