The 36th Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) in collaboration with the International Maxi Association and supported by Rolex, concluded in Porto Cervo after a demanding week of racing across the La Maddalena archipelago.
Crews faced everything from light winds to a powerful Mistral with gusts exceeding 28 knots, testing both boats and sailors throughout the regatta.
The Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship went to Leopard 3, Joost Schuijff’s Farr 100, with Chris Nicholson calling tactics. After a third-place finish in the opening race, Leopard 3 won five of the seven races, including the final four in succession, finishing on 13 points. WallyCento V was second and Galateia third.
In the Maxi Grand Prix World Championship, Northstar III, owned by Peter Dubens and tactically led by Nick Rogers, secured the title with 14 points, after opening the regatta with four consecutive victories.
Other class winners were Artemis Bleu in Maxi 3, Yoru in Maxi 4, H2O in Maxi 5 and Highland Fling XVIII in the Multihull class.
The final race was won by Leopard 3, Northstar III, Artemis Bleu, Wallyno, H2O and Allegra in their respective classes, bringing another highly competitive edition of one of the world’s leading maxi-yacht regattas to a close in Porto Cervo.
The YCCS now turns its attention to the 23rd Rolex Swan Cup, running from 13–19 September, with almost 170 yachts expected for the 60th anniversary celebrations of Nautor Swan.
