44Cup Season Starts in Puerto Calero Next Week

31st January 2026

Afloat.ie Team

RC44 teams return to Puerto Calero, Lanzarote, for the 2026 44Cup season opener, with challenging trade winds and a strong field of past winners set to compete

The 2026 44Cup season begins next week at Puerto Calero in Lanzarote, Canary Islands.

Racing, which has included key Irish crews, runs from the 5th to the 8th of February, with a practice day on the 4th of February.

Last season finished with the fleet visiting Marina Jandía in Fuerteventura for the first time. Markus Tornqvist’s GeMera won that event. Team Nika was second and topped the overall 44Cup standings.

The high‑performance RC44 class enters its 19th year, making it one of the longest‑running large one‑design yacht circuits. The series attracts owner‑drivers drawn to competitive racing and strong camaraderie.

Puerto Calero has hosted the circuit 13 times since 2008. In 2010, it was the venue for the first RC44 World Championship, won by Larry Ellison’s OracleRacing. Among past winners returning in 2026 are Artemis Racing, Team Aqua, Peninsula Racing and Charisma.

Team Nika starts as defending champion at Puerto Calero and leads the season wearing the yellow 44Cup leader’s wheels. Aleph Racing, double winners in 2021 and 2023, remains a strong contender.

Aleph has appointed Pietro Loro Piana as helm for 2026. He has shared driving duties with former skipper Hugues Lepic since 2023. Tactician Michele Ivaldi said Lepic remains “owner and soul of the team” and will return in 2027.

Britain’s Joe Drake joins Aleph Racing as offside trimmer. Ivaldi emphasised crew stability: “Solid crew work really makes a big difference … Speed and crew work make me look good!”

Ivaldi also described typical conditions in Puerto Calero. Trade winds from the north or northeast are often offshore and “very shifty and puffy”, he said. When winds are steady, the course offers “super fun” racing with opportunities throughout the fleet.

The RC44 teams will again be welcomed by the Calero family and Calero Marinas team. Calero Marinas operates two Lanzarote marinas and others in La Palma and Fuerteventura. CEO José Juan Calero said it was “a great pleasure” to host the class again and noted the long relationship between the organisations.

44Cup 2026 Schedule
• 4–8 Feb — 44Cup Calero Marinas, Lanzarote
• 22–26 Apr — 44Cup Puntaldia, Sardinia
• 24–28 Jun — 44Cup Marstrand, Sweden
• 23–27 Sept — 44Cup World Championship, Cowes UK
• 4–8 Nov — 44Cup Cartagena, Spain

Published in 44Cup

Tagged under

Lanzarote

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