The Giraglia Rolex Cup is a Mediterranean

keelboat A keelboat is a riverine cargo-capable working boat, or a small- to mid-sized recreational sailing yacht. The boats in the first category have shallow structural keels, and are nearly flat-bottomed and often used leeboards if forced in open w ...

regatta Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wa ...

, named after the island of

Giraglia Giraglia is a French island at the northern tip of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea, known for its powerful lighthouse''ll porticciolo di Barcaggio è di fronte all'isola della Giraglia, dove si trova uno dei più potenti fari del Mediterraneo.'' ...

, which has been held annually since 1953. It is jointly organized by the

Yacht Club Italiano The Yacht Club Italiano is a yacht club in Genoa, Italy. History It was founded in 1879 and is one of the oldest sailing clubs in the Mediterranean. This club was bestowed Royal Patronage by HRH King Umberto I of Italy since its inception. This c ...

and the

Yacht Club de France The Yacht Club de France is the senior nautical club in France, and one of the most important yacht clubs in the world. History The club was established in 1867, during the Second French Empire. It was bestowed Royal Patronage by Emperor Napole ...

, with the help of the

Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez Groupe Lactalis S.A. (doing business as Lactalis) is a French multinational dairy products corporation, owned by the Besnier family and based in Laval, Mayenne, France. The company's former name was Besnier S.A. Lactalis is the largest dairy pr ...

. Since 1997, in which year the current name was adopted, the race has been supported by the

Rolex Rolex () is a Swiss watch brand and manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1905 as ''Wilsdorf and Davis'' by German businessman Hans Wilsdorf and his eventual brother-in-law Alfred Davis in London, the company registered ''Rolex ...

luxury wristwatch company. The regatta consists of a week-long set of races, beginning with inshore races in the St. Tropez Bay followed by the primary event which begins in St. Tropez,

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, passes through the

Îles d'Hyères The Îles d'Hyères (), also known as Îles d'Or (), are a group of four Mediterranean islands off Hyères in the Var department of Southeastern France. Their old name is the Stoechades Islands from ''Stoikhádes'' from ''stoikhás'' meaning ...

near the island of Giraglia, and then finishes off in

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, a total distance of .Yacht Club Italiano: Giraglia Rolex Cup
Retrieved 2010-01-13 The distance has been a constant in the race although the starting and ending points have been adjusted over time. Originally the course was from

Sanremo Sanremo, also spelled San Remo in English and formerly in Italian, is a (municipality) on the Mediterranean coast of Liguria, in northwestern Italy. Founded in Roman times, it has a population of 55,000, and is known as a tourist destination ...

, Italy, past Giraglia to

Toulon Toulon (, , ; , , ) is a city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the French Riviera and the historical Provence, it is the prefecture of the Var (department), Var department. The Commune of Toulon h ...

, France.

Race results

* 2001 ''Idea'' beat ''My Song'' with 110 entrants * 2003 ''

Alfa Romeo I ''Alfa Romeo I'' (formerly ''Shockwave'', ''Rambler'', currently ''La Bête'') is a fixed keel maxi yacht, launched 2002, which placed first in the 2002 Sydney-Hobart race and the 2003 Giraglia Rolex cup regatta. She was designed by Reichel/ ...

'' (a Supermaxi) Neville Crichton (NZ) won with 170 entrants * 2006 ''

Alfa Romeo II ''Alfa Romeo II'' (rechristened ''Black Jack IV'') is a maxi yacht designed in 2005 by Reichel/Pugh for yachtsman Neville Crichton. First-to-finish in the 2009 Transpacific Yacht Race ("the Transpac"), she also set a new elapsed-time Transpac ...

'' (a Supermaxi) Neville Crichton (NZ) won in 27 h 48 min 12 s * 2007 ''Alfa Romeo II,'' Neville Crichton (NZ), won again, in 22 h 45 min

References

{{Reflist

External links

2001 Giraglia Rolex Cup

''11th Giraglia Rolex Cup'' Rolex (2005)
(PDF) Recurring sporting events established in 1953 Sailing competitions Sailing competitions in France Sailing competitions in Italy Rolex