primo cup-ubs trophy

An international one design regatta organised by Yacht Club de Monaco since 1985, every year the Primo Cup-Trophée UBS kicks off the Mediterranean season. It brings sailors together to race in a demanding one design format which has become a major testing ground for innovations at sea. Over the years, the regatta has hosted sailing legends (Jean Le Cam, Michel Desjoyeaux, Franck Cammas, John Kostecki, Grant Dalton, Enrico Chieffi, Flavio Favini, Marcus Hutchinson, Will Ryan, etc.) and iconic one design classes (SB20, JOD 35, Star, Dragon, Etchells, Sélection, J/24, Surprise, etc.).

Since 1985, the Primo Cup-Trophée UBS has hosted more than 20,000 sailors racing on 45 one design classes. It has crowned 32 different winners from eight nations, with Switzerland dominating (13 titles), ahead of France (9) and Monaco (6). In terms of participation, two classes stand out: the Surprise, with 733 boats during 29 participations, and the Smeralda 888 with 31 editions. In total, the event has notched up 4,400 boats registered, 1,100 starts and nigh-on 200 days of racing.

Now part of the collective ‘Monaco Capital of Advanced Yachting’ initiative, since 1985 the Primo Cup-Trophée UBS has been a testing ground for new developments and experiments in real-life conditions:

• Electrically powered dynamic buoys, minimising impact on the seabed,
• Courses adapted to the different classes with two leeward marks to improve flow,
• Consecutive starts to keep the ball rolling for the different classes,
• International on-water jury that can make quick decisions.

The event’s continuous trial-and-error approach makes it an ideal event to test and improve new practices before they are rolled out to other regatta venues.

The Primo Cup-Trophée UBS is open to international one design classes.

The main objective is to offer a high-level one design regatta in a technically demanding context. The Yacht Club de Monaco aims to:

• Provide a benchmark competition venue in the Mediterranean.
• Kick-off the season for many international teams.
• Enable different classes to compete in technically challenging conditions.
• Create an opportunity to see how they perform at a demanding venue.

Among the classes represented of note are:

• The J/70, a popular class that numbered 45 boats in 2025.
• The ClubSwan 28, which made its international début in 2025.
• The Smeralda 888, Longtze Premier and Cape 31, all sleek racy one designs that are particularly exciting to watch as they battle it out at the foot of the Rocher.

Monaco, and in particular the Yacht Club de Monaco, is a hub of international sailing. The sailing conditions, the technical aspects, the facilities and the Club’s experience in organising high-level regattas make the Principality an optimal setting for this event.

The public can watch the races from the main harbour wall, Fort Antoine and Casino Gardens. Results, photos and videos are published daily on the Club’s official website and social networks.

For participants, the Primo Cup-Trophée UBS is an opportunity to compete at an international level from the very start of the season, to see how their boat performs against others in demanding conditions, benefit from expert organisation, and leverage the Yacht Club de Monaco’s high-level network.