The regattas fill the most suggestive and challenging places in the world with passion for the sea and sport, but they are also events organized by prestigious yacht clubs where high society meets in the name of glamor and exclusivity. These places that make selectivity a golden rule open up to the world during the competitions that each institution organizes: international regattas dedicated to professional crews aboard real racing cars, but also amateur races where the taste for the good life prevails. .
A shining example of this dual nature is the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS), in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy. The Emerald Coast, in the north of the island, is the ideal option for those looking for crystal clear waters, constant winds and maximum luxury. Since 1969, the YCCS has hosted numerous international regattas, including the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta. However, the emblem of the seafaring 'dolce vita' may be the Sailing regatta
The other large island in the western Mediterranean, Mallorca, is home to the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP), chosen by Boat Exclusive magazine as one of the ten best yacht clubs in the world. Since its foundation, at the end of the 1940s, the RCNP has promoted some of the most traditional regattas in Europe. Among them, the Copa del Rey, the SAR Princesa Sofía Trophy, the PalmaVela regatta or the Ciutat de Palma Trophy, the oldest sporting event in the Balearic Islands, as well as, from June 21 to 24, the Superyacht Cup Palma, the longest super yacht in Europe. Side activities include cocktails, parties and barbecues on the docks with views of the Cathedral.
Directing the bow to the north, it docks in the flowery and elite French Côte d'Azur, where the hottest spots for international sailing are Saint-Tropez and Monaco. Founded in 1862, the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez (SNST) has organized regattas for more than 160 years. Among its historical members are personalities such as the writer Guy de Maupassant or the painter Paul Signac. Affiliated to the FFVoile and associated with the Yacht Club de France, the SNST organizes major events such as the Rolex Giraglia, Les Dames de Saint-Tropez and the Parec 600. At the end of September, for Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, more than 300 modern, classic and wally yachts compete in the splendid gulf.
In the Principality, the select world of sailing gathers around the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM), founded by Prince Rainier III in 1953 and chaired since 1984 by Prince Albert II. The current headquarters, designed by Norman Foster and opened in 2014, is the largest in the world for this type of structure. The club organizes world-class events focused on sport, the environment, luxury yachting and maritime heritage. In September, Monaco Classic Week – La Belle Classe takes a journey through time, synonymous with the art of vivre la mer. In fact, this biennial regatta is an opportunity to admire some of the most prestigious sailing and motor yachts, as well as vintage powerboats, elegance contests and grand parades.
On the other side of the Mediterranean, the Spetses Classic Yacht Regatta deserves a mention, the event that has established itself as one of the most important classic yacht regattas internationally. The competition takes place on the island of Spetses, off the coast of Athens, one of the most beloved rivieras for the Greek upper class. The event, organized in June by the Yacht Club of Greece, fills the strip of sea that separates the island from the Peloponnese coast with classic and traditional boats, but also boats for families and some of the most famous yachts in the world.
