Hyères 2025: first official outing for Mourniac and Retornaz in Nacra 17
It's a first regatta together for Tim Mourniac and Aloïse Retornaz. At the French Olympic Week, which kicks off this April 19 in Hyères, the French duo is making its Nacra 17 debut, with a view to the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Tim, already in Marseille for the Olympic Games 2024, and Aloïse, a medalist in Tokyo, are starting a new chapter together after a studious winter in Brest. While the medium is familiar to Tim, it represents a discovery for Aloïse, who is excited by the idea of "rediscovering the adrenalin of confrontation".
The first training sessions in Hyères are promising. This event marks the start of a new cycle, one of whose major milestones will be the World Championship in Sardinia in six months' time.
SailGP unveils the first stages of its 2026 Season
The 2026 season of the Rolex SailGP Championship is already shaping up to be a spectacular one, with the confirmation of a first series of stages spread over five continents. Among the destinations announced on Wednesday April 16: Perth, Sydney, Rio, Bermuda, New York, Halifax, Portsmouth, Saint-Tropez, Dubai and Abu Dhabi for a grand finale in November.
SailGP strengthens its global foothold with multi-year agreements in iconic locations, combining nautical showmanship and popular fervor. Sir Russell Coutts, the circuit's CEO, is delighted with the "unprecedented" interest from host cities, in particular to welcome the 12 national teams (including Brazil and Italy, newcomers in 2025) and possibly two new ones as early as 2026.
The season kicks off in January in Australia, and will be spread over 11 months of top-level racing. To make sure you don't miss out, visit SailGP.com or SailGP+ for early access and exclusive content.
Mediterranean Records: heading for speed and the spirit of the Mediterranean
The countdown is on! In six weeks' time, Mariska, a majestic 15-Meter JI from 1908, will set off to establish her first official reference times between Sanremo and Monaco, at the heart of the Mediterranean Records project. The aim: to celebrate pure performance, the beauty of classic yachts and the spirit of freedom on the finest Mediterranean courses.
No rules, just speed and the pleasure of sailing. Two starting lines will be set up by Yacht Club Sanremo and Club de la Voile de Villefranche, enthusiastic partners in this original initiative.
The public is invited to come aboard for this historic attempt, scheduled to take place during the Monaco Grand Prix on May 24 and 25. A few places are still available aboard Mariska to experience this exceptional adventure.
Snim 2025: Marseille welcomes the high-flying sailors of tomorrow
From April 18 to 21, the Semaine Nautique Internationale de la Méditerranée (Snim) transforms Marseille's Vieux-Port into a veritable crossroads for the sport of sailing. A thousand sailors, prestigious boats, seasoned skippers and up-and-coming young talents: the Société Nautique de Marseille's flagship event celebrates the meeting of generations and excellence on the water.
To keep a close eye on: the Swan CS42 Glen Ellen sailed by Louis Barbet, the formidable ICE 52 Swell with Maxime Sorel on board, and the Ker 46 Lisa R, defending champion. And let's not forget the young guard, such as the duo Clara Bayol and Charles Hénon on Sun Fast 30, who will be experiencing their first night sailing.
With its international atmosphere, sporting challenges and sharing of experience, the Snim is once again set to be the major spring event on the Mediterranean.
The Ocean Race Europe: Rosalin Kuiper at the helm of a mixed crew on Holcim-PRB
Team Holcim-PRB unveils an international, mixed crew for The Ocean Race Europe 2025, headed by Rosalin Kuiper, the only female skipper in this edition. The Dutch sailor succeeds Nicolas Lunven and will lead a crew of five sailors with complementary profiles, combining experience and daring.
She will be joined by Nicolas Lunven (FRA), a connoisseur of the boat, Carolijn Brouwer (NL/AUS), a pioneer of women's ocean racing, Alan Roberts (GB/BR), a figure on the Figaro circuit, and Franck Cammas, a world sailing legend. The race will start on August 10 from Kiel, Germany.
An equal crew, united around a collective vision of leadership, ready to meet the challenges of this demanding race between Kiel and Genoa.
Foiling Awards 2025: voting is open!
The 8th Foiling Awards have been launched, and public voting is open until April 30 on the Foiling Awards website foilingawards-halloffame.org . This year, 92 nominees in 14 categories are in the running to reward the best sporting performances, technological innovations and sustainable initiatives in the world of foiling.
Categories include: best sailor, team, event, innovative project, production boat and nautical toy. The prestigious Forlanini Award, for the year's most significant impact, will also be presented.
The winners will be announced on May 20 at a gala event in Genoa's Palazzo della Borsa, preceded on the same day by the World Foiling Congress, focusing on the future of commercial foiling.
Transat Paprec 2025: the village inaugurated, the race launched
The village for the 17th edition of the Transat Paprec opened its doors on Tuesday April 15 in Concarneau, officially kicking off this great transatlantic adventure in mixed doubles. In the presence of the 19 duos entered, institutional and private partners, and an already numerous public, the festivities got underway in a convivial atmosphere.
The traditional prologue, cancelled at sea due to strong winds, was transformed into a virtual ePrologue, won by Jules Ducelier and Sophie Faguet (Région Normandie) on the Virtual Regatta platform.
The public can discover a lively 1500 m² village, educational stands, meetings with the skippers, and entertainment for all. Of particular note: the inspiring presence of patron Valentine Colasante, prima ballerina at the Paris Opera, and sponsor Yoann Richomme, two-time winner of the Solitaire du Figaro.
Next big event: the start of the Transat Paprec, on April 21.
2028 Olympics: surfing will be played out in Trestles, California's legendary spot
The news is now official: the Trestles surf spot in San Clemente, California, has been selected as the Olympic venue for surfing events at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. The announcement was enthusiastically welcomed by ISA President Fernando Aguerre, and validated by the IOC.
After Tsurigasaki Beach (Tokyo 2020) and Teahupo'o (Paris 2024), Trestles perpetuates the ambition to offer the world's best surfers high-performance waves to sublimate the event. For decades, this iconic American surfing spot has hosted the world's greatest international competitions.
Justine Dupont, President of the ISA Athletes' Commission, was delighted with the choice, supported by the entire riding community: "For surfers, wave quality and consistency are priorities, and Trestles ticks all the boxes."
Rolex Fastnet Race: 100 days to go before the opening of the village in Cherbourg
The countdown is on! In just 100 days, the Rolex Fastnet Race village will open its doors in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin for nine days of festivities, from July 24 to August 1, 2025. A particularly symbolic edition, as it will mark the centenary of this legendary race.
470 boats, 3800 sailors from 50 nations and a prestigious fleet ranging from ULTIMs to Class40s are expected. After setting off from Cowes and a detour to the legendary Fastnet Rock, the fleet will head for Cherbourg, the finishing point and beating heart of the festival.
Concerts, nautical animations, masterclasses, free access to the pontoons and skippers' honors will punctuate the village. Daily prize-giving ceremonies and a âeuros musical program, including a U2 tribute concert to close the event âeuros promise an atmosphere to match.
Olympic sailing: 14 athletes selected for the 2025 French team
Just a few days before the French Olympic Week in Hyères (April 19-26), the Fédération Française de Voile has unveiled the composition of the 2025 French sailing team. 14 athletes, including two Olympic medallists âeuros Lauriane Nolot (kitefoil) and Aloïse Retornaz (Nacra 17) âeuros will represent France at major international events, with the World Championships in each Olympic discipline in their sights.
Nine Olympians feature in this selection, joined by three promising new talents, including Jessie Kampman (Formula Kite) and Yun Pouliquen (IQFoil), both of whom made their mark in 2024. The season will officially open in Hyères, at the second stage of the Sailing Grand Slam, a decisive event in the qualification process for the 2025 Worlds.
Supported by an experienced technical team and a new duo at the helm of the collective, Les Bleus begin their road to Los Angeles 2028 with ambition and determination.
Saint-Lucie joins ISA and enters the big league
The International Surfing Association (ISA) has welcomed Saint Lucia as its 117th national member federation, consolidating surfing's presence in the Caribbean region. The island becomes the 11th Caribbean country to join the organization.
With its 158 kilometers of coastline, the Saint Lucia Surfing Association (SLSA) aims to train a local elite, while promoting environmentally-friendly surfing. This new partnership with ISA opens the doors of international competition and training to the island.
A symbolic first step will be taken this year, with the participation of the very first St. Lucia national junior team in the ISA Junior World Championships. The team's entry on the world stage is testimony to the growing vitality of surfing in the tropical islands.
French Short Boat Championships 2025: a vintage year in Cazaubon
The French Short Boat Championships 2025 drew to a close in Cazaubon, marked by superb confrontations and finally clement weather. On the Uby basin, France's top rowers put up a fine fight, confirming the emergence of new talent and the return to form of well-known figures.
In the senior class, the Onfroy/Rayet duo won the coxless pair, as did Cornelis/Aernoudts in the women's class, setting a new pool record in the process. In the single sculls, Théophile Onfroy and Elodie Ravera made a strong impression, despite the pressure exerted by an ambitious younger generation.
Para rowing was also in the spotlight, with several promising performances at the start of the Paralympics, notably by Perle Bouge and Alexis Sanchez.
The U18 finals also put on a fine show, with the youngsters outdoing themselves and showing promise for the future. Next step: the selection rounds at Vaires-sur-Marne, with a view to the European Championships.
Techno Class 293 celebrates its 20th anniversary!
Created in 2005, the Techno 293 Class is celebrating two decades of riding, passion and competition training. A veritable breeding ground for young talent, the famous orange-and-white board has seen thousands of riders from the four corners of the globe, many of whom have gone on to shine on the Olympic stage.
To mark this anniversary, all the major events of the season will carry the colors of the 20 years of the class. First highlight: the T293 European Championship, to be held from April 16 to 21 in Italy, with almost 300 participants. This will be followed by the Défi Wind (May 29 to June 1) in France, then the World Championship in Wales from August 16 to 23, the highlight of this festive year.
