Did XR-41 outwit a measurement rule?

It was in the annual report for the ORC handicap system when it was revealed there were discrepancies in the rated performance of the new XR-41 – the winning Class B design at this year’s ORC Worlds. What does that mean? Did this Danish boat outwit a measurement rule?

Launched in 2025, the XR-41 was designed by the X-Yachts Design Team in collaboration with external partners, including Thomas Mielec (hull design), Javier Jaudenes (deck layout and interior), and specialists from Surge Projects and C-Performance.

The goal was to create a performance-oriented design optimized for racing, particularly in the ORC and IRC classes. Did they do too good a job? Danish publication Bådmagasinet reviews the situation in a three-part series:

Part 1: The successful XR-41 has found itself at the center of a heated controversy after the ORC, for the first time, politically imposed a special penalty on a single boat type – without scientific basis. The decision is now sparking debate about fairness, loopholes, and potential conflicts of interest in the international sailing community. – Full report

Part 2: The Offshore Racing Council’s controversial decision to penalize the World Championship-winning XR-41 by 10 seconds per nautical mile is creating strong reactions among boat owners, X-Yachts and the Danish Sailing Union. Critics warn of a lack of data, erroneous re-scoring, and a decision-making process that threatens confidence in the ORC – and potentially the entire future of new ORC designs. – Full report

Part 3: The Offshore Racing Council is now defending the controversial adjustment that effectively cost the XR-41 the World Championship title, maintaining that the intervention is necessary to correct an error in the measurement rule – even without a full scientific basis. While the ORC calls the move a temporary “rebalancing”, critics warn of serious consequences for boat owners’ investments and confidence in the entire ORC system. – Full report