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Sailing News for January 20, 2026

High-performance racing and hard reality sit side by side today as Mack One once again stamped its authority on the VX One class with a seventh Australian national title, while offshore sailing showed both its brilliance and its risk during a dramatic mid-ocean rescue in the RORC Transatlantic Race. The pressure is also building at the sharp end of ocean records as Thomas Coville and Sodebo Ultim 3 push hard against the clock in the Jules Verne Trophy, chased by an all-female crew writing their own chapter of history, while the next generation is already in survival mode at the ILCA Under 21 World Championships in Lanzarote. Cruisers get a first look at the new Hallberg-Rassy 370 proving its manners straight out of the gate, and the day finishes with a statement performance as Raven shatters the RORC Transatlantic monohull record, signalling just how fast offshore racing is about to get.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

Mack One wins seventh VX One Australia National Championship (6 min read)
Mack One just reminded everyone who runs the VX One class, locking up a seventh national title on Moreton Bay with a race day to spare. Ben Franklin and crew were untouchable across nine races in everything from punchy breeze to storm shutdowns. The 30-boat fleet showed serious depth, with youth, veterans, and strong female representation all mixing it up. Fast boats, tough conditions, and a class that is clearly thriving made this Nationals a proper benchmark event.

Ocean rescue drama as sailor injured deep into RORC Transatlantic Race (5 min read)
A serious onboard accident turned the RORC Transatlantic Race into a real-life rescue mission after a sailor aboard the German yacht Walross 4 was knocked unconscious mid-ocean. The boat was roughly 1,500 miles into the crossing when race officials triggered an emergency response. Rescue coordination was taken over by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in the Azores, highlighting just how exposed crews are out there. Offshore racing is thrilling, until suddenly it is not.

Jules Verne: Hot race against the clock (5 min read)
The clock is ticking hard in the Jules Verne Trophy as Thomas Coville and the crew of Sodebo Ultim 3 sprint north in the Atlantic with a real shot at the record. They crossed the equator with a massive lead but still need a flawless final push to beat Francis Joyon’s legendary time. Meanwhile, Alexia Barrier and her all-female crew are chasing history of their own aboard IDEC Sport. One race, two very different kinds of pressure.

Youth Sailing/Development

ILCA Under 21 World Championships 2026 kick off in Lanzarote (5 min read)
Day one at the ILCA Under 21 World Championships delivered proper Lanzarote punishment, with gusty offshore winds, rain, and plenty of survival sailing. Italy’s Ginevra Caracciolo jumped out front in the women’s fleet, while Mark Hestbæck and Karol Krupski Teterycz went perfect in the men’s. Nearly 150 sailors from around the world are already deep in the mix. If this keeps up, the leaderboard will not stay quiet for long.

Cruising

Eleven meters of elegant sailing: Hallberg-Rassy 370 world premiere (6 min read)
The new Hallberg-Rassy 370 just splashed hull number one off Gothenburg, and it did not flinch at 35 knots and driving rain. Push-button sailing, twin rudders, electric everything, and a brand-new hull make this 37-footer feel calm, fast, and strangely relaxed in ugly weather. Inside, it is classic Rassy craftsmanship turned up to eleven, now with solar panels and modern tech baked in. Designed by Germán Frers, this is a serious long-range cruiser that sails like it actually wants to be sailed.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

The RORC Transatlantic Race just saw its monohull rulebook torn up by Raven. Skippered by Damien Durchon, the foil-assisted 34-metre maxi blasted from Lanzarote to Antigua in under seven days, averaging brutal speeds and finishing at nearly 30 knots. Lighter, flatter, and more stable than anything before it, Raven did not just win line honours, it reset expectations. This felt less like a race win and more like a warning shot.