James Neville’s Ino Veritas takes first place in SC1 class. Niklas Zennström’s Ran tops SC2.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club has won the 2026 Range Rover Sardinia Cup, claiming the coveted trophy ahead of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and the RORC Gold team. In the individual class standings Ino Veritas took victory in the Sardinia Cup 1 class, while Ran topped the Sardinia Cup 2 class.

The regatta for club teams, organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda since 1978, returned this year after a 14-year hiatus. The 2026 edition took place in Porto Cervo from 31 May to 7 June, with the next edition scheduled for 4 to 11 June 2028, alternating with the Admiral’s Cup
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The final day of the Range Rover Sardinia Cup delivered a picture-perfect coastal race in 8 to 10 knots of breeze with a single start off Porto Cervo for both the SC1 and SC2 classes. The fleet sailed upwind to round the Isola dei Monaci to port, and from there downwind towards the Tre Monti shoal. Leaving the shoal to port, the boats continued through the Passo delle Bisce before a final run to the finish line off Porto Cervo, covering a total of around 16 miles.

In SC1 Jolt 3 closed the regatta in style, winning the day ahead of Ino Veritas and RocketNikka. In SC2, Django JP clinched the win followed by Ran and Nola.

James Neville, owner of Ino Veritas: “Winning the Range Rover Sardinia Cup as helmsman and owner of Ino Veritas is enormously fulfilling. We’ve had a fantastic week, making the most of a format that rewards teamwork, just like the Admiral’s Cup. That’s the most important aspect of the Sardinia Cup: the result counts at team level, not for individual boats, and success comes from collaboration and mutual support between teammates. The Sardinia Cup is a trophy steeped in history and we are proud to see our name, representing the Royal Ocean Racing Club, alongside those of so many great teams from the past. The standard of competition was extremely high and we know it will be even higher at the next Admiral’s Cup. So we’ll continue to work on improving, but in the meantime we are enjoying a win against formidable opponents like Django and Jolt.”

Per Roman, owner of Garm: “It was an incredible regatta, in what I think is the most beautiful place in the world to race. We were fortunate to have outstanding teammates: I’ve been working with James [Neville] for two years and I couldn’t ask for better. The whole team worked hard and the offshore race was key, winning it gave us the momentum needed for our ultimate success. After the Admiral’s Cup, we were determined to keep improving, knowing that the Sardinia Cup would be our next big objective. We invested in a more competitive boat and gradually upgraded our equipment to match our teammates, who competed exceptionally this week. We know there’s still room for improvement, the boat is new to us and this is only the beginning. Over the winter, we’ll put in a lot of work to become even better and faster. One thing is certain, though: Porto Cervo is a special place and I hope to keep coming back here for the rest of my life.”