Log of the Week — 18 January 2026 – Offshore Racing, Trade Winds & January Sailing News

Real sailing news from around the world — trade winds, offshore records, youth training, and club racing

The middle of January always feels like the deep pulse of the sailing year: it’s not yet the Mediterranean cruising season, but the calendar is far from quiet. Offshore race fleets are deep into passages, youth sailors are sharpening skills, and clubs around the world are already racing hard. This week’s log brings the stories that matter to sailors — whether you’re watching from a dock or plotting your own next leg.

🌊 RORC Transatlantic Race: Records and Atlantic Rhythm

The 2026 RORC Transatlantic Race continued to dominate headlines this week. After the fleet left Lanzarote on 11 January in near-perfect trade wind conditions, things have moved fast on the Atlantic.

The MOD70 trimaran Argo smashed the race record for the multihull division, completing the 3,000-mile course from Lanzarote to Antigua in 4 days, 23 hours and 51 minutes, a new benchmark for this biennial challenge.

Behind Argo, the monohull fleet has also been making impressive progress. Boats like the Baltic 111 Raven are forecast to arrive in Antigua around 18 January, setting themselves up for strong line honours and the overall IRC honours.

Four days into the race, the fleet was largely clear of the Canary Islands and locked into the classic trade wind pattern that makes this transatlantic crossing so special.

For cruisers who follow passages and watch trackers, this edition is shaping up as one of the most exciting in recent years — not just for speed, but for the blend of professional and dedicated amateur crews pushing their boats into blue-water rhythm.

⛵ Big Fleet Racing: ILCA Nationals in New Zealand

Mid-January saw one of the most competitive mid-summer club and class racing events in the Southern Hemisphere. The 2026 New Zealand ILCA Nationals unfolded in the Bay of Islands this week, attracting nearly 100 boats and a strong international entry.

Conditions were described as glorious on the water, with sea breezes building for close, tactical racing across multiple days.

For club sailors and keelboat racers everywhere, this kind of event is a reminder that winter in one part of the world is peak season in another — and that year-round racing calendars can offer excellent opportunities to sharpen skills, try new tactics, and meet sailors from afar.

🧭 Youth Development and Training Camps

This week also highlighted the quieter but very important side of sailing — development and training.

Oman Sail’s performance program wrapped up a 14-day winter camp at the Mussanah Sailing School, preparing young sailors for competition in a range of classes including Optimist, ILCA, and 29er.

These camps aren’t just about speed or trophies; they build confidence, boat handling skills, and tactical thinking that matter whether a sailor ends up racing elite circuits or cruising with family.

⚓ Classic Club and Team Events

Across Europe, events like boot Düsseldorf 2026 continued to reinforce the social fabric of sailing. At the show, speakers and presenters shared advice on weather, offshore safety, and practical seamanship — the kind of expertise that often doesn’t make headlines but shapes the way sailors think and prepare.

Meanwhile in Monaco, youth sailors prepared for the Monaco Optimist Team Race 2026, another sign that grassroots participation remains strong this January.

🧠 What This Week’s Stories Mean to Cruisers

There’s no single dramatic rescue this week, no rule change that rewrites how we sail. But in these stories you can hear the ongoing heartbeat of the sport and cruising life:

• Passages still matter: The Atlantic trade winds may be a world away from your anchorages, but they remind us how wind, current, and weather shape every passage we make.

• Skills are universal: High-level racing and youth camps both underline a single truth — solid boat handling and awareness never go out of style.

• Community is everywhere: From class racing in New Zealand to team events in Europe, the sailing world remains active and connected — even in the heart of winter for some.

Closing Thoughts

In this mid-January week, sailing wasn’t about waiting for the season. It was about living it, wherever your latitude. Offshore fleets ran hard across the Atlantic, club sailors raced in sea breezes, and young sailors sharpened their edge for the year ahead.

If you enjoy calm, experience-based sailing news that actually matters to sailors — from blue water crossings to local racing — make sure you’re signed up for the Sailoscope Log of the Week and our practical cruising insights.

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