Yacht Racing Forum

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.

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

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

Congratulations to Thomas Coville - Skipper du Maxi Trimaran Sodeb'O and his crew on an exceptional achievement that will go down in the history of offshore sailing. This victory is also that of a long-standing partner, Sodebo Voile, which has placed its trust in a skipper and his entire team over the long term. Return on investment is built through trust, shared values, and long-term commitment.

𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐎 𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐈𝐌 𝟑 𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐋’𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐈𝐑𝐄 🌏
𝐂’𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐓 🥳🥳🥳

À 07h46 et 55 secondes (heure française) ce dimanche 25 janvier, Thomas Coville, Benjamin Schwartz, Léonard Legrand, Frédéric Denis, Guillaume Pirouelle, Pierre Leboucher et Nicolas Troussel viennent de franchir la ligne d’arrivée du Trophée Jules Verne !

Les 7 marins battent le plus mythique des records à la voile en 40 jours,10 heures et 45 minutes et 50 secondes, soit 12h 44min et 40sec de moins que le temps réalisé par Francis Joyon et son équipage en 2017.

Après trois tentatives avortées depuis 2020, la quatrième est la bonne. Une persévérance hors norme de la part du team Sodebo Voile et de son sponsor Sodebo, qui récompense le travail de toute une équipe.

Ce record est pour vous. Merci pour votre incroyable soutien durant ces 40 jours.
On se retrouve à 11h au quai Malbert pour fêter ensemble ce moment d’histoire et partager les émotions de cet exploit !!! 🎉

A significant percentage of the world’s most important sailing events in one picture !

This picture symbolises the impact of the Yacht Racing Forum; the only event in the world that manages to bring together the chief executives of the most influential events and organisations in the world of international competitive sailing. Pretty impressive lineup:

Top row: Antonio Alquezar, CEO, Los Gallos Spain SailGP Team, Adrian Peet, general manager, AMAALA Yacht Club, Clare Harrington, Commodore, The New York Yacht Club, Knut Frostad, Executive Chairman, Henri-Lloyd, Joe Lynch F CIM, CEO, ICOMIA, Jeremy Pochman, CEO, 11th Hour Racing, David Graham, CEO, World Sailing, Antoine Mermod, CEO, IMOCA Class, Niels Klarenbeek, CEO, Metstrade, Richard Brisius, CEO, The Ocean Race, Russell Coutts, CEO, SailGP, Giorgio Benussi, Secretary General, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Francesca Capodanno, Managing Director, Barcolana Regatta, James Pleasance, CEO, World Match Racing Tour.
Lower row from left to right, Victoria Low, CEO, The Magenta Project, Bernard Schopfer, CEO, Yacht Racing Forum, Rosanna Chopra, Executive Director, Red Sea global KSA 0.2, Dawn Riley, Executive Director, Oakcliff Sailing, Piero Zecchini, Executive Director, Barcolana, Bruno Dubois, CEO, France SailGP Team.

Memorable 15th Edition of the Yacht Racing Forum

The international yacht racing community gathered in force in Amsterdam on November 20–21, as the Yacht Racing Forum welcomed a full house of 250 delegates from 26 countries for two days of high-level debate, knowledge sharing, and business.

As the sport’s premier B2B platform, the Forum once again proved to be the leading meeting point for brands, event organizers, teams, and suppliers seeking to generate new business leads and explore commercial development opportunities. Industry leaders, athletes, organizers, and innovators met to discuss the present and future of the sport, addressing both its challenges and its opportunities.

A huge, heartfelt thank you to all the participants, partners, exhibitors and speakers who contributed to the success of the Yacht Racing Forum.

https://marineindustrynews.co.uk/yacht-racing-forum-returns-to-amsterdam-for-2025/

Yacht Racing Forum returns to Amsterdam for 2025 The Yacht Racing Forum returns to Amsterdam on 20 and 21 November 2025, coinciding with the closing day of Metstrade and the following day. The 15th

Paul Cayard and Frithjof Kleen, Star World Champions.

A massive trophy for a huge champion, what an achievement!

📸 Martina Orsini Photographer

Sir Russell Coutts: A prestigious Opening Keynote Speaker

We are delighted to announce that Sir Russell Coutts, CEO of SailGP, will be the opening speaker on Day 2 of the Yacht Racing Forum 2025 (Friday November 21).

One of the greatest personalities in the history of our sport, Coutts' achievements speak for themselves: Olympic Champion, multiple America’s Cup winner, and now the visionary CEO and founder of SailGP. Beyond his unparalleled record on the water, he is a highly successful businessman and a leader with a clear vision for the future of sailing.

Throughout his career, Russell Coutts has been a passionate advocate for youth sailing, consistently supporting and inspiring the next generation of athletes.

We are proud to welcome him to the Forum and look forward to his insights on the present and future of our sport.

We are pleased to share our lineup of speakers ahead of the 15th edition of the Yacht Racing Forum.
Today, we are delighted to introduce Marine Consultant Dan Jaspers, who will chair a session entitled What Future for the Sport of Sailing, based on the pressing observation that boat sales and youth participation are decreasing. Who does what about it? And what can WE do about it? Dan will be joined on stage by industry leaders to discuss and share constructive proposals.
Holly Cova, Team Director of Team Malizia will be part of a Fireside Chat reassembling key sport and industry leaders such as Knut Frostad, Victoria Low, Jeremy Pochman or David Graham to discuss sustainability and inclusivity with no borders or barriers, aiming to set clear, concrete goals for the industry.
Edward Bell, Project Manager of Magic Carpet ᵉ will take us through the hidden technology beneath one of the world’s most advanced Maxi Yachts, with Mark Somerville, CTO & Marine Race Director at Persico Marine.
Save the date: November 20-21
For more information and registration: www.yachtracingforum.com