Key Points
- Overall Championship Victory: Marco Favale, helming Millenium Falcon, won the 2026 Smeralda 888 International Championship following six events held in Monaco, Alassio, Saint-Tropez, and Porto Cervo.
- Season Standings: Millenium Falcon finished the championship in first place with 7 points, ahead of Charles de Bourbon des Deux Siciles on Vamos Mi Amor with 14 points, and Nicolo Saidelli on Bloody Mathilde with 24 points.
- Monaco Final Stage: Nicolo Saidelli dominated the final stage in Monaco, taking six victories out of eight races to win the local event on home waters.
- Monaco Event Podium: Timofey Sukhotin’s V Force placed second in Monaco with 26 points, followed by Millenium Falcon in third with 28 points, whilst Black Star and Vamos Mi Amor rounded out the top five.
- Favale’s Campaign: Favale established his lead early in March by winning the Primo Cup-UBS Trophy, later winning in Saint-Tropez, as well as securing both the Invitational and Coppa Europa in Sardinia.
- Class President Performance: Charles de Bourbon des Deux Siciles won three races in Alassio to claim the Luigi Carpaneda Challenge and finish second overall for the season.
- International Participation: A total of 17 teams representing nine nations participated in the 2026 championship circuit.
- Memorial Tribute: The season marked the second edition of the trophy honoring Adalberto Miani, who passed away in late 2024; his son, Guido Miani, participated in the event.
- Upcoming YCM Events: Yacht Club de Monaco’s racing calendar continues next week with the Grimaldi Trophy, followed by the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series J/70 fleet Act I in November, concluding with the 43rd Primo Cup-UBS Trophy in March 2027.
MONACO (Monaco Weekly News) October 21, 2026 – Marco Favale, helming Millenium Falcon, has won the 2026 Smeralda 888 International Championship overall after competing across six stages in Monaco, Alassio, Saint-Tropez, and Porto Cervo. Nicolo Saidelli aboard Bloody Mathilde secured victory in the final stage held in Monaco by winning six of eight races. Class President Charles de Bourbon des Deux Siciles finished second in the overall standings on Vamos Mi Amor. The event, organised by Yacht Club de Monaco and North Sails, featured 17 international teams and paid tribute to the late Adalberto Miani.
As reported in official statements issued via GlobeNewswire, Marco Favale, at the helm of Millenium Falcon, secured top honours in the 2026 Smeralda 888 International Championship following six competitive regattas across Western Europe. The final stage of the international tour took place from 16 to 18 October, organised by the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) in partnership with North Sails, confirming the final standings for the season.
Who Secured Victory in the Final Monaco Stage?
According to reporting published by LaPresse, Nicolo Saidelli delivered an outstanding performance aboard Bloody Mathilde to claim the individual event victory in Monaco. Saidelli dominated the local waters by winning six out of the eight races held during the three-day stage.
As detailed in the race classification records distributed by GlobeNewswire, Timofey Sukhotin’s crew aboard V Force took second place in Monaco with 26 points, holding off Marco Favale’s Millenium Falcon, which completed the event podium in third place with 28 points. The top five for the Monaco stage was completed by Black Star in fourth place and Charles de Bourbon des Deux Siciles’ Vamos Mi Amor in fifth place.
How Did Marco Favale Build His Championship Victory?
As documented by LaPresse, despite Saidelli’s dominant performance during the Monaco regatta, the overall 2026 International Championship title was awarded to Marco Favale due to his consistent performance throughout the six-stage season.
As reported by GlobeNewswire, Favale established the foundation for his championship victory early in the year by winning the Primo Cup-UBS Trophy in March, ahead of Charles de Bourbon des Deux Siciles. Although the Class President responded in Alassio by winning three races to capture the Luigi Carpaneda Challenge, Favale regained control of the championship leaderboards during the summer months. Favale went on to secure victories in Saint-Tropez and swept both the Invitational and the Coppa Europa in Sardinia.
Accumulating four stage victories out of the six events on the calendar, Millenium Falcon concluded the championship in first place with a total of seven points
Charles de Bourbon des Deux Siciles, who serves as Class President and is a member of the YCM, claimed second place in the overall standings with 14 points aboard Vamos Mi Amor. Meanwhile, Nicolo Saidelli’s performance in Monaco enabled him to climb from sixth place prior to the finale up to third place overall, closing the season with 24 points. In total, 17 teams representing nine different nations competed across the 2026 championship circui
How Was Adalberto Miani’s Legacy Honoured?
As noted in reporting from GlobeNewswire, the 2026 edition marked the second year of the trophy dedicated to the memory of Adalberto Miani, who passed away in late 2024. Miani was a central figure in the founding and development of the Smeralda 888 class alongside Charles de Bourbon des Deux Siciles. His legacy within the international sailing community was marked by the participation of his son, Guido Miani, who competed in the championship.
Background of the Smeralda 888 Championship
The Smeralda 888 is an international one-design racing class created specifically for competitive owner-drivers. Designed by German Frers, the 8.88-metre monohull vessel was engineered to provide high-performance racing while maintaining strict rules to ensure equal technical standards across all competing yachts.
The championship circuit is managed through the Smeralda 888 Class, which operates in close association with prestgious nautical clubs including the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) in Porto Cervo and the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM). Over the past decade, the class has established a seasonal Mediterranean circuit that brings together sailors across key regattas in Monaco, Italian coastal waters such as Alassio, the French Riviera in Saint-Tropez, and Sardinia.
Prediction: How This Development Affects the International Sailing Community
Impact on Competitive Smeralda 888 Owners and Teams
The conclusion of the 2026 season confirms Marco Favale’s Millenium Falcon as the dominant force in the Smeralda 888 class following consecutive stage victories in Sardinia, France, and Monaco. Rival teams preparing for the 2027 season will likely focus on tactical adjustments and crew configuration during the winter training period to challenge Favale’s early-season momentum. Furthermore, Nicolo Saidelli’s sharp rise from sixth to third place in the final stage demonstrates the potential impact of late-season form, which may encourage teams to refine their setups for technical coastal venues like Monaco.
Impact on Yacht Club de Monaco’s Winter Calendar
As reported by LaPresse, the conclusion of the Smeralda 888 Championship transitions Yacht Club de Monaco into its winter regatta calendar. The upcoming Grimaldi Trophy coastal race from Sanremo to Monaco, alongside Act I of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series for the J/70 fleet from 5 to 8 November, will sustain high levels of international sailor participation in Monaco throughout the off-season, leading into the 43rd Primo Cup-UBS Trophy scheduled for 10–14 March 2027.
