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24 hours of sailing news in 5 minutes.
Sailing News for January 12, 2026
Ian Williams extended his grip on match racing history with a ninth world title in Shenzhen, while skiff sailing delivered its usual blend of talent and chaos across Australia’s 16ft and 18ft fleets. Offshore focus shifted west as the RORC Transatlantic fleet launched into the trades, and practical lessons flowed from both elite navigators and lightweight racer-cruiser design. Across disciplines, experience, preparation, and sharp decision making were the common threads separating winners from the rest.
Inshore & Offshore Racing
Historic Ninth Title for Ian Williams at Match Racing Worlds (4 min read)
Ian Williams just did it again, and again, and again. The Brit locked up a jaw-dropping ninth Match Racing World Championship in Shenzhen, sweeping Sweden’s Oscar Engström 2–0 in the final. Cool pre-starts, clean exits, zero drama on board. Engström impressed in his first WMRT final, but Williams was ruthless when it counted. Three straight titles, nine overall, and a legacy that now sits comfortably in its own lane. Absolute match racing royalty.
New Queensland 18ft Skiff Team Shakes Up the Nationals (4 min read)
Queensland’s 18ft skiff scene just leveled up. Former Team Vic sailors Scott and David Cunningham have relocated north, rebranded as GC Sails, and joined forces with Brisbane 18s in a proper three-boat assault on the Australian Championship. Fresh sponsorship, sharper gear, and ex-49er sailor Joel Turner onboard make this more than a casual move. The Queensland fleet is training hard, racing tight, and suddenly looks very serious heading into Sydney Harbour. This one feels like the start of something bigger.
Argo and Zoulou Light the Fuse in RORC Transatlantic Start (3 min read)
The RORC Transatlantic Race blasted off from Lanzarote with MOD70s Argo and Zoulou instantly stretching their legs and dragging the fleet west at eye-watering pace. Forecasts look spicy in a good way, with solid trades lining up for a fast run to Antigua. Behind the speed demons is a wildly mixed fleet, from a 129-foot retro-modern stunner to a gritty 32-footer sailing double-handed. Same ocean, very different games, and it’s already on.
Olympic Class/Dinghy Sailing
From Supermaxis to Skiffs: Australia’s 16ft Fleet Delivers the Goods (5 min read)
After weeks of maxis and offshore madness, the Australian 16ft Skiff Championships reminded everyone where pure sailing chaos lives. A stacked 74-boat fleet hit Lake Macquarie, mixing Olympic gold medalists, world champs, juniors, and weekend legends all on the same start line. Sarah Lee and the Bosker Build crew came out on top after a week of tight, physical racing that went right to the wire. Big names, big fleets, big talent pipeline. Australian skiff sailing is absolutely thriving.
Cruising
How Top Race Navigators Read the Atlantic and What Cruisers Can Steal (5 min read)
Elite RORC navigators crossing the Atlantic are looking at the exact same trade winds, squalls, and pressure systems as cruising boats. Their big lesson is patience early, flexibility mid-ocean, and trusting your eyes when models fall short. Fast boats chase systems, slower boats wait for them, which should sound very familiar to cruisers. Know your boat, avoid rough water even if it costs miles, and remember that good judgment still beats perfect data every time.
Tech & Gear
Sunbeam 29.1 GT: Pure Sailing, Turned Up to 11 (4 min read)
Sunbeam took the already slick 29.1 and put it on a serious diet. The new 29.1 GT drops a massive 500 kg, ditches the comforts, and doubles down on speed, feel, and simplicity. No galley, no heavy systems, just sails, storage, and a boat that starts gliding at nine knots. It’s built for purists who want club racing thrills without going full carbon missile. Push-button sailors look away, this one is all about the grin.
2025 Boat of the Year Nominees: From Foils to Floating Multitools (4 min read)
Boat of the Year testing went wide this season, with everything from inflatable adventure cats to serious foilers and planing cruisers lining up for judgment. The Maverick tried to do literally everything, the VX Two impressed just about everyone, and the HH52 flexed hard in the multimillion-dollar category. Foilers pushed boundaries, club racers aimed for versatility, and crossover boats blurred old lines. It’s a shortlist that shows sailing’s future is lighter, faster, and way more diverse than it used to be.
Sailing Highlight of the Day
Sodebo Ultim 3 just blasted around Cape Horn in record time, ticking off the last Great Cape in their Jules Verne Trophy hunt. Thomas Coville and crew are still ahead of IDEC Sport’s legendary pace, but their margin has seesawed wildly through the Pacific. Light airs near the Horn cut a once-huge lead in half, and the Atlantic ahead is anything but simple. Cape Horn conquered, pressure fully on. This one is far from decided.