Dear readers,
As I write to you, I'm sitting at the small round table in our flat in Barcelona. It's Thursday evening and already dark. I'd love to take this opportunity to philosophise about what Sir Ben Ainslie called "the most exciting Louis Vuitton Cup final in a really long time" and express my admiration for the extremely rapid development of the British team. But by the time you read this, the challenger series may already be over, or "Luna Rossa" may have struck back and we are eagerly awaiting the decisive 13th duel.
Would I - today on the eve of the possible decision - have to I would bet everything on red, blue and white. Will the team be back in the America's Cup match today after 60 years? Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli's seventh attempt to bring the bottomless silver jug to Italy would then have failed prematurely.
Before I look further into the crystal ball under this assumption and possibly predict that the British will also beat the dreaded defenders from Emirates Team New Zealand, I would rather turn back to the facts at this point. Fortunately, there have been enough of them recently, especially from a German perspective on sailing.
It seems that after the super sailing year of 2024, with the Olympics, America's Cup and Vendée Globe, we will have our very own highlight year in 2025. It has been known for some time that the Ocean Race Europe will start from Kiel on 10 August, but not which teams will be taking part. Further announcements are expected, but after Boris Herrmann's Team Malizia and Team Holcim-PRB with skipper Rosalin Kuiper, two more big names confirmed their participation this week.
None other than the two Vendée Globe co-favourites Yoann Richomme and Thomas Ruyant will start the Ocean Race Europe with their teams off Kiel. This has already given the appeal of the supposedly small race, four legs to Montenegro, a real boost. According to Boris Herrmann's tip, a further four to six racing teams will come to Germany. I have fond memories of the incredible Pictures and crowds at the Ocean Race Fly-by almost one and a half years ago. Why not do it again, Kiel?
While the capital of Schleswig-Holstein has already proven its sailing craziness on several occasions, there is likely to be an exciting premiere 225 kilometres away one week after the Ocean Race Europe start.
The first German SailGP event is to take place in Saßnitz on Rügen on 16 and 17 August 2025. The F50 catamarans equipped with T-Foils from the coming season should then race along in front of the famous chalk cliffs. With Martine Grael becomes the first helmswoman in the racing series for the new Brazilian team over the course. Two-time Finn Olympic champion Giles Scott will then be at the helm for Canada and Erik Heil will whip his German team to the front at the home event.
From own experience from New York I can definitely speak for every enthusiastic sailor: It's worth being part of this spectacle! Even if you have little contact with the SailGP or regatta sport in general, it is definitely a fascinating experience to see these projectiles whizz past you at possibly over 100 kilometres per hour.
So: pull out your calendar and set the 10th, 16th and 17th of August 2025 bold mark, because this will be the next super sailing summer on your doorstep!
Max Gasser
YACHT editor
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