At the start of the 2024 season, sailing world’s eyes will be fixed on the Principality of Monaco this weekend where top international one design teams will be competing at the 40th Primo Cup-Trophée UBS. Over the years, this regatta has left its mark, attracting big names in sailing and becoming renowned as a testbed for trying out new boats, kit and equipment, raising the Monegasque race area’s status to that of a laboratory of innovation.
Launched in 1985 at the instigation of YCM President HSH Prince Albert II, the regatta has established itself as a major European one design gathering in the Mediterranean. The more than 30-year partnership with technical clothing supplier Slam, alongside UBS, and support from Monaco’s City Council, has contributed to its quality and prestige.
“As part of our ‘Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting’ approach, the Primo Cup-Trophée UBS has embodied tradition and excellence in the one design world for four decades. Over the years we have had the pleasure of launching new classes, as well as innovations like the first dynamic buoy prototypes, equipped with an electric motor so they can be positioned remotely without anchorage, thereby protecting the seabed,” says YCM General Secretary Bernard d’Alessandri.
The event also coincides with the fourth and final Act of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series of monthly regattas that run from November to March for J/70s, underlining YCM’s commitment to promoting year-round competitive sailing and giving sailors a training platform before international events.
Field of experimentation and records
Some 90 teams totalling 400 sailors divided into J/70, Smeralda 888, Longtze Premier and Cape 31 have descended on YCM’s pontoons, with the Cape 31 class making its debut in its first one design championship. With their asymmetrical spinnakers, these 31-footers take a crew of six and are renowned for being very quick. The Primo Cup-Trophée UBS has often been the perfect opportunity to discover new classes like the SB 20, JOD 35 and the feisty Longtze Premier.
At sea this Mediterranean classic has also seen new ideas trialled, notably in the 2000s a course with two leeward marks, different depending on the classes, designed to improve flow on the passage to the leeward buoy. This year sees a preview of a new one design class on Friday 8th March, an initiative of YCM member Ludovico Fassitelli, winner of the Primo Cup 2019. Conceived in Monaco, this one design aims to modernise the rules of competition, putting the emphasis on technology and accessibility.
40 years of passion The Primo Cup has been the scene of thrilling contests attracting big names in sailing like Jean Le Cam, Michel Desjoyeaux, Franck Cammas, John Kostecki, Grant Dalton, Enrico Chieffi, Flavio Favini, Marcus Hutchinson, Will Ryan and many others, making it an event not to be missed. Among one design classes, the J/70 continues to leave its mark on the regatta’s history with nigh on 400 boats coming to Monaco over the last ten editions. This class is hugely popular with Monegasques where some 20 teams make up the largest fleet of J/70s in the Mediterranean. Other high profile classes include the Surprise which came to race 29 times, representing more than 700 boats in total. The J/24s also relished this event racking up 27 years totalling over 450 boats.
