Fast Enough to Win: Lessons from the 2026 F18 European Championship

The 2026 Formula 18 European Championship on Lake Como, Italy, was one of the most intense regattas we've sailed in recent years. Against a fleet of 110 boats, Emmanuel "Manu" Boulogne and I demonstrated that we had the speed to fight for the podium, rounding countless top marks in first or second place throughout the week. Mechanical failure ultimately ended those ambitions, and we finished 13th overall. Despite the disappointment, this championship confirmed one thing: our new Cirrus R3, powered by Air Sails, has the pace to compete with the very best, and our team continues to take another step forward on the international stage.

Every championship begins long before the first starting signal. The opening days are dedicated to measurement inspections, where every boat is checked from bow to stern. Following requests from many competitors over the past few seasons, the Formula 18 Class has significantly strengthened its measurement procedures, with inspections both before the event and after racing each day. It's a positive step for the class and helps ensure that every team competes on equal terms.

The practice race is always another important milestone. It's not about winning, it's about finding your rhythm, checking the boat, understanding the race management team, and getting comfortable with the venue. We approached it conservatively, avoiding unnecessary risks. Ironically, we found ourselves leading the fleet almost immediately. Out of superstition, we chose not to cross the finish line. Looking back, it probably wouldn't have changed anything. Sometimes fate has already written its own script.

The first official racing day never really happened. The intense summer heat prevented the famous Lake Como thermal breeze from developing, leaving the fleet waiting ashore all day.

When the wind finally arrived on Day 2, it delivered classic Lake Como conditions: light to moderate breeze with constant shifts in both direction and pressure. Tactically, it was extremely demanding.

Our first race perfectly illustrated the story of our championship. We rounded the first windward mark in the lead, then the leeward mark in second. Fighting with three other boats at the second upwind mark, we made two costly mistakes: a port-starboard incident followed immediately by touching the mark. Two poorly executed penalty turns later, we had dropped to around fifteenth before recovering to finish 11th. Frustrating, but also encouraging. The speed was there. The automatic teamwork after many months apart still needed polishing.

The following races confirmed exactly that. We posted finishes of 4th, 2nd, and 3rd, while rounding every windward mark in either first or second place despite average starts. The Cirrus R3 was simply outstanding upwind, allowing us to consistently climb through the fleet.

The qualification format created an unusual situation. The Yellow fleet completed one more race than the Blue fleet, forcing the race committee to adjust the schedule over the following days. Unfortunately, unstable weather continued, with wind shifts of 40 to 60 degrees and gusts ranging from 7 to 28 knots. After more than an hour waiting on the water, racing was abandoned once again on day 3.

That evening reminded everyone why sailors love this circuit. The organizers hosted a traditional Italian barbecue, bringing competitors together off the water. Championships aren't only about racing, they're also about sharing unforgettable moments with friends from around the world.

On the fourth day, we completed the remaining qualification races with finishes of 9th, 4th, and 10th, securing 8th overall heading into the Gold Fleet Finals. We were close enough to dream about the podium.

Just like at the 2025 World Championship, too few races had been completed to allow a discard. There would be no room for mistakes.

We started the final day exactly as planned. Aggressive. Committed. Podium or nothing.

Despite not feeling well, headaches, stomach pain, and even vomiting before racing, we were determined to push through. We opened with an excellent 2nd place, finishing only behind the Belgian crew who would later become European Champions.

Then everything changed.

While rounding the top mark in the second race, sailing around fifth place, our spinnaker halyard suddenly snapped. I fell into the water and barely managed to climb back onboard before the fleet arrived. It wasn't a splice failure or a worn section, just one of those unpredictable mechanical failures that happen at the worst possible moment.

Manu immediately made the decision to head back to shore instead of giving up the day. Thanks to the incredible help of fellow competitors Benoît Champanhac and Pierre Cahier, who were also ashore after their own retirement, we replaced the halyard in record time.

We sailed back toward the starting area at full speed, treating it like another race. We reached the committee boat just as the five-minute sequence began.

Still running on adrenaline, we finished 6th in the next race, a result we're incredibly proud of considering everything that had just happened.

By then, however, reality had caught up with us. Our retirement had added 55 points, making a podium mathematically impossible.

The disappointment was hard to ignore. We had shown throughout the week that we belonged at the front of the fleet. One broken rope had changed everything.

We crossed the final finish line knowing the podium was gone, but also knowing something far more important:

We had the speed.

Championships are rarely defined only by the final standings.

Lake Como reminded us that success in sailing depends on countless variables: preparation, teamwork, weather, decisions, and sometimes simple luck. We leave Italy disappointed by the final result, but encouraged by everything that happened before that broken halyard.

Throughout the week, we proved we could sail with the very best, consistently leading races and fighting at the front of a fleet of 110 boats.

Congratulations to our fellow Cirrus Catamarans teammates Cruz Gonzalez and Mariano Heuser, who finished 5th overall and claimed the European Masters Championship.

One thing is certain: the Cirrus R3 is the real deal. It is fast, balanced, reliable, and capable of winning major championships.

Now it's up to the sailors to keep improving and become worthy of the machine beneath them.