Yacht Racing Forum

03/09/2026

Discover the speakers of the next Yacht Racing Forum!

The complete list is available on our website: www.yachtracingforum.com.
Today, we feature:

→ Philip Easthill, Secretary General of the European Boating Industry. At the heart of the business and commercial development of our sport, Philip will join a panel discussion opening up the conference and discussing the State of the Industry, analysing how geopolitical and economic dynamics are shaping the sport of sailing.

→ Jörg C. Müller-Dünow, Managing Partner Markenzeichen, will chair an important panel discussion on AI and Sailing: How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping the Business of our Sport.

→ Emma Hendy, Chief Commercial Officer at Doyle Sails International, is an expert of sponsorship; she will help us understand How to Convince Partners in a Challenging Economic Environment.

→ Antoine Mermod, CEO of the IMOCA Globe Series, will share the latest insights about the Class and present his vision for its future as well as the upcoming events including The Ocean Race and the Vendée Globe.

For the full conference programme and registration details, visit:
www.yachtracingforum.com

02/09/2026

Thank you Marine Industry News for the great article. As you rightly point out: "For businesses operating in yacht racing, the value of attending is not simply listening to keynote speakers or collecting industry predictions. It’s being part of the conversation and in the arena to test ideas with people from different parts of the industry, challenge assumptions and understand how other stakeholders see the same problems.
For companies dealing with recruitment, technology, sponsorship or commercial development, those conversations can have consequences well beyond the two days in Amsterdam."
Spot on!

The marine industry has no shortage of challenges to discuss. The harder question is where those discussions can translate into meaningful change. Last

31/08/2026

Discover the speakers of the next Yacht Racing Forum!
The complete list is available on our website: www.yachtracingforum.com.
Today, we feature:

→ Andraz Mihelin, CEO of Seascape and First Range Director at BENETEAU. One of the sport’s most creative minds, Andraz will join the panel “Race Formats: How Can We Make Sailing More Attractive and Appealing?”, exploring new ways to engage sailors, audiences and younger generations.

→ Richard Brisius, Executive Chairman of The Ocean Race. Two months before the start of the fully crewed round-the-world race, Richard will share the latest updates from the fully crewed round the world regatta and share his vision for the future of the event.

→ Stephan Kandler, Founder and CEO of K-Challenge. A leading figure in French high-performance sailing, Stephan heads both France SailGP Team and France’s America's Cup campaign. He will join our panel dedicated to the America’s Cup and its future.

→ Marialuisa Francia, Founder and CEO of P2M. A naval engineer and entrepreneur with extensive experience in high-performance yacht design and composite manufacturing, Marialuisa represents a new generation of industry leaders. She will join the panel “AI and Sailing: How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping the Business of Our Sport.”

For the full conference programme and registration details, visit:
www.yachtracingforum.com

25/08/2026

Four reasons to join the Yacht Racing Forum 2026 on 19–20 November in Amsterdam:

🌍 BUSINESS — Meet decision-makers, potential clients, partners and suppliers from across the global yacht racing industry.
🤝 NETWORKING — Connect with industry leaders in a focused, informal and highly interactive environment.
💡 KNOWLEDGE — Gain insights into the trends shaping the future of yacht racing, from AI and technology to sponsorship and event management.
🥂 FUN — Experience the friendly, informal spirit that makes the sailing community unique and celebrate together at the traditional Sailors’ Night.

See you in Amsterdam!

20/07/2026

FIGARO GATE: ABOVE ALL, A COMMUNICATION FAILURE

The news shook the sailing world this weekend, generating countless reactions, most of them negative and often passionate.

Now that the dust is beginning to settle, here's the situation:

• From 2028, OC Sport will organise a Classe Ocean Fifty trimaran race under the name La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec (the sponsor Paprec immediately announced it would not support this new project). Like it or not, OC Sport is entitled to do so. Michel Desjoyeaux summed it up: « Don’t get angry, they own the rights to the name and they can do what they want. »

• The Classe Figaro Bénéteau will continue to organise the world's most demanding single-handed one-design offshore race; the sport's benchmark pathway to professional offshore sailing and, ultimately, the Vendée Globe. It now needs a new name, a new organiser and new commercial partners. Marcus Hutchinson, vice-president of the Class Association, confirmed that they are working hard at it.

• The 2027 edition will go ahead as planned and will be the final Solitaire sailed on the Figaro Beneteau 3 before the change takes effect. The mood on the pontoons is another question…

The Class therefore has more than a year to reorganise. Considering the sporting value of the race, its history and the unanimous attachment sailors have to it, there is every reason to believe it can succeed.

What happened this weekend was, above all, a communications failure.

One stakeholder—OC Sport—seems to have made the announcement unilaterally, while the other parties—the Figaro Beneteau Class, the French Sailing Federation and the Ocean Fifty Class—were left reacting under pressure, seemingly without prior consultation.

One final thought: why did so many people react so emotionally?
Because La Solitaire du Figaro is far more than just a race. It is one of the cornerstones of modern offshore sailing—the benchmark that has launched generations of outstanding sailors. It has earned a unique place in the history of our sport, and people genuinely care about its future.

People care, which is exactly the best the future event organiser and sponsor could hope for.

© Alexis Courcoux

17/07/2026

Shock announcement in offshore sailing: the legendary La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec is to be replaced by the Classe Ocean Fifty.
OC SportPen Duick, organiser of the Solitaire du Figaro, announced this morning that the race which has served as offshore sailing's benchmark for more than 50 years will be replaced by an event for Ocean Fifty trimarans—a class with only eleven boats currently in existence.
Reaction on social media has been intense, with many sailors pointing out that the budget required to compete could rise from around €200,000 in the Figaro class to more than €3 million for an Ocean Fifty campaign.
Any thoughts about this decision?
© Thomas Campion

07/07/2026

SAM WATSON AND MARZIO PERRELLI TO DELIVER OPENING KEYNOTES AT THE YACHT RACING FORUM 2026

The Yacht Racing Forum is delighted to announce that Samuel Watson, CEO of North Technology Group, and Marzio Perrelli, CEO of The America's Cup, will deliver the opening keynote addresses at the 2026 Yacht Racing Forum, on Thursday 19 November and Friday 20 November, respectively.

North Technology Group employs more than 3,600 people across 40 countries and owns North Sails, Doyle Sails International, Quantum Sails Gulf Coast, Southern Spars, Future Fibres Rigging Systems, Hall Spars& Rigging, North Kiteboarding & Foils, Mystic and North Sails Apparel.

Marzio Perrelli has been Chief Executive Officer of the America's Cup since April 2026. Previously, he was Executive Vice President at Sky, overseeing its sports business from 2018 to 2025.

The 2026 edition will focus on the business of competitive sailing and one of its greatest challenges: making the sport more accessible to wider audiences. Over two days, delegates will discuss how sailing can continue to grow by connecting grassroots participation with the sport's most iconic properties, from the America's Cup to the IMOCA Class, Olympic sailing, SailGP and other leading international events.

15/04/2026

Yacht Racing photographers are essential to the development of our sport. Without them, there would be no imagery, no storytelling, no emotion, no sense of intensity. Races often take place far offshore, out of sight and without witnesses. Thanks to them, we can understand what truly happened, imagine the vastness of the oceans, and share in the sailors’ emotions.

This is why, at the Yacht Racing Forum, we have been celebrating marine photographers since 2008. As an ecosystem, the sailing world needs them — and we also deeply admire their work.

The Pantaenius Yacht Racing Image Award is the international competition for marine photography. Photographers from around the world are welcomed to the Yacht Racing Forum and celebrated alongside the sport’s leading personalities, and their images are exhibited during the Metstrade Show.

13/04/2026

YACHT RACING FORUM ANNOUNCES INITIAL PROGRAMME AND KEY UPDATES FOR 2026 EDITION

Following one of its most successful editions, the international B2B conference dedicated to the sport of sailing has unveiled the first elements of its 2026 programme (https://yachtracingforum.com/conference-program/). The event will take place on 19–20 November in Amsterdam, at the end and the day after the Metstrade show, with the traditional Sailors’ Night on Thursday evening.

The 16th edition will once again bring together the international sailing community for two days of conferences, keynotes and high-level networking at the crossroads of sport, business and innovation.

The event organiser, Bernard Schopfer, outlines the general guidelines for the next edition: “While we will continue to spotlight the sport’s leading events and cutting-edge technology, we are also placing greater emphasis on mainstream sailing and racing — which represent the vast majority of participants and have the greatest impact on the business and industry.”

The 2026 edition will feature a refined programme addressing key industry challenges and opportunities.

©Felix Diemer, Pierick Jeanoutot, Pascal Huit, Ashley Dart, Sebastiaan Zoomers / Yacht Racing Forum

17/02/2026

Save the Date for the Yacht Racing Forum: November 19–20

The world’s leading conference dedicated to the sport and business of sailing will once again bring together industry leaders, athletes, organisers, sponsors, and suppliers for two days of high-level conferences, debates, networking and business.

Registration is now open on the Forum’s new website (www.yachtracingforum.com). Participants who register before April 30 can benefit from the Early Bird Discount and save 20 percent.

“One of our key objectives this year is to truly engage all stakeholders across competitive sailing. We want the Yacht Racing Forum to represent sailing globally, in all its diversity and strength,” says Bernard Schopfer, CEO and organiser of the event. “We will continue to spotlight the sport’s leading brands and personalities, while placing greater emphasis on mainstream sailing and the industry ecosystem that sustains it.”

Photos © Sebastiaan Zoomers, Patrick Condy, Timothy Wright