The Rolex Fastnet Race celebrates a momentous milestone in 2025 with the hosting of its centenary edition. The world’s largest offshore race, first held in 1925, will welcome a record number of entrants with over 450 yachts from over 30 countries set to take their place on the start line on Saturday 26 July. Both the race and its organizer, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), have been supported by Rolex since 2001.
The only-ever Title Sponsor of this legendary contest, the Swiss watchmaker regards the quarter-century partnership as a significant element within its wider relationship with yachting which began almost 70 years ago. The 695 nautical mile / 1,287 kilometre race course takes in three countries - starting in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom, and finishing in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France. En route the fleet round the majestic Fastnet rock and its iconic lighthouse located off the southern tip of Ireland. The prize for success at the Rolex Fastnet Race is the Fastnet Challenge Cup awarded to the overall race winner on handicap. It is one of sailing’s most coveted trophies, a fitting reward for outstanding human achievement.
The Rolex China Sea Race is Asia’s oldest, most prestigious blue water race. Inaugurated in 1962, the biannual event is organized by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and charts a 565-nautical mile (1,046 km) course from Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong to Subic Bay in the Philippines. In 2024, Happy Go became the first yacht in 14 years to take both line and overall honours, Nie Hua and his crew crossing the finish line in just over three days and 20 hours on corrected time. As part of its extensive support for yachting dating back almost 70 years, Rolex has partnered the race since 2008.
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie.
Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup.
It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race enjoys a reputation as one of yachting’s most demanding tests of physical and mental resilience. The 78th edition of this offshore classic certainly lived up to that status, with the fleet of 103 yachts facing some of the most unpredictable conditions seen in recent years along the 628-nautical mile course.
Christian Beck’s LawConnect took line honours in a thrilling fight to the finish between the 100-foot (30.5 metres) Maxi yachts, edging out Andoo Comanche by 51 seconds, the second closest finish in race history.
Tasmanian boat Alive, owned by Phillip Turner, claimed overall victory on corrected time to claim the Tattersall Cup; in doing so, it joined the select few with two overall wins in the nearly eight decades of competition, having also triumphed in 2018. Organized by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), in conjunction with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, Rolex has partnered this iconic event since 2002 as part of the brand’s near 70-year relationship with yachting.
The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie.
Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
SailGP combines technological innovation with supreme athleticism in the pursuit of excellence. Competing in this world-leading racing league requires precision, dedication and the highest level of performance from crews and their identical, lightning-fast F50 catamarans. Season 4 of the championship began in June 2023 with the Rolex United States Grand Prix – marking the first time the brand has been Title Sponsor of a SailGP event – and features a record 12 grand prix spread across North America, Europe, the Arabian Peninsula and Oceania.
Each location is chosen for its international stature and ability to host competitive sailing close to shore for maximum spectator engagement. As well as transforming yacht racing, the series inspires positive change through its initiatives to encourage sustainability and develop career pathways for women and young sailors. Rolex has supported SailGP since its debut season in 2019 as part of its long-standing partnership with yachting dating back more than 60 years.
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
First held in 1962 and organized by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, the Rolex China Sea Race is Asia’s principal blue water event. The biannual offshore race held its 30th edition in 2023, with Nick Southward’s Whiskey Jack lifting the Rolex China Sea Race Trophy for corrected time on International Rating Certificate (IRC) handicap by completing the 565-nautical mile course in just over four days. History was made as Standard Insurance Centennial 5 became the first Philippines yacht to claim line honours. Rolex has partnered the race since 2008 as part of the brand’s wide-ranging support for yachting dating back almost 70 years.
The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is renowned for being one of the toughest tests of sailing ability and an icon of the sport since its inauguration in 1945. The 2022 edition of the so-called Great Race South featured a fleet of 109 yachts, comprising professionals and Corinthians, and some 20 double-handed (two-person) crews that set off under blue skies and bright sunshine from Sydney Harbour on 26 December. Sam Haynes, owner of the 52-foot (15.85 metre) Celestial, received the Tattersall Cup, the most coveted prize awarded for overall victory on corrected time, while John Winning Jr’s Andoo Comanche took line honours, completing the 628-nautical mile course in one day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds – two hours outside the race record established in 2017. Rolex has supported this offshore classic, organized by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) with its partner the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, for 20 years as part of the brand’s wide-ranging support for yachting dating back almost 70 years.
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
Below is a map that shows the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race route.
The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an icon of its sport. First held in 1945 and partnered by Rolex since 2002, the 628-nautical mile (1,163 kilometre) offshore race is revered as one of sailing’s most gruelling challenges. This year marks the 77th edition of the event organized by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia with the support of the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania. An impressive international fleet has registered for the race which commences, as is tradition, on 26 December from Sydney Harbour. Their ultimate destination is Hobart, the state capital of Tasmania. The journey south takes competitors on a compelling racecourse, comprising a long passage down the New South Wales coast and then across the easternmost edge of the exposed and infamous Bass Strait. While some of the world’s fastest and most powerful yachts will contest line honours the most treasured prize is the Tattersall Cup awarded to the overall race winner.
Elite monohull events on the beautiful Costa Smeralda
The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, hosts two celebrated regattas renowned for their sailing excellence and camaraderie. The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is the flagship annual competition for Maxi monohulls. These powerful yachts are crewed by the world’s best skippers and highly skilled athletes in a week-long series of races.
In 2022, the 32nd edition attracted a fleet of 50, competing in six categories. The winners were: Highland Fling XI in Maxi, Vesper in Mini Maxi 1, Svea in J Class, Shamanna in Supermaxi, Capricorno in Mini Maxi 2 and H20 in Mini Maxi 3/4. This beautiful Mediterranean setting is also home to the biennial Rolex Swan Cup, featuring monohulls from the Finnish boatyard Nautor’s Swan that are cherished for their elegant design, technical innovation and speed. At this year’s 21st edition, the eight class winners were: Freya in Maxi, Flow in Mini Maxi, Crilia in Grand Prix, Mascalzone Latino in Sparkman & Stephens, G-Spot in ClubSwan 36, Nadir in ClubSwan 42, Blue Sky in Swan 45, and Balthasar in ClubSwan 50. Rolex has been a long-time partner of the YCCS and these two premier regattas as part of its wide-ranging support for yachting dating back more than 60 years.
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
Founded in 1953, the Rolex Giraglia is one of the Mediterranean’s most adored regattas, renowned for the camaraderie among its competitors. Following the disruptions of recent years, the 2022 edition returned to its traditional format: an arrival race from Sanremo, three days of inshore races off Saint-Tropez, followed by the headline offshore race to Genoa via the fabled Giraglia Rock. Light winds prompted the 241-nautical mile (446km) course to be reduced by some 35nm to help the majority of the 141-strong international fleet finish before the cut-off time.
Ker 46 boat Lisa R was overall winner on handicap while Magic Carpet Cubed took line honours for a third time in the race after a fascinating duel with fellow 100-ft (30.48m) maxi ARCA SGR. Rolex has partnered this event – organized by the Yacht Club Italiano in collaboration with the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez – since 1998 as part of its decades-long support for yachting.
Yachting's global racing championship continues to thrill
SailGP continues to redefine the sport of yachting. It blends cutting-edge technology with athletic sailing talent as national teams of men and women race identical F50 catamarans at speeds exceeding 50 knots in some of the world’s most famous waters. Season 2 of this global championship culminated in San Francisco Bay in March when, after 47 races spread over eight events, Team Australia triumphed in the Grand Final against the United States and Japan, securing the title for a second time.
Rolex has been a partner of SailGP from the outset as part of its close association with yachting dating back more than 60 years. The synergy between the two organizations is based on a commitment to perform at the highest level in all their respective activities. The partnership encompasses the most prestigious yacht clubs, races and regattas, along with remarkable individuals.
The Rolex Middle Sea Race is unique in offshore yacht racing in that it starts and finishes in the same place, the Grand Harbour in Malta’s capital Valletta. Its spectacular course, an anticlockwise circumnavigation of Sicily, takes in the active volcanoes of Etna and Stromboli and a myriad of islands. In 2021, the 114-strong international fleet enjoyed exceptional weather that offered fast downwind sailing virtually the entire way.
The maxi Comanche was overall winner, completing the 606-nautical mile (975 km) racecourse in 40 hours, 17 minutes and 50 seconds – a monohull record, seven and a half hours inside the previous best. It became only the third yacht in race history to claim the triple crown of line honours, monohull record and overall victory. Organized by the Royal Malta Yacht Club since 1968, this epic Mediterranean adventure has been partnered by Rolex since 2002 as part of its wide-ranging support for yachting dating back more than 60 years.
The world of Rolex and sailing is one I am completely fascinated with as it is so extraordinary—as you will see and learn for yourself in this incredible video:
Rolex goes into detail:
SailGP is a global series featuring bold, cutting-edge technology and extraordinary individual skill and athleticism. National teams compete in identical, supercharged F50 catamarans, engineered for intense racing at speeds exceeding 50 knots (nearly 60 mph/100 kmh) in some of the world’s most famous harbours.
Australia claimed its first victory of Season 2 by beating France and the United States in the UK leg held on Plymouth Sound. Rolex has partnered this highly competitive championship since 2019 as part of an enduring relationship with yachting that dates back more than 60 years.
Discover more https://on.rolex.com/2VZcSgy
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie.
Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
The world of Rolex sailboat racing is not only international, but always an amazing spectacle to behold! The videos below showcase some of the exiting action at the 2021 Fastnet race as it nears completion—which is AMAZING!!! Watching these world-class racers compete is not only mind-boggling but majestic...
The world of Rolex sailboat racing is not only international, but always an amazing spectacle to behold! This August 8, 2022 video update showcases just some of the exiting action as the 2021 Fastnet race gets underway which is AMAZING!!! Watching these world-class racers compete is not only mind-boggling but majestic...
A historic and revered event in the Mediterranean yachting calendar, the Rolex Giraglia celebrates its 68th edition this year. Rolex has partnered the race and its organizers Yacht Club Italiano since 1998. In a break from tradition, and to ensure the race can be held safely during the current pandemic, the 241-nautical mile offshore race will run from locations in Italy, Sanremo to Genoa. The race’s emblematic symbol will remain the course highlight. Located one nautical mile off the northern tip of Corsica, the Giraglia rock and its lighthouse has attained mythic proportions and sits alongside the Fastnet rock (Rolex Fastnet Race), the Organ Pipes (Rolex Sydney Hobart) and Stromboli (Rolex Middle Sea Race) as a famous yachting landmark. Throughout its history the event has been defined by its camaraderie and team spirit and increasingly for the diversity and quality of the competing yachts. The 2021 offshore race commences on Wednesday 16 June. Discover more https://on.rolex.org/3v0wBYQ
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
Historically Rolex has always been extremely secretive and discreet, and no journalists in the past have ever been invited "INSIDE ROLEX" to explore and report on all four Rolex Manufacturing faclities in Switzerland.
In November 2013, this changed when Rolex invited Jake to take an unprecdented journey into the heart of Rolex to learn and report on everything he witnessed and learned.
This Super-Detailed 3 Part Story is a "MUST READ" story for anybody who wants to understand what really makes Rolex tick.
