Yacht Racing Forum

It's not an April fool : football superstar Kylian Mbappé joins France SailGP Team as investor and charity partner. Kylian Mbappé joins the team via his company Coalition Capital. Mbappé’s foundation 'Inspired by KM' will become the team’s official charity partner. As well as the undisclosed money the team and the league will no doubt benefit from exposure to the football star's 123 million Instagram fans. Besides the money, this is also a massive PR stunt and SailGP and the entire sport of sailing will certainly benefit from it. Let us know your thoughts about this massive news!

America's Cup War of Numbers When it comes to money and the America's Cup, there’s never a dull moment. On February 18, the Port of Barcelona reported a financial loss of €3.5 million from hosting the prestigious sailing event. The total economic impact on the port’s finances was €4.5 million, primarily due to infrastructure adaptations for teams and competition areas between 2022 and 2024. With event-related income amounting to just €1 million, the bottom line remained in the red. Two weeks later, a different picture emerged. The America’s Cup event authority released its own financial impact report—conducted by the Universitat de Barcelona and the Barcelona Capital Nàutica Foundation (FBCN)—boasting a staggering €1 billion GDP boost. The study credited the event with attracting 1.8 million visitors over 59 days, generating 12,872 jobs, bringing in €208.5 million in tax revenue, and achieving €1.367 billion in gross media brand value, with a global TV audience of 954 million. As always, numbers tell the story the storyteller wants. The reality lies somewhere between the losses reported by the port and the economic boom claimed by event organizers. One thing is certain: the America’s Cup has left Barcelona. Now, potential host cities are scrutinizing these figures, interpreting them in their own way—because when it comes to major sporting events, the numbers are as competitive as the race itself. © Maria Muiña / AC37

Save the Date for the Yacht Racing Forum: November 20-21 in Amsterdam The 15th edition of the event will once again reassemble the international sailing and yacht racing community for two days of conferences, presentations, debates and business. The event will take place at the end and right after the Metstrade show in Amsterdam. In cas you missed it last year, here's a short recap video produced by Sunset+Vine. And for more information: www.yachtracingforum.com Marit Bouwmeester OLY, Terry Hutchinson, charles caudrelier, David Graham, Bruno Dubois, 11th Hour Racing, The Magenta Project, World Sailing, Shirley Robertson, Matthew Sheahan, Melanie Stuckens

Don't miss the World Sailing Show, with an excellent summary of 2024's best moments including the Yacht Racing Forum in Amsterdam. https://lnkd.in/gFGxQ37Z

Thank you for the cool video clip Eurolarge Innovation / Bretagne Sailing Valley, you have indeed managed to develop an economic system that is unique in the world.

As we sail towards the end of 2024, we extend our warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year! Now firmly colocated alongside Metstrade in Amsterdam, the Yacht Racing Forum benefits from solid foundations, supported by a loyal audience and partners, whom we sincerely thank for their continued support. We wish you all a wonderful holiday season and look forward to meeting you at the next Yacht Racing Forum on November 20-21.

We are pleased to share a video about the Yacht Racing Image Award and its prize giving ceremony, which took place during the Yacht Racing Forum in front of the international yacht racing community. Slovenian yacht racing photographer Samo Vidic claimed victory for the second consecutive year thanks to a photo taken during SailGP Bermuda. He triumphed over fellow finalists Ilia Byzov and Georgy Akimov. The 14th edition of the Yacht Racing Image award has been successful once again, with 130 photographers spanning 31 nations and hundreds of thousands of votes on the social networks. We are actively looking for a new lead partner, don’t hesitate to spread the word ! This is a unique opportunity to reach the international sailing community and to be associated with the sports’ leading events and sailors from all around the world!

The Yacht Racing Industry United in Amsterdam for Three Days of Business and Networking From November 20 to 22, Amsterdam became the epicenter of the global yacht racing community, as the Yacht Racing Forum 2024 brought together 289 delegates from 28 nationalities. Over three days of engaging conferences, presentations, and networking, the Forum provided a platform to address the sport’s biggest challenges, unveil innovations, and shape the future of yacht racing. The next edition of the Forum will once again take place alongside METSTRADE, on November 20-21, 2025

It’s a Wrap! The 14th edition of the Yacht Racing Forum has successfully concluded after three days of vibrant discussions, spirited debates, and invaluable networking moments. This year’s event welcomed 289 delegates representing 28 countries, including key figures from the sport’s most influential brands and events. The Forum took place alongside METSTRADE, the world's biggest maritime trade show. It offered a dynamic platform to explore the current landscape and future direction of yacht racing while fostering meaningful business connections among participants. Once again, it reaffirmed its reputation as the premier B2B gathering for the sailing industry. Thank you to our partners: Bretagne Développement Innovation, North Sails, Dassault Systèmes, 11th Hour Racing To our sponsors: QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, BENETEAU, GUNBOAT, Spinlock Ltd, FT Technologies Ltd, ACCWing, GAC Group, MarkSetBot and MUSTO

The Yacht Racing Forum 2024 is currently taking place in Amsterdam, alongside METSTRADE, in the presence of the sport’s leading figures from all over the world. More than 280 industry leaders are gathered to discuss the future of the sport, listen to insightful presentations, exchange business cards and have a good time together. Here are some images from day 1, © Tom Coehoorn.