ORC World Championship 2026: all eyes on the start of the 71st Regata dei Tre Golfi

7 May 2026 - Sorrento, Italy - The ORC World Championship 2026 reaches one of its defining moments tomorrow with the start of the 71st Regata dei Tre Golfi, the iconic offshore race that remains at the heart of the event.

Organized by the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia, in collaboration with the Yacht Club Italiano in Genova and the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia in Genova, and in conjunction with the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC), with the valuable support of Rolex and Loro Piana, the championship has brought together over 110 boats from around the world, confirming its status as one of the most important events in offshore racing.

Tomorrow's start will see the fleet head out on the traditional course. The historic Regata dei Tre Golfi will begin at 17:00 in the Bay of Santa Lucia. Now in its 71st edition, the approximately 150-nautical-miles offshore race will take the fleet across the Gulfs of Naples, Gaeta and Salerno, rounding iconic islands such as Ischia, Ponza, Capri and Li Galli, in one of the most spectacular racecourses in the Mediterranean.

The Regata dei Tre Golfi represents not only a crucial scoring opportunity within the ORC World Championship standings, but also a standalone challenge where positioning, weather interpretation and night sailing skills can make the difference.

With a forecast that promises light winds at the start and for most of the following day, teams are preparing for a race that will test both performance and decision-making over the full length of the course.

"The Regata dei Tre Golfi is always a defining moment of the championship," said Maurizio Pavesi, Vice President of the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia. "It is a race that combines tradition, technical complexity and strategic depth, and one that every sailor looks forward to competing in."

The start of the offshore race remains one of the most anticipated moments of the week. This year, it coincides with the official visit of Pope Leo to Naples, adding a unique backdrop to an already special occasion. Racing will then move to Sorrento for the inshore series upon the fleet's return, leading into the final stages of the ORC World Championship.

The regatta is supported by leading partners including Rolex and Loro Piana, alongside North Sails, Deloitte, Ferrarelle, Ottogas, Garmin, Banca Patrimoni Sella & C., Caffè Borbone and Azimut Investimenti.

ORC Partners are Vennvind, TracTrac, PredictWind, Garmin and Leica Geosystems.