The 41st Primo Cup-UBS Trophy wrapped up at the Yacht Club de Monaco, launching the 2025 sailing season in style. Over 450 sailors from across Europe converged on the principality for the renowned one-design regatta, now a cornerstone of the continental racing scene. Initiated in 1985 by His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, the club’s president, the event saw 90 crews compete across five classes in choppy, unpredictable waters.

The regatta doubled as the final showdown of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, with Stefano Roberti clinching the overall title. “It’s been a tough season with tricky conditions,” Roberti said after a decade racing in the J/70 class. “This win reflects my crew’s grit and consistency.” The J/70 fleet, the event’s largest with 45 boats, delivered fierce competition. Monaco’s own Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio and his team G-Spot sailed to victory, nabbing the Perpetual Trophy, while France’s Euro Voiles topped the Corinthian division.

Other winners included Italy’s Giada in the Smeralda 888, Switzerland’s Shensu in the Longtze Premier, Monaco’s Give Me Five in the Cape 31, and Japan’s Hatari in the ClubSwan 28. “This is our third Primo Cup win—it means a lot,” Serena di Lapigio said at the awards. “The organization, the hospitality, the turnout—it’s top-notch every time.”

Backed by UBS, the Municipality of Monaco, and North Sails, the Primo Cup’s enduring appeal shines through its 40-year history. “Monaco’s been hosting regattas since the 1800s,” said YCM Secretary General Bernard d’Alessandri. “That tradition, paired with events like this, keeps us at the forefront. After racing in the Vendée Globe last year, we’re now gearing up for the Admiral’s Cup.”

Looking ahead, the Yacht Club is set to make its debut at the Admiral’s Cup in Cowes, England, from July 17 to August 1. Dubbed the “unofficial World Cup of offshore racing,” the competition returns after a 20-year break. YCM member Peter Harrison, owner of Jolt, and Vice President Pierre Casiraghi, of Team Malizia fame, are driving the effort. They’ll face off against sailing heavyweights like Boris Herrmann, Will Harris, and Cole Brauer—the first American woman to solo circumnavigate the globe nonstop.

With the next Primo Cup slated for March 5-8, 2026, Monaco’s sailors are already plotting their course for a landmark year on the water.