Porto Cervo transforms into the global capital of offshore sailing this September when Yacht Club Costa Smeralda hosts two of the sport’s most prestigious regattas back-to-back. The 36th Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup kicks off on 6 September, followed immediately by the 23rd Rolex Swan Cup from 13 to 19 September. For two weeks, Sardinia’s waters will be crowded with some of the world’s most competitive and beautiful yachts, reasserting the northern Italian venue’s position as the place where serious sailors come to race.
Nearly 40 maxi yachts exceeding 60 feet have already entered the Maxi Cup, which this year will crown two world champions. David Leuschen and Chris Flowers return to defend the Maxi 1 title aboard the WallyCento Galateia, while Giovanni Lombardi Stronati pilots his wallyrocket71 Django 7X in the Maxi Grand Prix division. They face stiff opposition. Galateia must contend with boats like Leopard 3, V, and Magic Carpet E, while Django 7X will battle Jolt, Bella Mente, and others. A newcomer to watch is Northstar III, a fresh JV76 making her competitive debut under YCCS member Peter Dubens. Even the multihull division looks stronger than usual, with six entries including Sophia, the first trimaran ever to contest the event.
Organisers have designed the week to test different skills. Crews will face traditional coastal races through the La Maddalena Archipelago’s islands and channels, then shift to windward-leeward contests off Porto Cervo itself. This variety has always separated the Maxi Cup from run-of-the-mill big boat racing, forcing teams to master both local piloting and pure sailing speed within a single week.
The Swan Cup picks up immediately after, and the 2026 edition carries special weight. Nautor Swan is celebrating its 60th anniversary, and entries have surged to 167 boats, nearly the 170-vessel cap. The fleet spans the entire history of the Finnish shipyard, from Tarantella, the original Swan 36 that launched production in 1966, through to contemporary models like the Swan 128s Be Cool and Raijin. Divisions slot boats into ClubSwan Racing for one-design classes, ClubSwan Legacy for historic designs from Sparkman & Stephens and Ron Holland, and ClubSwan Spirit for newer cruising-oriented models.
A single yacht bookends both weeks. Giuseppe Puttini’s Swan 65 Shirlaf, launched in 1976, enters both regattas and marks its own 50-year milestone. It’s the kind of detail that defines Porto Cervo’s calendar: not just the champions, but the entire tapestry of offshore sailing history gathered in one place.
The Yacht Club will cap off the autumn racing season with the J/70 Cup and Italian Championship running 2 to 4 October, extending activity well past the summer tourism rush. For New Zealand sailors with European ambitions, these events represent the standard to measure yourself against.
