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Sailing News for January 22, 2026

The road to the 38th America’s Cup is officially underway with match dates set for July 2027 in Naples and Britain confirming Dylan Fletcher back on the helm as the newly branded GB1 begins to take shape, while offshore racing is delivering its own tension as GLOBE40 leaders CREDIT MUTUEL and BELGIUM OCEAN RACING go toe to toe with less than 300 miles to run after nearly two weeks at sea. In the dinghy world, qualifying is done and the pressure is rising at the ILCA Under 21 World Championships in Lanzarote where Gold Fleet racing kicks off with leaderboards still razor tight, alongside a reflective look at why the Flying Fifteen continues to charm sailors across generations, blending speed, forgiveness and pure sailing joy.

Sail GP/America’s Cup

38th America’s Cup Match dates set and Dylan Fletcher back on the helm for British team (7 min read)
The countdown to AC38 is officially on, with the Match kicking off July 10, 2027 in Naples. Britain’s challenger has rebranded as GB1 and locked in Dylan Fletcher as helmsman, which feels like the least surprising move of the year in the best way. Ben Ainslie steps back as Team Principal, sponsorship questions linger, and the AC40s hit Sardinia this May. The Cup machine is finally whirring again.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

GLOBE40 Leg 4 Update: Two leaders are neck and neck at 300 miles from the finish (3 min read)
Leg 4 of the GLOBE40 is serving pure offshore drama. With under 300 miles to Valparaiso, CREDIT MUTUEL has erased a 77-mile deficit and is now trading punches with BELGIUM OCEAN RACING after nearly two weeks of chasing. Tactics, sail wear, and a tricky wind shadow near the finish could still flip everything. After 6,600 miles, it’s basically a drag race. This one’s going right down to the wire.

Olympic Class/Dinghy Sailing

The Flying Fifteen: the spirit of sailing (5 min read)
The Flying Fifteen is one of those boats that makes sailors go misty-eyed. Designed by Uffa Fox, it blends dinghy feel with keelboat manners, meaning it planes fast, looks gorgeous, and pops back upright if things go wrong. This piece is part love letter, part honest reality check on launching, aging backs, and why this self-righting classic still has a fiercely loyal following. Beautiful, practical, and quietly addictive.

ILCA Under 21 World Championships 2026 in Lanzarote – Day 3 (4 min read)
Qualifying wrapped up in Lanzarote and the gloves are officially off. Slovenia’s Luka Zabukovec jumped into the ILCA 7 lead in a points table so tight it barely breathes, while Italy’s Ginevra Caracciolo keeps control of the ILCA 6 women after three steady days. Shifty breeze, clean racing, no drama, just sharp sailing. Gold Fleet racing starts now, and this one’s wide open.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Day 3 in Lanzarote was the cut line moment. Qualifying is done, Gold Fleets are locked, and now it’s properly on. Slovenia’s Luka Zabukovec grabbed the ILCA 7 lead in a leaderboard that’s still insanely tight, while Italy’s Ginevra Caracciolo keeps bossing the ILCA 6 women with calm, clinical sailing. Shifty breeze, clean races, no freebies. From here on out, every mistake hurts.