The Foil Weekly Roundup: 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 campaign desperately needed, and two unlikely nations punching their tickets to Rio. Not a bad week between the turkey and the tinsel.

Twenty hours shy of her own race record, Master Lock Comanche still managed to produce one of the most dramatic Sydney–Hobart finishes in recent memory. The 100-footer, co-skippered by Matt Allen and James Mayo, had built a commanding lead through the punishing upwind slog of the first two days – conditions so brutal that a quarter of the 128-boat fleet retired with everything from hull damage to chronic seasickness. Then, approaching Tasmania, the breeze simply evaporated. What had been a comfortable seven-mile advantage dissolved to almost nothing as LawConnect, SHK Scallywag and Lucky came hunting in the fading air.

But Comanche's crew held their nerve, stuck to their game plan of hugging the shore, and caught a lucky puff that propelled them clear. They flew up the Derwent at 22 knots, crossing the line at 6:03pm in a finishing time of 2 days, 5 hours and 3 minutes – marking its fifth line-honours victory and redemption for last year's early retirement with mainsail damage.

LawConnect, the two-time defending champion hampered by gear failures throughout, finished 47 minutes behind. Celestial, Sam Haynes's Volvo 70, drifted across just a minute inside her deadline to lead the handicap standings and looks set to claim back-to-back overall honours, though the venerable 52-year-old Love and War could yet become the first four-time Tattersall Cup winner if Tasmania's notoriously fickle conditions have one more surprise in store.

After what he's described as a pretty stressful year of self-funding following his acrimonious split from Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos, Ben Ainslie finally has the backing he needs. Private equity firm Oakley Capital has taken a majority stake in Athena Racing, providing the long-term financial stability required not just for the 38th America's Cup in Naples in 2027 but across multiple future cycles. It's a significant moment – Ainslie has been bankrolling the operation himself since the fallout with Ratcliffe in January, and the pressure was clearly mounting.

The investment coincides with the formation of the America's Cup Partnership, a newly created governance body that brings all competing teams to the table for the first time in the event's 174-year history. With a two-year racing cycle from 2029 and a €55m (£48m) cost cap on the table, the Cup is finally attempting to shed its winner-takes-all quirks in favour of something more sustainable. If Oakley’s backing is anything to go by, the approach is paying off.

Ainslie, who retains a significant shareholding and will continue as team principal, has recruited Ian Walker as CEO and retained Nick Holroyd as head of design. The team heads into a winter training camp with AC40 monohulls, eyes fixed on delivering Britain’s first Cup victory since... well, ever.

The SSL Gold Cup bills itself as the 'Football World Cup of sailing,' and the Asian Qualifiers in Thailand certainly delivered knockout-round drama. Oman dominated Group B with a perfect six wins from six races. Skipper Nasser Al Mashari kept communication limited to three or four voices on board the one-design SSL47 keelboat, a discipline that left rivals floundering.

Group A was a bit messier. The Philippines looked comfortable heading into the final double-points race, only to cross the start line early and find themselves restarting from the back of the fleet. What followed was pure chaos – tight mark roundings, protests flying, and a near crew-overboard moment when a loose sheet sent one sailor scrambling with only a foot keeping them on board. Somehow, the Centennial Sailing Team clawed back through sheer boat speed, rounded first, and powered downwind to seal the golden ticket.

Both crews now have until November’s SSL Gold Cup Final in Rio to get prepare themselves for the world’s best.

There are sailing achievements, and then there is what Charlie Dalin accomplished in 2024. The Frenchman didn't just win the Vendée Globe; he obliterated the record by nine days, finishing his solo circumnavigation in 64 days, 19 hours and 22 minutes. More remarkable still: Dalin did it while battling a gastrointestinal stromal tumour diagnosed in late 2023, undergoing targeted treatment throughout preparations and the race itself. Now, the 2025 Magnus Olsson Prize – named after the legendary Swedish offshore sailor – rightfully belongs to him.

The Magnus Olsson Prize honours those who embody excellence, sportsmanship, and innovation – previous winners include Ben Ainslie, Peter Burling, Martine Grael and Santiago Lange. Dalin's combination of technical brilliance (he's a trained naval architect who helped design the Vendée-winning MACIF Santé Prévoyance) and quiet heroism puts him in fitting company. The ceremony also awarded scholarships to young Swedish talents Cornelia Baldock Frost and Erik Norlén, continuing the prize's tradition of investing in the next wave of offshore hopefuls.

Happy New Year from everybody at The Foil! There’s a packed calendar ahead in 2026, and we'll have you covered every step of the way.