Geneva, 31 August, 2021 – For 40 years the appeal of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup has been unquestionable. On the water, the level of competition is of the highest order and supported by the finest race management. The racecourses are some of the most challenging and spectacular in sailing, offering an unrivalled combination of conditions and scenery. Beyond the racing, the event is both a proving ground and a showcase for the latest developments in the upper echelons of the sport.

The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup returns for its 31st edition from 5–11 September 2021. Rolex has enjoyed a close partnership with both the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) and its principal regatta since 1985. The relationship has been defined from the outset by a shared desire to deliver the highest standards of excellence.

Open to yachts upwards of 18.29 metres (60 feet) in length, the entry list features a selection of the world’s fastest, most powerful and impressive monohulls. Rolex Testimonee and four-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Ben Ainslie, a past competitor, highlights the event’s alignment with Rolex: 

“From a sporting perspective, precision is core to overall performance in sailing and this is no more so than at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup where there is a natural link with Rolex through the desire to push technology, innovation and sailing skill.”

Five days of competition are scheduled, offering a programme of primarily coastal races that allow the fleet to take on some of the world’s most impressive, natural racecourses. Located off the YCCS’s stunning headquarters in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, the action unfolds in the alluring waters of the Costa Smeralda and is set against the wild, rocky islands and islets of the Maddalena archipelago.

The fleet, typically upwards of 40 international entries, is divided into classes organized by type, size and potential. This ensures close, engrossing competition between entrants of similar characteristics. Categories include Mini Maxi, Maxi and Supermaxis, the grouping for the largest yachts in excess of 30.48 metres (100 feet). The primary objective for all crews is to emerge triumphant from their division, a goal that requires immense, unwavering sense of purpose. Only with the strongest will, the keenest experience and a sharp intuition can crews succeed. 

The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is the very essence of superlative yacht racing. The environment, the organization, the yachts and the participants are all exceptional. The crews comprise the world’s foremost sailors, a veritable who’s who of the yachting world. Even for those accustomed to success, victory at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup remains a significant achievement.

Another Rolex Testimonee, United States sailing legend Paul Cayard, has competed at the event for more than 30 years and emphasizes its superior standing in the sailing community:

“The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is an example of how a sponsor and a yacht club can come together, create a long-term relationship and live through all of the evolutions required to remain at the top.”

Among the entries for the 2021 edition are yachts with outstanding pedigree at Rolex-partnered events. Hap Fauth’s Maxi 72 Bella Mente is a multiple winner of this regatta, Comanche is the race record holder at the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, George David’s Rambler has won line honours at the Rolex Fastnet Race, Rolex Middle Sea Race and Rolex Giraglia, while Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones’s Magic Carpet Cubed is a Rolex Giraglia line honours and overall race winner. The largest registered entrant is Topaz, a recent build of a 1935 J-Class design, measuring 42.7m (140 ft).

Given the quality of the people and yachts, the margins between success and failure on the water are minute. Excellence is not a simple aspiration it is a demand. Rolex is proud to have been associated with the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup since its early years, an event that upholds the tenets of its own philosophy and Perpetual spirit: adapting to the elements, constantly seeking to improve and summoning one’s deepest resources.

ROLEX AND YACHTING
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.

ABOUT ROLEX 
AN UNRIVALLED REPUTATION FOR QUALITY AND EXPERTISE
Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watch manufacture. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products – symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The movements of its Oyster Perpetual and Cellini watches are certified by COSC, then tested in-house for their precision, performance and reliability. The Superlative Chronometer certification, symbolized by the green seal, confirms that each watch has successfully undergone tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria. These are periodically validated by an independent external organization. The word “Perpetual” is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster watch. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. In the course of its history, Rolex has registered over 500 patents. At its four sites in Switzerland, the brand designs, develops and produces the majority of its watch components, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, the brand is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.