36th Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup Opens in Porto Cervo Ahead of First Racing

The 36th Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup has officially opened in Porto Cervo, bringing more than 40 maxi yachts to Sardinia for one of the leading events in international big-boat racing. Organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in collaboration with the International Maxi Association and with the support of title sponsor Rolex, the 2026 edition runs from 6 to 12 September.

Sunday's programme centres on final preparation, with the Skippers' Briefing scheduled for 18:00 on the YCCS terrace followed by the Welcome Cocktail at 19:00. Racing begins on Monday, 7 September, with the first signal scheduled for 12:00 CEST and light easterly winds forecast for the opening day.

More than 40 maxi yachts assemble in Porto Cervo

The fleet spans advanced grand-prix racers, performance cruisers and multihulls, with every entry exceeding 60 feet in length. In Maxi 1, defending champion Galateia is joined by leading contenders including Magic Carpet E, My Song, Capricorno, Deep Blue and Leopard 3, bringing together experienced owners, tacticians and professional crews.

The Maxi Grand Prix fleet is similarly competitive, with reigning world champion Django 7X facing Bella Mente, Jethou, Jolt and Proteus. Peter Dubens' new JV76 Northstar III is also making its Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup debut, adding a new design to one of the event's most performance-focused divisions.

Two world championships headline the week

The 2026 regatta incorporates the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship and the Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship for the second consecutive year. Those two divisions may complete up to seven races during the week, comprising three coastal races and as many as four windward-leeward contests.

The remaining Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup classes are scheduled to sail up to five coastal races, with the maxi classes competing under IRC handicap while the multihulls are scored under ORCmh. The mix of formats will test both outright performance and the tactical demands created by Porto Cervo's offshore waters and island channels.

Six multihulls join the Porto Cervo fleet

The 2026 edition includes six multihulls: Allegra, Coco de Mer, Gaea, Highland Fling 18, Layla and Sophia. Sophia is particularly notable as a 19-metre trimaran designed by Nigel Irens and the first trimaran to compete in the history of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup.

The Notice of Race also includes a crew provision intended to encourage greater participation by women and younger sailors. Teams may carry up to two additional crew members beyond the maximum specified on their IRC certificate when those sailors are women or are aged 21 or under at the date of the prize giving.

First racing scheduled for Monday at noon

The racing programme combines coastal courses through the La Maddalena Archipelago with windward-leeward racing for the Maxi 1 and Maxi Grand Prix fleets. Thursday, 10 September, is designated as a rest day, although it may be used to recover races lost earlier in the week because of weather conditions.

Attention now turns to Monday's opening start at 12:00 CEST, when light easterly conditions are forecast and the fleet will provide the first indication of form across the championship and wider maxi divisions. The first official race report will add the opening courses, conditions, winners and early standings to a regatta that has already assembled one of the strongest maxi fleets of the season.