YCM Members shine at the Giraglia

Loro Piana Giraglia – Régates Inshore – Saint-Tropez

13-16 June 2026

Loro Piana Giraglia, Inshore Races, Saint-Tropez

The sails have come down on the inshore races of the 73rd Giraglia, held in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and Pampelonne Bay. It was an opening stage in which Y.C.M. members shone. This coastal sequence allowed the Monegasque representatives to stand out with two class wins, an additional podium and several places of honour against one of the most competitive fleets in the Mediterranean. The crews are now preparing for the start of the offshore race to Genoa, by way of the Giraglia rock.

YCM members shine at the Giraglia ahead of the great offshore race

Since 1953, the Giraglia has held a prized place on the international calendar. Run between Saint-Tropez and Genoa, it unfolds in two parts: a series of inshore races designed to separate the hundred or so crews on technical courses, followed by a 241-nautical-mile offshore race by way of the famous Giraglia rock. The combined ranking rewards crews able to perform well in both disciplines. This year, conditions offered a snapshot of everything that has made Saint-Tropez’s reputation: thermal breezes, light winds, tactical coastal courses and closely contested races. On the water, every point counted ahead of the great offshore showdown. The conditions encountered allowed the crews to string races together and to establish a ranking representative of the fleet’s overall level. Each race produced tight groupings.

Django WR commanding in IRC 1

Among the standout performances of this inshore phase, that of Giovanni Lombardi Stronati will remain one of the strongest of the week. Aboard the Wallyrocket51 Django WR, the Yacht Club de Monaco member takes victory in IRC 1 against a fleet of 34 competitors, after four days of an intense battle with the TP52 Spirit of Lorina. Winner of two races and consistently at the front, Django WR ultimately wins the coastal series with an impressive run (1st, 2nd, 1st and 2nd). In IRC 0 Maxi A, Karel Komarek also delivers a benchmark week. His Wallycento V claims the final victory after five particularly hard-fought races within the Maxi fleet. It was a performance built in part on two consecutive wins on the penultimate day.

Wallyño on the podium, Leopard 3 in the mix

In the IRC 0 Maxi B category, Benoît de Froidmont brings Wallyño home in a fine 3rd place overall. Consistent throughout the week, the crew managed to hold on to their podium spot despite Atalanta II’s dominance in the division. Still among the Maxis, Joost Schuijff and Leopard 3 finish 7th in IRC 0 Maxi A. It was a result achieved in a fleet where several boats were separated by just a few points right up to the final day. In IRC 1, Adrien Follin takes 11th place with Give me Five, while Loïc Pompée and Terrible Joy close out this first part of the event in 20th. As the smallest boat in the IRC 1 fleet against the TP52s and the Wallyrocket51s, Terrible Joy took on a considerable challenge over these four days of competition. For this Giraglia Inshore, Loïc Pompée had chosen to bring on board several young talents from the Yacht Club de Monaco, among them Didier Schouten and Ennio Rostagni, supported by Thierry Peyre, a former club racer. In particularly light conditions, hardly favourable to the Cape 31 against larger boats, the Monegasque crew fought to the very end, under the guidance of navigator Christopher Pratt.

Setting course for the Giraglia rock and Genoa

The coastal races have now given way to the flagship event. From 17 June, the fleet will set off from Saint-Tropez to reach Genoa after rounding the legendary Giraglia rock. With its weighting doubled in the combined ranking, the offshore race could still reshuffle the cards. One thing is already certain: Y.C.M. members shone in this first part of the event, with several podiums and two class wins that once again confirm their ability to perform.