Tre Golfi Sailing Week Kicks Off: 27 Maxi Yachts Compete in International Regatta
Naples, May 21, 2026 – One of the most anticipated events in the international sailing season, the IMA Maxi European Championship 2026, is set to begin. Scheduled from May 22nd to 28th, the championship is a central part of the Tre Golfi Sailing Week 2026, taking place between Naples and Sorrento.
Organized by the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia, in collaboration with the International Maxi Association (IMA), the Yacht Club Italiano of Genoa, and the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia, and supported by Rolex and Loro Piana, the Maxi European Championship is a highlight of the Mediterranean’s big yacht season.
The 71st Tre Golfi Regatta: A Historic Offshore Race
As per tradition, the championship will open on May 22nd with the offshore race, which also marks the 71st Regata dei Tre Golfi. This year, for the first time, the race has been divided between Maxi and ORC classes, with the latter having already competed on May 8th as an offshore trial for the 2026 World Championship. The historic regatta will commence from the Rada di Santa Lucia, in front of the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia headquarters, with Castel dell’Ovo serving as a picturesque backdrop. This year, the start for the Maxi yachts will be earlier than in previous editions, with the first signal expected at 1:30 PM.
The offshore course, approximately 150 nautical miles long, will guide the fleet northwest to the island of Ponza, before returning to the Gulf, leaving Capri to port or starboard, passing around Li Galli, and heading back towards the finish line in Naples. This route offers one of the most spectacular racecourses in the Mediterranean.
Inshore Races and the Multihull Trophy in Sorrento
Following the offshore race, from May 25th to 28th, the fleet will move to Sorrento’s Marina Piccola for four days of technical inshore races, including windward-leeward and coastal courses, under the direction of Principal Race Officer Stuart Childerley. Among the most anticipated events is the traditional coastal race around Capri, with the iconic Faraglioni rocks and the landscapes of the Sorrento Peninsula providing a stunning setting for the competition.
The 2026 fleet once again promises to be extremely competitive and international, featuring 27 Maxi Yachts divided into the traditional four IRC classes. Significant attention will be on the Maxi 1 and Maxi Grand Prix categories, which bring together some of the world’s most high-performance vessels.
Leading Competitors and New Entries
Among the announced protagonists in the Maxi Grand Prix class is Hap Fauth’s 74-foot American yacht Bella Mente, winner of the last two IMA European titles. Other notable yachts include Jethou, Proteus, North Star, and Giovanni Lombardi Stronati’s wallyrocket71 Django 7X, the 2025 Maxi Grand Prix World Champion.
In the Maxi 1 class, large 100-foot yachts such as Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones’s Magic Carpet, V, Leopard 3, Galateia, and Tilakkhana II will once again be prominent. New entries this year include the Wally 94 Astra 1, the JV62 Manticore, the Swan 90 Hummingbird, and the Mylius Why Not.
A Unique Event in International Sailing
Andrew McIrvine, Secretary General of the International Maxi Association, stated, “The IMA Maxi European Championship continues to be a benchmark event for the international Maxi fleet. The combination of the long offshore Regata dei Tre Golfi and the inshore races where the Maxis compete throughout the Gulf of Naples makes this event truly unique. Every year, we see the fleet’s level and owners’ interest grow, attracted not only by the sporting quality of the event but also by the hospitality and extraordinary beauty of Naples and Sorrento.”
Parallel to the Maxi European Championship, the Multihull Trophy will also take place for the second consecutive year, running alongside the Maxi fleet in both the offshore and subsequent inshore races.
Roberto Mottola di Amato, President of the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia, commented, “The IMA Maxi European Championship has always been one of the most prestigious moments of the Tre Golfi Sailing Week. The quality of the fleet and the sporting level continue to grow year after year, confirming Naples and Sorrento as absolute reference points in international sailing.”
Hospitality and Social Events
Beyond sporting excellence, the Tre Golfi Sailing Week will continue to be distinguished by the unique hospitality and atmosphere that have always characterized the event, set between the Gulf of Naples and the Sorrento Peninsula. Among the most anticipated social events of the week is the traditional crew party hosted by Rolex and Loro Piana at Villa Zagara in Sorrento, dedicated to owners, crews, and guests of the event.
The regatta is supported by leading partners including Rolex and Loro Piana, along with North Sails, Wally Yachts, Deloitte, Ferrarelle, Ottogas, Garmin, Banca Patrimoni Sella & C., Caffè Borbone, and Azimut Investimenti.
Source: Positano Notizie, Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia, International Maxi Association
