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Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2026, Porto Cervo crowns its champions

Leopard 3 and Northstar III claim the two world titles at the 2026 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup after a week of racing between Porto Cervo and La Maddalena

From light winds to Mistral gusts above 28 knots, the 2026 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup ends in Porto Cervo with six winners and two new world champions

The 2026 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup came to an end in Porto Cervo after a week that revealed almost every side of big-boat racing in the Mediterranean. Light breezes among the islands of the La Maddalena archipelago gave way to a powerful Mistral gusting above 28 knots, before the final day delivered a more tactical north-easterly breeze of around 10 knots and a coastal course of approximately 24 miles.

More than a sequence of individual races, the 36th edition brought together very different interpretations of the maxi yacht: large racers, Grand Prix designs, fast cruisers and multihulls, all required to adapt to one of the Mediterranean’s most spectacular and technically demanding sailing areas.

Leopard 3 closes the World Championship with four consecutive wins

The Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship went to Leopard 3, Joost Schuijff’s Farr 100 with Chris Nicholson calling tactics. After finishing third in the opening race, the team built an increasingly convincing series, winning five of the seven races contested and, crucially, the final four in succession.

Victory in the last coastal race ahead of Capricorno and My Song brought Leopard 3 to 13 points overall. Karel Komarek’s WallyCento V finished second on 20 points, while outgoing champion Galateia ended the week on 22. It is Leopard 3’s second Maxi 1 world title after winning the inaugural championship in Porto Cervo in 2024.

Northstar III wins on debut

The path to victory was even more decisive for Northstar III in the Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship. Peter Dubens’ JV76, with two-time Olympic medallist Nick Rogers on tactics, opened the week with four consecutive victories and mathematically secured the title with one race still to sail.

A win in the final coastal race completed an impressive first appearance at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. Northstar III finished on 14 points, ahead of Balthasar on 25. Jolt and Proteus both ended on 28 points, with Jolt taking third place thanks to her two race victories on the previous day.

Artemis Bleu finds its rhythm when the breeze builds

In Maxi 3, James Neville’s Artemis Bleu found consistency at exactly the right moment. The Botin 65, with Dean Barker on tactics, closed the week with three consecutive victories to win the class on 9 points.

The final battle with Manticore was particularly close, with only 17 seconds separating the two yachts on corrected time. Manticore finished second overall on 13 points, ahead of the Wally 94 Astra I on 17.

Yoru takes the fight to the final race

The Maxi 4 class produced one of the closest conclusions. Wallyno won the final coastal race, but overall victory went to Yoru, Luigi Sala’s Vismara 62.

Two second places during the opening days followed by back-to-back victories in the Mistral gave Yoru the margin required for the final race. The series ended with Yoru on 11 points, just one ahead of Fra Diavolo, winner of the opening two races, while Why Not completed the podium on 15 points.

H2O wins four races out of five

In Maxi 5, Riccardo De Michele’s H2O gave its rivals very few opportunities. The Vallicelli 78 won four of the five races sailed, including the final contest, and completed the week with only 6 points.

Lunz am Meer, Riccardo Genghini’s Swan 651, finished second on 12 points, followed by Giuseppe Puttini’s Swan 65 Shirlaf on 13.2.

Highland Fling XVIII wins the Multihulls on countback

Perhaps the finest margin came in the Multihull fleet. Allegra won the final race ahead of Sophia and Highland Fling XVIII, leaving Allegra and Highland Fling XVIII level on points.

Overall victory nevertheless went to Highland Fling XVIII on countback, thanks to three race wins accumulated during the week. Sophia completed the overall podium.

Porto Cervo, where the racecourse becomes part of the story

A defining part of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup remains the place where it is sailed. Coastal courses took the crews around Caprera, La Maddalena, Mortorio, Soffi and Isola dei Monaci, as well as through narrow channels where wind shifts and local acceleration can quickly reshape the tactical picture.

Here, the scale of the yachts can almost become secondary. Boats longer than 60 feet, some approaching or exceeding 100 feet, still need to negotiate islands and channels with the same attention to local wind effects as much smaller racing yachts.

The 2026 edition added another dimension through the range of conditions, moving from 7-11 knot breezes at the beginning of the week to Mistral gusts reaching 28 knots. That variation rewarded not just outright speed, but crews capable of adapting quickly.

Six winners and two world titles

Porto Cervo therefore adds six names to the 2026 roll of honour: Leopard 3, Northstar III, Artemis Bleu, Yoru, H2O and Highland Fling XVIII.

Yet the appeal of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup extends beyond the results. It remains one of the rare events where yachts with very different dimensions, design philosophies and generations share the same waters for a week, turning the Costa Smeralda into a showcase for contemporary offshore sailing.

The prize-giving in Piazza Azzurra closed the 36th edition, but Porto Cervo has already moved on to its next major sailing week: the Rolex Swan Cup runs from 13 to 19 September, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of Nautor Swan.

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(c) Yacht Club Costa Smeralda

14 September 2026
© MED Yachting Editorial Team
Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2026, Porto Cervo crowns its champions
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