Now an official opening salvo before the Monaco Yacht Show, the second edition of La Regatta Zuretti gathered amateur sailors from the industry for a fun weekend in Nice.
There were no contest of judges’ rulings or handicaps in this friendly regatta under near ideal climatic conditions in the Baie des Anges this past weekend (20-21 September). Nine boats – two more than last year – lined up for the start up for the second annual Zuretti Regatta taking place just off the Riviera last Sunday, following a welcome cocktail and dinner the previous day. There were no incidents, other than a couple of spinnaker mishaps, promptly retrieved from the water as the boats went around the buoys.
While showing a competitive spirit, the teams, comprised of professionals from the yachting industry (designers, furniture makers, builders and yacht managers), took it all in good cheer. The prize giving ceremony followed libations at the dock where competitors enjoyed oysters, iced lemon sorbet and a live band.
The organisers called it "champagne sailing" with 10 to 12 knots of wind, better than it had been earlier in the day when concerns over the lack of wind prompted jokes of switching to rowboats.
The top three teams were Arrow, Zuretti Design and a team made of the sponsors. While Zuretti Design, on board the Hanse 430 HippoCampe helmed by CEO Sebastien Gey, and the sponsors team had identical scores (following corrections according to handicaps), race organisers awarded the top prize (a crystal trophy provided by sponsor Lasvit) to the sponsors team (including lead sponsor and outdoor luxury furniture maker Siebensee) sailing on a Solaris 50. The inaugural regatta’s winner, team Espen Øino, couldn’t repeat its success and came in sixth place.
First-time participants, Cassetta Yacht Designers put together a full team in coordinated classic nautical white and navy-blue polos, taking unofficial points for style.
Gey, happy with the event’s success, the turnout and the flawless organisation, confirmed there will be a third edition in 2026. Growth isn’t the goal. They want to keep the event manageable, and the location at the charming historic Club Nautique de Nice (founded in 1883), caps seating for dinner at 120.
"Participants from last year were quick to confirm," Gey said, and by June the event was full. "People reached out to us a bit later and we had to turn them away."
So herein lies the lesson. If you are interested in taking part next year in La Regatta Zuretti, watch out for an announcement for the 2026 event, to take place the weekend before the Monaco Yacht Show and now a staple on the nautical calendar.
Zuretti Design’s partners for the event "are anchored in a shared vision of discreet and authentic luxury," added Gey. They were Siebensee, Oliveri, Land&See, Tai Ping, Lasvit, Marine Pool, Gordon&Gaia, Rinck, Contrastes and Majordhomme, who shared "the task of coproducing the furniture, accessories and competitors’ equipment for these two days."
Read More/La Regatta Zuretti: Superyacht industry compete for trophy in friendly regatta's first edition