After one last year, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup off Porto Cervo is currently being sailed for two world championships. The prestigious regatta is organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) together with the International Maxi Association (IMA) and is the penultimate event of the IMA Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge 2025. Like last year, the sporty 80- to 100-foot formats were all about World Cup honoursA new addition was the Maxi Grand Prix class, which is largely made up of old Maxi 72s (Mini Maxi) and some new IRC designs.
There were no German-speaking teams in the World Championship groups. With "Ganesha" and "Open Season", two Baltic 68 café racers from GER owners are taking part, which have already been Mallorca match. The Swiss 33-metre Baltic "Inoui" came to northern Sardinia as one of four supermaxis, while the Swan 651 "Lunz am Meer" from Austria started in the nine-yacht Maxi 4 class. After two editions with small fields, there were no multihulls at the start of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup.
Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup with delayed start
At the start on Monday, the Costa Smeralda served up flat winds, which encouraged the 44 yachts to set sail, but led to the race being cancelled shortly after the first start. Day two initially brought gusts of up to 18 knots before the wind levelled off between 10 and 12 knots - conditions that were tailor-made for the Costa Smeralda. "Magic Carpet e".
In their favoured wind range, the daring construction of Guillaume VerdierWhat she can do: get planing fast. During the Maxi-1 round trip of around 30 nautical miles through and around the La Maddalena archipelago, "Magic Carpet e" logged an average of 18 knots and almost 30 knots at its peak.
Admiral's Cup teams strong again
The eight yachts in the second World Championship class Maxi Grand Prix completed two course races, the two Admiral's Cup teams. Above all, Peter Harrison's IRC 72 "Jolt" managed a 1-2 series. The Briton provided the Monegasque winning team at this year's Cup from the Botin 52 "Jolt 3" and "Jolt 6" with Pierre Casiraghi.
Italy's "Django" team also showed itself off Porto Cervo with a larger format, the WallyRocket 71, which was first launched in the summer. The "Django 7X" crew started the regatta week with two third places and proved the next day that they are good in strong winds with a first place. "Jolt" slipped to second place with a fifth place, followed by the US campaign "Bella Mente", which is spoilt for success.
Rough conditions on day three
The press office of the International Maxi Association (IMA) labelled day three "Four Seasons Day". Nothing to do with the luxury hotel, but describes the capriciousness of the weather. Within four hours, it went from calm and sunny to mistral, rain with gusts of up to 30 knots. In late summer, the Costa Smeralda is known for champagne sailing with sunshine and constant winds.
In the rough conditions, "Magic Carpet e" had to give way to the Wally 100 "V". Old versus new generation, round bow and canting keel versus spearhead forecastle and lift keel. The "Magic Carpet e" owner Lindsay Owen-Jones also previously had a Wally 100, which took part as "Tilakkhana II" - the continued regatta involvement of his old flying carpet was one of Owen-Jones' heart's desires when he sold it.
Half-time at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup
Open Season" was out to make amends, following up 13th place with a ninth. "Ganesha" was in 7th place out of 13 starters after two days of sailing with 6 and 5. At the halfway point, with the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup still being sailed until Saturday, "Moat" was leading the Supermaxis, "H2O" dominated the Maxi 4 group and "Oscar 3" led Maxi 3.
