Yacht Racing Forum announces a new concept and new format

The sailing world is changing fast. Flying boats, rigid sails, new events, new partners and sponsors, new venues...

Following the trend, and determined to be at its heart, the Yacht Racing Forum announces a new concept and format for its 2015 edition, to take place over December 7-8.

Now composed of separate conference streams, this annual event will deliver important ideas and concepts in three key areas that affect everyone in the yacht racing industry: the Business, organizational, and planning aspects of the sport; the importance of Design & Technology to drive innovation and, for the first time, the role Risk Management plays in the structure of the sport.

The 2015 Yacht Racing Forum will attract key personalities from within the yacht racing industry: athletes, sponsors, event organisers, designers, technical suppliers and anyone involved or just interested in yacht racing.

"Our goal is to grow this event and to manage it with a long term vision in order to give our partners and exhibitors certainty about its relevance and sustainability," says event organiser Bernard Schopfer. "We have decided to offer very competitive delegate fees and affordable exhibitor costs in order to encourage companies and individuals to attend who represent all levels of yacht racing, from local events right on up to the Americas Cup."

Sir Ben Ainslie confirms the importance of the event: "It is the only time in the year when we can meet other key stakeholders from the yacht racing industry in a friendly environment, out of the pressure of a competition", he says. "The organizers of the event, MaxComm, Bernard Schopfer and his team have been involved in top level yacht racing events for over a decade and I trust their ability to put in place a great event. I will be very happy to attend it again in the future if my schedule allows."

Dobbs Davis, technical journalist at Seahorse magazine, and James Gradwell, who has been working in yacht racing conferences since 2008, are part of the organizing team and determined to take it to a new level. "This event is important for anyone involved in yacht racing", says Davis, who will help develop the technical side of the event. "Designers, builders and engineers from various regions and cultures don't have many opportunities to meet. The yacht racing world is moving so fast, with new innovations like rigid sails and flying boats, that it is important to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and business for these new realities. Yet there are still many clever ways to maximize the value of existing technologies, and the Forum will be an important discussion venue for these ideas as well."

The venue for the Yacht Racing Forum will be disclosed this spring, and negotiations are already underway for the 2016 and 2017 editions of the event. " The new concept of the event, with three distinct modules (business and marketing, technology and risk management) makes perfect sense and corresponds to the needs of everyone involved in yacht racing ", says Route du Rhum winner and Artemis America's Cup team member Loïck Peyron. " I believe that this evolution is positive. The new organizing team is determined to enhance this event and it is a good thing: I took part in the 2011 edition and it is an excellent memory for me as it is a great opportunity to meet people involved at all levels of the sport: race organizers, designers, venues, sponsors... "

The Yacht Racing Forum is the only business to business conference that brings together the key players from across the whole yacht racing industry. The event will provide the chance to discuss the issues facing the sport and to share best practice. It will also facilitate business development through providing quality networking opportunities with decision makers from all areas within the industry.

The World Yacht Racing Forum will take place on 7-8 December.