February 21, 2025
2 minutes reading time
2025 iQFOiL Games # 1 Lanzarote
© Sailing Energy / iQfoil Class
31 January, 2025
February’s World Sailing Show heads to Lanzarote for the inaugural iQFOiL International Games
The February episode of the World Sailing Show meets Finn Hawkins of Great Britain and Joost Vink of the Netherlands, two young iQFOiL stars of the future looking to make an impact on the senior tour as a new Olympic cycle gets underway at the iQFOiL International Games in Lanzarote Both have stepped up from being Olympic training partners to chart their own course in the sport and have Los Angeles in 2028 in their sights.
- Violette Dorange sets new record as youngest ever skipper to complete the Vendée Globe
- SailGP crosses the Tasman for round 3 in Sydney
- 2025 World Match Racing Tour gets underway with the Macau Match Cup
- Local joy at the International Moth World Championship in Auckland
- Etchell World Championships in Melbourne conclude with a classic match race
As more skippers return to shore in Sable D’Olonne, France, the World Sailing Show recaps the next wave of finishers, which included French duo Damien Seguin, the first Para Sailor to finish, and Violette Dorange, the youngest ever sailor to take part in the race and now the youngest ever finisher.
After a short break, the 2025 World Match Racing Tour kicked off with the Macau Match Cup where 12 teams gathered for the first event of the new season. The World Sailing Show hears from reigning champion Ian Williams and the world’s #1 ranked women’s match racer, Pauline Courtois, and recaps an eventful curtain raiser.
Next the World Sailing Show heads to the southern hemisphere and the Moth Worlds in Auckland. Considered one of the toughest classes outside of Olympic sailing, the strong winds provided exhilarating racing throughout the week. A total of 74 competitors took part, with the top seven places all going to youth racers. New Zealander Mattias Coutts, son of Sir Russell, claimed victory after nine wins from 17 races, just ahead of fellow Kiwi Jacob Pye in second, himself claiming seven wins during the week.
Staying south of the equator, the World Sailing Show arrives in Melbourne for the Etchells World Championships where 46 sailors took to the starting line. It would be Australia’s Graeme Taylor, skipper of Magpie, who would triumph, defending his title with James Mayo and Ben Lamb, on home waters in front of friends and family.
The fleet of F50s arrived in Sydney for SailGP the third round of Season 5 where a wing damaged in practise forced the American team to withdraw. Two days of incredible racing came down to a three-boat final where the lead changed throughout and Emirates GBR would set the fastest speed of the day at just over 93.5 km/h and make the most of every wind shift to take the victory.
Image courtesy of SailingEnergy.