Benedict Donovan

—Deputy Editor

A journalist and writer with years of experience in sailing, Bene cut his teeth marketing to the Olympic crowd before moving to reporting at the sharp end of the sport. We’re talking America’s Cup, SailGP, The Ocean Race… and a stint as in-house writer for Alinghi Red Bull Racing during the 37th America’s Cup, which means he saw all the stuff the rest of us didn’t. Beyond sailing, he’s a regular contributor to Red Bull, covering their wider world of stunts and general lunacy. With a background spanning journalism, copywriting, marketing and press comms, Bene brings a versatile, energetic approach to his role as deputy editor of The Foil.

Day 1 in Perth: Sweden steal the show in SailGP debut

What a dramatic start to Season 6. Before racing even kicked off today, Los Gallos were out after severe damage to their F50 in training, reducing the fleet to 12 boats, not 13. The news then came that the Season 4 champions...

MOD70 Argo claims line honours with new Atlantic record

SailGP might be grabbing headlines this week, but out on the open Atlantic, offshore racing has just delivered something equally spectacular. Jason Carroll's MOD70 trimaran Argo has stormed across the finish line in Antigua to...

The Great Reshuffle: How SailGP's first transfer window has shaken the league up

We’re just two days out from the start of Season 6 in Perth, where the Fremantle Doctor – that notorious afternoon sea breeze – will punish any team still finding its rhythm. And there'll be plenty of them. 21 athletes changed...

Sardinia finally gets its America's Cup moment

After years of near-misses and political fumbles, Sardinia has finally locked in an America's Cup regatta. The opening preliminary event of the 38th America's Cup cycle will take place on the Italian island, marking the first...

SailGP returns to Geneva in place of Saint-Tropez

SailGP has confirmed Geneva's return for a second consecutive year as the 11th of 13 rounds this season, locking in the lakeside venue for 19-20 September 2026. It's a vote of confidence after the Swiss city's debut last...

The week in racing - 12 Jan '26

The new year kicks off with the America's Cup world in flux, SailGP heading Down Under for its most competitive season yet, and the offshore racing calendar firing up with a transatlantic dash. From match racing's most decorated...

The week in racing - 5 Jan '26

From a record-breaking bid in Shenzhen to a rule breach that rewrote Sydney-Hobart history, the first week of 2026 has given us plenty to talk about. We've also got grassroots foiling making waves in Naples, potentially 250 boats...

The week in racing - 29 Dec '25

It may be the festive season, but still the sailing world keeps turning. A supermaxi showdown in one of the sport's most brutal Sydney-Hobarts in years, Ben Ainslie finally securing the financial lifeline his America's Cup...

The week in racing - 22 Dec '25

Three more teams pile into the America's Cup, Italy's youth sailors keep dominating, Thailand delivers a royal gold medal, and the Sydney-Hobart fleet is stacked – even if the breeze isn't. As Europe hunkers down for winter, the...

The week in racing - 15 Dec '25

While the SailGP circus takes its winter break and the America's Cup teams hunker down in design offices, the racing never really stops. It just moves to different waters, different boats, and sometimes a different era entirely…...

7 things we learned in the SailGP Abu Dhabi Grand Final

Great Britain arrived in Abu Dhabi as favourites on paper, tripped over their own shoelaces on Saturday, then came from the back of the three-boat Grand Final to win the race that mattered and collect their first ever SailGP...

Abu Dhabi Grand Final: How Emirates GBR won the SailGP crown

Emirates GBR came back from a slow start in a thrilling three-way Grand Final in Abu Dhabi to defeat New Zealand and Australia and claim the cherished crown of 2025 SailGP champions. After a frustrating opening day where light...

Day 1 in Abu Dhabi: A game of chess on water

The opening day of action at Abu Dhabi's SailGP season finale delivered the kind of slow-motion chess match that tests patience and precision in equal measure. With just 9km/h of breeze at the start – barely enough to ruffle a...