Daily Sailing Debrief - February 16, 2026

Feb 16

SailGP: The "Catastrophic" Auckland Weekend

Australia Defends Auckland Title; League Debuts Split-Fleet Format Tom Slingsby and the Bonds Flying Roos secured their second consecutive Auckland victory on Sunday, moving to the top of the Season 6 standings. In a weekend of firsts, the league debuted a split-fleet format on Day 2 to reduce congestion after a violent crash on the opening day knocked out two of the league's heavyweights. Full Results at SailGP
Update on Injured Athletes: Louis Sinclair and Manon Audinet Following the high-speed collision between New Zealand and France, Kiwi grinder Louis Sinclair and French strategist Manon Audinet remain in stable condition. Sinclair is recovering from leg surgery, while Audinet is under observation for potential abdominal trauma after the impact was so severe it broke the F50's steering wheel. Full Story at SailGP
Black Foils’ Season in Jeopardy; France Granted Rebuild Priority With the New Zealand F50 suffering structural collapse, experts suggest the "Black Foils" season may be over. SailGP has granted the French team priority in the technical rebuild queue as they were exonerated of any fault in the 90 km/h collision. NZ Herald Analysis

Luna Rossa: Two-Boat Testing in Sardinia The Italians enjoyed six hours of "stunning" conditions on the Bay of Angels, Cagliari. The session saw winning Women’s America’s Cup trimmer Maria Giubilei and helm Margherita Porro back in sync on the second AC40, as the team focused on straight-line speed and intensive tacking development. 38th America's Cup Official
Doug DeVos and American Magic’s $60M SailGP Play In a move designed to "build a strong US sailing legacy," American Magic co-founder Doug DeVos has acquired the Danish ROCKWOOL Racing team. The acquisition allows the American squad to leverage SailGP's high-performance ecosystem even as they shift resources away from a 2027 Cup challenge. Full Story at Afloat

Gitana 18: A New Chapter in "Flying Ultim" Design The 32-meter Maxi Edmond de Rothschild (Gitana 18) was officially launched on February 14. Designed to push beyond hybrid flight into 100% foiling, the yacht features radical Y-shaped foils and a pivoting central daggerboard, promising a 10-15% speed gain over its legendary predecessor. Sail-World
Yacht of the Week: Wallywind 110 Described as "part bluewater cruiser, part decadent sports yacht," the Wallywind 110 is currently making waves for its all-carbon judel/vrolijk hull and sleek 80sqm cockpit. The yacht is designed to offer Scandi-chic luxury while maintaining the performance required for a competitive racing program. Gentleman's Journal
Jeanneau TH33 Steals the Show in Miami The Miami International Boat Show (Feb 11–15) saw the Jeanneau TH33 take center stage at the new "Sailor’s Cove" hub. The twin-hull power catamaran is being hailed for redefining stability and space for the modern weekend cruiser. Miami Boat Show Highlights

70th Finn Gold Cup Opens in Brisbane 1983 America’s Cup winner Rob Brown OAM compered the opening ceremony for the 70th Finn Gold Cup at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. The event has drawn a world-class fleet of 70 sailors back to the waters where the class last raced its worlds 50 years ago. Live Sail Die
Antigua Racing Cup: Multihull and One-Design Preview The Caribbean season is heating up as the Antigua Racing Cup prepares to host a diverse fleet including RS Elites and Diam 24 multihulls. The regatta is being touted as the perfect inshore warm-up for the larger offshore fixtures. Sail-World