Racing, results and exclusive updates from the Cyclades Cup 2026

Day one racing abandoned after winds fade

Race officials have abandoned the opening day of racing at the Cyclades Cup after deteriorating conditions left large sections of the fleet without sufficient wind to complete the course.

Speaking to BOAT International, SuperYacht Racing Association (SYRA) manager Shirley Robertson OBE explained the decision to halt racing: "This is a tricky location to predict – we were confident because the wind models looked solid, and the first half of the fleet had a really enjoyable breeze, especially those incredible diamond starts with huge spinnakers downwind. But as the race progressed the wind dropped away and left a big hole in the middle."

She continued: "Some of the faster boats might have finished, but not the whole fleet, so it felt fairer to stop the race and resume tomorrow or Saturday when conditions are more consistent. It's only the third edition and with 20 huge yachts out there it was a special sight despite the weather."

Following the abandonment, the fleet returned to Antiparos, where owners, guests and crew will regroup ashore ahead of tomorrow's racing and this evening's social programme.

Perseus among few yachts to reach second mark

As conditions deteriorated, Perseus emerged as one of the few yachts able to continue making meaningful progress around the course, becoming the only competitor to round the second mark before the fleet became increasingly dispersed in light airs. Meanwhile, several yachts found themselves effectively stalled as large areas of the racecourse were left without sufficient breeze.

Fleet struggles as breeze begins to fade

After a promising start, conditions became increasingly challenging across the racecourse as the wind softened through the afternoon. While some yachts continued to make progress, others found themselves searching for pressure in increasingly patchy conditions, with boat speeds dropping significantly across parts of the course.