2026 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup - The journey to achievement
by Quinag 12 Sep 20:11 BST
6-12 September 2026
Few events in sailing compare to the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. Founded by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS), and organized in collaboration with the International Maxi Association (IMA), the partnership with Rolex as title sponsor stretches back more than 40 years.
A stroll along the docks, framed by the striking YCCS Clubhouse, reveals the exceptional lineup of boats and sailors in attendance. Sleek, powerful designs reflecting the very latest in performance thinking. Owners driven by passion, risking both pride and property in pursuit of their sport. Crews of the highest calibre, equipped with the skill required to expertly guide these thoroughbred craft around challenging courses.
On the water, the experience comes alive. Stunning scenery, crystal waters, high-stakes competition, precise manoeuvres, and pressure that mounts with every minute. The 36th edition of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup was proof once again that this regatta remains in a class of its own and a true measure of one of yachting's most longstanding alliances.
Over five days of competition six classes were decided including two world titles. The meticulously campaigned Leopard 3, owned by Joost Schuijff, secured Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship for the second time, while Peter Dubens' Northstar III, featuring the latest in keel, deck and mast design, reigned supreme in Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix Championship. Meanwhile, James Neville's Artemis Bleu won Maxi 3, Luigi Sala's Yoru took Maxi 4, Riccardo de Michele's H2O ruled Maxi 5, and Lord Irvine Laidlaw's Highland Fling XVIII captured Multihull.
Paul Cayard, Rolex Testimonee and multiple world champion among other accolades, was competing in the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 class on My Song, having first taken part in the event some four decades previously.
"The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is a much bigger competition than when I first came in 1985. There are over 40 yachts here this year, all between 60 and 100 feet. Go from boat to boat, and you will find the top sailors in the world. If you love racing, this is the high end of the sport, and everybody is here to win."
The two Rolex IMA Maxi world championship fleets completed a full roster of three coastal and four windward/leeward races. It is an interesting footnote that the winning crews arrived from quite different starting points. Leopard is a 19-year-old yacht, optimised by her current owner to stay competitive at this elevated level. Northstar is brand new, leaning heavily on the latest innovation and technology. Despite this obvious contrast, both teams exhibit comparable tenacity in the pursuit of excellence and over near-identical time periods. Schuijff was effusive in praising his Leopard team:
"We really felt in control over the week and that is thanks to the crew, who have trained and worked hard. The effort has been rewarded by not making any mistakes and winning the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship as a result. We could not be happier.
We bought Leopard in 2019 and started a series of developments beginning with simple tasks, before moving on to more difficult improvements. The boat has shown herself capable on both low and big wind days, and this win is the crown on a long programme of several years."
For Northstar, this was a first competitive outing, the perfect crucible to test the concept, but one fraught with jeopardy. Each decision made by tactician Nick Rogers, a double Olympic medallist and 12-time veteran at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, could shape the success or failure of the campaign - pressure in the most public of environments.
"It is a massive deal to win the Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix Worlds. It is such a big event, a highlight of the calendar. The Maxi GP fleet are the pinnacle of race boats. The team have been working so hard towards this for the past 18 months to two years, but really it has been a build-up for seven years."
For both crews this regatta could be considered part of a longer journey, a step on the road to continuing high accomplishment. Rogers continues:
"The team is ultra strong. Everyone on the boat has more than one skill, and this comes through in the design. Projects like this are about making the right decisions at the right time and then surrounding yourself with the people who can make the next one even better."
Both world champion crews are reminders that achievement in team sport requires a contribution from each crew member and the need to be unyielding in the face of the stiffest opposition. For the founders of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, the regatta's enduring success is a tribute to the dedication and commitment of all owners and crews who take part, but also to the longstanding association between the yacht club and the title sponsor of its flagship event. YCCS Commodore Andrea Recordati offers a fitting last word on the week:
"The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda partnered with Rolex in 1985 for the first Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. It is a very long relationship, testament to a very successful partnership. This is a landmark event. It attracts the best of the best in the sailing world. It brings new boats, superb innovation, and elite sailors. We are extremely proud and honoured to host such an event."