As the committed partner of yachting for almost 70 years, Rolex shares the highest standards of excellence with the custodians of the sport.
The brand’s partnership encompasses the most prestigious yacht clubs, races and regattas, along with remarkable individuals. The 2024 Rolex yachting calendar emphasizes the common philosophy and close relationship the Swiss watchmaker enjoys with the sailing community. From gruelling offshore races and grand prix competitions to events that evoke the finest traditions, the forthcoming season demonstrates the depth and breadth of Rolex’s involvement.
The 2024 season embarks with the continuation of Season 4 of SailGP, the high-octane global championship that gathers national teams representing 10 countries, and features some the world’s top sailors including Rolex Testimonees, Hannah Mills, whose aim is to be the first female helm of an F50, Tom Slingsby, gunning for his fourth successive SailGP championship title, and Sir Ben Ainslie, as CEO of Great Britain SailGP Team. Six events remain including the grand final scheduled for July in San Francisco, USA. Season 5 will begin in November.
Another of the most coveted grand prix titles in world sailing, the annual Rolex TP52 World Championship, will be held in July in Newport, Rhode Island, hosted by the New York Yacht Club with whom Rolex’s seminal partnership with yachting began in 1958. An international fleet of a dozen matched 52 foot (15.85 metre) TP52 monohull yachts will compete over a week of inshore racing.
September sees attention move to Sardinia, with the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. The week-long inshore events are hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS), with which Rolex has been associated since the early 1980s. While both contests stand out for the quality of the fleets gathered, and captivating racing against a stunning backdrop, the Rolex Swan Cup celebrates an impressive 40th anniversary of the strongest tripartite partnership in sailing, between Rolex, Nautor Swan and the YCCS.
Sir Ben Ainslie, 2020
The 2024 calendar closes with two classic offshore distance races: the challenging Rolex Middle Sea Race starting and finishing in Malta in October, and the iconic Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which starts on 26 December and ends on 31st. These 600nm races attract fleets of 100-plus passionate and dedicated crews keen to demonstrate their skills and determination on testing courses that keep crews at sea for several days and nights.
