sardinia superyacht regatta

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The top superyacht regattas to add to your 2024 calendar

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From the South of France to St Barths, the superyacht regatta calendar is packed with opportunities for owners to race their boats in stunning settings. Whether you are looking for keen competition or are more interested in the après scene, we are here to help you pick the perfect contest.

Oyster World Rally, Antigua

From 14 january, 2024 .

By the finish of the 22/23 rally, more than 100 Oysters had circumnavigated over the decade that the British builder has been running these rallies. Dozens more will have their chance at the next one, which heads west from Antigua and makes 15 stopovers on the 16-month route.

New Zealand Millennium Cup, Auckland

February 23-26, 2024.

Postponed from 2023, the Millennium Cup 2024 takes place in a new location – Auckland, aka the City of Sails, which eases logistics for international owners. There is also a new multihull division as well. What isn’t changing is the fun racing with a Kiwi flavour.

Superyacht Challenge, Antigua

March 11-17, 2024.

Defining superyachts as vessels over 24.4 metres, this regatta offers four days of lively racing from the entrance to English Harbour as well as relaxed parties brimming with camaraderie in historic Nelson’s Dockyard.

The race is held annually in Nelson’s Dockyard and comprises daily pursuit races, and an optional race around the island, with the start and finish line just off English Harbour. Entrants are divided into three classes — buccaneers, corsairs and privateers — and all compete under the ORC Superyacht Rule.

Rather than a traditional trophy, winners receive barrels of rum, suitably filled in true Caribbean style. Additional awards include best-dressed crew, loudest Caribbean shirt, and a cook-off between crews. In fact, the only trophy awarded is the Gosnell Trophy, which is given to the crew that has "competed in the Spirit of the Regatta" both on the water and ashore.

St Barths Bucket Regatta

March 21-24, 2024.

The St Barths Bucket Regatta attracts some of the finest sailors and sailing yachts from across the world and is always a highlight on the racing calendar. This invitation-only event welcomes around 40 superyachts (usually upwards of 30 metres in length) to the sandy shores of St Barths each year.

The racing has traditionally been on three courses but organisers have said they now have 30 options to choose from.

Off the water, owners have their choice of countless invitations, from private gatherings to the Bucket-affiliated soiree at Tamarin as well as the final awards ceremony party, which is traditionally held at the five-star Eden Rock hotel. At the yacht hop, some owners have been known to fly in thousands of oysters and host aerial silk performers, which proves that the old Bucket spirit of winning the party — if not the day on the water — is still prevalent.

The 2024 fleet is already shaping up nicely with regatta regulars such as the 56-metre Malek , 51-metre Red Dragon and 35-metre Whisper all making a return, with the new 59-metre Maximus also anticipated to join. 

Les Voiles de St Barths Richard Mille

April 14-20, 2024.

A relative newcomer to the racing scene, Les Voiles de St Barths may not be steeped in history like many long-timers on this list, but it has swiftly become a calendar staple since its inception in 2010. It welcomes a serious fleet of modified racers and mini maxis - think TP52s and JV72s - among smaller racing boats and a multihull fleet.

Now in its 13th year, the event will see the fleet return to the red-roofed town of Gustavia in St Barths. Like the bucket, the regatta is powered by reliable trade winds that arrive from the east, which means very few days are lost due to unfavourable weather conditions. Racecourses make use of the landscape with clusters of rocks punching out of the water that serve as marks. Some more competitive teams even send divers down to see how close they can get before having to tack off.

Racing is close and competitive but things are much more laid back ashore. The lay day usually consists of a long lunch at Nikki Beach followed by tug of war and diving for bottles of Barons de Rothschild champagne.

Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta

June 4-8, 2024.

The Sardinian superyacht regatta is back as the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda welcomes Giorgio Armani as its title sponsor for the second year.

Where other regattas may have a T-shirts and flip-flops feel, Sardinia is about glamour in the playground of the Italian elite. It’s not all focused on the nightlife, though; any serious sailor knows racing here is not for the faint-hearted.

“Sardinia is, in my eyes, the most exceptional regatta area in the world,” says the owner of  WinWin . And he's not wrong. Competitors can expect stronger winds from the northwest and have to navigate rocks jutting out of the water in Bomb Alley — the passage between Sardinia and La Maddalena archipelago.

The regatta is always capped off with an evening at Phi Beach —  WinWin ’s owner says it’s the best party of any regatta. It’s a quintessentially Italian summer scene, with guests treated to glorious sunset views and music from top DJs piped through bars and dance floors interspersed among the rocks right on the water.

Entry is open to superyachts with a minimum length of 27.43 metres and the event will also encompass the Southern Wind Rendezvous.

Superyacht Cup, Palma

June 19-22, 2024.

This annual event for yachts over 24 metres is the longest-running superyacht regatta in Europe, and now incorporates a Corinthian Spirit Class

A laid-back southern Mediterranean vibe prevails at the Superyacht Cup in Palma, Europe’s longest-running superyacht regatta. Leave your jackets and ties at home; this is a shorts and T-shirt event. Uniquely, this regatta is contained within a fenced-in event village, proving that relaxed and informal can also mean ultra-exclusive.

While racing in the Bay of Palma may not offer the same dramatic scenery as the Caribbean, it is ideal for newcomers who may find rounding inflatable marks less daunting than a rocky outcrop, and its more sheltered position means there are no boat-breaking big seas. The race committee has the ability to set courses in the bay to suit the fleet and to really give every yacht a better chance to sail to its rating.

Last year's fixture welcomes a quartet of J Class entries, Svea , Topaz , Ranger and Velsheda .

Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup

September 8-14,  2024.

The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is the highlight of many a Maxi racing calendar and is back for its 34th edition in 2024. Staged off Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda - known for its rocky scenery and turquoise waters – it continues to attract dedicated owners, highly skilled crews and exceptional yachts. 

This year's Cup follows a hugely successful event last year. Racing is open to yachts of at least 18.29 metres and, for the first time this year, multihulls can join its ranks.

Oyster Palma Regatta, Palma

September 21–25, 2024 .

Taking place at the new venue of Port Adriano, this special edition celebrates 50 years of Oyster Yachts. In addition to the friendly competition over four days of racing, there will be an owners’ dinner to commemorate its half-century of building bluewater cruising yachts.

Ibiza JoySail, Balearic Islands

September 19-22, 2024.

Now in its fourth edition and growing exponentially each year, this laid-back regatta welcomes maxis and superyachts for offshore and coastal racing in the Balearic Islands, along with plenty of onshore socialising hosted by STP Palma and Marina Ibiza.

Les Voiles de St Tropez

September 26 – 6 october, 2024.

The Mediterranean big-boat racing season winds down with Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. But don't be fooled, this is no small soirée. The event is the largest gathering of Maxis yachts in the world as owners and crew come together and toast to the last of the summer sun with a week of good old-fashioned racing. 

Swan Med Regatta-Tuscany Challenge, Marina di Scarlino, Italy

October 2024 .

New to the calendar last year, the inaugural Tuscany Challenge gathered Med-based Swan owners for a first ever Med-based end-of-season regatta set against the stunning backdrop of the Tuscan archipelago. This Nautor Swan Experience gathering celebrates the entire Swan world across a three-day competition. Hosted by the Yacht Club Isole di Toscana, it determines the world champions in the ClubSwan 50, ClubSwan 42 and ClubSwan 36.

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The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup Is a Regatta of Heart-Stopping Challenges

In Bomb Alley, the winds can change in an instant. And then there are the rocks.

By David Schmidt

Sailors call it Bomb Alley for good reason.

This notorious, roughly 15-mile stretch of water separates northeast Sardinia from the Maddalena archipelago and is an important feature of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, which will be held Sept. 5-11. During the strong northwesterly winds that blow from southern France across the northern Mediterranean Sea, this narrow passage has a reputation for unpredictability.

“You can be sailing in five knots, round a corner, and it’s blowing 25 knots,” said Jonathan McKee, a two-time Olympic medalist and a Maxi Cup veteran.

Those lively conditions are caused by the Venturi Effect, in which winds moving through constrained passages increase in velocity and decrease in pressure.

But that is just one of the problems that these huge yachts, with their deep drafts, face. Along with Bomb Alley, there are the rocks.

“The rocks are the nightmare,” said Andrea Caracci, an aeronautical engineer and a highly experienced sailor who is navigating the 100-foot ARCA sgr in the regatta. “It’s a fast boat — we can sail at 12 or 13 knots upwind and 20 knots downwind, so there’s little time to avoid damage.”

McKee called the rocks unnerving: “Because the water is so clear, you can actually see the rocks beneath the keel.”

These obstacles are compounded by the giant boats, which are what the race attracts; hence the name maxi. The regatta, which will be hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Sardinia, is open to yachts 60 feet or longer, with the largest contenders sometimes exceeding 200 feet. This year’s largest competitor is the J Class yacht Topaz, which measures just over 140 feet.

Topaz requires more that 15 feet of draft, or underwater clearance, from the waterline to the bottom of the keel, while other boats, such as the Rambler 88 and the 100-foot Comanche , require 23 feet of water. The boat Caracci requires just over 20 feet.

The regatta features two types of racing: shorter maneuver-intensive races around inflatable markers, which typically take place off Porto Cervo, and the coastal races in which the boats predominantly use the area’s northern islands as natural turning marks. This year, the regatta’s biggest boats and the smaller maxi classes will contest a maximum of five of these competitions while the smaller classes will contest five coastal races or a mix that includes four coastal races and two of the shorter ones.

While all crews need to be sharp for the maneuver-intensive windward-leeward racing, navigators, in particular, need to know exactly where the rocks are on the coastal courses. They will be threading multimillion-dollar needles that weigh tens of thousands of pounds, and that are sometimes traveling at over 20 knots, through rock gardens that might grant only a few feet of keel clearance. Provided, of course, that the navigator perfectly positions the boat relative to the rocks.

While Caracci said that the rocks near the Isolotto Monaci Lighthouse were well known, others were more elusive.

For high-level teams, often with the biggest boats, the deepest keels and the biggest budgets, one tactic involves taking preregatta water-depth measurements at critical turns, adding yacht-specific information to their charts, and sometimes even donning scuba equipment to take a closer look.

“Some of the navigators check the rocks and measure their position and depths,” Caracci said. “The charts say the rocks are in one place, but we check anyway. The risk is too high — there could be big damage to the boat.”

Stu Bannatyne, a four-time winner of the Ocean Race and a Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup veteran, said it was challenging navigation.

“There are gains to be made by cutting between rocks where the charts say you can’t sail,” he said. “Many boats have run aground.”

Caracci has seen this happen on these waters. Twice. “Once was dramatic,” he said. “The boat was 100 meters in front of us, and its keel was one meter deeper than ours. It hit rocks that the charts said shouldn’t be there.”

Navigators also have access to information from their boat’s networked navigation instruments, including water depth, wind speed and direction, compass, and — critically — GPS. “Some [GPS] antennas can show you what the accuracy of the information is,” Caracci said. “There can be a differential based on the number of tracked satellites. If you’ve only got a precision of one meter, you need to stay away from the rocks.”

Another consideration is that the boat’s draft and leeway requirements can change depending on its underwater appendages. Maxi yachts commonly have heavy, torpedolike keel bulbs that are hung from skinny struts to keep the boat from capsizing. On some boats, these keels can be swung from side to side using hydraulic rams to keep the boat sailing flat and fast.

“Sometimes the maximum risk is when you’re heeled over with a canting keel that’s out to the side, so you need to make a calculation,” Caracci said about deciding when it is safe to sail over the rocks.

“When you’re heeled over, the boat might only draw four meters, but you might pass over water that’s only six meters deep. I really hate that.”

Another challenge for navigators, Caracci said, involves working closely with the boat’s senior crew members to make the best decisions. “The tactician always pushes, so the navigator needs to manage their aggressive approach,” he said, adding that racing over dense and sometimes unmarked hazards requires accepting risks that could give a boat an advantage.

While the regatta’s shorter races require rapid and highly choreographed maneuvers, the coastal races — for which the regatta’s organizers have more than 50 courses to choose from, depending on the wind’s strength and direction — are the most complex.

“This is definitely one of the events where local knowledge is tremendously important,” said Peter Holmberg , an Olympic silver medalist and the helmsman of Topaz at this regatta . “Although conditions change every day, there are definitely characteristics that are consistent and reward previous experience.

“Since you’re rounding islands and rocks, and not an anchored buoy in open water, one’s local knowledge and level of risk-taking determines how close they can round that mark and shave valuable distance with an inside track,” he said.

The complexities can be further compounded by the winds. In early September, racers can usually expect either 10- to 15-knot winds, or the stiffer northwesterly breezes — called the mistral winds — which typically hit 18 to 25 knots.

Winning, of course, requires actually finishing the regatta without a race-ending mistake.

“In mistral conditions, getting around the track isn’t trivial,” McKee said, pointing to the necessity of proper seamanship and tightly choreographed crew work, especially in Bomb Alley. “You can go for hours and, at the finish, only have 10 seconds separating the first and second boat. It comes down to the precision of the navigator’s routing.”

An earlier version of this article misstated how heavy the racing yachts are. They weigh tens of thousands of pounds, not tens of thousands of tons.

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Stunning Sardinia hosts the 16th Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta

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Written by Rachel Kelly

Sailing yachts will gather this week (6 th -10 th June) for the 16 th Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta which will be hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) in Sardinia . Below is our choice of some of the most outstanding sailing yachts participating this year.  

Sailing yacht SØRVIND

SØRVIND | Southern Wind | 34.59m (113’62) | 2022

Sailing yacht SØRVIND will make her debut at this year’s regatta and is one of the newest yachts competing. Southern Wind have collaborated with Farr Yacht Design, Nauta Yachts and Studio Hermanides on the design, which boasts a narrow bow, flush deck and Nordic interior aesthetic.

She can accommodate up to eight guests in four suites and is available for charter in select locations .

Other Southern Wind yachts in attendance are EGIWAVE (31.78m), AMMONITE II (31.41m), FREEBIRD (30.25m), STARFALL (30.2m), ARAGON (28.64m) and OCEAN HORSE (23.99m).

Sailing yacht GITANA

GITANA | Fitzroy | 45m (147′ 7″) | 2009

Sailing yacht GITANA is the largest yacht attending this year and is an experienced racer attending multiple events since her launched in 2009 as Salperton IV. She features exterior design by Dubois Naval Architects and interiors from Adam Lay Studio and can accommodate up to eight guests across four staterooms.

Sailing yacht INOUI | photo by Carlo Baroncini

INOUI | Vitters | 33.4m (110’) | 2013

Sailing yacht INOU – meaning ‘extraordinary’ in French – is one of the most recognisable yachts at this year’s regatta thanks to her lime green hull, designed by Philippe Briand Ltd. She boasts an interior design by Winch Design with inspiration for the build being sports cars.

V | Wally | 30.48-metres | 2017

Sailing yacht V (ex. Tango) from Wally Yachts was delivered in 2017 with additional design by Mills Design Ltd. and interiors from Pinifarina. She hopes to follow in the footsteps of her sistership MAGIC CARPET 3 which finished first last year.

She can accommodate up to six guests, as well as a crew of four.

Sailing yacht PATTOO

PATTOO | Vitters | 33m (108’3″) | 2016

Sailing yacht PATTOO is well known on the regatta circuit having been launched in 2016. She features exterior design and naval architecture from Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design and can accommodate up to eight guests in four staterooms.

Sailing yacht WINWIN | Photo Jesus Renedo

WINWIN | Baltic Yachts | 33.04m (108’) | 2014

Sailing yacht WINWIN is ideal for long-distance cruising as well as exciting racing, having finished 7 th in last year’s regatta and competed as a regular on the regatta circuit.  She was built by the prominent shipyard, Baltic Yachts with design from Javier Jaudenes and interior design by Design Unlimited.

She can accommodate up to seven guests with a crew of four.

These sailing yachts are the pinnacle of high-performance yacht design but also provide fabulous contemporary styling and comfortable accommodation. Sailing yacht SØRVIND is unique, being the only attendee available to charter. However, our expert team can help you find other sailing yachts available to charter in your favourite destinations.

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "Stunning Sardinia hosts the 16th Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta".

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Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta Day Two: Sardinia Puts on Its Best Show

June 8, 2023 - Porto Cervo, Italy -  The second day of the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta served up conditions that were even better than the excellent sailing weather the fleet enjoyed yesterday. The Southern Wind Division started at 11.30 a.m., with a south-easterly wind of around 8 knots, headed for Razza di Giunco beach, where the shipyard had organised convivial social activities for the owners and crews of its boats.

When it came to the Superyacht division, the Race Committee hoisted the AP flag ashore, instructing the fleet to wait at the docks until the wind had filled in as forecast. At 1 p.m., with 10 knots of breeze from the south-east, the 33-meter Pattoo was the first yacht off the blocks in the revised staggered starting sequence. The fleet headed upwind towards the south, rounding the islets of Mortorio and Soffi, then came back up under gennaker, through the Bisce pass, with winds that had increased to 16 knots in the meantime. At the mark by the Tre Monti shallows, the superyachts headed for the islet of Monaci, which they rounded before embarking on their upwind return leg to Porto Cervo. The course covered almost 30 miles, and kept the crews busy hoisting and lowering the gennakers, in addition to a long reach with frequent jibes on the way up to the Bisce pass.

Today's results and overall standings

Today's results in corrected time have shaken up the rankings compared to yesterday: in the Superyacht Cruising Class the Briand 108 Inoui won by just 20 seconds - after more than two and a half hours of racing - ahead of the 33-metre Pattoo . The Baltic 108 Win Win was a further 3 minutes and 19 seconds back. 

The leaderboard in the Combined Performance & Cruising Class also changes, with the first three positions now the same as the Superyacht Cruising Class . In fourth place, with a gap of just 3 minutes and 43 seconds from the winner, is the WallyCento V . 

The tight results bear witness to the skill of the crews who race on these superyachts, and the extent to which the ORCsy rating system successfully handles the diverse performances of these sailing giants.

In terms of the overall standings after two days, Inoui , Win Win and Pattoo top the Superyacht Cruising Class in that order, separated by just one point each. In the Combined Performance & Cruising Class, Inoui is again in the lead with a total of 4 points, followed in second and third place by the WallyCento V and the Baltic 108 Win Win respectively, both sitting on 5 points.

Chris Main , tactician on Inoui : "Today we won by just 20 seconds in corrected time, but having sailed most of the course a good way from our competition, it wasn’t easy to work out our position. It felt to us like we hadn't made mistakes, with the manoeuvres at the right time. With these boats, a mistake can cost you dearly. Once we crossed the finish line and saw the results, we had the confirmation that our race had been flawless."

All is therefore still to play for over the next two days of racing. Tomorrow, 9th June, the Southern Wind Division is scheduled to set off at 11 a.m. with the same staggered start procedure as the Superyacht Division . The forecasts indicate a south-easterly wind of approximately 10-12 knots.

Today, to mark World Oceans Day , drawings by the Year 3 students from the primary schools of Arzachena, Cannigione and Abbiadori, created by children who took part in the YCCS Clean Beach Day on 31st May, were projected on the LedWall in Piazza Azzurra.

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Georgio armani superyacht regatta.

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6th-10th June 2023

Held every June, this prestigious Superyacht Regatta starts the Superyacht Regatta Med season – with superb competitive racing over 4 days in the emerald waters off the coast of Sardinia and fabulous evening events at the Yacht Club Costa Smerlada in Porto Cervo .

There is always a great line up - the event is open to yachts over 90ft LOA and multihulls over 50ft.  

Many yachts move on to the Superyacht Cup in Palma afterwards.

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Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Porto Cervo Sardinia Italy

: https://www.yccs.it/en/regate-2022/giorgio_armani_superyacht_regatta-323.html#1

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Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta 2015 Opens in Porto Cervo, Sardinia

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By Editorial Team   2 June 2015

Signalling the start of the Mediterranean superyacht season, the  Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta  2015 opened today, with seasoned racers including S/Y OHANA and S/Y MARIE participating in the regatta.

Originating from 2008, and organised by the Yacht Club Costa Sme (YCCS), the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta each year attracts a growing number of luxury yachts to Sardinia to compete in four gripping days of racing.

Testing the wits of  variety of sailing yachts - from classic to modern, performance to cruisers - in Costa Smeralda's stunning aquamarine waters, the event offers a busy schedule of racing and social events. 

This year, 55m/180ft Vitters sailing yacht MARIE  is the largest yacht participating in the regatta - a previous winner of the St. Barth's Bucket. She will race in a fleet of 15 racing yachts, also including 50m/163ft Fitzroy charter yacht OHANA  and 30m/99ft Southern Wind charter yacht 'Cape Arrow.'

Following registration and a welcome party, the schedule for the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta will be as follows:

Wednesday, 3 June – Race Day 1

12:00 Scheduled first start 16:30 Pantaenius After Race Drinks 19:30 Loro Piana Owners’ Dinner at YCCS Clubhouse

Thursday, 4 June – Race Day 2

12:00 Scheduled first start 15:30 Belvedere Cocktail Competition on the YCCS Dock 16:30 Pantaenius After Race Drinks

Friday, 5 June – Race Day 3

12:00 Scheduled first start 16:30 Pantaenius After Race Drinks 19:30-00:00 Sunset Party at Phi Beach

Saturday, 6 June – Race Day 4

12:00 Scheduled first start 18:00-19:00 Final Prize Giving at Piazza Azzurra

To find out more about attending next year's Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta, please contact your preferred charter broker .

Alternatively, browse all vessels available for a luxury yacht charter in Sardinia .

Vitters sailing yacht MARIE is the largest yacht participating in the regatta

charter yachts participating in regatta

31m Spirit Yachts 2007

45m Wally 2008

55m Vitters 2010 / 2015

50m Fitzroy 2012 / 2023

30m Southern Wind 2011 / 2016

45m Perini Navi 2011 / 2022

30m Southern Wind 2010 / 2022

33m Vitters 2013

46m Vitters 2013 / 2019

33m Baltic Yachts 2014

25m Southern Wind 2014

23m Silent 2014 / 2020

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Racing in the Waters off the Coast of Sardinia

World of sailing..

• Writer Sandra Lane
• Photographer Carlo Borlenghi

“There’s a problem with this event—it’s too perfect.” So goes the joke shared by habitués of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup , held in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, every fall. It’s hard to disagree. We are on board Alix, a magnificent 90-foot (27-metre) Swan maxi yacht that’s serving as Rolex’s hospitality boat—not racing, but following the fleet.

The sun is warm, the sky and sea a medley of brilliant blues—a complementary contrast with the apricot-coloured rocks of the surrounding islands. The breeze is exactly the right strength to make the racing exciting, and our ride both fun and comfortable. Paul Cayard , seven-time world champion, veteran of multiple America’s Cups, winner of the Whitbread Round the World Race, and a Rolex Testimonee is on board. He explains the tactics of all the boats as they jockey for position on the line.

Held in the first week of September, the 2019 edition of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup attracted a fleet of 53 of the world’s biggest racing yachts (a maxi is more than 60 feet (18.3 metres) long, with no upper limit). Established in 1981 as a biennial event, the regatta has been supported by Rolex since 1985—the same year that the brand established its partnership with the event organizer, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS). Since it became an annual event in 1999, it has grown to what must be the largest gathering of big race boats anywhere in the world.

They are attracted by a unique combination of factors: a tightly organized racing program and intense competition on the water, matched by tremendous camaraderie on shore, with the added attraction of Costa Smeralda’s world-class hotels and restaurants.

Tied up to the docks that fan out in front of the yacht club, the racing fleet is a spectacular sight. Representing a combined value of well over $100 million, it’s a fitting complement to the strong contemporary architecture of the yacht club building. (No ordinary clubhouse, it houses valuable collections of maritime memorabilia, contemporary art, and prehistoric fossils—amassed by the club’s founder, the Aga Khan—and has a terrace featuring one of the most glamorous swimming pools in the Mediterranean.)

Observing the Maxi fleet, you can trace the entire evolution of yacht design over the past 90 years—examples of how hull shapes have changed from gracefully narrow and curvy to aggressive-looking wedges; the evolution of materials, from polished teak and brass to carbon fibre and titanium; the change in sail technology—with most yachts now using NTPT, the high-performance thin-ply technology material developed and patented by North Sails, and recognizable by its dark colour. Billowing white canvas is now the stuff of nostalgia.

Maxi yachts run the gamut from those designed primarily for cruising (built for owners who also like to race) to pure, stripped-down racing machines, and even J-Class—beautifully restored examples of the yachts built for the America’s Cup in the 1930s, and their modern replicas. Being separated into eight classes, with an intricate handicapping system, allows boats with different designs and performance to compete in the same race.

Today, yachting is one of the key pillars of Rolex’s sponsorship activities. However, the brand’s relationship with the sport goes back to 1958 when it formed an association with the New York Yacht Club. In 1966–67, throughout his record-breaking solo around-the-world voyage, Sir Francis Chichester wore a Rolex Oyster Perpetual. A sextant, charts, and a very accurate timepiece were essential for navigation in those pre-GPS and pre-satellite phone days.

Just as the yachting community has been a leader in raising awareness of the need for marine conservation, Rolex’s philanthropic initiatives in that area go back several decades—latterly brought together under its Perpetual Planet umbrella. The YCCS itself took a significant initiative in 2017, celebrating its 50th anniversary by establishing the One Ocean Foundation. YCCS commodore Riccardo Bonadeo (a two-time winner of the event himself) considers it part of an “obligation to show gratitude to the sea,” emphasizing the importance of “action rather than just awareness.”

Today, Rolex’s yachting activities span the globe, encompassing partnerships with many of the world’s most prestigious yacht clubs and classic sailing events. As well as YCCS and the New York Yacht Club, the partners include the Royal Yacht Squadron (UK), Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, and Yacht Club de Monaco. Rolex partners with some 15 major yacht races and regattas, ranging from offshore classics such as the Sydney Hobart, the Middle Sea Race, and the Fastnet, to the 52 Super Series and SailGP.

But there’s nothing quite like the Porto Cervo Maxis—as it is known colloquially. “If you’re into sailing and you have the kind of money to own a big boat, Porto Cervo is your target,” says Cayard. “We all take the other [Maxi regattas] seriously, but this is the big one—this is the Rolex. You have the prestige, the history, the amazing weather and sailing conditions—it’s like a world championship.”

As you might expect at this level of any sport, things can get pretty intense—and here, the weather plays a significant role. That mistral day on the chase boat, we were lucky—we just got completely soaked by waves and spray. Others were not so fortunate: in the intensity of racing—as the top limit of safe wind speed imposed extreme loads on the yachts’ rigging—sails were blown out, a mast was broken, sailors were injured. All this for no reward other than the passion for racing.

Given the demands of racing yachts at this level, one of the most remarkable things about the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is that there is no prize money; for the yacht owners, it’s all about the thrill of beating their peers. An unusual feature of the regatta is that, although owners are allowed to hire professional crew, they must helm their own yachts for the great majority of races. When they cannot, the substitute helmsman must be classed as an amateur and the yacht receives a penalty on the result of the race.

Instead of money, the winners receive a trophy and a Rolex watch—this past regatta, a Rolex Rolesor   Yacht-Master. The engraving on the caseback is unique: proof that they have achieved supremacy in a sport that they are passionate about, by steering their yacht throughout one of the world’s most prestigious regattas. A regatta that is unlike any other.

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Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta at Porto Cervo, Sardinia - Day 2

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The event will be held May 31 to June 4 on the waters off the Sardinian Costa Smeralda. 

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ARMANI’S REGATTA: Giorgio Armani is the new title sponsor of the 15th edition of the YCCS (Yacht Club Costa Smeralda) Superyacht Regatta, to be held May 31 to June 4 on the waters off the Sardinian Costa Smeralda, the Emerald Coast, known for its fine-sand beaches and beautiful, clear sea.

“How can you not love the sea! I only knew of it as a child from the shore, because we were in times of war, but when it was possible for me, as an adult, I really experienced it and I realized that a boat trip, by sea, is one of the most desirable things in the world,” said Armani. “For this reason, when I created my first boat, the Mariù, I risked becoming a boat designer. Now, on the occasion of the Superyacht Regatta, it was natural for me to be one of the sponsors. This allowed me to get even closer to the reality that surrounds us, made up of wonderful landscapes and a sea, the Mediterranean, which I love deeply.”

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Armani’s passion for luxury yachts also drove him to team up with The Italian Sea Group last year for the design of a one-of-a-kind motor yacht, and to invest in the yachting specialist, which operates the Admiral and Tecnomar brands, focused on the production of yachts and high-tech motorboats, respectively, which went public on the Italian Stock Exchange in 2021.

In March of last year, Armani revealed it was designing a 236-foot Admiral motor yacht, marking the first time the fashion house became involved in such a project, although the designer did oversee the furnishing and design of his two personal yachts, Mariù and Maìn.

On the occasion of the YCCS Superyacht Regatta, Armani will open a pop-up store at the Costa Smeralda Yacht Club and a new space in the luxury Hotel Cala di Volpe. Armani also has a signature brand boutique overlooking the exclusive Porto Cervo promenade.

Giorgio Armani ‘s beach collections for men and women will include a special selection of men’s clothing and accessories related to the world of sailing. The collection will be available in the Giorgio Armani Porto Cervo boutique, at the Hotel Cala di Volpe and in Giorgio Armani stores, including those in Milan, Venice, Saint-Tropez and Cannes.

Organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda since 2008, the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta is for superyachts with a minimum length of 90 feet and multihulls of at least 50 feet. As in previous years, the event will include the Southern Wind Rendezvous and Trophy.

Last year, the title sponsor of the regatta was Loro Piana.

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Sitting off Italy's celebrated west coast, Sardinia encompasses the very essence of Italian sailing culture. Whether hosting Regatta's or inviting you to its array of pristine beaches, the style-studded island has seen elite crowds flock here for centuries.

Sardinia is a superyacht owners delight. Boasting state-of-the-art marina facilities, sailing regatta's and a host of events for superyacht owners in mind, the jet-set reputation of sophisticated Sardinia lives up to its name. 

The Sardinian Lifestyle The Sardinian lifestyle is encompassed with chic Italian boutiques, an enviable social calendar and a stylish array of people that call it home. True to its glittering appeal, Costa Smeralda remains the iconic heart of the region, while Cagliari the centre also offers a historical quarter perfect for immersing in the glittering past of Sardinian life. Travellers can venture to Sardinia's Palazzo di Citta: located next to the cathedral, a small museum displays Sardinian paintings and textiles. Not only this, the island's luxury boutiques are perfect to explore the haute-couture designers of Italy, as well as an exclusive array of fine jewellery outlets. 

Island Gems The aquatic beauty of Sardinia is best experienced by water. Therefore, if you’re looking for a secret hotspot of pristine beauty venture to the South of Sardinia at Sant’Antioco island. A place where azure blue waters whirl into shades of jade, the island is a true example of hidden gems where you'd least expect it, perfect for an azure adventure of untouched beauty. Next to Sant’Antioco is neighbouring island San Pietro, an otherworldly islet perfect for underwater exploration.