Looking for the best fall 2025 yacht regattas? This guide curates the season’s standout and off-beat sailing events from mass-start spectacles like Barcolana and Croatia’s beloved Mrduja Regatta to offshore icons such as the Rolex Middle Sea Race, plus stadium-fast SailGP Cádiz and cruiser favorites like ARC/ARC+.
For each event we list what matters: a quick description, how to attend or enter, detailed ticket/access notes, exact dates, address, and the official website so you can watch from shore, join a crew, or plan coverage with zero guesswork.
Whether you’re a skipper, a first-time spectator, or a media pro chasing the next great sailing shot, these autumn sailing events 2025 deliver peak breeze, big fleets, and gorgeous backdrops. Scroll on to choose your port of call among the top fall 2025 yacht regattas.
Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2025
Les Voiles is where classic elegance meets cutting-edge carbon. For one week Saint-Tropez fills with century-old beauties and modern maxis, racing side-by-side in postcard waters, a Riviera ritual with serious prestige and very photogenic fleets.
How to attend: Racers join by invitation/registration; spectators catch the action along the harbour quays and surrounding headlands. The regatta village and on-shore programme keep the town buzzing all week.
Dates: 27 September – 5 October 2025
Address: Port of Saint-Tropez, Var, France
Website: lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr
Barcolana 57, Trieste
Barcolana is the world’s biggest mass-start regatta, a sea of sails on the Gulf of Trieste. Pros and casual crews line up together for a short, spectacular course that turns the whole city into a natural amphitheatre.
How to attend: Registration opens to all boat owners; the public can watch free from the Rive waterfront and the hills above Trieste. Event villages and cultural programming run the whole week.
Dates: 1–12 October 2025 (main regatta: Sunday, 12 October, 10:30)
Address: Gulf of Trieste & central waterfront, Trieste, Italy
Website: barcolana.it
Rolex Middle Sea Race 2025
The Rolex Middle Sea Race is a 600-mile Mediterranean classic: a photogenic lap around Sicily, threading the Messina Strait and the volcanic Aeolians before finishing back in Malta. Equal parts strategy and stamina, it’s offshore sailing at its best. |
How to attend: Teams enter via RMYC; the public packs Valletta’s Grand Harbour bastions for the cannon-start, free to watch. Live tracking available online throughout.
Dates: Start Saturday, 18 October 2025
Address: Grand Harbour, Valletta, Malta
Website: rolexmiddlesearace.com
Related on OceanShaker: Rolex stories in yacht racing
Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía-Cádiz
SailGP (Cádiz) brings 50-foot foiling catamarans screaming past the sea wall at highway speeds, a made-for-spectators stadium race with national teams and huge energy in the race village.
How to attend: Paid grandstands and premium lounges are available; there are also free waterfront viewpoints. Tickets via SailGP.
Dates: 4–5 October 2025
Address: Bay of Cádiz, Andalusia, Spain
Website: sailgp.com
Transat Café L’OR 2025
The legendary double-handed transatlantic returns as Transat Café L’OR (formerly Transat Jacques Vabre): IMOCA, Ocean Fifty and Class40 fleets storm out of Normandy for a fast North Atlantic crossing to the tropics, one of the sport’s marquee ocean races.
How to attend: The Le Havre Race Village opens days before start; shoreside viewing is free, with prime angles along the jetties as fleets depart. Follow the tracker after the gun.
Dates: Start Sunday, 26 October 2025
Address: Le Havre, Normandy, France → Fort-de-France, Martinique
Website: transatcafelor.org
La Boulangère Mini Transat 2025
Solo sailors, 6.50-metre boats, zero outside routing, the Mini Transat is pure adventure. In 2025 the fleet starts in France, pauses in the Canaries, then sprints to Guadeloupe.
How to attend: Big send-off crowds at the start; harbourside viewing is free. Leg 2 restarts in late October from the Canary Islands; finishes in the Caribbean in November.
Dates: Start Sunday, 21 September 2025 (racing continues into Oct/Nov)
Address: Les Sables d’Olonne, France → Santa Cruz de La Palma (stopover) → Saint-François, Guadeloupe
Website: minitransat.fr
China Cup International Regatta 2025
Asia’s flagship big-boat event, the China Cup mixes passage racing and inshore courses across Shenzhen & Hong Kong waters with large international fleets and a festival vibe around Dapeng Bay.
How to attend: Team entries by class (IRC, one-design, etc.). Spectators can watch from shorelines and headlands around Dapeng Bay; some hospitality boats operate locally.
Dates: 30 October – 3 November 2025
Address: Dapeng Bay & Hong Kong waters, Shenzhen, China
Website: chncup.com
Marmaris International Race Week 2025
Marmaris Race Week brings hundreds of yachts to Turkey’s pine-framed bay for a friendly-but-fierce series with lively socials and reliable autumn breeze.
How to attend: Crews register with MIYC; fans get easy viewing from the waterfront and surrounding hills, with parties centred on the marina.
Dates: 25–31 October 2025
Address: Marmaris Bay, Muğla, Türkiye
Website: marmarisraceweek.com
ARC & ARC+ 2025 (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers)
Not a race but a bucket-list crossing: ARC (direct to Saint Lucia) and ARC+ (via Cape Verde to Grenada) send hundreds of cruising yachts west with safety seminars, kids’ fleets, and a massive ocean-crossing community.
How to attend: Berths are limited; yachts register months in advance. Spectators gather along Las Palmas’ breakwaters for the big November starts.
Dates: ARC+ start 9 November 2025 (restart 21 November from Cape Verde); ARC start 23 November 2025
Address: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain → Grenada / Saint Lucia
Website: worldcruising.com (ARC+) | worldcruising.com (ARC)
44Cup Marina Jandía (RC44), Fuerteventura
One-design foiling-lite but full-on tactical: the 44Cup tour closes in the Canary Islands with pro owner-drivers and elite crews racing metres from shore, great to watch, great to shoot.
How to attend: Spectators line the breakwaters around Marina Jandía; teams & media base on site.
Dates: 19–23 November 2025
Address: Marina Jandía, Morro Jable, Fuerteventura, Spain
Website: 44cup.org
Mrduja Regatta 2025, Split
Mrduja Regatta is Split’s signature out-and-back dash: a mass start from the city harbour, rounding the tiny islet of Mrduja, and finishing beneath Sustipan. It’s about 22 nautical miles, first held in 1927, and today doubles as a full waterfront festival of sailing.
Participation & viewing: Skippers register online via JK Labud. Best public vantage points: the Riva promenade, Sustipan, and the piers at the harbour entrance. Shoreside programme (“Mrduja – festival jedrenja”) runs through the day and evening.
Tickets & access: Spectators: free. Competitor entry fees and classes per the official Notice of Race.
Parking & transport tips:
Old Town parking is limited. Use public garages outside the centre or rideshare/taxi, and expect short traffic holds around the start/finish.
Dates: Saturday, 4 October 2025 (mass start 11:00); reserve day Sunday, 5 October
Address: City Harbour (Riva), Split, Croatia
Website: jklabud.hr/mrdujska-regata
Viška Regata 2025 (Split-Vis-Split)
Viška Regata is a beloved Croatian offshore weekend: a Friday dash from Split to the island of Vis, a festive lay day in Vis port on Saturday (often with an in-port “Luka Vis” race), then a Sunday return to Split. Historic vibes, big local turnout, and classic Adriatic scenery.
Participation & viewing: Entries via JK Labud. Best viewpoints: Split’s Riva promenade and Marjan headlands for the start/finish; in Vis, the waterfront quays pack with spectators. Shoreside concerts and prizegiving round out the weekend.
Dates: 17–19 October
Address: Split City Harbour & Vis Town, Croatia
Website: jklabud.hr
St. Barth Cata Cup 2025
St. Barth Cata Cup is the F18 beach-cat classic in Caribbean glamour: fast courses in the bay of Saint-Jean, super close to shore, with international pros and serious beach-regatta energy.
Participation & viewing: F18 teams pre-register online; beach viewing is free along Saint-Jean. Expect race village buzz, daily briefings, and post-race socials.
Dates: 19–23 November 2025
Address: Saint-Jean Bay, Saint-Barthélemy (FWI)
Website: stbarthcatacup.com
The Bodrum Cup 2025
The Bodrum Cup is a uniquely Turkish spectacle: traditional gulets racing a coastal course with nightly raft-ups, concerts, and thousands watching from coves and castle walls. One of the few regattas where guests can actually sail aboard competing boats.
Participation & viewing: Charter a race-entered gulet or join a team through local operators; shore viewing is free around Bodrum Castle, Göltürkbükü and the peninsula’s headlands. Program and logistics published by the organizer each year.
Dates: 20-25 October 2025
Address: Yalıkavak Marina – Leros – Bodrum, Muğla, Türkiye
Website: bodrumcup.com
Fall 2025 Yacht Regattas: FAQ
Where’s the best place to watch the start of Mrduja Regatta?
Riva promenade, Sustipan park, and the harbour entrance piers offer clear, elevated views of the line and the fleet rounding out.
How can a first-time skipper enter to Mrduja Regatta?
Register via JK Labud. Classes, safety rules, and fees are defined in the Notice of Race; international crews are welcome. If you don’t have a boat, ask local clubs/charter operators about race-ready options.
Is Barcolana free to watch?
Yes. Shoreline viewing around Trieste’s Rive waterfront and nearby viewpoints is free. Arrive early for a good spot; some years offer optional paid hospitality/grandstands.
Where’s the best place to view the Middle Sea Race start?
Popular vantage points include Valletta’s Grand Harbour bastions (Upper Barrakka area), the Senglea/Birgu ramparts, and near Fort St. Elmo/harbour entrance. Live tracking is also available online after the start.
Do I need tickets for these events?
Most classic regattas are free from shore. Stadium formats like SailGP (Cádiz) sell grandstand and hospitality tickets, while free public viewpoints also exist along the waterfront.
Can I race without owning a boat?
Often, yes. Look for Barcolana’s “Ticket to Race,” local charter operators offering race-ready boats with skippers, and crew lists via host yacht clubs. Read the Notice of Race for required experience and safety gear.
What’s the difference between ARC and ARC+?
ARC sails Las Palmas → Saint Lucia (direct). ARC+ adds a Cape Verde stop and finishes in Grenada. They’re organized rallies (not races) with safety checks, seminars, and limited berths that sell out months in advance.
Interested in more than yacht events? Check it out : Fall 2025 Sports Events Guide: Dates, Venues & Tickets, a handy roundup of the season’s wider sports highlights.