ETF26 Series concludes: Blueshift wins the Mar Menor Grand Prix
by Pierre Picot 22 Oct 2025 20:12 BST
15-18 October 2025
ETF26 Series - Mar Menor Grand Prix © Clement Gerbaud - Qaptur
To conclude the 2025 season, the ETF26 SERIES fleet gathered in Mar Menor, Spain, from 15 to 18 October for the final stage of the championship, which was as technical as it was decisive.
Four days of intense racing, marked by light conditions, unpredictable weather, and above all, a fleet now equipped with a brand new foiling system: a true technological revolution.
New foils for a new era
The Mar Menor Grand Prix marked a historic milestone for the class: for the first time, all the ETF26s sailed with the new foils, which now allow the boat to fly upwind and take off in lighter winds.
This development had been eagerly awaited for several seasons and was immediately adopted by the teams.
'It was clearly a light-wind regatta this week,' explains Matthieu Salomon, skipper of Entreprises du Morbihan. 'With the old foils, we probably wouldn't have flown. Now we were able to race in super light conditions, which is a real revolution. These foils will allow us to use the boat's full potential, from light winds to strong winds.'
A close race right to the finish line
On the flat and technical waters of Mar Menor, it was an all-out battle between Blueshift Sailing Team, Entreprises du Morbihan and K-Challenge Blue.
After 14 races, victory went to Blueshift Sailing Team (Charles Dorange), tied on points with Entreprises du Morbihan, but winning on tiebreak.
'We're really happy,' said Charles Dorange. "We came to this regatta with the new foils, and the goal was to train and understand how they work. We found the right settings fairly quickly, and in the light wind, we were really comfortable. I think we had a bit of a breakthrough at the end of the championship. "
This is Blueshift's first victory on the ETF26 SERIES circuit, a symbolic success after a season marked by exemplary consistency. This fifth and final stage brings the number of different winners in the five events of the season to three, proof of an ever-increasing level of competition.
Solidarity: the spirit of ETF26
This final Grand Prix was also marked by an incident between K-Challenge Blue All Accor - L'Oréal and Toroa Racing Team. It was more frightening than serious, but caused significant damage to the hulls of the boats. Thanks to an exceptional collective effort by the teams, the entire fleet was able to return to sea the following day.
'All the teams came to help get the boats out of the water, it was incredible. We really felt a total sense of solidarity. The shipyard, our boat captains, everyone worked through the night to get the boats ready to race the next day,' says Enzo Balanger, skipper of K-Challenge Blue All Accor - L'Oréal.
Final ranking - GP Mar Menor 2025
1. Blueshift Sailing Team - 30 pts
2. Entreprises du Morbihan - 30 pts (égalité, départagés au tiebreak)
3. Geronimo Sailing Team - 47 pts
4. K-Challenge Blue All Accor - L'Oréal- 50 pts
5. Toroa Racing Team - 55.45 pts
6. Sansin Sailing Team - 61 pts
7. K-Challenge White All Accor - L'Oréal - 71 pts
A historic 2025 season
With this result, Entreprises du Morbihan topped the overall standings and won the ETF26 SERIES 2025 title, achieving a historic triple: three consecutive championship victories.
'That's what we came here for, and we fought hard throughout the season,' says Matthieu Salomon. 'There have been a lot of different leaders this year, which shows how high the standard is. Winning a third title in a row is just exceptional.'
Overall ranking - ETF26 Series 2025
1. Entreprises du Morbihan - 9 pts
2. Blueshift Sailing Team - 11 pts
3. K-Challenge Blue All Accor - L'Oréal- 11 pts
4. Toroa Racing Team - 23 pts
5. Geronimo Sailing Team - 24 pts
6. Sansin Sailing Team - 34 pts
7. K-Challenge White All Accor - L'Oréal- 36 pts
8. Rockwool Racing 3 - 45 pts
9. Team Bro - 45 pts
The 2025 season will go down as the most intense in the history of the ETF26 class, with technological innovations, neck-and-neck battles and an unprecedented level of professionalism. The year 2026 is already shaping up to be promising, with an increasingly competitive field and spectacular new events on the horizon.