2026 Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta - Day 1
by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda 27 May 21:47 BST
26-30 May 2026
Day one of the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta delivered perfect sailing conditions, with a steady Mistral wind of around 14 knots. At 12.05 p.m., the 100-foot Dubois yacht Nostromo led the fleet away right on schedule - first off the line in a staggered start system that sent each superyacht off two minutes apart.
During racing, as the faster yachts closed on the slower vessels, the fleet converged for spectacular manoeuvres around the islands dotted along the course. The Race Committee set a 28-mile course today for both the Blue and White fleets, winding through the islands of the La Maddalena Archipelago.
From the starting line, the superyachts sailed through the Passo delle Bisce strait, leaving the Tre Monti shoal to starboard before heading for the Isola dei Monaci. From here they turned south, gennakers hoisted, to round the island of Soffi, before crossing the finish line off Porto Cervo.
In the Blue fleet, the Swan 115 Moat, owned by YCCS member Juan Ball and with Cole Parada on tactics, took the win by just 50 seconds on corrected time over the Southern Wind 108 Gelliceaux. Third place went to Cervo, the 39-metre Vitters making her regatta debut in Porto Cervo.
In the White fleet, Nostromo came out on top, also finishing first in the Corinthian Division under the guidance of Danish tactician Jesper Bank, a three-time Olympic medallist. The Southern Wind Liberty Squared and SØRVIND by Giorgio Armani currently sit in second and third place respectively in the provisional classification.
The leaderboard for the Southern Wind Trophy, reserved for boats built by the shipyard of the same name, sees Gelliceaux top the ranking ahead of Morgana and Liberty Squared.
Four more superyachts, bringing the total number of entries to 17, took part in the friendly Southern Wind Rendezvous sail. Setting off after the main fleet, they sailed a shorter course designed specifically for them, before spending the rest of the day at anchor and returning to Porto Cervo in the evening.
The Southern Wind dinner is due to take place this evening at Li Capanni, an exclusive venue overlooking the Golfo delle Saline.
The forecast for tomorrow, 28 May, is for a moderate Mistral similar to today, with the first starting signal scheduled for 12 noon.