DAY 1 - Thursday, November 20
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8:00 am Registration
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9:00 am Introduction by conference chair Shirley Robertson
Shirley Robertson
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9:05 am Welcome address by AMAALA Yacht Club Red Sea
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9:10 am Opening keynote presentation by one of the sports' greatest personalities of our times
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YOUTH SAILING AND SPORTS GOVERNANCE
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9:30 am Youth Sailing: Securing the Future of our Sport and Industry
What are the pathways to the yacht racing industry and to the professional sport? How can youngsters build a professional career in sailing? This session will be split into two parts:
1) Commercial – What are the pathways into the yacht racing industry? How can young people build a professional career in sailing? With ICOMIA CEO Joe Lynch, Simon Keijzer, The Young Professionals Club…
2) Sportive – How can we bridge the gap between youth and Olympic sailing and the highest levels of the sport, such as SailGP, the IMOCA class, or the America’s Cup?
With Phil Kennard, CEO, NorthStar SailGP Team and others to be announced soon
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10:25 am Coffee break & Networking time
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11:00 am Keynote presentation by World Sailing CEO David Graham: One sport? Sailing, Inclusion and the Paralympics.
By David Graham, World Sailing CEO
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11:15 am Concrete and successful actions aimed at promoting parasailing.
By David Graham and his guests
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11:30 Panel discussion: What Future for the Sport of Sailing ?
Statistics indicate that sailing boat sales are decreasing, and so is youth participation. Who does what about it? And what can WE do about it?
Industry leaders share their thoughts in this panel discussion chaired by Dan Jaspers.
With:
Richard Moore, CEO, AlterPip Woods, Director, Royal Yachting Association
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12:15 Lunch Break & Networking time
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EVENT MANAGEMENT AND HOST VENUES
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1:45 pm Successful Event Management: Case Studies and Tangible Outcomes.
How can we enhance the appeal of sailing events, attract more media and sponsors? How can we improve the inclusivity and sustainability of sailing events? What are the recipes for success?
With:
Randy Draftz, CEO and owner, Charleston Race Week (USA)
Ferran Muniesa, CEO, Trofeo Princesa Sofia (ES)
Alexandra Rickham, sustainability manager, World Sailing -
2:30 PM What Makes a Winning Host? How Venues Can Attract and Organise Major Sporting Events
What are the challenges and opportunities for countries, cities, MNA’s, yacht clubs, event organisers?
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3:15 PM Coffee break & Networking time
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MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION
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3:50 PM Topical presentation: How can sailing do better in the media?
Jörg Müller-Dünow, Managing Partner, markenzeichen GmbH, analyses precise statistics and compares the sport of sailing with other disciplines such as Formula 1, cycling or skiing.
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4:10 PM Media Review - Who won the Print, TV and Clicks race in 2025, How and Why
Leading journalists and media specialists discuss who did well and not so well this year, in the social media as well as print and TV.
With:
Helen Fretter, Editor, Yachting WorldJulia Castro, Social media expert and professional kitesurfer
Mark Jardine, Managing Editor, Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com
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SOME TECHNOLOGY – SHARP YET ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
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4:55 PM Probably the coolest boat launched in 2025: discover the secrets behind Magic Carpet ᵉ
Ed Bell, Project Manager, Magic Carpet ᵉ, and Mark Somerville, CTO & Marine Race Director at Persico, share the Hidden Technology Beneath one of the World’s Most Advanced Maxi Yachts.
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5:20 PM Trust the numbers: How heel and upwash influence wind measurement and performance calculations
Chris Trodden, Head of Business Development. FT Technologies
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5:35 PM Panel discussion: How composite materials are driving sustainability, digital innovation, and performance in the marine industry.
Panel discussion chaired by Andy Rice
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6:15 Day 1 closing remarks by conference chair Shirley Robertson
Shirley Robertson
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6:30 PM PARTY TIME: SAILORS' NIGHT
DAY 2 - Friday, November 21
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8:00 Welcome coffee & croissants
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8:30 am - PLENARY SESSION Introduction by conference chair
Shirley Robertson
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8:40 am Opening keynote presentation by one of the sports' greatest personalities of our times
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TOP OF THE SPORT
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9:00 SailGP Success Story
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9:45 Case Study: the NorthStar SailGP Team
Phil Kennard, CEO, NorthStar SailGP Team tells us about the keys to a team’s success. Beyond athletic performance, in which areas do SailGP teams have to excel? To what extent are they truly sustainable and inclusive?
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10:00 am Inside AI: Cutting-Edge Advances and What Lies Ahead
How AI can be used in the yacht racing industry, what the benefits and risks are, what the sport of sailing is doing well and where it could improve.
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10:45 pm THE YACHT RACING FORUM FRIDAY BRUNCH
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11:30 am Pantaenius Yacht Racing Image Award Winners Announcement
Celebrating the worlds’ best sailing photographers and yacht racing images taken in 2025.
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11:45 pm Fireside chat: Sport and Industry Leaders discuss Sustainability and Inclusivity with no borders or barriers, aiming to set clear, concrete and achievable goals for the industry.
With:
Jeremy Pochman, CEO and co-founder, 11th Hour Racing
Holly Cova, Team Manager, Team Malizia
David Graham, CEO, World Sailing
Victoria Low, CEO, The Magenta Project
Knut Frostad, CEO, Henri Lloyd
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12:40 pm How can inclusive, gender-neutral boat design be improved to better accommodate users of all genders?
With:
Laura Marimon Giovannetti, Senior Researcher at RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) and member of the Equipment Committee and Weight Athlete at World Sailing
Emily Nagel, Pro Sailor and Performance Data Analyst
Rosalin Kuiper, Pro Sailor, skipper of Team Holcim-PRB
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IMOCA
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1:20 pm Learnings from the IMOCA Global Series, Vendée Globe, fully crewed events and the future of the IMOCA Class
With:
Holly Cova, Team Manager, Team Malizia
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2:10 pm Closing remarks and end of the conference
