Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo M75

Nicholas Halliday makes history with ILCA 7 victory at 2025 French Olympic Week - Hyères

by Deyon Lai 28 Apr 10:25 UTC 19-26 April 2025
Nicolas Hallyday (HKG) - 56th Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères © Sailing Energy / FFVOILE / SOF

Hong Kong's Nicholas Halliday has made sailing history, clinching first place in the ILCA 7 fleet at the French Olympic Week - Hyères (SOF), and becoming Hong Kong's first ever Sailing Grand Slam (SGS) event winner.

Halliday dominated the event, securing a commanding 23-point lead by Friday 25 April and enjoying a stress-free first-ever Medal Race appearance at a World Cup level regatta. He finished fourth in the Medal Race itself, with New Zealand's Thomas Saunders finishing just ahead to take silver, while the Netherlands' Duko Bos faded to eighth and settled for bronze.

ILCA 7 Podium - French Olympic Week (Hyères):

1st - Nicholas Halliday (HKG) - 48 points
2nd - Thomas Saunders (NZL) - 71 points
3rd - Duko Bos (NED) - 79 points

Earlier in the season, Halliday placed 20th in the first round of the Sailing Grand Slam series, but this week in Hyères, he led from the front and showcased remarkable consistency and maturity in one of the most competitive fleets.

Nicholas reflected on the achievement: "It was super stress-free, really! I'd already won, so I just had to come in here and have good fun, and it's my first Medal Race in a World Series. Going into one of these races stress-free is pretty incredible.

"It was pretty windy today. It was good hiking. These conditions are really fun, especially on the downwinds — you're just constantly surfing and it's loads of fun. The upwinds are hard work, but I enjoyed it.

"It's a really, really high-level fleet. There are so many good guys here, and it's just incredible to race against the top sailors.

"It was a really big range of conditions this week, mostly offshore winds, and it just clicked for me. I had a good feeling for the shifts and pressure on the water. I felt pretty calm every day, stayed patient, and kept an open mind the whole week.

"Now, I head back home to Hong Kong. Most of the good guys here will be going to China for the World Championships in Qingdao starting May 10 — and that's much closer to home."

A special thank you to Coach Harris and Coach Vagelis for their tremendous guidance and support throughout this campaign.

Halliday's breakthrough performance marks a major milestone for the sailing of Hong Kong, China and paves the way for an exciting next chapter at the ILCA 7 World Championships in Qingdao.

Full race results - French Olympic Week - Hyères (ILCA 7):

Related Articles

Fishing: Patterning brown bass
Post-spawn through summer smallies Whitewater Fishing B.A.S.S. tournament pro, Alex Redwine, talks fishing the transition period Posted on 26 Jun
2025 Bahamas Fly-fishing Tournament Series
Anglers to compete across some of The Bahamas' top bonefishing spots The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation announced the launch of Bonefishing Tournament Series that will showcase diverse pristine flats across four islands - Grand Bahama, Andros, Eleuthera and the championship round will be held in Exuma Posted on 20 Jun
Mote leads seagrass restoration initiative
Florida legislature establishes the Seagrass Restoration Technology Development Initiative Seagrasses play a crucial role in the health and resilience of Florida's coastal ecosystems. They provide nursery habitats for keystone species and stabilize shorelines and sediments. Posted on 20 Jun
Maritimo M50 Flybridge & S60 Sedan Video
We speak to Maritimo's Neil McCabe & Phil Candler We talked to Neil McCabe, Maritimo's Design Office Manager, and Phil Candler, Maritimo's General Manager Operations, to find out more about the M50 Flybridge and S60 Sedan during the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. Posted on 17 Jun
“I'm living my dad's dream”
Carl made sure to provide young Kyle the chance to be a seasoned pond hopper Carl Cortiana is about to turn 70, but he still remembers the days four decades ago when he'd cast a practice plug across the living room floor and his toddler son, Kyle, now a highly accomplished Vexus pro on the MLF Toyota Series. Posted on 14 Jun
Stories From The Salt - Ep.6
Insights from PENN's top anglers Whether you're a passionate saltwater angler who eagerly dedicates every spare moment to being out on the water, or you simply enjoy watching the techniques and experiences of others, we invite you to anchor up and learn some valuable insights Posted on 14 Jun
Bulwarks and Bulldust – watch Episode Six
Episode Six is now live - Are boat shows still relevant? Episode Six - asks the question, 'Are boat shows still Relevant?' We also offer some thoughts on changes and updates. The final episode of Series One is now live Posted on 13 Jun
Scania, Viking showcase renewable diesel
Mack Attack shows outstanding efficiency without compromise in performance of Scania V8 Engines Scania, one of the world's leading manufacturers of engines, announced today the successful demonstration of the performance and viability of renewable marine diesel fuel in a Viking 48 Convertible powered by twin Scania 1,150 HP DI16-liter V8 engines. Posted on 10 Jun
Sportfishing industry applauds decision by NOAA
Elimination of proposed South Atlantic bottomfishing closure The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries withdrew the proposed bottomfishing closure from Amendment 59 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic. Posted on 10 Jun
Marine Auctions: June online auctions
Bidding to open on Friday 20th June The Bidding for the June Online Auction will commence on Thursday 20th June and will end on Thursday 26th June at 2pm AEST. Posted on 7 Jun
Maritimo M600Palm Beach Motor Yachts