ORC Worlds Set for Regata Dei Tre Golfi Start

8th May 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Gulf Run — Offshore crews race past Naples during Tre Golfi Sailing Week ahead of the 71st Regata dei Tre Golfi Credit: Tre Golfi Sailing Week

The 71st Regata dei Tre Golfi gets underway tomorrow evening in Naples as the centrepiece offshore race of the 2026 ORC World Championship. More than 110 boats from around the world are competing in the championship, organised by the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia with the Yacht Club Italiano and Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia, in conjunction with the Offshore Racing Congress.

The offshore fleet will start at 5 pm in the Bay of Santa Lucia before tackling the historic 150-nautical-mile course through the Gulfs of Naples, Gaeta and Salerno. Competitors will round Mediterranean landmarks including Ischia, Ponza, Capri and Li Galli in one of offshore racing’s most established events.

The ORC fleet docks in Sorrento during Tre Golfi Sailing Week. Photo: Tre Golfi Sailing Week

Light winds are forecast for the opening stages, placing greater emphasis on strategy, positioning, and night-sailing skills.

“The Regata dei Tre Golfi is always a defining moment of the championship,” said Maurizio Pavesi, Vice President of the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia. “It is a race that combines tradition, technical complexity and strategic depth, and one that every sailor looks forward to competing in,” he said.

The ORC fleet lines up for the Regata dei Tre Golfi start. Photo: Tre Golfi Sailing Week

The offshore leg will play a major role in the overall ORC World Championship standings before racing switches to Sorrento for the inshore series later in the week.

This year’s start also coincides with the official visit of Pope Leo to Naples, further adding to the occasion's significance. The championship is supported by partners including Rolex, Loro Piana, North Sails, Deloitte, Garmin and Azimut Investimenti.

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