Yacht Club de Monaco launches a major event this week. Since 2013, the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series have been offering J/70 teams a window of competition in the middle of winter on one of the most consistent venues in the Mediterranean.
It is an ideal opportunity to keep racing and fine-tune settings and tactics ahead of the season’s major meetings like the Primo Cup-Trophée UBS.
25 crews and seven nationalities on the water
Twenty-five teams are expected for Act 1 (6-9 November) with YCM fielding a particularly strong fleet. It currently boasts one of the highest concentrations of J/70s in the Mediterranean with 17 boats registered in the J/70 Monaco Class Association. As a result, every year the Principality attracts international teams looking to train under race conditions against a competitive and well-represented fleet. With steady breezes, clear seas and well-oiled organisation thanks to the Flotte des Commissaires (stewards), it has become a popular winter training ground to test equipment, rotate crew and validate tactical decisions ahead of the major competitions.
The series of monthly regattas continues to the spring. Last year saw 20 races completed, testimony to the consistent yet often technically challenging weather conditions. The format remains the same, the aim being to launch back-to-back short races with no downtime in between.
A title to defend
The new season opens with a title up for grabs. Last year’s champion, Monegasque sailor Stefano Roberti (Piccinina), returns to the fleet with one goal in mind, to defend his crown. There is no shortage of contenders including Euro-Voiles, finalist in the last championship, Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio’s G-Spot, Fraser Yacht helmed by Pierrik Devic, Graeme Peterson’s Moonlight II and a number of foreign teams already very familiar with the Monaco race area.
Primo Cup-UBS Trophy (5-8 March 2026) in their sights
The stakes go beyond this weekend’s rankings. For many crews, the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series is a springboard to the 42nd Primo Cup-Trophée UBS (5-8 March 2026), an iconic one design event. Created by HSH Prince Albert II in 1985, the regatta has established itself as a major classic that kicks off the Mediterranean calendar.
Races start Friday (Act 1)
The first warning signal will be given on Thursday for the practice race, before the fleet get down to business on the Friday with teams already at the top of their game and others still fine-tuning their boats. Winter has barely begun but points earned now still count towards the final ranking. In Monaco, the regatta season starts without a warm-up.
Rendezvous Friday 7 November at 12 noon for the first warning signal.
Provisional programme:
Friday 7 November
10.00am: Skippers briefing
12 noon: First warning signal
Saturday 8 November
11.00am: First warning signal
Sunday 9 November
11:00am: First warning signal
