MILLEVELE IREN 2026
On Saturday, September 12, Genoa will once again become the city of sailing with the 38th edition of Millevele IREN, the major sailing event organized by Yacht Club Italiano, with IREN as Title Sponsor, renewing its close connection with the Genoa International Boat Show.
Millevele IREN 2026 officially kicked off today, September 3, at Yacht Club Italiano with the ceremony marking the presentation of the club pennants to the Ligurian sailing clubs competing for the Interclub Trophy – Coppa Bartolomeo Boero.
The ceremony was attended by Carlo Cameli, President of Yacht Club Italiano; Marco Bucci, President of the Liguria Region; Silvia Salis, Mayor of Genoa; Simona Ferro, Vice President of the Liguria Region and Regional Councillor for Sport; Matteo Paroli, President of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority; and Fabio Planamente, Vice President of Confindustria Nautica, together with representatives of the event's partners and participating organizations.
Sailing clubs from Genoa and across Liguria have actively participated in Millevele IREN for many years, supporting Yacht Club Italiano in organizing the event and helping to make it an important occasion for the entire region. The event celebrates the strong connection between Genoa, Liguria and the sea, bringing together institutions, sailing clubs, crews and enthusiasts around the shared values of sport and maritime culture.
For several years, Millevele IREN has complemented its sporting activities with charitable fundraising initiatives. For the 2026 edition, Yacht Club Italiano has chosen to support the Giannina Gaslini Institute through Fondazione Gaslininsieme ETS, the event's Charity Partner, contributing to the Nuovo Gaslini project.
This commitment further strengthens Millevele's connection with Genoa and with an institution recognized for its excellence in pediatric healthcare at regional, national and international levels.
A crowdfunding campaign has been launched for the occasion. Donations can be made through the dedicated page:
During the ceremony, a new challenge between Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano and Yacht Club Italiano was also presented, with the aim of strengthening the relationship between the two clubs organizing the Barcolana and Millevele events.
During the two events, mixed crews representing the respective clubs will compete aboard one-design boats, first in Genoa during Millevele and subsequently in Trieste during the Barcolana.
Statements
"Millevele IREN is an event that means a great deal to us because it brings together so many different sides of the sailing world," said Carlo Cameli, President of Yacht Club Italiano. "There are sailing clubs, experienced crews, families and many enthusiasts who gather in the Gulf of Genoa every year to share the same passion. This is the spirit we want to preserve and continue to develop.
"This year, we are also particularly pleased to welcome Fondazione Gaslininsieme as our Charity Partner. As an organization deeply connected to our city, it allows us to add an important charitable dimension to this great celebration of sailing."
"Millevele continues to grow year after year and is preparing to welcome hundreds of boats along three coastal courses stretching from Genoa to Punta Chiappa, offering an extraordinary spectacle for both sailors and spectators," commented Marco Bucci, President of the Liguria Region, and Simona Ferro, Vice President and Regional Councillor for Sport.
"We are extremely proud to host another high-profile event in a year that has already seen Liguria play a leading role in major sailing events. But this is not only about competition: this new edition also has significant social value thanks to its support for Fondazione Gaslininsieme.
"Our thanks go to Yacht Club Italiano and its President Carlo Cameli for organizing the event, to partners Salone Nautico and Iren, and to all the Ligurian sailing clubs whose commitment makes this unique event possible. It brings together sport, tradition, the local community and a shared sense of belonging, perfectly representing the maritime spirit of Genoa and Liguria."
"Millevele IREN reflects a Genoa where the sea plays a central role in everyday economic, sporting and social life," said Silvia Salis, Mayor of Genoa.
"Reaching the 38th edition is a testament to the work carried out over the years and to Yacht Club Italiano's ability to develop an event so deeply rooted in the city.
"The relationship with the Genoa International Boat Show brings together two sectors that must increasingly work hand in hand: sailing as a sport and the recreational boating industry. This connection allows Genoa to present itself as a city where the sea generates expertise, employment and opportunities for participation.
"During last year's Genoa International Boat Show, I proposed a combined sailing challenge linking Genoa's Millevele and Trieste's Barcolana. The new competition between Yacht Club Italiano and Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano embraces the spirit of that proposal and strengthens the bond between two cities united by a rich maritime tradition.
"Furthermore, Yacht Club Italiano's decision to support the Giannina Gaslini Institute through Fondazione Gaslininsieme ETS, contributing to the Nuovo Gaslini project, adds another important and meaningful dimension to Millevele.
"As a former athlete, I know that the value of a competition also lies in what it can generate beyond the race and its results. This is the vision of sport that Genoa wants to support."
"Our long-standing partnership with Millevele demonstrates how sport can serve as a powerful tool for building relationships, promoting a culture of sustainability and creating value for the communities in which we operate," said Paolo Robutti, CEO of Iren Luce Gas e Servizi.
"Supporting sporting events like this means recognizing organizations that help strengthen the relationship between communities and the environment, promoting values that Iren Luce Gas e Servizi fully embraces: passion, innovation and respect for the sea.
"We also demonstrate this commitment through the Utility Cup, the regatta organized by Iren, which reaches its ninth edition this year, confirming a steady growth in participation and interest."
The Sailing Event
The starting gun for Millevele IREN is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 12.
The established format has been confirmed, with hundreds of boats expected to take to the waters of the Gulf of Genoa.
Millevele IREN continues to be a major celebration of sailing, open to a wide variety of boats and crews, united by their passion for the sea and the opportunity to experience the Gulf of Genoa during one of the most anticipated events of the sailing season.
The Courses
In 2026, three courses will once again be offered according to boat length, starting off Quarto and finishing with the spectacular final parade from Boccadasse to the Foce area.
- Red Course: 13 to 17 nautical miles
- Green Course: 11 to 15 nautical miles
- Yellow Course: 9 to 11 nautical miles
Registration
Registration is open until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11, through the following channels:
- Online via the Yacht Club Italiano website
- At the YCI Race Office – regate@yci.it
Programme
Thursday, September 10 – Friday, September 11
- Final registration procedures and distribution of race kits (YCI)
Saturday, September 12
- 11:00 a.m. – Start of Millevele IREN 2026
- From 8:00 p.m. – Crew Party (Race Village – YCI)
Sunday, October 4
- 11:00 a.m. – Awards Ceremony – 66th Genoa International Boat Show
Races Within the Race
Iren Utility Cup: A dedicated challenge for crews invited by Iren Luce Gas e Servizi, representing leading Italian companies operating both within and beyond the utilities sector.
Confindustria Nautica Cup: An award presented to the highest-ranking boats built by shipyards exhibiting at the Genoa International Boat Show.
Millevele Classic: Vintage and classic yachts will compete for the YCI Heritage – Genova 2026 Trophy, awarded to the oldest participating boat.
Coppa Bartolomeo Boero: A competition between local sailing clubs participating in Millevele with their own crews and boats.
Millevele – Barcolana Challenge: A new competition between Yacht Club Italiano and Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano, created to strengthen the relationship between the clubs organizing these two major sailing events. Two mixed crews representing the clubs will compete aboard one-design boats during Millevele in Genoa and Barcolana in Trieste.
Antonio Lanza Trophy: Awarded to the highest-ranking J/70 competing in Millevele IREN 2026.
Millevele IREN 2026 Partners
Title Partner: Iren Luce Gas e Servizi
Technical Partners: Banca Passadore, B&G, North Sails, 66th Genoa International Boat Show, Veneziani Yachting
Charity Partner: Fondazione Gaslininsieme ETS
Under the Patronage of: Regione Liguria, Agenzia InLiguria, Comune di Genova and Confindustria Nautica
The Objectives
Thanks to its renewed partnership with the Genoa International Boat Show and the support of institutions, the Italian Sailing Federation and the sailing clubs of the FIV First District, Millevele IREN aims to continue growing, further establishing itself as a symbol of maritime culture and a major celebration of sport, local identity and community participation, set against the magnificent backdrop of the Gulf of Genoa.
