Sardinia Cup: Team competitions on the rise - RORC wins ahead of Sardinia
Tatjana Pokorny
· 07.06.2026
Nobody can say what would have happened if the Bavarian Yacht Club team with "Red Bandit" and "Neomind" had not been eliminated from the 18th Range Rover Sardinia Cup in the long-distance race. While the series for "Red Bandit" came to an immediate end with the broken rudder, the "Neomind" crew fought on after breaking their backstay. Nevertheless, it was enough after the overarching German breakage For Black-Red-Gold in the waters of the host Yacht Club Costa Smeralda only the last two places in the classes Sardinia Cup 1 and Sardinia Cup 2.
"Ino Veritas" and "Garm" win the Sardinia Cup as a team
The crews on the German boats were unable to show their true potential. Building on the glory days of the past and Three Cup victories in the past remains postponed. In this comeback year for the Range Rover Sardinia Cup on the glittering Emerald Coast, the prizes were won by others. The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) won the team competition and secured the successfully revitalised trophy ahead of the two boats from the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and the RORC Team Gold. James Neville's TP52 "Ino Veritas" and the GP52 "Garm" scored for the winners.
The RORC double (30 points) had a five-point lead over the duo from the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (35 points). The Wallyrocket "Django WR" and the Botin Fast 40+ "Django JP" from Giovanni Lombardi Stronati were in action for the Italians. Third place in the Range Rover Sardinia Cup team ranking was secured by Peter Harrison's IRC 52 "Jolt 3" and Niklas Zennström's Carkeek 40 "Ran".
YCCS Commodore Andrea Recordati paid tribute to the winners and said: "Congratulations to the RORC team for winning the Range Rover Sardinia Cup 2026. The names of 'Ino Veritas' and 'Garm' will now be immortalised on the trophy alongside the winners of previous editions of this legendary regatta, which is back after a 14-year hiatus."
First the Admiral's Cup, then the Sardinia Cup: team sailing on the rise
Recordati also congratulated YCCS club member Giovanni Lombardi Stronati, whose Django team sailed to second place. Recordati also made a charming challenge to the British team, saying that the team "will be competing against our friends from the RORC in next year's Admiral's Cup".
At the end of the week-long series, almost everyone in Porto Cervo felt like winners, as the resurrection of this team competition, which was first organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in 1978, was well received after a 14-year break. The comeback followed the Admiral's Cup, which was revived so successfully last year, and put another exclamation mark behind the increasingly popular topic of team sailing on the international stage.
Winner James Neville echoed this sentiment, saying at the presentation ceremony: "Winning the Range Rover Sardinia Cup at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda as helmsman and owner of 'Ino Veritas' is hugely satisfying. We had a fantastic week and were able to make the most of a format that rewards teamwork - just like the Admiral's Cup. That's the most important aspect of the Sardinia Cup: the result counts at team level, not for individual boats. And success comes from co-operation and mutual support between teammates."
Better through teamwork: the cups inspire each other
"Garm" owner Per Roman said: "It was an incredible series in what I consider to be the most beautiful place in the world to race. We were lucky to have great team mates: I've been working with James for two years and I couldn't ask for anyone better. The whole team worked hard and the offshore race was crucial - winning there gave us the momentum we needed for our ultimate success."
It was incredible! The long distance was the key. We won it. From then on, we did what we had to do." Per Roman
Per Roman also emphasised how much the top teams see the connection between the Admiral's Cup and the Sardinia Cup. He said: "After the Admiral's Cup we were determined to keep improving as we knew that the Sardinia Cup would be our next big goal. We invested in a more competitive boat and gradually upgraded our equipment to keep up with our team-mates who performed exceptionally well this week."
We know that there is still room for improvement; the boat is new to us and this is just the beginning." Per Roman
The 19th edition of the Range Rover Sardinia Cup has already been finalised. It will be sailed off the Costa Smeralda from 4 to 11 June. The Italian and British team summits, which the Royal Ocean Racing Club organises around the Isle of Wight in odd-numbered years, will alternate again in future, just like in the best of times. German sailors hope that GER boats will then also take part again.
The highlights of the Range Rover Sardinia Cup 2026:
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
