23rd Rolex Swan Cup Opens With a Record Fleet

A total of 170 yachts have flocked to Porto Cervo, from the very first Swan ever built to the new Swan 128 and Swan 80 designs. 

Racing gets underway on 16 September, and concludes on Saturday, 19 September 2026.

15 September 2026 - Porto Cervo, Italy - As the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup drew to a close on Saturday, the quays in front of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda were already coming alive with the arrival of a record fleet of 170 Nautor Swan yachts, gathered in Porto Cervo for the 23rd edition of the Rolex Swan Cup, organised by the YCCS in collaboration with Nautor Swan and with the support of title sponsor Rolex. The maximum fleet capacity has been reached in a fitting testament to the occasion, which celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Finnish shipyard’s foundation.

The anniversary events began in superb style today with the “Dance of the Swans” – all 170 yachts sailing in formation around the Isola dei Monaci, one of the most iconic marks on coastal regattas in the La Maddalena Archipelago. A truly unique spectacle that will undoubtedly endure in the imagery of the sport and which was dedicated to the memory of legendary sailing photographer Carlo Borlenghi, who recently passed away.

This evening, the Skippers’ Briefing at 6 p.m. in Piazza Azzurra and the Welcome Cocktail from 7 p.m. on the YCCS terrace will officially open the 23rd Rolex Swan Cup. From tomorrow, racing will take centre stage, with the first signal scheduled for 12 noon CEST.

The yachts taking part in the Rolex Swan Cup span the full arc of Nautor Swan’s history, from 1966 to the present day. At one end sits Tarantella, the Swan 36-001 designed by Sparkman & Stephens, the first yacht ever produced by the shipyard in Pietarsaari, Finland. Restored in honour of her 60th birthday, Tarantella brings to Porto Cervo the starting point of the story, while at the other end of the fleet, the shipyard’s most recent history is represented by two of the latest Swan 128s, Be Cool and Raijin, alongside the newly launched Swan 80 Elvi – all designed by Germán Frers.

Noteworthy names from past and present include Giuseppe Puttini’s Shirlaf, a 1976 Swan 65 by Sparkman & Stephens celebrating half a century since her launch and racing in Porto Cervo after competing last week in the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, as did Lunz am Meer, the Swan 651 owned by YCCS member Riccardo Genghini. The strong contingent of historic Swans also includes Translated 9, owned by Marco Trombetti and Isabelle Andrieu, another Swan 65 S&S with an impressive backstory. Launched in 1974 as ADC Accutrac, she was skippered by British sailor Clare Francis to fifth place in the 1977–78 Whitbread Round the World Race and, following her recent return to ocean racing, is scheduled to compete in the 2027 Ocean Globe Race.

The fleet includes Pride, a 1973 Swan 44 Sparkman & Stephens now owned by William and Gillian Graves. Challenged to a friendly race in 1981 in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez by the 12-Metre Ikra, a contest born of a wager between sailors gave rise to the famous ‘Nioulargue’, a regatta now known as Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.

At the helm of Jean-Marie Patier’s Swan 55 Storm is Lionel Lemonchois, a two-time winner of the Route du Rhum – in 2006 with Gitana 11 and 2010 in the Multi50 class with Prince de Bretagne. Sailing alongside him is Catherine Chabaud, the first woman to complete the Vendée Globe, in the 1996–97 edition, and now France’s Minister for the Sea and Fisheries.

The 2026 Rolex Swan Cup brings together very different spirits, united by their shared sense of belonging to the Swan world. The five One Design classes - ClubSwan 50, ClubSwan 43, ClubSwan 42, ClubSwan 36 and ClubSwan 28 – will race in real time. ORC ratings will apply for the remaining classes. The Swan Maxi class groups together yachts of 60 feet and above, split into Maxi and Mini Maxi categories. The Swan Legacy brings together models designed by Sparkman & Stephens and Ron Holland, with Frers-designed boats racing in the Swan Classics division. The Swan Cruiser Racer covers models up to 58 feet, while the Swan Pure Cruising division is reserved for yachts configured primarily for cruising.

From a competitive standpoint, the quality of the fleet is exceptionally high. Nine class winners from the 2024 edition have returned to Porto Cervo: Freya in the Maxi fleet, Seaquill among the Mini Maxis, Isabella in the Sparkman & Stephens Classics, Mascalzone Latino among the S&S Racing yachts, Katima in the Swan 45 class, the modified Swan 45 From Now On, as well as Ulika in the ClubSwan 50s, Fra Martina in the ClubSwan 36 class and Marcello, owned by YCCS member Philippe Ligot, in the ClubSwan 28 class.

Raising the standard still further is the presence of some of the most accomplished names in international sailing. Paul Cayard - skipper of Il Moro di Venezia in the 1992 America’s Cup and winner of the Star class world championship for the second time in 2025 as well as class president – will call tactics on the ClubSwan 50 Cuordileone, owned by YCCS member Leonardo Ferragamo. On Wednesday 16th, after racing, Cayard will host a Meet and Greet in Piazza Azzurra, an informal gathering open to all where he will reflect on the history of the Star class and his own personal journey as a sailor. Ross Warburton’s ClubSwan 50 Perhonen will field tactician Ed Baird, helmsman of Alinghi in their victorious 2007 America’s Cup campaign. Vasco Vascotto and Guillermo Parada will be in the afterguard on the Swan 128 Be Cool, owned by YCCS member Giovanni Lombardi Stronati, while Flavio Favini takes the helm of the Swan 55 Alegher. Francesco Bruni is expected to join the ClubSwan 50 Earlybird on Thursday. Further distinguished names include Portuguese sailor Afonso Domingos, tactician on the CS50 Volpe, and, on the Swan 58 Wavewalker, Laurent Pagès, part of the winning crew on Groupama 4 in the 2011–12 Ocean Race.

“It’s a genuine pleasure to welcome a record-breaking fleet to Porto Cervo in such a significant year – the 60th anniversary of Nautor Swan.” commented Andrea Recordati, Commodore of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. “The Rolex Swan Cup holds a special place in our Club’s history, bringing together different generations of yachts and sailors, from the boats that shaped the yard’s history to the latest racing and cruising models, united by a spirit that goes far beyond competition.”

Light conditions are forecast for tomorrow’s opening race day, Wednesday 16 September, with an easterly breeze of just a few knots. The situation is expected to change significantly from Thursday, with westerly winds set to arrive, including a potentially strong Mistral, which will put crews to the test and could make the Islands Race – scheduled for Thursday 17 – particularly demanding. The event concludes on Saturday 19 September with the prize-giving ceremony scheduled for 5.30 p.m. in Piazza Azzurra.