What the America’s Cup could have been

Prior to the 2013 America’s Cup, the new defender backed by American Larry Ellison recruited designers from both the monohull and multihull worlds to present proposals for the class to be used in the 34th edition.

However, it didn’t take long to sense which direction the team was leaning. With their mission to heighten the event’s popularity with spectators and broadcast, which in turn was to heighten its commercial appeal, they leaned hard toward the sexier and speedier option – the AC72 wing-sail catamaran.

The progression of this type of platform has continued on for the America’s Cup, but people longing for the sawing action of a hull cresting waves, or for giant yachts maneuvering tightly together, or for crew action setting massive offwind sails, the Maxi Class is for you.

Nowhere does this Class shine brightest than at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. Bringing together an awe-inspiring sailing environment, outstanding race management, and the vanguard of monohull technology, the event enjoys a towering reputation.

From its inception, the event has showcased the remarkable potential and transformational evolution of monohull design and technology. The drivers of this innovation are the Maxi yacht owners and design teams who are always striving to push the boundaries, investing considerable time and resources in development.

“The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is the very essence of superlative yacht racing,” notes past America’s Cup skipper Paul Cayard. “The most impressive yachts sailed by the best sailors in the most perfect sailing environment.”

The 2022 edition will be held September 4-10, with five days of racing scheduled. The program offers a combination of windward/leeward racing and coastal courses in north-east Sardinia’s Maddalena Archipelago.

The fleet is divided into different classes based on yacht size, performance or design, with entrants measuring from 60 feet to 143 feet in length. This year’s entry list is one of the largest in recent editions, with nearly 50 boats registered.

The 32nd edition will feature historic yachts, including original and replica J-Class whose designs date back to the 1930s, high-performance entries such as the Wallycentos, and stripped-back carbon racers built purely for power and speed.

Here’s a preview: