F18 European Tour is born

Objectives of the F18 European Tour

The main objective of the Tour is to promote competitive Formula 18 sailing at the European level by structuring a coherent, attractive, and unifying circuit. It aims to:

  • Ensure fair, demanding, and well-organized racing, in line with international class standards;
  • Guarantee a strong and regular turnout of crews by avoiding calendar overload and scattered events;
  • Provide balanced geographical distribution of events, maximizing accessibility for European teams;
  • Select optimal sailing venues, known for reliable wind and sea conditions;
  • Spread the calendar in a clear and reasonable manner, with roughly one event every
    two months from April to October;
  • Increase the visibility of the class among the media, partners, and the wider public, through shared communication efforts and media production;
  • Build a collective momentum to reassert Formula 18 as the leading performance beach catamaran class;
  • Maintain a positive and inclusive onshore atmosphere, true to the F18 spirit and values;
  • Provide a shared foundation for F18 enthusiasts and reinforce the feeling of belonging to a strong and inspiring European circuit.

Update

Thanks to strong commitment from Victorien Erussard, FRA F18 Chair, and thanks to supporting clubs and NCAs, we now have the confirmed dates for the four Acts of the European Tour 2026.

This means we can now move into a new phase of marketing and communication, to promote this European championship as a unifying circuit across our different F18 nations.

Act 1 – Spain (Barcelona, BISC)

  • Organised by the Barcelona International Sailing Center (BISC), in coordination with Adecat – Asociación Nacional de Catamaranes.
  • Welcome/registration: Thursday 23 April 2026
  • Racing: Friday 24 to Sunday 26 April 2026

Act 2 – France (La Rochelle Week)

Picture by Olivier Lhopez
  • Organised by La Rochelle Nautique, in coordination with the Fédération Française de Voile (FFVoile) and the French F18 Class Association.
  • Welcome/registration: Wednesday 13 May 2026
  • Racing: Thursday 14 to Sunday 17 May 2026 (4 racing days, including one reserve day)

Act 3 – Italy (European Championship, Dervio, Lake Como)

  • Organised by the Consorzio Circoli Velici Lariani (Multilario), grouping six clubs around Como Lake, with the support of the FIV (Federazione Italiana Vela, XV Zona).
  • Dates: 3 to 10 July 2026
  • The European Championship will take place over 5 racing days (detailed schedule to be confirmed).

Act 4 – Netherlands (Hellevoetsluis)

  • Organised by the Hellecat Club, and integrated with the Dutch Open National Championship, in coordination with the Dutch F18 Class Association.
  • Welcome/registration: Thursday 24 September 2026
  • Racing: Friday 25 to Sunday 27 September 2026,

To sum up

The goal is clear: to secure the maximum number of competitors at each Act. We are convinced that this model will appeal to our sailors:

  • A stretched calendar with roughly one event every two months
  • A flexible scoring system, where the overall ranking will count the best three results out of the four Acts, allowing sailors to remain competitive even if they miss one event

Once again, many thanks to all of you for making this possible. This excellent news has been shared and highlighted at the International Class meeting held on 3rd October 2025.

Fair winds!