Offshore
Insight, action and spotlight on Offshore Sailing
At a Glance
Offshore
Offshore sailing operates on a different scale to everything else. Races measured in weeks not hours, courses spanning oceans rather than bays, with crews managing sleep deprivation, equipment failures and storms hundreds of miles from rescue. It's where foiling IMOCA 60s chase Vendée Globe glory, giant Ultim trimarans attack round-the-world records in under 41 days, and the classic 600-milers separate weekend warriors from full-time professionals. Self-sufficiency is mandatory. Navigation is everything. The Foil will be covering the boats, the campaigns, the characters and the routes that define blue-water racing at its most extreme.
Circumnavigating the planet by sail remains one of sport's ultimate tests. Whether solo and non-stop, or crewed across multiple legs, these are the active races that define the pinnacle of offshore competition.
The shorthand '600-milers' refers to the cluster of 600–700nm offshore classics that pit adventure-seeking amateurs against some of the world’s toughest full-time professionals. These are the races where reputations are made – long enough to test boat and crew through at least one night at sea, short enough to attract deep and competitive fleets.
France dominates offshore sailing like no other nation. The calendar is packed, the public engaged, and the pathway from amateur to elite is well-trodden. These are the anchor events that define the French offshore ecosystem.
