Ten teams to reboot Sardinia Cup in 2026
Published on May 6th, 2026
After a 14-year absence, the Sardinia Cup returns in 2026 on May 31-June 6 to Porto Cervo, an Italian seaside resort in northern Sardinia. As an event that helped build the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s international standing, the event is open to yacht club teams of two boats, each competing across the Sardinia Cup Class 1 and Class 2 (SC1 & SC2) divisions.
As in previous editions, the event will be held every two years and will alternate with the Admiral’s Cup which returned in 2025 after a 20+ year absence. Both events have adopted the same rules, enabling teams to participate with the same boats and configurations.
The requirement for teams to field at least one female sailor and one young sailor under the age of 25 will be maintained. To date, 20 yachts are officially entered in the 2026 Sardinia Cup, representing 10 teams from international and Italian yacht clubs.
International entries include the Royal Ocean Racing Club (GBR), the Yacht Club de France (FRA), the Bayerischer Yacht Club (GER), and the Turkish Offshore Racing Sports Club (TUR), whilst Italian teams will represent the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia, the Yacht Club Repubblica Marinara di Pisa, Yacht Club Rimini, Vela Club Portocivitanova, and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.
The Royal Ocean Racing Club will be represented by two teams: James Neville’s TP52 Ino Veritas, with Dean Barker as tactician, along with Per Roman’s GP42 Garm, and Peter Harrison’s IRC 52 Jolt 3 – holder of the Admiral’s Cup for the Yacht Club de Monaco – together with Niklas Zennström’s Carkeek 41 RAN, the reigning IRC European champion, with Adrian Stead calling tactics.
As hosts, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda will be represented by member Giovanni Lombardi Stronati, owner of both boats flying the club burgee. The first is Django WR, a WallyRocket 51 that competed in the Admiral’s Cup, helmed by the owner, with Guillermo Parada and Vasco Vascotto in the afterguard while the second is Django JP, a Fast40+ helmed by Alberto Bolzan and with Michele Ivaldi in the role of tactician.
The same team finished third at the Admiral’s Cup, but will compete in Class 2 at the Sardinia Cup with a second boat oriented more towards pure performance than rating strategy.
Event details – Entry list – Photos
