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The Indian Ocean has a fearsome reputation among sailing’s ocean racers and the Vendée Globe leaders are set to deal with their first monster. Longtime pacemaker Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) and second placed Seb Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) are set for a difficult 24 hours which will test their resolve and that of their boats to the full.
Incredibly 2025 will mark the 17th season for the RC44 one designs. For the new season, the 44Cup will comprise five events, including an official World Sailing-endorsed World Championship providing a fine blend of the highest quality, owner-driver keelboat competition, in some of the world’s finest sailing venues and the best après-sail.
Representing New Zealand with pride, the teams demonstrated exceptional skill and resilience in a highly competitive international field.
Three long-distance races in a day was new territory for every rider competing at the final event of the season, Sol WingFoil Racing World Cup Brazil. Many riders have been training in Jericoacoara for a number of days or even weeks in the build-up to the five-day competition taking place out of the idyllic luxury eco-resort of Vila Kalango.
At the head of the Vendée Globe fleet it looks very much like the two leading skipper Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) and Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prevoyance) are following suit, progressively repositioning to the north away from the path of a malicious Southern Ocean low pressure system which is holding a potentially dangerous 50-60kts of wind and seas to ten metres high.
Currently approaching Good Hope, the first of the three major capes of his epic round the world journey, Giancarlo Pedote is preparing to undergo a dramatic metamorphosis in terms of the sailing conditions.
They got further than any British team in 60 years, but INEOS Britannia fell at the final hurdle. Successful Olympic sailor Sir Ben Ainslie takes us inside the searing competition of the America’s Cup – reflecting on the triumphs, the tragedies and the disparities that, in the end, made a crucial difference.
Austrian twins Tomas and Aleksander Acherer launched themselves onto the world stage with a remarkable one-two on the dramatic closing day of the season finale at the GWA Wingfoil World Cup Brazil in Jericoacoara.
Sometimes the fastest, most efficient route between two points on the Vendée Globe course is not the shortest, most direct course. Usually it is. But occasionally something big and brutal blocks the way and prudent, avoiding action is needed and that often means sailing more miles
The countdown is on. In less than eight months the prestigious Admiral’s Cup, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), will return to the spotlight. Teams from across the globe are rallying their finest talent, knowing that meticulous planning and strategic preparation are the keys to gaining the competitive edge in this legendary event. Teams are already gearing up, with many planning to
While speed has been the main focus in recent days, the situation is starting to change. The Vendée Globe solo sailors no longer just have their eyes glued to the rearview mirror to monitor their rivals. They also have to monitor the arrival of a train of depressions, the first will arrive in the middle of this week and they can expect to ride it for up to seven days.
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) is proud to announce its participation in the 2025Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Admiral’s Cup, one of the most celebrated team racing events in international yachting. Representing the RNZYS will be an exceptional team of Callisto, a Custom Botin IRC 42 owned by James Murray, and Caro, a Custom Botin IRC 52 owned by Max Klink.
Less than 9 miles separates the top three Vendée Globe competitors after 20 days of racing, while fourth-placed Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE) is only 20 miles adrift of the leading trio as the fleet heads south and west into the roaring 40s.
“I feel like I’ve been teleported here from the equator! It’s really impressive how quickly we have done this section to the Cape. I really have lose all sense of time and space. I am only now realising if everything goes well this afternoon we will pass the Cape of Good Hope!” Charlie Dalin today.
In the South Atlantic since crossing the equator on Friday, November 22, Clarisse Crémer has distinguished herself by being part of the “front pack” that managed to catch the tail end of a low-pressure system off Brazil, synonymous with an express descent to the tip of Africa.
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) is delighted to have a strong presence at the 2024 World Sailing Youth Match Racing World Championship this year. The event, which runs from 29 November to 2 December (AST), is hosted by the Saudi Sailing Federation at the prestigious Jeddah Yacht Club & Marina in Saudi Arabia.
Still led by Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) the top skippers on the Vendée Globe have now completed around a quarter of the solo round the world course. While they had a slow passage to the Equator, Dalin and co now seem to be on course to break Alex Thomson’s 8 days and 15 hours record from Equator to the Cape of Good Hope which he set on the 2016 edition of the race.
The iconic Cape to St Helena Yacht Race is set to continue yacht racing history between the Island and The Cape, with eight vessels confirmed for the December 28 start. The 1,700 nautical mile journey from Cape Town will culminate in a prestigious prize-giving ceremony at the Governor’s official residence, Plantation House, on January 10, 2025.
They came from all corners of the Globe – Australia, China, France, Italy, New Zealand, South America, Sweden. UK and the USA to share experiences of rounding Cape Horn and to honour one man, veteran French Cape Horner Jean-Luc van den Heede who has rounded the infamous Cape 12 times – A record among living circumnavigators.
WingFoil Racing World Cup Brazil begins in just under a week’s time, with five days of high speed foiling competition from 3 to 7 December. This is the third year that the World Cup season will conclude in Jericoacoara, a strong-wind Mecca for all kinds of wind-powered watersports.
Friends for over 50 years embark on their first Transpac aboard Santa Cruz 52 Heroic Heart.
Unprecedented solo monohull speeds continue to be sustained by the leading five boats on the Vendée Globe as they head towards the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope.
New Zealand driver Peter Burling has unpacked his team’s stunning victory at the 2025 Season opener in Dubai.
After three days at a truly relentless pace, devouring miles at near record speeds – 520, 530, 550 miles in a seemingly single bite, the top leaders of the Vendée Globe fleet continue to stay ahead of the depression while at the same time their pursuers are dropping off the back of the system, as was expected. And so the expectation is that the leaders will continue to multiply their margins. Behi
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