Cover Sardinia’s Maddalena Archipelago provides a captivating setting for the competition (Photo: Courtesy of Rolex)
Sardinia’s Maddalena Archipelago provides a captivating setting for the competition (Photo: Courtesy of Rolex)
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Watch excellence sail and speed past at the illustrious regatta, where the first-ever Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship title is up for the taking
Shortly after the Summer Games, amid celebrations and homecomings the world over, it’s business as usual for several sports—including the international sailing arena. From the sound turquoise waters of Marseille to that of Sardinia’s Maddalena Archipelago, regatta fans now divert their attention to the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, a thrilling five-day event that concurrently marks 40 years of close cooperation between the Swiss watchmaker and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS).
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Rolex’s association with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit is neither new nor surprising. Stretching back six decades, the brand’s enduring ties with the elite world of yachting are represented today by partnerships with the world’s most prestigious clubs and competitions, as well as renowned figures in the sport. Among the spectacular regattas where it serves as a title sponsor, the highly awaited Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup echoes a dominance and fearlessness from the realm of watchmaking to beyond.
Above Scenes at the regatta (Photo: Courtesy of Rolex)
Scenes at the regatta (Photo: Courtesy of Rolex)
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“Together with our partners Rolex and the International Maxi Association, the objective is to provide competitors the perfect platform to perform. Classes are carefully determined according to a yacht’s size, rating performance, and other characteristics, while courses are chosen to suit the prevailing conditions each day,” explains YCCS Secretary General Edoardo Recchi, providing insight into the popularity of the event and its distinguished race management. “We strive to ensure that racing is exciting and guarantees the world-class competition expected after so many years.”
Simply a sight to behold with its regular fleet of some of the world’s most impressive boats, the 34th edition of the Cup will take place from September 8-14. This year’s event will notably present a group of highest-performing craft from 24.4m to 30.5m which will vie for the first-ever Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship title—a novelty that’s set to intensify the already high-pressure environment. Much like every year, several new launches and the latest innovations in Maxi yacht design are also expected to make their regatta debut, reflecting Rolex’s perpetual approach to its own craft.
Above British sailor and Rolex Testimonee, Sir Ben Ainslie (Photo: Courtesy of Rolex)
British sailor and Rolex Testimonee, Sir Ben Ainslie (Photo: Courtesy of Rolex)
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Likewise mirroring the makers of iconic watches, the skill and precision of highly prepared professional crews will be put to the test over the regatta’s intense five days.
The competition programme demands tactical brilliance, navigational insight, and exceptional teamwork. It features both windward and coastal legs, where every manoeuvre can make or break a race. While a clean start, perfect mark roundings, and strategic course-plotting are all essential for success in this high-stakes setting, effective communication and role delegation come as equally fundamental.
Such a feat culminates with a grand prize-giving ceremony on Piazza Azzurra where, against the backdrop of the YCCS’s magnificent clubhouse, the winners receive well-deserved Rolex timepieces and the coveted Cup trophies.
Above The skill, precision, and teamwork of highly prepared professional crews are put to the test (Photo: Courtesy of Rolex)
The skill, precision, and teamwork of highly prepared professional crews are put to the test (Photo: Courtesy of Rolex)
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“The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is inspiring,” remarks Rolex Testimonee and four-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Ben Ainslie, underscoring that there are few places to sail like the Costa Smeralda. “Undisputedly, it is one of the world’s great sailing destinations, uniting stunning scenery and challenging, technical race courses. Conditions are consistently excellent, and the organizers always guarantee fair and competitive racing.”
Above Paul Cayard, a renowned yachtsman from the United States (Photo: Courtesy of Rolex)
Paul Cayard, a renowned yachtsman from the United States (Photo: Courtesy of Rolex)
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Fellow Rolex Testimonee Paul Cayard, who has also competed at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, adds: “From the nautical environment to the race organization, through to the off-the-water programme, everything about the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is first-class. I first competed at the event in 1985 and it has developed over time to offer a varied and compelling mix of racing. The successful and longstanding collaboration between Rolex as title sponsor and YCCS as event organiser has made this possible.”
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Trained as a student journalist, Mac’s knack for writing was a serendipitous discovery. Years later and she can’t imagine doing anything else. When she isn’t typing away on a story, she revels in being lost in a new city, revisiting a cosy film or sitcom, and idling away with her dogs.
