The World Sailing Show – January 2019

From non-stop around the world racers, to Olympic campaigns; from seasoned professionals, to grass roots sailors, The World Sailing Show provides a monthly view of the racing world. Here’s the January 2019 show synopsis:

Meet the Mule – American Magic’s trial horse
They’ve been working in secret for months. Behind closed doors, operating under the radar, American Magic has been locked away, building its trial horse for the 36th America’s Cup. But now they have revealed what they’ve been up to. It’s time to meet the Mule.

Meanwhile, the British Cup team INEOS UK continues to get to grips with their pocket rocket, while the Italians take an altogether different approach. To find out more we went to an evening reception in Monaco, hosted by the Challengers of Record, to talk to the teams directly about how their plans were going on the road to an extraordinary America’s Cup.

We also asked the Defenders’ heroic helmsman Peter Burling why his team hasn’t launched a test boat yet.

Extreme Sailing Series Mexican finale
Los Cabos rounded off a busy 12th season for the Extreme Sailing Series as the tour visited seven countries across three continents.

Going into the final event, three time champions Alinghi held a three-point lead over SAP and five points over Oman Air. But this regatta counted for double points. The margin was miniscule with the potential to shuffle the podium at a stroke. All of the top three teams were capable of taking the crown, an end of season showdown was in store.

Crash & Burn in the Route du Rhum
The boat busting start to the Route du Rhum was only part of the story of the 40th edition of this famous race across the Atlantic.

The opening hours of the 3,500 mile race from St Malo in France to Guadeloupe had seen some of the biggest and most advanced machines in the race, crippled and capsized within hours as a powerful winter storm swept across the Atlantic.

In the 100ft Ultime class Gitana was broken, Banque Populaire upside down and Sodebo’s skipper Thomas Coville reporting structural damage to his boat. Elsewhere in the fleet, masts had come down, teams had retired and plenty had run for shelter. But there was plenty more drama to come as the fleet headed to the other side of the ‘pond’.

Olympic sailing heads offshore
After the news in November that offshore sailing would be a part of the Olympic Games in 2024, we went to talk to someone who has excelled in both. Double Olympic medallist Ian Walker skippered Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing to victory in the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race, and now as the Director of Racing at the UK’s Royal Yachting Association, we paid him a visit to find out what he thought about the move.

Southern Ocean rescue
They prepare for the worst and hope for the best, but as all the competitors in the Golden Globe single handed race around the world knew, the Southern Ocean is where you need both in ample measures. When Susie Goodall was pitched-poled and dismasted in one of the most remote places on earth, she knew she was in serious trouble.