One month to go until the Yacht Racing Forum in Amsterdam: America’s Cup, Ferrari Hypersail and the future of sailing

With less than a month to go, the Yacht Racing Forum 2026 is preparing to open at RAI Amsterdam on 19 November, with proceedings continuing the following day. Now in its 16th edition, the annual gathering of leading figures from international yacht racing and the wider sailing industry will explore the sport’s commercial and competitive outlook, technological innovation and the challenges facing the racing scene. Registration remains open through the event’s official website.

The Yacht Racing Forum brings together event organisers, professional teams, sailors, naval architects, engineers, marine industry executives, sponsors, governing bodies and media representatives. Once again it will run alongside Metstrade, allowing delegates to combine a visit to the international marine equipment trade show with two days focused on the business and future of competitive sailing.

Sam Watson, CEO of North Technology Group, will deliver the opening keynote on Thursday 19 November. He will be followed by a State of the Industry session chaired by Olympic gold medallist and broadcaster Shirley Robertson, examining the economic, commercial and geopolitical forces shaping yacht racing and its prospects.

On Friday 20 November, Marzio Perrelli, CEO of the America’s Cup, will open the second day with a keynote looking ahead to the future of sailing’s most prestigious competition.

The speaker line-up also includes representatives from The Ocean Race, IMOCA, World Sailing, SailGP, European Boating Industry, ICOMIA, 11th Hour Racing, Ferrari Hypersail, VPLP Design, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and Antigua Sailing Week.

Ferrari Hypersail in the spotlight as innovation takes centre stage

Among the technical highlights is “The World’s Coolest New Race Boats!”, hosted by British sailing journalist Matthew Sheahan. The session will feature three projects pursuing performance through very different approaches: Ferrari Hypersail, the Mach 50 Palanad 4 and Raven, the foiling superyacht built by Baltic Yachts.

People directly involved in developing the boats will explain their defining features and technologies, offering an inside look at the design process and engineering decisions behind three particularly ambitious projects.

Artificial intelligence will also have a prominent place on the agenda, with discussions covering its use in yacht design, performance analysis, race strategy and communications. The debate will consider how data-driven tools interact with human expertise and judgement when decisions need to be made.

Another topic is the transfer of technology from yacht racing to commercial shipping, particularly wind-assisted propulsion as a means of cutting fuel consumption and emissions. Advanced composites, sensing technologies and data analysis are among the areas where experience gained on the racecourse may help deliver practical solutions for the merchant marine sector.

Commercial sustainability and the next generation

Alongside technology, the Forum will address how to make sailing more accessible and attract new participants. The “Growing the Sport” session will look at barriers to entry, including the perception that sailing is expensive and difficult to get into, and at initiatives aimed at opening the sport to a broader audience.

Other sessions will cover sponsorship, commercial partnerships, event management, new racing formats and the outlook for major international circuits and classes. These issues go to the heart of yacht racing’s ability to attract investment, grow its audience and develop viable long-term business models.

The programme also includes opportunities for delegates to meet and exchange ideas, including Sailors’ Night on Thursday 19 November.

The winners of the 17th Pantaenius Yacht Racing Image Award, the international photography competition celebrating yacht racing, will be announced at an awards ceremony on Friday 20 November.

Advance registration is required to attend the two-day Yacht Racing Forum. The full programme and registration details are available at www.yachtracingforum.com.

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