From Yvette Jorissen, Nacra Sailing – All pictures @Laurens Morel
The New Gen F18 Regatta in St. Tropez brought 20 international young sailing talents to the forefront from October 19-22, with ten fierce teams competing in an pilot event that set the stage for the future of youth racing.
About New Gen
The New Gen F18 Regatta, a collaboration between Nacra Sailing and Les Ailes de Saint-Tropez, was created to give late Gen Z sailors (ages 17-25) a platform to continue competitive sailing after outgrowing youth classes. This event included three qualification days, followed by a final ‘all or nothing’ race day where top teams competed for the ultimate prize: a free Nacra F18 Evolution for use in the 2025 F18 Worlds.
Featuring an unique 4×4 swap-on-water racing format, this regatta required sailors to quickly adapt in several sprint heats of up to 30 minutes, with every team racing against one another.
Recap of the Event
The regatta presented its challenges, with several days of nearly windless conditions, but ultimately, all qualification heats were completed. The event closed off on Tuesday with an all-or-nothing final race.
After a very close call for the finish and 2 protests, French New Gen Sailors Fanny Bourrust and Guillaume Jacolin claimed victory! You will see this team racing on one of Nacra’s F18 Evolution during the F18 Worlds 2025 in Noordwijk.
Nacra Sailing expressed their gratitude to everyone who made the event possible, particularly Co-organizer Cedric Bader from Les Ailes de Saint-Tropez and his team for their venue, race committee and catering, the Nacra Sailing team for providing boats and on- and off-shore support, as well as Sailmon Instruments for live tracking and drone shots and to Laurens Morel for capturing the event’s highlights. And of course, the 20 participating sailors from five nations who showcased their skills throughout the competition.
Continuing its mission to support youth sailors, Nacra Sailing plans to expand the New Gen F18 Regatta series in the coming year. For more information and updates, follow along on Nacra Sailing’s social media.
For more info
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