Planning Underway for Yacht Racing Forum 2016

The Yacht Racing Forum, held for the ninth consecutive time in 2016, will once again deliver important ideas and concepts, and open up new business opportunities for the sports’ key actors and brands. As the leading conference for the business of yacht racing, the event will take place at the Grand Hotel Excelsior in Malta on November 28-29.

Co-hosted by Yachting Events and Yachting Malta, the conference will be split into four modules:

• Chaired by America’s Cup commentator Tucker Thompson (USA), the opening conference will focus on marketing and media, and spark debates and presentations on social media, television and sponsorship. This module will also deliver precious information on racing boats’ branding and corporate design.

• The second module, on Monday afternoon, will be chaired by Alter CEO Richard Moore (UK) and discuss Event and Race Management. A specific focus will be put on sustainability issues, as well as challenges and opportunities in events management.

• The entire morning of day two will be dedicated to Risk Management and Safety. The sport of sailing has changed dramatically over the last five years, with faster and foiling boats and a trend to generate closer action. Chaired by the Volvo Ocean Race outgoing COO Tom Touber (NED), this conference will question the sport and its participants’ awareness of those changes. Are the class managers, event organizers and clubs ready to adapt? What does the sports’ governing body think and do about it?

• Chaired by Seahorse magazine chief editor Andrew Hurst (UK), the last module, on Tuesday afternoon, will focus on the ‘top of the sport’ and the future of yacht racing. The conference will (amongst others) discuss the future of match racing, the Volvo Ocean Race and America’s Cup.

The Design & technology Symposium will take place alongside the Yacht Racing Forum on Monday November 28; it will once again be hosted by Seahorse journalist Dobbs Davis (USA).

Keynote presentations will be made by Formula One designer and engineer Mike Gascoyne, the new World Sailing CEO Andy Hunt, and hopefully an Olympic champion (yet to be named!).

Other confirmed speakers include Melissa Payne, Jean-Baptiste Durier, Cameron Appleton, Jordi Arbusa, Sam Usher, Jean-Baptiste Epron, Simeon Tienpoint, Andrew Pindar, Wouter Verbraak, Sander van der Borch, Juan Kouyoumdjian and many more to come.

Leading yacht racing brands and events have also confirmed their support as partners and exhibitors, including the Volvo Ocean Race, Marine Camera Solutions, Gurit, GeoRacing, Mirabaud and Virtual Regatta.

Details: http://www.yachtracingforum.com