Cyprus hosts the world's top 45 Optimist sailors for free, spectator-friendly racing at the Regatta of Champions

Overview

Overview

After several years of reviewing Optimist sailing events worldwide, the changes in sailing and the rapid transition to a technological race that has somehow relegated sailors and coaches to secondary status, Famagusta Nautical Club and the organizers of Regatta of Champions – The R.O.C. cooperated and organized for three consecutive years the pioneer for the sport of Sailing, the Championship of Champions. Regatta of Champions – The R.O.C., is the result of a four-year effort that finally reached the implementation phase in 2022. A form of event that had never been done before, worldwide, that can be held anywhere in the world, in any country and in any category, using the sponsors and standards of the organizers. Scheduled again this year on 08 – 15 of November and using the same pattern, the top 45 Optimists from around the world are invited to The R.O.C. Applying a selection formula, based on difficulty of events, invitations are sent to the top sailors of the World Championships, as well as all Continental Championships (European, North & South America, Asia and Oceania, and Africa). At least 20% of invitations will be for the other gender. If a Continental Championship is not completed before the R.O.C., invitations are sent to eligible sailors from the same continent, the previous year. All invitations are given, in person and/or through the National Federations and addressed to specific sailors. If the invited sailors are unable to participate in the event, then the invitation is transferred to the next ranked sailor. In addition, there are 19 Wild Cards for sailors to claim during 2025. One Wild Card will always go to the National Champion of the country or the top athlete of the Club hosting the event. 10 Wild Cards are given to the top 10 sailors of our subsidiary worldwide event, The R.O.C. Kosmos, which will be organized for 3 rd consecutive year in Athens, from 03 – 10 of July, with co-organizer Nautical Club of Kalamaki, and the rest 8 Wild Cards are split into 2 sailing camps with the top 2 winners from each camp getting invitations, either through existing international races held around the world. Once the fleet is invited and formed, the 5 th Championship of Champions will once again take place in Limassol, Cyprus. The event lasts a week with 5 competition days, and plenty of events. Our pioneering spirit, however, continues and expands our Annual World Event, as this year, after intense study and global interest from athletes and coaches of the ILCA4 boat category, we are organizing, in the same vein, the 1st International Regatta of Champions – The R.O.C. ILCA 4. This race, which will be organized from 22 – 29 November 2026, in Limassol, at our venue again, as we have mentioned, adopts the exact same pattern as the Optimist category event, with the only difference being the number of athletes, which is 40 instead of 45. The subsidiary competition The R.O.C. Kosmos, will also be organized for the ILCA4 category, on June 24th – July 1st, in Athens, which will also give the opportunity to 18 participating athletes to claim a wild card. We emphasize again that the exact same pattern is followed in both competitions. Participating sailors and coaches are chasing the Champions Cup, but mainly an academic scholarship prize money of €33,000 which is awarded to the top 10 sailors in the form of scholarships for academic expenses and to the top 3 coaches in the form of prizes. The participation fee covers registration, accommodation, meals and boat charter actual costs. One or two boats accommodate all coaches; however, optional coach boat charters are available, per coach. On the official website of the event, www.regattaofchampions.com you can find all the details and rich photographic material of last year’s event, which left an excellent impression on the participants, attendants, visitors and managed to win the interest of the global sailing world, for the innovative this idea and its excellent implementation, a