Record line up of maxis

Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup gets underway from Costa Smerelda Yacht Club in September

Organised since 1980 by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup running over 3-9 September, will see 49 of the world's largest and fastest racing yachts competing in the waters off Puerto Cervo, Sardinia. The event represents potentially the largest ever gathering of Maxi yachts and a fleet that if lined up end-to-end would total 1300 metres of pure thoroughbred sailing yacht.

This year's line-up smashes the 2005 record of 37 yachts and will once again bring the cream of the international sailing, racing and business worlds to Porto Cervo. The competing yachts represent 15 nations and will range from 18 to 55 metres in length. The fleet will be divided into five divisions catering to the various design features and capabilities of the boats: Racing, Cruising, Mini-Maxi, W and Spirit of Tradition.

The Racing Division will host the most technologically advanced yachts such as the Australian sisterships Bob Oatley's Wild Oats XI and Neville Crichton's latest Alfa Romeo. This promises to be a tight match race with Crichton after blood following Oatley's win in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race last year.

Maxis that are more geared towards comfortable cruising than grand-prix racing will be grouped in the Cruising Division. Veteran competitors will include New York property developer Harry Macklowe's 34m Unfurled, Vittorio Moretti's 36 metre Viriella and the J Class Velsheda. Hollywood film producer Arne Glimcher's 37m Ghost will also be returning after taking second place in the Cruising A division last year.

The Mini Maxi division, a new class which has recently been introduced by the International Maxi Association to accommodate yachts from 18 to 23.9 metres racing under IMS/ORC rules, will be one of the larger divisions with 14 competitors expected to take part. IRC-rated boats will also race in this division, but with separate scoring and prizes. This new division will include a taste of the Volvo Ocean Race, with this year's winner ABN AMRO One racing alongside fifth-placed Ericsson Racing Team.

The Spirit of Tradition division is often considered one of the most beautiful with veteran and reproduction yachts such as Holland's Annagine and US entrepreneur George Lindemann's majestic 55m Adela providing photographers and spectators with stunning images.

The W division will be competing under its own handicap system and will include Magic Carpet Squared, owned by L'Oreal Chairman Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones and Italian Telecom President Marco Tronchetti Provera's Kauris III.

See the complete entry list here.

"We are delighted to welcome such a spectacular fleet to the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2006," commented YCCS Commodore Gianfranco Alberini, "The event embodies yacht racing at its very best and with an entry list of this standard and the world-class regatta course here, we are sure to see a week of intense competition."

Racing will be composed of a mixture of windward-leeward and coastal courses over five days, with a lay day scheduled for Thursday 7th September. Competition aside, organizers the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda along with title sponsor Rolex will provide the now customary array of top class social events ranging from exclusive gala dinners to lively crew parties on the Piazza Azzurra.

The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup will be followed by the Rolex Swan Cup (11-17 September).