Yacht Club Italiano presents the 2026 Sports Calendar, confirming one of the most extensive and structured competitive programs in the Mediterranean. With a schedule running from January to mid-November, the Club renews its central role in promoting sailing culture and showcasing sporting excellence in all its forms: from youth dinghies to one-design classes, from Olympic classes to large offshore yachts.
“We are opening a season that promises to be even more intense and demanding,” emphasizes Carlo Cameli, President of the Yacht Club Italiano. “With many days at sea and a Club that, thanks to its long history, is today an extremely efficient organizational machine capable of supporting such a complex calendar for 11 months of the year. Behind these numbers is a significant and passionate effort, made possible by the enthusiasm of the many sailors and enthusiasts who bring our regattas to life, and by the support of both longstanding and new partners such as Loro Piana, Banca Passadore, SIAD, and Rolex, our Official Timepiece for over 25 years. Equally important is the support of institutions, which today are more active than ever alongside the Club. The involvement of the President of the Liguria Region, Marco Bucci, and the Mayor of Genoa, Silvia Salis, demonstrates how sport—in all its forms—is a key element for the vitality and growth of our territory and the next generations.”
A Growing Season: Eleven Months of Sailing
The 2026 season opens with the winter challenges of the International Genoa Winter Contest, bringing athletes from the Optimist, ILCA 7, ILCA 6, and ILCA 4 classes to the waters of Genoa. Youth activities continue with the Optimist Interzonal Selection, an event that each year gathers some of Italy’s top young sailors and returns to Liguria after three years.
The calendar then picks up pace with a series of major events that define the Yacht Club Italiano’s sporting identity:
- Genova Sailing Week – Coppa Andrea Alberti (March 27–29)
- Trofeo Porto Carlo Riva (April 11–12)
- The Gentleman Challenge (April 17–19)
- Regate di Primavera Portofino (April 30–May 3)
- Regata della Gallinara – Trofeo della Cappelletta (May 16–17)
- Trofeo SIAD Bombola d’Oro – Coppa Roberto Sestini (May 22–24)
June is dominated by the Loro Piana Giraglia (June 12–20), the iconic offshore classic that combines sport, history, and tradition, engaging IRC and ORC fleets in a week of racing between Saint-Tropez and Genoa.
Summer and Autumn: One-Design Racing, Sailing for Everyone, and Tradition
Summer continues with the J/70 Members Cup – Summer Edition (July 4–5), which this year will take place aboard the Club’s J/70s in Portofino waters. September welcomes the Millevele IREN (September 12), an open regatta enlivening the Gulf of Genoa, which again this year is held in conjunction with the Salone Nautico. Even with the show’s date change, Millevele IREN remains the starting point of the month when Genoa becomes the world capital of boating.
Autumn sees the return of the LOWRANCE Trophy – Fishing Tournament (October 10–11) and concludes with two hallmark YCI events: the 62ª Coppa Poggi (October 24–25) and the J/70 Members Cup (November 7–8).
The Value of Partnerships
Throughout the year, the Yacht Club Italiano relies on the support of partners, sponsors, and institutions who, to varying degrees but with the same passion and dedication, contribute to the realization of the entire sporting program. Their collaboration, founded on shared values, allows the Club to offer an international-level calendar, promote local excellence, and foster sailing culture with continuity and vision. Regattas and events are also made possible thanks to the invaluable contribution of the Club’s institutional partners: Rolex as Official Timepiece; institutional sponsors SIAD and Banca Passadore; technical partners Gruppo Navico, North Sails, and SLAM; and Title Partners Loro Piana and IREN. As always, support from Regione Liguria, Comune di Genova, and Confindustria Nautica is fundamental.
