Cyclades Cup 2026: Greece's Premier Superyacht Regatta Returns to Antiparos in June
The third edition of the Cyclades Cup returns to Antiparos from June 10–13, 2026, and the early signals suggest it will be the most fully realised version yet of what founder Ilia Rigas set out to build when he launched Greece's first superyacht regatta in 2024: an invitation-only event where serious racing, a genuine cultural programme, and the particular quality of life available on a small Cycladic island exist in equal measure.
With eleven boats from last year's fleet already confirmed: Aiolos, Almyra II, Barong D, Fivea, Galma, La Belle, Meliti, Nommo, Nostromo, Tawera and Wally B... and strong interest reported from new entrants, the 2026 fleet is filling quickly against a cap of 25 yachts. That cap, expanded from 20 in 2025, remains deliberately limited. "The Cyclades Cup was never created with the ambition of becoming a commercial regatta," Rigas has said. "It began as a group of friends sailing together, and that spirit continues to guide its evolution. Protecting trust and connection remains more important than growth."
The Racing
The waters between Antiparos and Paros are one of the least discussed but most technically demanding race environments in the Mediterranean; a stretch of Aegean Sea shaped by the Meltemi, the region's dominant summer wind system, and the island topography that funnels and accelerates it in ways that reward boat-handling and tactical reading over raw performance. The 2025 edition delivered conditions that peaked at 27 knots on day one and ultimately forced the cancellation of day three, a reminder that in the Aegean, the weather is a participant.
Racing is conducted under the ORC Superyacht Rule, the internationally recognised rating system for large yachts, and organised in collaboration with the Yacht Club of Greece. Sporting direction is led by Stratis Andreadis, Race Director and Fleet Captain of the Yacht Club of Greece, a fourth-generation yachtsman and maxi yacht owner with over three decades of top-level racing experience across the Farr 40 and TP52 classes and international match racing circuits. Courses are selected daily according to conditions, targeting two to three and a half hours of racing: long enough for the competition to be meaningful, short enough for the afternoons to belong to the island.
The 2026 classes are: Corinthian Spirit for yachts racing in relaxed cruising trim; the 90-Foot Class for competitive medium-sized superyachts; and the 100-Foot Racing Class for performance-oriented vessels. The 2026 Notice of Race will be released shortly.
The Social Programme
The Cyclades Cup's social programme has always been as carefully considered as the racing format; a deliberate counterpoint to the stripped-back, competition-first approach of larger circuit regattas. The 2026 calendar extends that programme further:
Crew SUP race and beach BBQ, hosted by Pantaenius and returning for a second year following strong reception in 2025, acknowledges that the crew experience matters as much as the owner's.
Private guided tour of Despotiko: the uninhabited islet off the southern tip of Antiparos where excavations have revealed one of the most significant ancient Greek sanctuaries of Apollo in the Cyclades; led by archaeologist Giannos Kouragios and hosted in collaboration with the Cycladic Identity initiative of the Museum of Cycladic Art. The sanctuary, currently undergoing active excavation, is not accessible to the general public; this is a genuine access experience rather than a tourist itinerary.
Welcome party hosted by Sease, with wine partner Whispering Angel: the aperitif that opens race week.
Owners' dinner hosted by IYC and Jetcraft, set within a private olive grove on the island. Long tables beneath the trees, the pace of a Cycladic evening, and the kind of gathering that tends to produce the conversations that bring people back to Antiparos the following year.
Beach party hosted by Nepheli for younger participants; a recognition that the fleet's demographic is broader than any single generation.
Closing awards night and BBQ, sponsored by Platinum partner UBS, who also present racing on the final day; creating a coherent arc from starting gun to prize-giving. In 2025, the Head of the Fleet prize was a hand-carved Cycladic head sculpted from Parian white marble, the island's most celebrated export for three millennia.
Giving Back
The regatta's relationship with Antiparos extends beyond the fleet's four days in the harbour. The Cyclades Cup supports the Cycladic Identity initiative of the Museum of Cycladic Art, contributes to the Antiparos Primary School, and works with local sailing activity to give younger sailors a direct connection to the fleet; including, in the lead-up to this edition, a session hosted by the local sailing club with Olympic sailors and a tour of a participating yacht.
Local community groups perform at the awards ceremony. The environmental standards applied to the event reflect the same commitment to the marine environment that the race waters embody.
The approach reflects a particular view of what a regatta owes the place that hosts it: not a temporary occupation that passes through and leaves, but an event that earns its presence over time.
Partners
UBS returns as Platinum partner for a third consecutive year. IYC and Numarine join at Gold level. Vitters Shipyard, Jetcraft, Octium Group, and Sease are Silver partners. Feadship and Pantelakis & Partners join at Bronze level alongside returning partners Pantaenius, Perga, and Southern Spars.
Registration for the 2026 Cyclades Cup is open. With places filling against a fleet cap of 25 yachts, interested teams are advised to register early.
For more on the superyacht racing calendar and significant events across the global yacht market, visit the YachtWay news feed. Browse sailing yachts for sale from verified dealers worldwide on YachtWay.
