The 36th Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup concluded yesterday, 12 September, in Porto Cervo with the final coastal race. At the end of a week that brought highly varied conditions, from the light winds of the opening days to the Mistral, with gusts exceeding 28 knots, Leopard 3 and Northstar III won the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship and the Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship respectively. Artemis Bleu, Yoru, H2O and Highland Fling XVIII were the winners of the other classes.

The final race was sailed in a north-easterly breeze of approximately 10 knots, which gradually veered east and eased during the final stages. After starting off Porto Cervo, the fleet beat up towards the Monaci Islands, before bearing away towards Soffi Island through the Bisce Pass and finally returning to the finish. The course measured approximately 24 nautical miles. For the Maxi 4 and Maxi 5 classes, the passage at the Monaci Islands was replaced by an upwind mark, slightly shortening the course.

Today, Leopard 3 prevailed among the Maxi 1 yachts, Northstar III in the Maxi Grand Prix, Artemis Bleu in Maxi 3, Wallyno in Maxi 4, H2O in Maxi 5 and Allegra among the Multihulls.

Racing remained fiercely contested through to the final finish in every class, both where the winner had yet to be decided and where an outright or mathematically confirmed champion had already emerged. This was the case in the Maxi GP, where Northstar III continued to race for victory even after securing the title on the opening day. The close racing at the Monaci Islands, through the Bisce Pass and around Soffi Island—the southernmost point of the course—provided some of the week’s most spectacular moments.

The Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship was won by Joost Schuijff’s Farr 100 Leopard 3, with New Zealander Chris Nicholson calling tactics. After finishing third in the opening race, Leopard 3 built its victory through an exceptionally consistent series, winning five of the seven races sailed, including the final four in succession.

Today’s victory ahead of Capricorno and My Song enabled Leopard 3 to finish on 13 points, ahead of Karel Komarek’s WallyCento V, second on 20 points, and Galateia, owned by David Leuschen and Chris Flowers, the defending champion, third on 22 points. It was Leopard 3’s second Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship title, following its 2024 victory in the inaugural edition of the World Championship.

“It is the culmination of a great deal of hard work with an extraordinary boat and team. We love racing in Porto Cervo; it is undoubtedly one of our favourite venues. We will be back next year with a refitted Leopard, aiming to repeat this result,” said team manager Gerard Mitchell.

The Rolex IMA Maxi Grand Prix World Championship had already been secured yesterday, with one race to spare, by YCCS member Peter Dubens’ Northstar III, with two-time Olympic medallist Nick Rogers calling tactics. Making its debut in the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Northstar III opened its class World Championship campaign with four consecutive victories and today rounded off the week by winning the final coastal race.

Northstar III finished on 14 points, ahead of Filip Balcaen’s Balthasar, second on 25. Peter Harrison’s Jolt and Proteus both finished on 28 points, with third place awarded to Jolt thanks to the two race wins it scored yesterday.

In Maxi 3, victory went to James Neville’s Artemis Bleu, with Dean Barker calling tactics. The British Botin 65 improved steadily throughout the week, winning the final three races. Today’s contest with Silvia De’ Longhi and Franz Wilhelm Baruffaldi Preis’s Manticore was particularly close: just 17 seconds on corrected time separated the two boats at the finish. Artemis Bleu ended the series on 9 points, ahead of Manticore on 13 and the Wally 94 Astra I on 17.

James Neville commented: “Winning here was a real challenge because we raced in very different conditions, from light to strong winds. The Costa Smeralda is proving luc