29er fleet shines at the inaugural Kidzink Pearl Cup in Dubai

by 29er Class 9 Jan 02:37 AEDT 15-21 December 2025

The 29er International Class is pleased to share the official press release from the inaugural Kidzink Pearl Cup, an international youth sailing event held in Dubai in December 2025.

As a valued sponsor of the 29er Class, Kidzink brought its vision for learning, inclusion and youth development into this new regatta format, combining high-level racing with coaching, education and cultural exchange. The event featured a strong 29er fleet racing alongside other youth classes in one of the Middle East's first international open youth sailing events.

Below, the full press release offers a closer look at the first edition of the Kidzink Pearl Cup, highlighting the atmosphere, the on-water results and the broader educational approach behind the event.

A week of racing, learning and shared adventure came to a close at Dubai Offshore Sailing Club as the inaugural Kidzink Pearl Cup wrapped up after welcoming more than 100 youth sailors from 17 countries around the world for one of the Middle East's first international open youth sailing regattas.

Held from 15 to 21 December at Dubai Offshore Sailing Club (DOSC) with the support of the Dubai Sports Council, the Kidzink Pearl Cup brought together sailors aged 8 to 18 to compete across the Optimist Coached, Optimist, ILCA 4, 29er and RS Feva classes, blending high-energy racing with collaboration, learning and onshore activity.

Backed by global educational design firm Kidzink as title sponsor and strategic partner, the event combined four days of competitive racing with ideal windy conditions, with three days of Olympic-level coaching delivered by an international coaching team, giving young sailors the chance to train and race in competitive and challenging conditions alongside peers from different countries and sailing cultures.

As part of Kidzink's mandate, the young sailors also took part in interactive onshore sessions developed with Kidzink's research team, exploring the intersection of sport, learning and creativity. With Kidzink's support, the event put a strong focus on leadership, inclusivity and clean-water awareness, highlighting sailing's role in building confidence, curiosity and teamwork both on and off the water.

Charlotte Borghesi, Founder and General Manager of Kidzink, said: "The energy throughout the week was incredible. You could see learning happening in real time, friendships forming on the dock and young sailors growing in confidence every day. The Kidzink Pearl Cup is about more than racing, it's about creating an environment where young people feel inspired, supported and excited to learn."

A two-time world champion sailor herself, Borghesi brings first-hand experience to the event, having made history in 2023 as the first female helmswoman to win the SB20 World Championship, followed by her team's victory at the SB20 Women's World Sailing Championship in Singapore in 2025.

Alongside the racing programme, sailors took part in Kidzink's interactive learning sessions.
The UAE sessions built on work first piloted at the Kidzink-supported 29er Class European and World Championships earlier this year.

Local talent featured strongly throughout the week, with members of the DOSC racing squad lining up alongside international competitors. Among them were 14-year-old Chloe Montanet and 12-year-old Edward West, both representing the next generation of UAE-based sailors gaining valuable international racing experience on home waters.

Bolstered by a sense of camaraderie, learning and ideal windy conditions, the end of four days of competitive racing saw podium honours awarded across the Optimist Coached, Optimist, ILCA 4, 29er and RS Feva Coached Fleet classes.

The 29er fleet saw Dominic West & Fynley Britton (GBR) take top honours, followed by Lily Britton & Matteo Gardenghi (GBR) in second place and Noah Fisk & Alex Simmonds (GBR) in third.

From early-morning launches to dock-side celebrations, the Kidzink Pearl Cup as an international youth sailing regatta in Dubai, delivered a week that balanced competition with connection, learning and fun.

"Our work in sailing reflects our broader mission to design and create educational environments and experiences where young people thrive," added Borghesi.

"The Kidzink Pearl Cup is just the beginning of much more to come."

The event reinforces Dubai's growing reputation as a destination for youth sport and innovation, as it also highlights Kidzink's ongoing commitment to innovation in global educational design.