Monaco (Principality of Monaco) 6 March - The 42nd Primo Cup–UBS Trophy takes center stage in Monaco. Organised in partnership with UBS, with the support of Monaco City Hall and equipment supplier North Sails, the event has brought together over 350 sailors from different countries competing in Monaco’s waters. From J/70 to Smeralda 888, and from Longtze Premier to Cape 31, sailing itself is the true protagonist of the competition.
“We saw many friends and supporters of the sailors coming together. We have more than 80 boats here, including over 40 J/70s. I think we have a lot of people sailing, and it’s possible to see the level progressing as the competition goes on. We have more than 10 nations sailing in the J/70 fleet – Swiss, Italian, German, Spanish and Monegasque teams, with many members of the J/70 Monaco Class Association. The quality of the regatta really helps to raise the level across all the fleets,” said Olivier Campana, President of the Monaco J/70 Class Association.
Competition is particularly intense in the one-design class, as the event also marks the fourth and final Act of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series for the J/70s.
“We have been sailing the J/70 for two seasons and, after the first season, we decided to come here for the Monaco Winter Series,” explained Magnus Ullman, trimmer of the Swedish J/70 team El Otro. “We’ve found really tough competition here, with a lot of very strong teams. For us, as newcomers, it’s extremely important to see what the top teams are doing on the water and try to learn from them. And I think we have learned a lot.”
Among the competitors are also teams that have been sailing in Monaco for years. “We have been sailing the J/70 for two years now. It’s a good boat and a great series – a very good sportboat. We particularly love Monaco because we know this venue very well. I actually had my first race here in 2013,” said Louis Barbet, skipper of Eurovoiles.
Big names from the international sailing circuit are also present in Monaco these days, including Dawn Riley. “It’s really great to see so much activity. I’ve also been talking with the Yacht Club de Monaco about the sport of sailing. I’ve been speaking with people all over the world about how we can make the sport better. This regatta is very important because it represents a great transition from ‘I’m in a dinghy with a coach’ to ‘I want to be a professional’ or ‘I want to own my own boat’. The fact that you have university teams from England, sailors from Australia, and teams from New York and the United States is fantastic. They are shaping our future right here,” said Riley, the first woman to head a team in the America’s Cup, in which she has competed three times, and a two-time participant in the Whitbread Round the World Race (today The Ocean Race).
Launched in 1985 by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, the Primo Cup has established itself as a must-attend event on the international sailing calendar. As one of the pillars of Monaco’s racing season, the Primo Cup–UBS Trophy confirms the Yacht Club de Monaco’s ability to bring together the best one-design fleets and deliver a competition where performance is everything.
9 March 2026
