Shirley Robertson

Bruno Dubois’ extraordinary career began with the Mini Transat in 1983. After racing major events like Québec–Saint-Malo and the Whitbread, he spent 25 years at North Sails, working with the world’s top offshore and America’s Cup teams. Since 2014, he has managed elite crews including Dongfeng (winners of the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race), Groupama Team France, and SailGP, and in 2023 rejoined the America’s Cup with Stéphane Kandler.

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

2) Sportive

With:

Joe Lynch, CEO, ICOMIA

Simon Keijzer, Marketing Communication, Marit Bouwmeester Academy

Ana Čalić, Chief Commercial Officer, Navela

Niels Klarenbeek, Director Maritime Events, RAI

Bruno Dubois, Team Manager, France SailGP Team

David Graham, CEO, World 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, Managing Partner, Pindar & Co.

With:

Pip Woods, Director, Royal Yachting Association

Andraz Mihelin, CEO Seascape, First Range Director, Beneteau

Richard Moore, CEO, Alter-Agency

Corinne Migraine, Vice-President, World Sailing

Linda Bomhof, Project Manager, TIG Sports & Events

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:

Jeremy Wilton, CEO, RORC, organiser of the Admiral’s Cup 

Ferran Muniesa, CEO, Trofeo Princesa Sofia (ES)

Alexandra Rickham, Sustainability Manager, World Sailing

Giorgio Benussi, Secretary General and Sport Director, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda

Stratis Andreadis, Co-founder Spetses Classic Yacht Race

What are the challenges and opportunities for countries, cities, MNA’s, yacht clubs, event organisers?

Massimo Mancini, Head of Corporate Identity & Sponsorships at Generali, naming sponsor of Barcolana

Meg Reilly, Marketing Chair, Caribbean Sailing Association

Adrian Peet, General Manager, AMAALA Yacht Club

James Pleasance, Executive Director, World Match Racing Tour

The water in marinas is often polluted by residues from cleaning products used on racing sailboats. Non-biodegradable soaps, detergents, and other solutions have a serious impact on marine flora and fauna — an impact that can be avoided by using biodegradable alternatives. Luca Manzoni, CEO of Nuncas, presents the latest research on this topic.

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.

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:

Peter Rusch, Director of Communications at The Ocean Race

Helen Fretter, Editor, Yachting World

Julia Castro, Social media expert and professional kitesurfer

Mark Jardine, Managing Editor, Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com

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.

Chris Trodden, Head of Business Development. FT Technologies 

Panel discussion chaired by Andy Rice

With:

Paolo Manganelli, Head of Engineering, Gurit
Simon Watin, Managing Partner, VPLP Design
Imogen Dinham-Price, Sustainability Manager, IMOCA Class

Shirley Robertson

Shirley Robertson

SailGP team owners and leaders discuss the progress of the class and the involvement of the teams

With:

Antonio Alquézar, CEO and Team Principal, Los Gallos Spain SailGP Team

Bruno Dubois, Team Manager, France SailGP Team

Jo Grindley, CCO & CMO, Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team

Russell Coutts, SailGP CEO
Alex Reid, Director of Performance Engineering, SailGP

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. 

With:

Hugo Kerhascoet, CTO, we.deploy(science)

Solenn Gouerou, Head of Marketing and Communications, SEA.AI

Martina Reche Vilanova, Naval Architect and Maritime Engineer

Benoît Gaudiot, Co-Founder & Pilot, SP 80 (world sailing speed record attempt)

Antoine Mermod, CEO IMOCA, David Graham, CEO World Sailing, Jeremy Pochman, CEO 11th Hour Racing, Knut Frostad, CEO, Henri Lloyd, Russell Coutts, CEO SailGP, Rosanna Chopra, Executive Director, Red Sea Global, Antonio Alquézar, CEO, Spain SailGP Team, Cécile Andrieu, Co-Director, MerConcept, Victoria Low, CEO, The Magenta Project, Joe Lynch, CEO, ICOMIA, Bernard Schopfer, CEO Yacht Racing Forum, Niels Klarenbeek, CEO, Metstrade, Adrian Peet, CEO, Amaala Yacht Club, James Pleasance, Executive Director, World Match Racing Tour, Jeremy Wilton, CEO, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Giorgio Benussi, Secretary General & Sports Director, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Piero Zecchini, Director, Barcolana, Dirk Ramhorst, Sports Director, Kieler Woche, Bruno Dubois, CEO, France SailGP Team, Dawn Riley, Executive Director, Oakcliff Sailing, Clare Harrington, Vice Commodore, New York Yacht Club, Richard Brisius, CEO, The Ocean Race

Celebrating the worlds’ best sailing photographers and yacht racing images taken in 2025.

With:

Jeremy Pochman, CEO and co-founder, 11th Hour Racing

Holly Cova, Team Director, Team Malizia

David Graham, CEO, World Sailing

Victoria Low, CEO, The Magenta Project

Knut Frostad, CEO & Board Member, Henri-Lloyd

Does boat design need to be improved to be more inclusive and gender-neutral ?

With:

Laura Marimon Giovannetti, Senior Researcher at RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) and member of the Equipment Committee and Weight Athlete at World Sailing

Quentin Lucet, Naval Architect, Partner at VPLP Design

Emily Nagel, Pro Sailor and Performance Data Analyst

Rosalin Kuiper, Professional Sailor and Skipper

With:

Richard Brisius, CEO, The Ocean Race

With:

Antoine Mermod, CEO, IMOCA

Holly Cova, Team Director, Team Malizia

Richard Brisius, CEO, The Ocean Race

Marcus Hutchinson, Director, Vivi Resources