Feb 14, 2023
After a couple of years marked by COVID-19, where sailing regattas had been cancelled or had been held behind closed doors, 2022 came back very strong.
Some iconic races were held, such as the Route du Rhum or the Golden Globe Race, ocean races that are not annual, but are held every x years, for example, the "Route du Rhum" is every 4 years.
We are now entering 2023 and we will show you which are the most important in this year.
Table of contents:
What are the most important regattas in the world?
How many types of regattas are there?
How long does a sailing regatta last?
Where to watch sailing competitions?
Sailboat racing is a sport based on sailing, in which these athletes or sailors use their sailing boats, called sailboats, to make speed runs.
Nowadays, this sport has become very popular internationally, with multiple competitions. It should be noted that nowadays regattas are not only for sailing boats, but also for all those contested by all types of boats designed for speed together with a fast, light and skilful handling of the vessel.
There are many races around the world every year, hundreds of them, in all styles! Below, we will show you some of them, including the best known ones.
| Month | Name | Regatta type |
| January | RORC Transatlantic Race |
Offshore team race |
| January |
Sail GP |
Tactical team race |
| January |
Ocean Race |
Offshore team race |
| February |
Lanzarote Internacional Regatta |
Inshore team race |
| February |
Trofeo Gran Numa 2023 |
Coastal single-handed and team race(snipe) |
| March |
Heineken regatta St. Maarten |
Tactical team race |
| April |
China Sea Race |
Offshore team race |
| April |
Spi Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest |
Inshore team race |
| April |
Plastimo Lorient Mini |
Offshore team race |
| April |
Settimana Velica Internazionale 2023 |
Inshore team race |
| May | Las damas de Saint-Tropez (52 Super Series 2023) |
Inshore team race |
| May | Solo Med |
Single-handed inshore race |
| May | Guyader Bermuda 1000 race |
Offshore team race |
| June | Scarlino Sailing Week 2023 (52 Super Series 2023) |
Inshore team race |
| June | Bol d'Or Mirabaud |
Inshore team race |
| June | Rolex Giraglia |
Inshore team race |
| June | Sail GP |
Tactical team race |
| June | Superyacht Cup Palma |
Tactical team race |
| July | Tall Ship Race |
Offshore and inshore (one leg) team race |
| July | Royal Cup & tbc TP52 Invitational (52 Super Series 2023) |
Inshore team race |
| July | Rolex Fastnet |
Inshore and offshore team race |
| August | Rolex TP52 World Championship Barcelona (52 Super Series 2023) |
Inshore team race |
| September | Vela clásica Menorca (XIX Copa del Rey de barcos de época) |
Inshore team race |
| September |
Puerto Portals Sailing Week (52 Super Series 2023) |
Inshore team race |
| September |
Mini-Transat |
Single-handed offshore |
| September |
Barcelona Team Racing |
Tactical team race |
| October | Ibiza JoySail |
Inshore team race |
| October | Rolex Middle Sea Race |
Offshore team race |
| October | Transat Jacques Vabre |
Offshore team race |
| December | Rolex Sydney Hobart |
Inshore team race |
The 9th edition of the RORC Transatlantic Race started on the 8th of January from Lanzarote, Canary Islands. RORC stands for Royal Ocean Racing Club, an institution created to promote international long distance racing.
It is one of the longest sailing races of the RORC 2023, from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean, a course of 3,000 miles. More than 20 boats of different nationalities took part, including maxis and multihulls. A new record was set as more than half of the boats reached their destination (Grenada, Caribbean) in a maximum of 15 days.
This Transatlantic Race belongs to the RORC Caribbean Series, where the boats with the best score, made up of this transatlantic race plus the RORC Caribbean 600 (a 600 mile race that takes place in February with a crossing between the wonderful islands of the Caribbean) will win the "Caribbean Series" trophy.
In May last year, 2022, SailGP season 3 started. SailGP is an international sailing competition, specifically catamaran sailing, and is held every year. Practically all the dates of this third season, were disputed throughout the year 2022.
The Singapore Sail Grand Prix was held in Asia on 14 and 15 January. The remaining two races of the season would be held in March in New Zealand and in May in the United States.
One of the world's most recognised and eagerly awaited sailing regattas, after 3 years of delay, is the Ocean Race. Formerly known as the Volvo Ocean Race which was held for the first time in 1973. This international regatta started on the 15th of January and will last approximately 6 months. This race started in Alicante, Spain and will finish in Genoa, Italy. In between it will pass through different cities, going around the world as it passes through different continents; starting and finishing in Europe, but stopping in Africa and America.
This year for the first time we have two different routes as two different styles of boats are taking part. On the one hand, the IMOCA route (a novelty) which has 7 stages distributed in 9 cities. And on the other hand, the VO65 route with 3 legs in 4 cities.
The Barcelona World Race 2023 was due to start in mid-January. However, as was the case in 2019, the regatta has been cancelled and no new date has been announced to date.
The Canary Island continues and will continue to be an irrefutable focus of world Olympic sailing, especially in these winter months due to the enviable weather. From 9th to 17th February the 3rd edition of the Lanzarote International Regatta will take place, a new event for the Olympic sailing classes (49er, 49erFX, 470, iQFOil male and female and Nacra 17); four of them completely new and with a record number of registered participants, with more than 350.
On the 11th and 12th of February in Malaga, Spain, the Gran Numa 2023 takes place where the Optimist, ILCA and Snip classes compete.
On the 2nd of March, the 43rd edition of this fun Caribbean sailing regatta starts. The Caribbean's premier regatta and probably the world's largest warm water regatta. It features a great mix of intense windward and leeward racing mixed with tactical inshore racing. All this is accompanied by a great nightlife, making this a very lively and entertaining regatta, suitable for all sailing enthusiasts.
On the 5th April, one of the most important sailing regattas on the Asian continent will start. The start is from the giant harbour of Hong Kong and the finish in Subic Bay (Philippines). The distance of the race is approximately 565 nautical miles. As a curiosity, in the 2018 edition, Karl Kwok broke the race and multihull record with his MOD 70 Beau Geste with an elapsed time of 38h 30m 07s.
The great French sailing event. It will take place over the Easter weekend, as it does every year. More than 400 boats and 2,000 competitors are expected to take part in this 45th edition. It is the largest European gathering of monohulls. The main objective of this regatta is to bring together multiple amateurs and professionals, monohulls and multihulls, one-designs and IRC and Osiris boats (very well known French measurement system).
Now in its 9th edition, the Plastimo Lorient mini has as a novelty the mixed doubles format aboard registered Mini 6.50s. This is a turning point for this event which, since 2014, has opened the Mini Class season in the Atlantic. A total novelty, as the Mini Class did not have female participation until now. This will take place on 13 April.
One of the most interesting sailing competitions in the Mediterranean takes place on April 22nd and is included, since last year, in the Italian Offshore Championship with the highest coefficient. This year, the event will also feature numerous parallel activities, such as the bicycle route, which will allow the regattas to be followed along the Livorno coastline.
From 2 to 7 May, the 52 Super Series calendar kicks off and the first points will be counted at the Saint-Tropez 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week. It is the first time in this French city that joins an amazing journey with five events in three countries (France, Italy and Spain).
The 2nd edition of Solo MED starts this May 7th, starting from Barcelona. An important regatta in the Mediterranean for the Mini 6.50 Class. Composed of 700 miles, single-handed, divided into two legs. A first of 500 miles and a second of 200 miles. This regatta will take place in the waters of Barcelona, the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community.
Sunday 7th May is also scheduled to start from France. It is gradually becoming one of the unmissable events in the IMOCA GLOBE SERIES championship. It opens the IMOCA season (1st of the year in France).
The second of the five regattas scheduled for 2023 returns for the fourth consecutive year to Italy, specifically to Scarlino. Scarlino has excellent sailing conditions. They are expected to arrive in Italian waters between the end of May and the beginning of June.
Held from 9 to 11 June on Lake Geneva's Lake Geneva, it has been organised since 1939 and is a must for the best crews. As a curiosity, it is one of the biggest and most prestigious sailing regattas in closed waters. It is open to everyone, with groups of friends and families taking part, and is a very popular sailing event in Switzerland and the surrounding area.
This year 2023 marks the 70th edition of this classic ocean race, one of the best known in the Mediterranean. It will start on 14 June from St Tropez, will cover a course of almost 250 miles with a mark in French waters off Cannes and will then head for the islet of Giraglia before returning to the Italian Yacht Club in Genoa.
SailGP season 4 will start on 17 or 18 June in Chicago, USA. In 2023, events will be held monthly from June to December. Passing through the United States, Europe (countries such as Italy and Spain) and the Middle East.
The oldest superyacht regatta in Europe is already preparing its 27th edition. It will be held in the capital of the Balearic archipelago from the 21st to the 24th of June. There are already more than a dozen boats registered for this race. Three classes of boats are participating: the Performance Class, the original Superyacht class and the Superyacht Corinthian class without spinnaker.
From June 29th to August 6th the Tall Ship Race will take place, a classic and one of the most colourful regattas. It is known as the Tall Ship Race and is only for training ships or large vintage sailing yachts.
From the 4th to the 9th of July in Menorca, Spain, the third event of the 52 Super Series will take place on this Balearic island. A familiar location, after the events held in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021. The prestigious Royal Cup will be up for grabs.
The 50th edition of this offshore yacht race organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, which takes place every two years, will start on 22 July. It is considered one of the great classic offshore sailing regattas and is among the top 3 in the world. The Fastnet tests both inshore and offshore skills.
From 21st August and for one week, the fourth and penultimate competition of the 52 Super Series will be held. After Menorca, it is the turn of the city of Barcelona, being closer to know who will take the 2023 TP52 world crown.
From 29th August to 2nd September in the port of Mahón in Menorca, the best regatta of vintage boats in Spain and one of the most prominent in the Mediterranean, where most of the world fleet is concentrated.
The season will conclude in the last week of summer in Puerto Portals, Mallorca. This Mallorcan yachting resort has been the venue for the last 8 years, and on this occasion, an exciting finale will be contested.
This regatta is held every two years and attracts a large number of sailors. The main objective is to cross the Atlantic solo, in a 6.50 metre sailboat, without land contact or assistance. More than 4,000 miles are covered, divided into two stages.
On 21 September the 1st edition of the Barcelona Team Racing, in the international Optimist class, will be held for the first time. It is a competition format of short sailing regattas of teams representing their clubs and/or countries, which compete against each other. The Barcelona Team Racing will be the only one of this format to be held in Spain.
At the end of September and beginning of October the 3rd edition of this superyacht regatta will take place in Ibiza, Spain; sailing between Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera. Being already at that young age a reference in the international panorama of superyachts.
The 44th edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race starts on October 21st. An international regatta of more than 600 nautical miles between Malta and Sicily. It is considered one of the toughest challenges in offshore sailing.
This year will be the 30th edition. A very well known biannual event in which 3 different classes participate, IMOCA, Ocean Fifty and Class40 being the longest of the Transat.
Late December is one of the toughest and most respected races in the world. It is the only one that starts in a harbour, goes through a passage and finishes in a river. More than 100 yachts between 36 and 100 feet in length are expected. It is a 630-mile route from Sydney to Hobart via Bass Strait.
Of course, the most famous regattas have been discussed earlier in our calendar. Some of them have not been mentioned because this year 2023 does not apply to them.
Before commenting on the types of regattas that exist, it should be noted that, within all the regattas mentioned, some are team sailing regattas and others are solo regattas. As the name itself indicates, when there is more than one person on a boat, we are dealing with team regattas, and there could be up to more than 15.
On the other hand, solo regattas are those in which only one individual competes. They are much harder and faster and test the skills and mental strength of the participants.
When we talk about types of regattas we refer to the following models:
Regattas do not have a set duration, it depends on the route of each one and the miles it has to cover. We can enjoy short regattas that last 1 hour, 24-48h; to some that last more than 6 months like the Ocean Race.
On Nautical Channel you will be able to watch the highlights and specific programmes of the most important sailing regattas on the national and international scene.
For example, Rolex Spirit of Yachting (https://nauticalchannel.com/show/57/rolex-spirit-of-yachting) is made up of 6 seasons where you can watch regattas of all styles, Sail GP, Rolex Giraglia, TP52, Fastnet Race, Sydney Hobbart race...and much more.
In addition, we also have individual shows of each race, especially the most interesting ones such as the Ocean Race, Transat Jacques Vabre or Bol D'Or. You can discover them on our website.
If you want to watch them live or recorded, Eurosport or even the YouTube channels of the most important races offer this content.