Yacht Class n°44 (March-April-May 2026)
With 16 teams from around the globe, this 14th edition once again confirmed its status as a must-attend event. Between adapting to the weather, managing complex logistics, and fostering a friendly atmosphere, here is a look back at an intense week at the Yacht Club de Monaco.
Written by : Anaïs Riu – Photos : Yacht Club de Monaco
From 14th to 18th January, the Yacht Club de Monaco hosted the 14th Monaco Optimist Team Race. A competition that combines sporting excellence with a family-friendly atmosphere, where young sailors from all over the world come together to compete in a demanding format: team racing. A report from the heart of a well-oiled organisation, yet always at the mercy of the whims of the weather.
A global invitation to an exceptional event
Sixteen teams, twelve nations, and one thing in common: an invitation from the Yacht Club de Monaco. The Monaco Optimist Team Race is not a regatta like any other. “It’s an invitation-only competition,” explains Fanny Brouchoud, Head of the Nautical Events Unit, who was on site throughout the week. “We’ve refined the event to maintain a strong competitive level, but above all a friendly atmosphere. We also prioritise teams from clubs that are partners of the Yacht Club de Monaco.” The result is a cosmopolitan line-up bringing together the Yacht Club Punta del Este – the team that travelled the farthest – the South Carolina Yacht Club, competing here for the first time, and a host of European teams. A mix that is the very strength of the event and reinforces its international DNA. On the docks, every language is spoken. On the water, everyone speaks the same game.
Unpredictable weather, an organisation put to the test
While the team racing format is captivating for its intensity, it also comes with its own constraints. “The particularity – and the challenge – of this format is that a certain number of matches must be completed so that all teams face each other. As a result, it’s not a format you can interrupt whenever you want,” explains the organiser. This year, the weather did not make things easy. There was not enough wind at the start of the competition, followed by increasingly challenging conditions, forcing the organising team to constantly adapt. As a result, the final phase even had to be moved… inside the harbour. A radical change for the sailors, who are used to racing offshore. “I think it’s a bit complicated for the young sailors to manage, because we’re changing both the format and the way points are calculated,” she explains. “On the other hand, it’s a real opportunity to be able to sail inside the harbour, because in open water it clearly wouldn’t have been possible.” In the end, the final phase could not take place. “There are still teams that clearly stand out from the very beginning of the competition, so the results are already quite representative of their performance,” the organiser adds.
A well-oiled logistical machine
Behind the event’s apparent smoothness lies a meticulously organised operation. “It’s indeed a regatta with very heavy logistical demands, because we take care of the teams from the moment they arrive at the airport,” explains the organiser. Transfers, accommodation, baggage transport – everything is included in the entry fee. But that’s not all. “The Yacht Club de Monaco provides the boats, which allows teams from very far away to take part. They come with their sails and rigging, but everything else is provided on site.” Beyond logistics, the organisers are careful to preserve what truly makes the difference: the welcome. “We really try to maintain a family-oriented and personal atmosphere, and that’s something people really appreciate.” Table football, ping-pong, a jukebox – everything is designed to encourage connections beyond the racing. “We try to create a convivial atmosphere outside the regattas as well.” The more formal opening ceremony on Wednesday and the crew party on Saturday night punctuated a week in which the young sailors experienced far more than just a competition.
Italians take the win, Danes make a strong impression
On the water, the Italians from Yacht Club Italiano eventually made the difference against the Danes of Danish Dynamite, who had led the standings for a long time. The Swiss team from Gstaad Yacht Club completed the podium, while the Monaco team – made up of Océane Schroeder, Joséphine Dobbelaere, Pietro Carlevaris, and Louis Faivre – finished eighth, a respectable performance against extremely high-level competition. As every year, the Monaco Optimist Team Race lived up to its promises: an exceptional learning ground for these young sailors, where they learn to think, act, and manoeuvre as a team. “The young sailors know they have to look beyond individual results and aim for the collective outcome,” reminds Bernard d’Alessandri, Director and Secretary General of the Yacht Club de Monaco. A true school of sailing and character, perhaps shaping the champions of tomorrow. The date is already set for the 15th edition, scheduled from 13th to 17th January, 2027.
