And they’re off! Yacht Club de Monaco launched the 2025-2026 season of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series this weekend. The venue lived up to expectations for Act 1 with three days of back-to-back races, in changeable conditions that tested the tactical prowess and endurance of the 23 teams. A total of eight races were validated by the Race Committee.
The suspense was short-lived as G-Spot, helmed by Yacht Club de Monaco member Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio, took control from the start to win five of the eight races. Relentlessly consistent whatever the conditions, the Monegasque team finished nine points ahead of the Italians on Alice, the only ones to keep pace with them in Saturday’s closely contested races.
The French on Euro-Voiles completed the podium after a solid performance on the last day. Gaps between the top ten behind them are minimal, just one poor result could upset the overall rankings by several places. Act II in December looks set to be an exciting one.
Euro-Voiles won the Corinthian (amateur) category, ahead of the Swiss on Tarte-3Nuits.com and Rhubarbe-3Nuits.com. Here too, there was not much between them with tight finishes on several of the races.
With 17 teams, the J/70 Monaco Class Association is one of the largest fleets in the Mediterranean, with ten competing at this regatta. Optimal conditions helped visiting teams to anticipate the gusts and take full advantage of this ideal training ground for practicing manoeuvres and starts during winter. Monaco is known as a prime opportunity to test equipment and crew configurations in race conditions before tackling the big spring regattas.
42nd Primo Cup-Trophée UBS in their sights
The J/70 fleet will be back out on the water for Act II, 4-7 December 2025. There is everything to play for as the gaps seen this weekend point to an exciting season ahead where each race could have a significant impact on the final results.
Meanwhile, Yacht Club de Monaco will be putting the spotlight on another more inclusive regatta, the 3rd Navicap Challenge-Trophée Elena Sivoldaeva (28–30 November). For three days, able-bodied and sailors with a disability will compete on equal terms on Hansa 303s, designed to be accessible to all, enabling them to put themselves to the test in race conditions on the same level of discipline and fair-play.
