Worldpage 39

Sailing news from around the world, including

The Curious Adventure Begins

The smallest boat in the 9th edition of the Melbourne Osaka Cup double-handed yacht race has embarked on its 5,500-nautical-mile adventure to Osaka. ‘Curious Roo’, an S&S34 skippered by Peter Garrett and Neil McKinley, set off just after the starting gun fired at 4:40 p.m. on March 2, 2025, to the cheers of an enthusiastic crowd at Portsea Pier.

A Truly Special 2025 RORC Caribbean 600

The 2025 RORC Caribbean 600 marked its 16th edition with a spectacular display of offshore racing prowess, attracting a diverse fleet of 66 boats from 32 countries. The race is renowned for its challenging 600-nautical-mile course around 11 islands and providing Caribbean racing in the depth of the northern hemisphere’s winter months.

Manuel Cousin, 31st in the Vendée Globe 2024

After 111 days and 38 minutes racing since leaving Les Sables d’Olonne on 10th November French skipper Manuel Cousin crossed the finish line of the Vendée Globe today at 1240hrs UTC. The 57 year old former motor industry executive turned ocean racer completes his second successful Vendée Globe, finishing in 31st place.

Innovative New Tool Helps Sailors Avoid Whale Strikes

PredictWind, a leading provider of marine weather forecasting solutions, has announced a new feature for its DataHub platform: Whale Watch. This innovative tool, a version of Over the Horizon AIS, helps sailors identify and avoid whales, reducing the risk of ship strikes and contributing to marine conservation efforts.

SALT OF THE EARTH: Georgia Witt

Within the hallowed halls of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Georgia Witt is a silent champion. Dedicated and humble, she goes the extra nautical mile every day to make sure the club keeps ticking, and that it’s progressive and engaging to draw new members in.

Spectacular Start in Paradise – RORC Caribbean 600

The highly anticipated 16th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 blasted off from Fort Charlotte, Antigua, right on schedule. All five starts went off flawlessly as the diverse fleet of 66 international entries launched into the ultimate offshore tropical challenge, an exhilarating race weaving through 11 stunning Caribbean islands.

National Sailing Academy Antigua starts the McIntyre Mini Globe Race (MGR) in three days!

On Feb. 23rd at 11.30am local time, 15 solo sailors will set off from Falmouth Harbour ANTIGUA in home-built ALMA GLOBE 580, 19ft-5.8 metre plywood yachts to race 26000 miles around the world. They will not return until March of 2026! This is the first time Antigua has ever hosted an around the world yacht race and this one is sure to attract the attention of people around the Globe.

World Match Racing Tour celebrates 25th Anniversary Season

The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) today announced its complete 2025 championship season, which started at the inaugural Macao Match Cup last month. This year also marks the 25th Anniversary of the Tour, the longest running global professional sailing series and Special Event of World Sailing, the world governing body of the sport.

Ronnie Simpson Returns to the Global Solo Challenge

We are incredibly pleased to welcome back Ronnie Simpson as an entrant in the Global Solo Challenge 2027-2028. His participation in the 2023-2024 edition left an indelible mark on the event and its global following. Ronnie had rounded all three of the Great Capes and held 3rd place for the best part of the circumnavigation.