Strengthening the Foundations
The start of this academic year marked a decisive moment for PoliTo Sailing Team. A period of reorganisation brought a fresh injection of new talent, reinforcing both the team’s internal structure and its technical framework.
Senior members have stepped up to take on greater responsibility, ensuring that knowledge transfer remains a priority and that hard-earned expertise continues to evolve. At the same time, the team has refocused on pioneering R&D and the optimisation of manufacturing processes — laying a solid foundation for the ambitious months ahead.
Why Return for the 2026 SuMoth Challenge?
After the demanding experience with Victoria, the team made a clear decision: come back stronger.
The result is ITA27 — a completely reworked SuMoth developed through a rigorous analytical approach. Previous limitations were systematically broken down, studied, and addressed. In some cases, this meant implementing targeted optimisations and clever workarounds. In others, it meant starting from scratch and developing entirely new solutions.
The goal is simple: arrive at the 2026 SuMoth Challenge with a boat that is smoother, faster, more reliable — and significantly upgraded in every key area.
ITA27: A Step Change in Performance
ITA27 represents a major evolution. The team set itself the ambitious challenge of re-engineering the entire platform while continuing to use the same hull mould as Victoria. Within that constraint, they aimed to simultaneously enhance ergonomics and boost performance.
The result?
- Targeted improvements to the bow section
- Structural reinforcements to increase overall rigidity
- Weight reductions across key components
- A comprehensive deck redesign to optimise handling and efficiency
Every element of the boat is being reconsidered to ensure it is fully prepared for the demands of the next SuMoth Challenge.
Engineering Sustainability Into Speed
One of PoliTo’s core objectives is to demonstrate that sustainability and high performance are not mutually exclusive.
Through smart design choices — particularly in the wingbars and foils — the team is working to improve handling, acceleration, and top-end speed while maintaining efficiency. New manufacturing techniques are also being tested, enabling higher production standards for foils and structural components. The expected outcome is a boat that is not only faster, but also more durable and energy-efficient.
For PoliTo, innovation is not just about raw speed — it is about intelligent performance.
Sharing the Journey
The team is focusing on Stage 1: the design stage. Sub-teams for Naval Architecture & Hydrodynamics, Structure & Composites, and Systems & Rigging are working hard to complete design milestones. Looking ahead, Sheffield Performance Foiling aims to:
- Start manufacturing by the end of 2026
- Race on Lake Garda in the 2027 SuMoth Challenge
Additionally, the team has engaged 3rd-year engineering students to design a hydrofoiling craft to test foil shapes and control mechanisms.Beyond the workshop, PoliTo Sailing Team remains highly active on the international stage. This season, the team showcased its work at major events including:
- Metstrade in Amsterdam
- Salone Nautico di Venezia in Venice
- Maker Faire Rome
Looking ahead, they will also attend:
- A&T – Automation & Testing in Turin
- JEC World in Paris
These events provide valuable opportunities to share their research, engage with industry professionals, and build new partnerships.This initiative allows members to earn academic credit while contributing to the SuMoth Challenge.
More Than a Team
As the 2026 SuMoth Challenge approaches, anticipation is building. Years of experience have only strengthened the team’s ambition to find smarter, more creative engineering solutions.
But what truly sets PoliTo Sailing Team apart is its spirit. More than a group of engineers, it is a close-knit community built on shared passion. That sense of belonging — and the personal growth that comes with it — is what transforms technical challenges into something meaningful.
For PoliTo, that is the real magic behind ITA27.
