47th Cannes Royal Regatta Preview: A new dream vintage!
by Yacht Club de Cannes 30 Aug 14:11 UTC
21-27 September 2025
Cannes Royal Regatta © Didier Ravon
After four extraordinary editions, the 47th Régates Royales de Cannes are once again shaping up to be under the best auspices this year. The number of entries is expected to exceed 120 competitors, which is the largest regatta for classic yachts in the world.
The Cannes Yacht Club, which is at the head of the organisation of this 47th edition of the Royal Regattas, has a long experience, and for good reason. Comeback. In the 1920s, Prince Henrik, King George V, and the Prince of Wales, son of Queen Victoria and the future Edward VII, regularly came to Cannes to take advantage of the spring and late season to sail. Christian X, King of Denmark, even celebrated his wedding on the Croisette in 1898. A sailing enthusiast and a very good helmsman on his 6 M JI, a sublime sailboat between 10 and 11 meters, Olympic between 1908 and 1952. He even proposes to organize a large annual regatta in the bay. The city of Cannes, the Société des Régates de Cannes and the International Yacht Club, which would later become the Yacht Club de Cannes, asked His Highness for permission to name this event "Régates Royales de Cannes". It's an immediate yes! The year is 1929. This is how, from now on, in addition to the greats of this world, all the yachting stakeholders and the best naval architects of the moment, like to meet in Cannes for a week of fierce competition. For almost a century, nothing has really changed, with the Régates Royales de Cannes still attracting as many aesthetes and epicureans of classic sailing on the most beautiful traditional monohulls in the world, magnificently refurbished and maintained.
For years, Jérôme Nutte, PRO (Principal Race Officer) has been coordinating the sporting part, the three race rounds, the planning, supervising the 80 or so volunteers both on the water and on land, in addition to sending a very detailed weather report to the sailors every morning at milkman's hour: "I am the link between the race committees and the Yacht Club de Cannes. We are expecting 120 boats, but there should be even more of us," explains this man in the shadows, internationally recognised and involved in all the major events, and not just the Royal Regattas - the European and France World Championships, not to mention the Olympic Games... "This year, apart from the Big Boats, we have a really homogeneous line-up, with a series of boats that are very similar in rating and performance. Most of these yachts all have a long history and a long track record in the biggest races in the world, and this year for the first time we have quite a few IOR Classics from far away, and even from New Zealand. These are both modern and classic boats that convey beautiful stories, and the enthusiasm of owners to participate in the Royal Regattas is a sign of the reputation of the event... "
This body of water remains unique, with a bay protected from the strong westerly winds by Cap Roux and those coming from the east by the Cap d'Antibes. Of course, the Mediterranean has character, and sometimes a Mistral wind under the influence of a low pressure system over the Gulf of Genoa invites itself, transforming the playground into fields of moguls. It also happens that "the Big Blue" finds itself like a lake, the water just wrinkled by a slight zephyr, or even gloomy in the rain with an east wind... But it's rare.
Jean-François Cutugno, President of the Cannes Yacht Club, confirms: "For four years and more, the planets have been aligning with just perfect weather. After an absolutely exceptional summer where our young members of the club shone like never before, winning many solo world and France championship titles, it's time for the Royal Crewed Regattas on the most beautiful traditional yachts on the planet! "
Institutional partners: AFYT Association Française des Yachts de Tradition, Cannes Sports, Department 06, FFVoile, Région Sud, City of Cannes, Yacht Club de Cannes. Official partners: HighField, Hotel Carlton Cannes, IGY Marinas - Vieux Port de Cannes, Marinepool, Palais des Festivals. Technical partners: DAB Beverages, Palm Beach Hotel Cannes, ICOM France, Key4events, SNSM Société Nationale Sauvetage en Mer, Trans Côte d'Azur. Media partners: Cannes Radio, France TV.
For more information visit www.regatesroyales.net.