Richard Mille Cup Returns For Its Third Edition In June 2026

Key Highlights

• Third edition of the Richard Mille Cup, held 15–25 June 2026 on Scotland’s Clyde
• Eight races featuring classic yachts — some over one hundred years old — from three-masted schooners to smaller legendary vessels
• The winner receives a metre-high trophy crafted by crown jewellers Garrard
• Courses include a race around the Ailsa Craig, a challenge that became legendary over a century ago
• The event follows directly after the Richard Mille Fife Regatta, deepening the brand’s connection to Scotland’s sailing heritage

A Legendary Stage for Classic Sailing

For more than two centuries, the Clyde on Scotland’s West Coast has been one of sailing’s most storied waterways. It is the kind of setting that does not need embellishment — the wide protected waters, the dramatic peaks of the Island of Arran on the horizon, and a coastline that once launched some of the finest yachts ever built. Against that backdrop, the Richard Mille Cup will gather a remarkable fleet of classic vessels for a ten-day celebration of sail from 15 to 25 June 2026.

The event’s format is straightforward and exacting in equal measure: eight races, a fleet ranging from magnificent three-masted schooners to smaller but equally storied yachts, and courses demanding genuine seamanship. Many of the competing vessels are more than a hundred years old, yet each is maintained in immaculate condition — a testament to the dedication of their owners and the enduring craftsmanship of classic yacht construction.

Racing with History Beneath the Keel

The race around the Ailsa Craig stands out as the defining test of the series. That volcanic plug rising from the Firth of Clyde has drawn sailors for well over a century, and the challenge of rounding it passed into legend long before the current generation of competitors was born. Sailing these waters means racing the same stretches navigated by the very contemporaries who made the Clyde famous as a yachting destination — a continuity that gives the event its character and emotional weight.

Event Director and classic yacht expert William Collier captured the significance of the move north: “After having enjoyed two fabulous Richard Mille Cups on the South Coast of England, we are excited to have this exceptional fleet come racing on the Clyde. There will be great sport afloat and real camaraderie ashore with a series of activities and receptions showcasing the best Scotland has to offer.” The programme extends well beyond the race courses, with onshore events designed to reflect the quality and warmth of Scottish hospitality.

The Garrard Trophy and the Fife Connection

The stakes are fittingly high. The winner of the Richard Mille Cup will be awarded a metre-high trophy created by Garrard, the crown jewellers whose heritage in fine craftsmanship stretches back centuries. The trophy’s scale and provenance make it a worthy prize for a competition of this calibre — a physical object that will carry the weight of the 2026 contest long after the fleet has departed the Clyde.

The Cup’s timing is also deliberate. It takes place shortly after the Richard Mille Fife Regatta, which returns some of the world’s most celebrated yachts to the very waters where they were designed, built, and first raced. The sequence of the two events reinforces Richard Mille’s sustained commitment to classic sailing and creates a concentrated moment of heritage on the Clyde that is unlikely to be matched anywhere else in the 2026 sailing calendar. Collectors and enthusiasts familiar with the brand’s sporting partnerships — from the RM 67-02 Automatic Extra Flat to the RM 41-01 Tourbillon Soccer — will recognise this as consistent with Richard Mille’s approach: putting extraordinary objects at the centre of extraordinary sporting occasions.

Why It Matters

The Richard Mille Cup has, across three editions, established itself as one of the most considered classic yacht events on the international calendar — defined not by spectacle alone, but by a genuine reverence for maritime heritage and competitive sailing. For GCC-based collectors and luxury sports enthusiasts who follow Richard Mille’s global programme, the 2026 edition on the Clyde represents the brand at its most purposeful: bringing world-class craftsmanship, historic competition, and natural grandeur into a single, cohesive event.

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