World-class yachting returns to Porto Cervo with the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup
by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda 6 Aug 12:29 BST
6-12 & 14-19 September 2026
Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2025 © Carlo Borlenghi / Rolex
The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda's sporting calendar features two of the most prestigious fixtures on the international sailing calendar for big boats in the second half of the regatta season.
Two consecutive weeks of racing, with the 36th Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup running from 6 to 12 September and the 23rd Rolex Swan Cup from 13 to 19 September, will gather some of the world's most competitive and elegant yachts in Costa Smeralda, confirming Porto Cervo's place as one of the premier venues in offshore sailing.
Organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in collaboration with the International Maxi Association and with the support of title sponsor Rolex, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup has been a cornerstone of the maxi racing calendar for more than four decades. The provisional entry list features close to 40 boats over 60 feet, with entries still open. The 2026 edition will once again see two world titles up for grabs: the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship and the Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship. Defending their titles will be David Leuschen and Chris Flowers, with their WallyCento Galateia in the Maxi 1 class, and YCCS member Giovanni Lombardi Stronati's wallyrocket71 Django 7X in the Maxi Grand Prix class.
Galateia will once again face formidable rivals such as Leopard 3, V, Magic Carpet E, Tilakkhana, My Song, Capricorno and Deep Blue. In the Maxi Grand Prix group, Django 7X will go up against Jolt, Bella Mente, Proteus, Jethou and Balthasar. This class will also welcome the competitive debut of the recently launched Northstar III, a new JV76 owned by YCCS member Peter Dubens. The multihull division will also be one to watch, with six entries: Allegra, Coco de Mer, Gaea, Highland Fling 18, Layla and Sophia - the first trimaran ever to take part in the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup.
The programme will alternate between traditional coastal races among the islands and channels of the La Maddalena Archipelago and windward-leeward races for the Maxi 1 and Maxi Grand Prix classes in the waters off Porto Cervo. The variety of courses and conditions has always been one of the event's defining features, presenting boats and crews with markedly different technical challenges across the week.
The following week, Porto Cervo plays host to the Rolex Swan Cup, organised by the YCCS in collaboration with Nautor Swan and with the support of Rolex, title sponsor since 1984. The 2026 edition will coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Finnish shipyard's foundation and has already reached 167 entries, with a maximum limit of 170. The assembled fleet will span every era of Nautor Swan's history, from the original Tarantella - the Swan 36-001 recently restored in Pietarsaari that marked the start of the shipyard's production in 1966 - to the two recent Swan 128s, Be Cool and Raijin, and the new Swan 80 Elvi.
Fleet divisions will reflect the three pillars of the Nautor Swan world. ClubSwan Racing will encompass the One Design classes - ClubSwan 50, ClubSwan 43, ClubSwan 42, ClubSwan 36, ClubSwan 28 and Swan 45. ClubSwan Legacy will bring together historic yachts designed by Sparkman & Stephens, Ron Holland and German Frers. ClubSwan Spirit will be dedicated to contemporary models, including a division reserved for owners who wish to race in a predominantly cruising configuration. A fitting link between the two weeks will be Giuseppe Puttini's Swan 65 Shirlaf, launched in 1976 and celebrating its 50th year, which is entered in both the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup.
Following the conclusion of the Rolex Swan Cup, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda's racing season will continue into early October with the J/70 Cup and Italian Championship, running from 2 to 4 October. This final event on the 2026 racing calendar underlines the YCCS' commitment to ensuring that Porto Cervo remains a key destination on the international sailing scene beyond the peak tourist season, helping to extend the calendar and generate positive benefits for the local area.
For further information please visit www.yccs.com