Yacht Racing Forum reveals details of 2026 programme
Image courtesy of Yacht Racing Forum
The Yacht Racing Forum has released the first details of its 2026 programme. The event is scheduled to take place on 19 & 20 November in Amsterdam, immediately after Metstrade, with Sailors’ Night planned for Thursday evening.
The 16th edition brings together participants from across the international sailing sector for two days of conferences, keynote sessions and networking. The programme continues to cover major regattas and technological developments, while placing a growing emphasis on widely participated sailing formats and events that influence the wider industry.
Bernard Schopfer, organiser of the Yacht Racing Forum, outlines the key features of the upcoming event: “While we will continue to spotlight the sport’s leading events and cutting-edge technology, we are also placing greater emphasis on mainstream sailing and racing, which represent the vast majority of participants and have the greatest impact on the business and industry.”
Pantaenius Yacht Racing Image Award
The prize-giving ceremony for the annual Pantaenius Yacht Racing Image Award will also take place in Amsterdam during the Yacht Racing Forum on 20 November 2026, while the 20 best images will be exhibited at the Metstrade show.
Yacht Racing Forum 2026: two-day programme
The first day of the draft conference programme opens with an introduction by conference chair Shirley Robertson, followed by a keynote presentation and a session featuring World Sailing CEO David Graham. A ‘State of the Industry’ session is scheduled to set the context for discussions at 9.50am, alongside panels on participation growth and race formats, including how sailing can appeal to younger audiences.
In the afternoon, the focus shifts towards operational and commercial aspects of the sport. Planned sessions cover event management and stakeholder value, the evolving role of race chase boats and the impact of host venues. Sponsorship is also addressed, with a session examining how partners can be secured in a challenging economic environment. The day concludes with Sailors’ Night at Harbour 8.
The second day focuses more on technology and future developments. Sessions examine the role of artificial intelligence in communication and its broader impact on the sport. The agenda also includes the presentation of the Pantaenius Yacht Racing Image Award, an overview of new raceboat designs, and a spotlight on the IMOCA class and its current projects.
Further sessions cover the future of the America’s Cup format and the contribution of yacht racing to maritime decarbonisation. The event closes with final remarks in the afternoon, followed by a farewell coffee at 3pm.
Additional information on conference sessions and speakers will be released online in the coming weeks.
Sir Russell Coutts, CEO of SailGP, said after last year’s event: “This event is excellent – strong content, outstanding speakers and truly thought-provoking topics. From my perspective, it is extremely valuable.”
Rosanna Chopra, executive director of Red Sea Global, adds: “The Yacht Racing Forum opens up partnership conversations and that’s why this event is so important to us as we move forward.”
Early bird incentive for tickets until 30 April 2026
A 20 per cent discount is available to participants registering before 30 April 2026. Standard registration details and pricing are available on the event website.
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