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Sailing News for February 23, 2026

Sydney Harbour’s SailGP history reads like a highlight reel of capsizes, comebacks and heartbreak, and with two teams sidelined after Auckland the 2025 edition already feels wide open, while across the Pacific the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series in St. Pete flipped from light-air frustration to 25-knot fireworks with tight one-point wins and full-send downwind legs. Winter grit was on display at Medway RC as short, punchy Laser races in 20-plus knots reshuffled the leaderboard in a matter of minutes, and in Brisbane Alessandro Marega made history as the first Italian to win the Finn Gold Cup after a nerve-shredding final day. Cruisers get a dose of inspiration with the 21ft Kite proving classic looks can still move and the Excess 13 showing that performance and comfort can finally coexist in a production cat, before the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race update reminds everyone what long-haul amateur ocean racing really looks like when sleep is optional and the miles just keep coming.

Sail GP/America’s Cup

2025 Sydney Sail Grand Prix Results, Key Moments & Race Highlights (5 min read)
Sydney rarely disappoints, and the Harbour has delivered everything from capsizes to comeback wins. In 2025, Emirates GBR stole the show after Australia dominated the fleet races but stumbled in the Final. A year earlier, the Aussies finally broke their home-water curse. Go back further and you’ll find near-hurricane chaos in 2023 and SailGP’s very first event in 2019. With two teams sidelined after Auckland, this year’s edition feels unpredictable already.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

High-Action Finish For SWRS St. Pete (6 min read)
St. Pete saved the best for last. After two days of light-air delays, the final day of the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series delivered 25-knot blasts and proper downwind rides for 225 teams. J/70, Melges 24 and 29er fleets lit up, with tight one-point wins in multiple classes and a few undefeated scorelines thrown in for good measure. Midwinters, North Americans, Worlds berths, and gear-breaking breeze. Classic Florida rollercoaster, big breeze edition.

Medway RC Laser Club Winter Series – Day 9 (3 min read)
Big breeze, short races, and plenty of OCS chaos made for proper winter racing at Medway RC. Jon Moon came out swinging with four early wins, but Jamie Blair clawed back from a messy start to dominate after the switch to D rigs in 20-plus knot gusts. Six to eight minute races meant relentless starts and zero breathing room. By the end of 16 sprints, Blair had flipped the leaderboard and taken the day. Cold, windy, and absolutely on.

Olympic Class/Dinghy Sailing

Alessandro Marega becomes first Italian to win Finn Gold Cup (5 min read)
Italy has its first Finn Gold Cup champion, and Alessandro Marega earned it the hard way. Locked level with Anders Østre Pedersen going into the final day, Marega stayed calm in light, sweaty Brisbane breeze and sealed the title before the last race. Brendan Casey grabbed bronze for the hosts, while Rafa Trujillo capped the week with a Hall of Fame induction. Tight points, brutal conditions, and zero room for mistakes. Proper heavyweight sailing.

Cruising

Kite: the lightweight trailer-sailer with heart (6 min read)
Think gaffers can’t point or pace? The 21ft Kite would like a word. This 750kg trailer-sailer mixes bowsprit charm with carbon mast tech and happily clocks 5.5 to 6 knots upwind, tacking through 90 degrees in a chop. Off the breeze she’ll surf and has hit 11 knots in the right puff. Huge cockpit, simple two-berth cabin, centreplate you can lift in skinny water. Classic looks, modern bite, and properly fun to sail.

Excess 13 review: A great ride and much more (8 min read)
The Excess 13 might be the sweet spot between bulky charter cats and full-tilt performance machines. Lighter, sharper, and now penned by Marc Lombard, it’ll push 8 knots upwind and crack into the teens surfing with a Code 0. Aft helms keep you plugged into the action, and weight savings actually show in the motion. Down below, it’s big on owner comfort without going full floating condo. Finally, an Excess that feels properly grown up.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Ten identical 70-footers, mostly amateur crews, and 40,000 miles of “sleep later” ocean racing. After Stage 6 into Subic Bay, GOSH (Great Ormond Street Hospital) is sitting pretty on top, while Warrant just grabbed a much-needed stage win in a leg that mixed doldrums misery with 50-knot spice. The race team also spills the behind-the-scenes chaos: leapfrogging containers of spares and branding around the globe like a traveling circus. Bonus tease: the new Clipper RX72 fleet is coming, and everyone sounds very eager to go break things.