Dubai, UAE – Charlotte Borghesi and her all-female crew have triumphed at the Wicked SB20 Middle East & UAE Championships, held last weekend at the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club (DOSC). The three-day regatta featured 25 one-design SB20 sportsboats competing in light to moderate winds, with a strong field that included Olympic medallists and world champions.

Borghesi’s team on Kidzink delivered a commanding performance to take overall victory. The crew included Italian two-time 470 Olympian Federica Salvà, Swedish 470 bronze medallist from Paris 2024 Lovisa Karlsson, and British Yngling Olympic gold medallist from Beijing 2008, Pippa Kenton-Page.

“The Middle East Championship was, once again, a fantastic event,” said Borghesi. “The tricky, shifty winds this year made every race a real challenge, especially against such a high-quality fleet of local and international sailors. It’s a privilege to race at the front alongside family and friends, including my husband Paolo and my 11-year-old son William, who gave seasoned professionals a real challenge.”

The Borghesi family made a strong showing across the fleet, with Paolo’s team on Koda finishing third overall, and William’s Wind Warriors securing sixth place. Borghesi praised her son’s team for consistently reaching the top mark among the leaders, calling it “super impressive.”

Reflecting on her own team’s success, Borghesi said: “My crew are all former Olympians with multiple medals, but above all, they are dedicated to teamwork and promoting women in sailing. We aim to sail predominantly female crews across all classes and continue competing at key international events, including next year’s Worlds in France.”

Now in its third year, and second as part of the SARF National Championships, the Wicked SB20 Middle East & UAE Championships is firmly established as a premier event in the region. Michal Pajak, skipper of SuperSonic and SB20 UAE Class Chairman, dominated the final day with scores of 2, 3, 2, earning the Corinthian trophy and lifting his team to seventh overall.

“The local SB20 fleet in Dubai continues to grow, attracting top international sailors,” said Pajak. “This weekend showcased world-class competition with Olympians, World and European Champions battling on the water. Congratulations to Kidzink for a well-deserved championship title.”

Other notable performances included Old Spice, skippered by Alan Ruigrok, finishing ninth overall and third in the Corinthian fleet. Ruigrok praised the high standard of competition and the full series completed despite light winds.

Borghesi concluded: “The level of racing in Dubai keeps rising. With great conditions for six months a year, and the exceptional work of DOSC staff and volunteers, we managed nine solid races despite tricky conditions. It’s a testament to how far sailing here has come.”