Rolex TP52 World Championship 2026 - A fitting celebration of achievement
by Quinag 20 Jun 11:16 PDT
15-20 June 2026
Rolex TP52 World Championship 2026 © Kurt Arrigo / Rolex
Against the spectacular backdrop of the Costa Smeralda, the Rolex TP52 World Championship 2026 delivered a compelling demonstration of achievement at the highest level of grand prix monohull racing.
Hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, a Rolex partner since 1984, the championship gathered a record fleet of 15 entries sailed by some of the finest sailors in the sport. After five days of intensely competitive racing, Takashi Okura's Sled emerged victorious, earning one of sailing's most coveted titles for a second time.
The 2026 edition marks the 10th occasion Rolex has partnered the world championship. As the pinnacle of the annual 52 SUPER SERIES, of which Rolex is also Official Timepiece, the event reinforces the Swiss watchmaker's enduring and almost 70-year commitment to sailing. Success requires an exceptional combination of preparation, teamwork, resilience and precision. In a fleet where the smallest margins often determine the outcome, every decision and every manoeuvre matters.
Agustin Zulueta, chief executive officer of the 52 SUPER SERIES felt the championship had been the best yet:
"We have enjoyed a superb week of racing, impeccably hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Conditions have given us grand prix competition befitting a record fleet where the level of skill and passion on display has been of the highest standard."
Sled has long been one of the most consistent top teams on the circuit. Beyond previously securing the world championship title in 2021, last year the American crew finished the season in second overall, winning the final event, coincidentally held in Porto Cervo. Regular podium contenders thanks to an extremely strong core of experienced top professionals, the group is skilled in the art of delivering both on and off the water.
Project manager and mainsheet trimmer Don Cowie, a past Olympic silver medallist, confirmed the size of the challenge facing the crew at the beginning of the week-long event:
"We haven't seen a 15-boat fleet at the Rolex TP52 Worlds before, and that made the racing incredibly competitive. If you look through the entries, there were several teams that started with a chance of winning. Fortunately, we sailed well when it mattered most."
Tactician Francesco Bruni, a three-time Olympian, acknowledged that the journey to a second world title was down to more than exemplary crew work on the water. Preparation and attitude were vital ingredients too:
"This team keeps getting stronger and stronger, thanks to the owner who gives us the tools we need to perform at our best. We feel a responsibility to perform for him, and that's what makes this such a great team."
Up against a set of contenders all equally determined and armed with detailed processes that bring their yachts to the peak of readiness ahead of the Rolex TP52 World Championship, the secret to success is found within the details. In the nine-race regatta, Sled only managed one race win. As their success shows, this is not an issue when the remainder of one's results do not stray far outside the top five. Bruni acknowledged that:
"Consistency was the key. We avoided unnecessary risks, but when we did take risks, they were calculated and played to our strengths. We had good leads at times, but the competition is so tight that no lead ever feels big enough."
At the heart of the Rolex TP52 World Championship lies a unique combination of passionate owner-drivers and world-class professional sailors. Success is not built on individual talent, but on the ability of a team to perform collectively under pressure, continuously adapting and improving throughout the week.
Finishing second overall at their first Rolex TP52 World Championship, Joakim Sundberg's Trinity from Sweden were a revelation this week. Starting with mixed results, the team won the final two races. Tactician and former Rolex World Sailor of the Year, Ed Baird, was well placed to sum up the level of competition and the persistence required:
"The TP52 class is the best monohull racing in the world. It is close, it is hard, it is intense. You have to have a team that is ready to fight for every metre. Whether good or bad things are happening, the crew has to stay settled. Every race counts. Every point is important."
Overall, the 2026 Rolex TP52 World Championship will be remembered as a week in which a record fleet elevated the standard of competition to new heights. The result was a fitting celebration of achievement, rewarding those able to combine technical excellence, teamwork and unwavering commitment in one of the most demanding environments in world sailing.