2027 will mark a special birthday of the circuit for the world's leading high performance owner-driver one designs - the 44Cup.
In the mid-2000s triple America's Cup-winning skipper Russell Coutts teamed up with Slovenian yacht designer Andrej Justin to create the ultimate race boat that was also an owner-driver one design. At the time heavyweight Version 5 ACC boats were being used for the America’s Cup and is perhaps why the RC44 resembles them, even if their vital statistics vastly differ: for example a displacement of just 3.5 tonnes for the RC44 compared to 24 tonnes for an 80ft ACC boat. This enables the RC44s to plane, have a mid-20s top speed and be raced well in winds of 5 to 25 knots. This, cutting edge features like a trim tab and retractable canting bowsprit plus the ability to pack down into one 40’ container for cost effective shipping are the reasons why, while others have wained, the RC44 has survived to become a modern classic among one designs.
Over the last 20s years the 44Cup has visited venues as far afield as Oman and Dubai to the Canary Islands, British Virgin Islands and Bermuda as well as Miami and San Diego in the USA.
Today the RC44 boat and its circuit, the 44Cup, continue to thrive, new boats are being built while it has retained a loyal group of owners, several of whom have remained with the class throughout its two decades.
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the 44Cup will visit more new venues (following Marina Jandia, Fuerteventura; Puntaldia, Sardinia and Cartagena, Spain in 2026).
For 2027 the RC44 fleet will be shipped to Antigua & Barbuda in the Caribbean. Here the first two events of the season will take place over 27-31 January and 5-9 March.
The Caribbean island is considered the spiritual home of yacht racing in the Caribbean. Since 1968 it has hosted Antigua Sailing Week, one of the oldest and historically, in terms of its international presence, the most notable Caribbean regatta. It holds immense maritime significant with Lord Nelson having been stationed here over 1784-87.
The RC44 fleet will be based in Falmouth Harbour for the January event before returning to Antigua in March for another exciting round of racing in neighbouring English Harbour, where the yachts will be berthed within the historic Nelson’s Dockyard, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Off Antigua, the fleet will get to experience Caribbean racing at its finest with the potential for brisk easterly trade winds and the full brunt of the Atlantic swell.
Hon. Charles Henry Fernandez, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment commented: “It is a distinct pleasure to welcome the prestigious 44Cup to Antigua and Barbuda and to our historic shores. We are very proud to offer our destination, consistent trade winds, open-water conditions and well-established regatta courses as an exceptional setting for the high-performance racing for which the 44Cup is renowned.
“Hosting the 44Cup is important to Antigua and Barbuda not only because of the calibre of the competition, but because of the wider value that international yachting contributes to our tourism economy. Events of this stature strengthen our position on the global sailing calendar and generate opportunities for our marinas, accommodations, restaurants, transportation providers and other local businesses. We promise the unique character and hospitality of English Harbour and Nelson’s Dockyard, a focal point of world-class sailing, and our strong yachting tradition will be mutually rewarding.”
The circuit returns to Europe where competition resumes in the 44Cup’s most visited venue: remarkably it will be the 15th time the circuit has competed out of the picturesque island of Marstrand off western Sweden, albeit later than usual in early August. Aside from excellent sailing conditions, Marstrand is popular for its memorable parties in the island’s famous Society House.
The big event of the year will be the RC44’s annual World Championship taking place out of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. Founded by Aga Khan IV, Prince Shah Karim al-Hussaini, the YCCS is one of the most prestigious yacht clubs in the world and is a fitting venue for the highlight of the class’ 20th year. During the event the RC44 class is hosting a dinner at the YCCS to which all the owners who have competed over the last 20 years have been invited.
The 2027 44Cup concludes in yet another new venue for the class - La Palma in the Canary Islands. To date the 44Cup has regularly visited the Canary Islands, typically Lanzarote while at the end of 2025 for the first time it visited to Marina Jandía, Fuerteventura. The common factor? Calero Marinas operate marinas in these venues. The Calero family have not just been a supporter of the 44Cup since the first RC44 Gold Cup was held out of Puerto Calero in December 2008 but over the years Calero sons Jose Juan and Daniel have also both campaigned boats on the circuit.
While Lanzarote is the easternmost of the Canary Islands, Santa Cruz de La Palma is the westernmost, almost 500km to the west of Lanzarote. The Caleros' Marina La Palma offers 170 berths for vessels of up 25m long and is located near the centre of Santa Cruz de La Palma, the island’s historic capital. Unlike Lanzarote, La Palma is lush with vegetation and substantially more mountainous with deep volcanic gorges and waterfalls.
Managing Director of Calero Marinas, Jose Juan Calero commented: “Our relationship with the RC44 class goes back to its very beginnings in 2008, and we are proud to celebrate this special bond by bringing the fleet to Santa Cruz de La Palma for a new and surprising sailing destination. Hosting the 44Cup at Marina La Palma will be a particularly meaningful way to close a very special year marking the class’s 20th anniversary.”
RC44 Class Association President Chris Bake commented: “It is with great pride that in 2027 the 44Cup will reach its 20th birthday. Our RC44 racing yachts are truly becoming modern classics; still as exhilarating to race today as they were when we first stepped on board all those years ago. For our 20th birthday we have a great season in store, visiting new venues in the Caribbean and Europe as well as a major celebration running alongside our World Championship in Porto Cervo in September when we look forward to welcoming many old friends.”
44CUP 2027 EVENT SCHEDULE:
27 - 31 January 44Cup Falmouth Marina, Antigua and Barbuda
3 - 7 March 44Cup Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua and Barbuda
4 - 8 August 44Cup Marstrand, Sweden
21 - 26 September RC44 20th Anniversary & 44Cup 2027 World Championship
Porto Cervo, Sardinia
3 - 7 November 44Cup Marina La Palma, Canary Islands