Yacht Club Costa Smeralda: the 2026 regatta calendar

All the dates to mark on your calendar, from major comebacks to iconic events

A benchmark for international sailing, it hosts some of the most spectacular, sophisticated, and iconic sailing competitions in the Mediterranean, in 2026, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) launches a packed calendar of events, including historic returns, legendary classes, and a constant focus on safeguarding the sea. The YCCS’s commitment to sustainability remains a central theme, including the traditional YCCS Clean Beach Day, organized in collaboration with the One Ocean Foundation on June 8th, marking World Oceans Day.

Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup

The 2026 season kicks off earlier than in the past, from April 24th to 26th, with the Cape 31 Med Round 1, bringing to Sardinia a high-performance one-design class that is increasingly sought-after in the Mediterranean. Following this, from May 15th to 17th, Vela & Golf returns, a classic formula that combines sport, lifestyle, and club spirit, while from May 21st to 23rd the Grand Soleil Cup, an event much loved by Italian boat builders, takes centre stage. Spring highlights will include the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta, scheduled for May 26th to 30th. This regatta is dedicated to sailing yachts over 80 feet and multihulls of at least 50 feet, and has become one of the most recognizable events on the Porto Cervo calendar. But the real news for 2026 is the eagerly-awaited return of the Range Rover Sardinia Cup from May 31st to June 7th: a historic regatta, absent since 2012, considered one of the Club’s signature events. Five days of racing, including medium-long coastal races and buoy races.

From June 15th to 20th, Porto Cervo hosts the Rolex TP52 World Championship, the highlight of the 52 Super Series circuit. It is one of the most technically prestigious events of the year, bringing one of the most competitive keelboat fleets to Sardinia. Immediately afterward, the calendar continues with the Club’s most iconic competitions, with the Smeralda 888 Invitational from June 26th to 28th and the Coppa Europa Smeralda 888 from July 3rd to 5th, dedicated to the fleet designed specifically for Porto Cervo.

Vela & Golf

The summer continues with the YCCS Members Championship from July 29th to August 1st, before giving way to the Palermo-Porto Cervo-Monte Carlo from August 18th to 23rd, an offshore regatta that expands the horizons beyond Sardinian waters and strengthens the season’s international profile.

September is a great sailing month. From the 6th to the 12th, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup returns, a flagship event in international offshore sailing, organized by the YCCS with the International Maxi Association. For decades, this competition has represented the absolute benchmark for yachts over 18.30 metres, boasting some of the best crews and most spectacular boats in the world. Immediately after, from September 13th to 19th, comes another beloved classic – the Rolex Swan Cup, a biennial regatta organized by the YCCS in collaboration with ClubSwan Racing and sponsored by Rolex. It’s one of those events where competitive spirit, elegant design, and a sense of belonging blend seamlessly, confirming Porto Cervo as the natural home of the Swan universe. Closing the season, from October 2nd to 4th, will be the J/70 Cup and Italian Championship, bringing one of the most popular and competitive one-design classes on the international scene to the waters of North-Eastern Sardinia.

Louis Vuitton Cup

Louis Vuitton Cup, the Challenger Selection Series for the America’s Cup, the world’s oldest international sporting trophy. After the 2024 series won by Ineos Britannia in Barcelona, ​​preliminary regattas for the 38th America’s Cup will begin in Cagliari from May 21st to 24th in the Golfo degli Angel, culminating in the final in Naples in 2027.