Porto Cervo, 20 June 2026 – Against the spectacular backdrop of the Costa Smeralda, the Rolex TP52 World Championship 2026 delivered a compelling demonstration of achievement at the highest level of grand prix monohull racing. Hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, a Rolex partner since 1984, the championship gathered a record fleet of 15 entries sailed by some of the finest sailors in the sport. After five days of intensely competitive racing, Takashi Okura’s Sled emerged victorious, earning one of sailing's most coveted titles for a second time.

The 2026 edition of the world championship marks the 10th year of Rolex title sponsorship. As the pinnacle of the annual 52 SUPER SERIES, of which Rolex is also Official Timepiece, the event reinforces the Swiss watchmaker's enduring commitment to sailing. Success requires an exceptional combination of preparation, teamwork, resilience and precision. In a fleet where the smallest margins often determine the outcome, every decision and every manoeuvre matters.

Agustin Zulueta, chief executive officer of the 52 SUPER SERIES felt the championship had been the best yet:

“We have enjoyed a superb week of racing, impeccably hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Conditions on the Costa Smeralda have given us grand prix competition befitting a record fleet where the level of skill and passion on display has been of the highest standard.”

Sled has long been one of the most consistent top teams on the circuit. Beyond previously securing the world championship title in 2021, last year the American crew finished the season in second overall winning the final event, coincidentally held in Porto Cervo. Regular podium contenders thanks to an extremely strong core of experienced top professionals, the group is skilled in the art of delivering both on and off the water.

Project manager and mainsheet trimmer Don Cowie, a past Olympic silver medallist, confirmed the size of the challenge facing the crew at the beginning of the week-long event:

"We haven't seen a 15-boat fleet at the Rolex TP52 Worlds before, and that made the racing incredibly competitive. If you look through the entries, there were several teams that started with a chance of winning. Fortunately, we sailed well when it mattered most."

Tactician Francesco Bruni, a three-time Olympian, acknowledged that the journey to a second world title was down to more than exemplary crew work on the water. Preparation and attitude were vital ingredients too:

"This team keeps getting stronger and stronger, thanks to the owner who gives us the tools we need to perform at our best. We feel a responsibility to perform for him, and that's what makes this such a great team.”

Up against a set of contenders all equally determined and armed with detailed processes that bring their yachts to the peak of readiness ahead of the Rolex TP52 World Championship, the secret to success is found within the details. In the nine-race regatta, Sled only managed one race win. As their success shows, this is not an issue when the remainder of one’s results do not stray far outside the top five. Bruni acknowledged that:

"Consistency was the key. We avoided unnecessary risks, but when we did take risks, they were calculated and played to our strengths. We had good leads at times, but the competition is so tight that no lead ever feels big enough."

At the heart of the Rolex TP52 World Championship lies a unique combination of passionate owner-drivers and world-class professional sailors. Success is not built on individual talent, but on the ability of a team to perform collectively under pressure, continuously adapting and improving throughout the week.

Finishing second overall racing at their first Rolex TP52 World Championship, Joakim Sundberg’s Trinity from Sweden were a revelation this week. Starting with mixed results, the team won the final two races. Tactician and former Rolex World Sailor of the Year, Ed Baird, was well placed to sum up the level of competition and the persistence require:

“The TP52 class is the best monohull racing in the world. It is close, it is hard, it is intense. You have to have a team that is ready to fight for every metre. Whether good or bad things are happening, the crew has to stay settled. Every race counts. Every point is important."

Overall, the 2026 Rolex TP52 World Championship will be remembered as a week in which a record fleet elevated the standard of competition to new heights. The result was a fitting celebration of achievement, rewarding those able to combine technical excellence, teamwork and unwavering commitment in one of the most demanding environments in world sailing.

Rolex and Yachting 
Rolex celebrates human achievement, recognizing the journey marked by milestones and emotions that culminates in defining moments – determined by a path followed, not just a trophy. Since the late 1950s, Rolex has championed perseverance and resilience in yachting across all its forms – from prestigious yacht clubs to pioneering feats of exploration, legendary offshore races and its most successful sailors. Today, the Swiss watchmaker supports the innovative future of sailing through its Title Partnership of the Rolex SailGP Championship, the world’s leading sailing league where the best athletes compete on identical supercharged foiling F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous stretches of water. Furthermore, the brand is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events, from 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. Rolex also partners institutions that share its enduring commitment to sailing, including the New York Yacht Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Royal Yacht Squadron, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and Royal Malta Yacht Club. Integral to this relationship are the towering figures in the sport and Rolex honours their unrelenting determination in the pursuit of excellence. From groundbreaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester to modern-day sailors, Rolex celebrates the individuals who embody adaptability, teamwork and precision. The Rolex family of Testimonees includes legends Paul Cayard and Robert Scheidt, the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie, and the heroes at the heart of the Rolex SailGP Championship, Hannah Mills, Tom Slingsby and Martine Grael.