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Sailing News for January 26, 2026

Today’s mix spans the full range of what sailing really is, from the edge of human endurance to the quiet work that keeps the sport alive, as Thomas Coville and the Sodebo Ultim 3 crew smash the Jules Verne Trophy with one of the fastest laps ever sailed around the planet, while solo sailor Michael Guggenberger offers a brutally honest look at how survival sleep actually works when you are alone for months at sea. Offshore racing continues to prove that smart sailing still matters as a corinthian J/125 takes centre stage in the RORC Transatlantic Race, Australia pauses to recognise the volunteers and club builders who have shaped generations of sailors, and practical boat ownership gets a boost with a smart, low-maintenance alternative to rotten teak gunwales. The day closes with a tense and fitting finale from Lanzarote as the ILCA Under 21 World Championships come down to nerve, precision, and a dominant Italian performance when it mattered most.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

How do solo sailors sleep? (5 min read)
Eight months alone at sea means sleep becomes a survival skill, not a luxury. Golden Globe Race podium finisher Michael “Captain Gugg” Guggenberger breaks down how he hacked rest in brutal conditions, from building a box-like bunk to strapping himself in with bunk belts. His nights were a blur of 20 to 90 minute naps, alarms, and conservative sail choices to avoid chaos at 3 a.m. It’s part seamanship, part self-awareness, and way more hardcore than it sounds.

Around the world record broken: Sodebo takes Jules Verne Trophy in 40d 10h 45m (5 min read)
The Jules Verne Trophy just got a serious rewrite. Thomas Coville and the Sodebo Ultim 3 crew smashed the nonstop round-the-world record, circling the planet in 40 days, 10 hours, and change at an absurd 27-knot average. They led Joyon’s legendary IDEC mark almost the whole way, even surviving Southern Ocean ice and a brutal final storm. It’s the first fully foiling Ultim to pull it off, and one of the fastest laps Earth has ever seen.

Sailing Community Recognised in 2026 Australia Day Honours (4 min read)
Australian sailing quietly cleaned up on the 2026 Australia Day Honours list, with several long-time contributors recognised for decades of service. Geoff Davidson AM was honoured for a lifetime spanning Olympic-level racing, coaching, and governance, while Phil Jenkinson OAM was recognised as the beating heart of Yarra Bay 16ft Skiff Sailing Club. The list leans heavily toward volunteers, club builders, and behind-the-scenes leaders. It’s a solid reminder that sailing runs on people who show up, year after year.

RORC Transatlantic Race: Fleet update (5 min read)
The 2026 RORC Transatlantic Race is shaping up as a classic, with a wildly mixed fleet proving that offshore racing still rewards brains as much as boat speed. The standout story is the 30-year-old J/125 Jackknife, sailing corinthian, taking IRC Two and third overall. Superyacht Linnea Aurora claimed silverware, multihulls wrapped up, and the two-handed battle stayed spicy to the finish. From Ultim-adjacent pace to old-school grit, this one had it all.

Tech & Gear

VC gunwale fitting: How to replace rotten teak with a sustainable synthetic alternative (5 min read)
Rotten teak gunwales are a pain, and Jake Kavanagh found a smarter fix. He swapped timber for a PVC gunwale that looks like teak, shrugs off UV, and needs basically zero maintenance. The piece walks through the full DIY job, costs, tools, and a few lessons learned from doing it the hard way first. It’s practical, affordable, and quietly convincing if you’re tired of sanding wood that’ll just rot again.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Six days of racing came down to one nerve-shredding finale in Lanzarote, and the ILCA Under-21 Worlds delivered properly. In ILCA 7, Italy’s Antonio Pascali nailed a clutch final race after recalls and black flags sent stress levels through the roof. Over in ILCA 6, Geneva Karacholio never blinked, sealing gold with ice-cold consistency. Italy topped it all off with a clean sweep of titles, turning Marina Rubicón into an Azzurri victory lap.