DATES TO MARK IN YOUR DIARY: AUGUST 18-23, 2026
Under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, sailors find a first invitation to look forward to one of the great offshore sailing events in the Mediterranean: the Palermo-Monte Carlo, organized by the Circolo della Vela Sicilia in collaboration with the Yacht Club de Monaco and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, returns after the success of the twentieth anniversary edition, announcing the official dates for 2026 and the publication of the Notice of Race.
The twenty-first edition of the approximately 500-mile offshore race, which starts from the Gulf of Mondello and arrives in the Principality of Monaco along a free route with a single mandatory gate off Porto Cervo, will take place from August 18 to 23, 2026. Specifically, August 18 is the start day, while the awards ceremony and closing day are scheduled for the 23rd.
TOWARDS NEW RECORDS
The last two editions have been intense, with around fifty boats participating, and have seen the maxi Black Jack 100 set two consecutive records. In 2024, she completed the race in just over 44 hours, three hours faster than the previous record, and then in 2025, she set the record at 38 hours, 53 minutes, and 16 seconds. This record could attract some of the maxi yachts sailing in the Mediterranean to the Palermo-Montecarlo.
With the publication of the Notice of Race, pre-registration for the Palermo-Montecarlo 2026 is already open using the online registration form on the event website. In the months leading up to the race, news on participants, updates, and news will follow on the event website and social media.
BEST WISHES FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE CIRCOLO DELLA VELA SICILIA, AGOSTINO RANDAZZO
The President of the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, Agostino Randazzo: “We experienced a splendid twentieth anniversary edition of the regatta last year, and we are already ready with the announcement of the Palermo-Montecarlo 2026. Time flies, and this event continues to tell the stories of boats and sailors, who discover organization and hospitality both at the start and at the finish, and enjoy the adventure of a unique journey in the world of sailing.
This year too, as the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, together with the Yacht Club de Monaco and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, we are committed to further growing the regatta, in terms of both the quality and quantity of participants, which are increasingly international.
I take this opportunity to extend my best wishes to all shipowners, sailors, friends of sister and non-sister sailing clubs, and to the entire Italian sailing community for a peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year 2026!”
