Rolex Swan Cup at Yacht Club Costa Smeralda - Overall
by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda 20 Sep 06:46 BST
16-19 September 2026
Record-breaking event concludes in Porto Cervo
Porto Cervo bid farewell in the best possible way to the more than 1,800 sailors taking part in the 23rd edition of the Rolex Swan Cup, with a perfect day of racing under clear skies and a north-easterly breeze building from an initial eight knots to 12. The conditions allowed the rating divisions to sail a coastal race starting in the Gulf of Arzachena, along the eastern coast of Caprera and past the Isola dei Monaci. From there, the fleet reached through the Passo delle Bisce towards Secca di Tre Monti, which they rounded before beating back through the Passo delle Bisce and then continuing down to the finish off Porto Cervo.
Meanwhile, the ClubSwan One Design classes completed two windward-leeward races on courses set between the Isola delle Bisce and Isola dei Monaci. The result was a remarkable spectacle encompassing the full 170-boat fleet gathered in Porto Cervo to mark Nautor Swan's 60th anniversary, with the yachts on the coastal course sailing around the ClubSwan fleets competing between the marks.
Now in its 23rd edition, the Rolex Swan Cup is a biennial event organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in collaboration with Nautor Swan and with the support of title sponsor Rolex. The first edition was held in 1980, and the event has been known as the Rolex Swan Cup since 1984.
"This prize-giving brings to a close a week of great racing and, above all, exceptional commitment from owners and crews." commented YCCS Commodore Andrea Recordati. "I would like to thank our partner Rolex and Nautor Swan, with whom we share both a longstanding relationship and a genuine passion for this event. Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of this 23rd edition. We look forward to welcoming you back to Porto Cervo in 2028."
Class winners:
Swan Maxi: Freya - Swan 90. Freya completed an impressive comeback: sixth in the opening race, the Swan 90 then notched up three consecutive firsts, including today's race, which she won ahead of Spiip to secure the class victory.
Swan Mini-Maxi: Arobas - Swan 601. Consistency across the week brought Arobas to overall victory, and a second-place finish today behind Sea Quill was enough to retain the overall lead.
Swan Cruiser Racer: From Now On - Swan 45. Three consecutive race wins carried From Now On to the class victory ahead of Thetis, with the two boats finishing level on points.
Swan Legacy - Sparkman & Stephens ≥47': Shirlaf - Swan 65. Shirlaf and Elan were locked in a close contest right to the final metres, each posting two wins and two second places across the series. Shirlaf's victory today ahead of Elan secured the overall win for Giuseppe Puttini's Swan 65 - celebrating the 50th anniversary of her launch this year.
Swan Legacy - Sparkman & Stephens ≤44': Pride - Swan 44. A win for Pride in today's coastal race ahead of Mascalzone Latino XVIII, clinched her both the class victory and the overall title among all Legacy yachts.
Swan Legacy - Classics by Frers: Lunz am Meer - Swan 651. The Austrian Swan 651 confirmed her dominant run with a win in the final race.
Swan Legacy - Ron Holland: Katia - Swan 39. The only Ron Holland design present in Porto Cervo competed within the Swan Legacy fleet.
Swan Pure Cruising: Black Zero - Swan 51. The final reckoning between Alegher and Black Zero came down to countback, with Black Zero taking the top prize thanks to her race win on Day 2.
Swan Maxi Pure Cruising: Azzurro - Swan 78. With three consecutive victories, the latest today ahead of Miss 5K and Coco de Mer, Azzurro claimed the class win.
One Design
- ClubSwan 50: Earlybird
- ClubSwan 43: Team 42+1
- ClubSwan 42: Nadir
- ClubSwan 36: Cuordileone
- ClubSwan 28: Anya Race
Earlybird, owned by Hendrik Brandis, with Francesco "Checco" Bruni calling tactics, set the pace in the ClubSwan 50 fleet, closing the series with five wins from seven races. Cuordileone, owned by YCCS member Leonardo Ferragamo and with YCCS Honorary Member Paul Cayard on tactics, finished second overall after a solid final day of two runner-up places. Marcus Brennecke's Hatari took third.
In the ClubSwan 43, Hyppolite Machetti's Team 42+1 took the overall win with six consecutive victories and a second-place finish in the final race. Vargen, owned by Bjorn Rosengren and Jonas Nordlund, finished second overall.
Things could scarcely have been tighter in the ClubSwan 42 fleet, where two Spanish teams - Nadir, owned by Pedro Vaquer Comas, and Pez de Abril, owned by José Maria Meseguer - finished level on 10 points. Their scores were also identical on countback — three firsts, two seconds and a third apiece — so the title was decided by Nadir's win in the final race ahead of Raving Swan, with Pez de Abril in third. Jerome Stubler's Raving Swan completed the overall podium.
In the ClubSwan 36, Cuordileone, owned by Edoardo Ferragamo and with Michele Regolo calling tactics, built her advantage steadily with four straight wins in the opening four races to secure overall victory. Nikolai Burkart's Goddess mounted a strong response in the second half of the series, winning the final three races to finish second, while Fra Martina, owned by the Pavesio brothers, took third.
The finale in the ClubSwan 28 class was decided by the narrowest of margins. Giulio Gatti's Anya Race, with tactician Enrico Zennaro, claimed the class win by a single point over Lorenzo Bortolotti's Black Swan. Anya Race endured a more demanding final day with a fifth and a ninth, the latter discarded, while Black Swan kept the pressure on to the very end with victory in the final race. Marcello, owned by YCCS member Philippe Ligot, finished third after winning the opening race of the day.
The prize-giving ceremony drew a large and enthusiastic crowd, in true Swan spirit. Before podium prizes were presented for each class, a number of special awards were announced. Paul Cayard presented the Fabio Gallia Award to Catherine Chabaud, who raced aboard the Swan 55 Storm, recognising her achievement as the first woman to complete the Vendée Globe and her ongoing commitment to marine conservation. The assembled sailors reserved particularly warm applause for the award presented by the YCCS to the staff of the Marina di Porto Cervo in recognition of their cooperation.
The award perhaps closest to every sailor's heart was presented the previous morning before racing. Established in memory of Matteo Auguadro, it is awarded to a bowman, as Matteo was, chosen by his fellow bowmen. This year's recipient was Matteo Ramian, who received the award from Rachele Vitello, wife of "Matte" Auguadro.
The YCCS sporting calendar continues with the J/70 Class and Italian Championship from 2 to 4 October.
Provisional Results: