MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP

The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is synonymous with perfection in the world of sailing.
This dedicated super yacht event enjoys an unrivaled reputation thanks to a combination of a stunning sailing environment, exceptional race management and the cutting-edge technology of the competing boats.

Its 32nd edition takes place from September 4 to 10 in Sardinia and will feature fifty giants, including the first Mini Maxi equipped with foils in the history of the event.

Since its inception, the event has showcased the remarkable potential and transformative evolution of monocoque design and technology. The drivers of this innovation are the maxi builders and design teams who are always striving to push the limits, investing considerable time and resources in development. The key to its success lies in the long-standing collaboration between Rolex and the organizing club, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS), dating back to 1985.

Rolex Ambassador Paul Cayard knows the regatta well, having participated in several editions as a tactician, and appreciates the importance of this collaboration:

“For more than 35 years, Rolex and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda have forged a privileged relationship. These two partners represent the highest quality and excellence in everything they do. Together they offer the ideal platform for sailors to focus on racing at the highest level.”

The 2022 edition will be held from September 4 to 10 and will consist of five days of competition.

The programme, as usual, offers a combination of intense windward/leeward regattas and coastal tours of the Maddalena archipelago, northeast of Sardinia. An idyllic environment for sailing, full of rocky outcrops and islets that present endless challenges, risks and opportunities for sailors when looking for the best route that allows them to scratch those meters or seconds that are so vital in the search for victory.

Cayard confirms the undoubted appeal of the event:

“The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is the very essence of superlative yacht racing: the most impressive boats, sailed by the best sailors in the most perfect sailing environment.”

The fleet is divided into different classes based on the size, performance or design of the ship. The competition is intense. Every tactical decision and every maneuver is crucial. The margins at this level of racing are incredibly thin. The prerogative is not to be the best in a single race, but to maintain the highest level of consistency throughout the week to achieve the coveted class victory.

Achieving that regularity requires impeccable teamwork. On boats from 18.29 meters (60 feet) to more than 40 meters (131 feet) in length, communication is crucial and is developed through preparation, intense training and, in many cases, years of experience. sailing at the top of the sport.

The names of the boats that have won throughout the event’s history are displayed at the entrance to the impressive YCCS venue in Porto Cervo. The reward of a class trophy and a Rolex watch at the final awards ceremony is the ultimate validation of success.

fifty colossi
This year’s entry list is one of the largest in recent editions, with 50 of the most impressive sailing boats in the world. The competition will feature historic boats, including the ever-imposing J-Class, both originals and replicas, whose designs date back to the 1930s; high-performance monohulls like the Wallycentos; and sleek carbon racing yachts built exclusively for power and speed. The largest registered, with 43.6 meters in length, is the J-Class Svea, a beautiful design based on a commission from 1937 that was never completed, but that today shines in the competition environment. The most innovative is undoubtedly the FlyingNikka, the first Mini Maxi equipped with foils in history, which opens a new chapter in the evolution of the Maxi Yacht Rolex cup.

Among the fleet we find several winners of 2021 who return with the will to defend their titles: the Maxi 72 Cannonball, the RP78 Capricorno, the J-Class Velshedand the Wallycento Magic Carpet Cubed, winner in real time of the Rolex Giraglia last June .

A pioneer since its inception, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup remains an event par excellence. Its partners, Rolex and the YCCS, are committed to ensuring that the event evolves in the same careful and considered manner that it has since its inception in 1980.