Cyclades Cup 2026 the last great undiscovered race course in the Mediterranean
The Mediterranean is home to many iconic regattas. Few still feel unexplored. Between Antiparos and Paros lies a race area that remains remarkably pure – a stretch of water shaped by the Meltemi winds and widely described by sailors as one of the last great undiscovered race courses in the Mediterranean. Founded in 2024 by Ilia Rigas, a 50 metre sailing yacht owner and member of the Boat International Superyacht Awards judging panel, as Greece’s first superyacht regatta, the Cyclades Cup was never conceived as a commercial platform or a replication of an existing format.
It was created with a precise ambition: to establish in the heart of the Cyclades an owner led regatta combining sporting credibility, institutional authority and authentic Mediterranean in identity. From the outset, the focus was not on size, but on coherence. An invitation only event for a carefully selected fleet of sailing yachts from 30.5 metres, where the quality of racing goes hand hand with the strength of relationships among owners. With its third edition taking place from 10 to 13 June 2026 in Antiparos, the Cyclades Cup strengthens its position in the Eastern Mediterranean as a structured and recognised reference for a new generation of international owners seeking clear governance, recognised standards and a meaningful cultural setting.
The sporting framework is ensured through the structural collaboration with the Yacht Club of Greece, the country’s most respected sailing institution. Racing under the ORC Superyacht Rule guarantees internationally recognised standards and reinforces the regatta’s institutional credibility. As an active 50 metre sailing yacht owner and member of the Boat International Superyacht Awards judging panel, Ilia Rigas brings direct, first hand understanding of owner expectations, governance standards and long term vision within the international superyacht community. Her involvement ensures that the regatta is shaped by authentic owner experience rather than commercial positioning. Sporting direction is led by Stratis Andreadis, Race Director of the Cyclades Cup and Fleet Captain of the Yacht Club of Greece, himself a maxi yacht owner and a fourth generation yachtsman.
With more than three decades of top level racing experience, from international campaigns in Farr 40 and TP52 classes to extensive match racing worldwide, Andreadis brings both competitive authority and governance expertise to the event. The combination of Ilia Rigas’ founding vision and Stratis Andreadis’ deep care for the competitive spirit creates a distinctive balance. The Cyclades Cup goes beyond a well organised regatta. It is a project shaped by individuals with a direct and personal connection to sailing, to Greece and to the international owner community. The race area between Antiparos and Paros is at the centre of the regatta’s identity. The annual Meltemi winds that flow through the channel between the islands have often been described as nothing less than "sublime sailing" and "the last great undiscovered race course in the Mediterranean". Maintaining a deliberately limited fleet reflects the original philosophy of the project. The priority is to nurture a trusted community built on respect, consistency and Corinthian spirit.
“The Cyclades Cup was never created with the ambition of becoming a commercial regatta. It began as a group of friends sailing together, and that spirit continues to guide its evolution. The objective is not to expand at any cost, but to consolidate a community over time. Protecting trust and connection remains more important than growth,” says Ilia Rigas, Founder and Regatta Director. With its third edition, the Cyclades Cup confirms its maturity as an independent, owner led and structurally credible regatta. It is not simply another date in the summer calendar, but an event that exists because it reflects a real community, a shared vision and a clear commitment to contemporary sailing rooted in the Mediterranean.
