After a season full of launches, Nautor Swan is closing the celebrations of its 60 years where the passion for the brand is most visible: on the water. The 23rd Rolex Swan Cup, organised in partnership with the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, returns to Porto Cervo, in Sardinia, for a record-breaking edition.
There are 160 boats already confirmed, with new entries arriving every day, turning the event into one of the largest monobrand sailing gatherings on the planet, a regatta in which every boat comes from the same yard. Since its first edition in 1980, the Rolex Swan Cup has established itself as one of the most prestigious and eagerly awaited events on the international sailing calendar.
Three souls, one spirit
The regatta reflects the evolution of ClubSwan, the brand's universe of events, split into three divisions that coexist in harmony.
ClubSwan Legacy brings together the yachts that built the Swan legend. For the first time, the historic designs of Sparkman & Stephens, Ron Holland and Germán Frers will compete side by side, celebrating six decades of elegance and engineering. ClubSwan Spirit welcomes owners of modern Swans, divided into Swan and Maxi classes, who share a love of cruising and adventure, with a category that lets them race without racing optimisation, keeping their cruising set-up. And ClubSwan Racing remains the home of one-design competition, with the ClubSwan 50, 43, 42, 36 and 28 classes.
The balance of the fleet sums up the club's spirit well: 44 Swan yachts, 40 Maxis, 33 Legacy boats and 43 one-design boats. From the historic classics to the latest performance yachts, all sail under the same values.
"A Swan is never just a yacht. It becomes part of people's lives, their adventures and their stories, and it becomes a family legacy, passed down from one generation to the next," says Gianguido Girotti, CEO of Nautor Swan. "For us, the regattas are far more than competitions: they are occasions to build friendships, exchange knowledge and celebrate the joy of sailing."
Six decades of Swan on the starting line
The great symbol of this edition will lead the way. Tarantella, named Swan 36-001, is the very first Swan ever built, the boat that began the yard's story. Restored to her original splendour, she returns to the racecourse in Porto Cervo as a living symbol of the brand's heritage, bridging six decades of innovation.
Alongside her, the anniversary fleet offers a journey through the evolution of Swan design. On the water will be the two Swan 128, BeCool and Raijin, masterpieces of engineering and contemporary elegance. Making her first appearance within the Swan family after her world debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival, the all-new Swan 80 will line up beside hull number one of the same model, a dialogue between the brand's latest chapter and its recent heritage.
The same idea of continuity is repeated in the Swan 51 family, where the newest generation will sail alongside Formosa, the original model from the 1980s, and Nautor Swan hull number 1,000. Among the larger yachts, Further Beyond, a Swan 98 launched this year, will race alongside the magnificent Swan 131, the longest Swan ever built.
Four days of racing and a week of celebration
The sporting programme promises an unforgettable week, with a practice day on Tuesday before four days of competition, from Wednesday to Saturday. The edition also welcomes a significant number of first-timers, joining long-standing owners to experience the atmosphere and sense of belonging that define the ClubSwan family.
And, as always at the Rolex Swan Cup, the racing is only part of the story. Rolex and Swan ambassador, sailor Paul Cayard, will once again be in Porto Cervo, alongside many of the world's leading sailing professionals. Ashore, the social programme includes the opening ceremony, the traditional Owners' Dinner on Thursday, a special celebration of Swan's 60 years, the iconic crew party the following day and the final prize-giving on Saturday, always with the late-afternoon gatherings in Piazza Azzurra.
As it turns sixty, Nautor Swan reinforces in Porto Cervo an idea that has always accompanied the brand: the true art of sailing is measured not only by performance on the water, but by the lasting bonds and shared passion that unite the Swan community.
By: Redação Mundo Mar
Photo: Foto: Studio Borlenghi / ClubSwan Racing
