ClubSwan 28 Gold Cup
NautorSwan
ClubSwan 28 Gold Cup 2026 Brings European and American Fleets Together in Fort Lauderdale
The final event of the season marks a milestone for ClubSwan, bringing together owners from both sides of the Atlantic for a landmark regatta in Florida.
The ClubSwan 28 Gold Cup 2026 is underway in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where the European and American fleets have come together for the first time to celebrate the end of an outstanding season. Hosted at Pier 66 Marina – Sanlorenzo, the regatta is organised by Lauderdale Yacht Club in collaboration with ClubSwan Racing and represents a significant milestone in the development of the ClubSwan 28 class in the United States. Alongside the Gold Cup title, first awarded last year to Swing, owned by Keisuke Suzuki, the event will also determine the overall Boat of the Year.
The competition is currently led by Giulio Gatti’s Anya Race, followed by Al Ramadan’s Play Bigger and Extreme II, owned by Dan Cheresh, one of the founders of the American fleet and among its most active owners. Deniz Ozcakir, CCO of Nautor Swan in America, commented: “Fort Lauderdale is Swan’s new home in the United States, and in just a few months we have seen the ClubSwan 28 fleet take shape. We already have a happy and engaged community of owners. The growth of the class and the strong relationships between owners have encouraged the two fleets to come together, with European teams travelling to Florida to race alongside their American counterparts.
We are based here at Sanlorenzo’s marina, and seeing a fleet of ClubSwan 28s moored right in front of us is a wonderful way to bring Nautor Swan even closer to the American market.” Federico Michetti, Southern Europe Commercial Director and ClubSwan Strategic Advisor, added: “This is a fitting conclusion to an important season for Nautor Swan, which celebrated its 60th anniversary with a record-breaking Rolex Swan Cup, attracting 170 entries.
The ClubSwan 28 fleet is growing rapidly in the United States, and bringing together owners who have completed their racing seasons in the Mediterranean and Florida adds a new dimension to our community. It is about sharing experiences, strengthening relationships and, above all, enjoying our sport together.” The level of competition is expected to remain high throughout the event. Dan Cheresh, owner of Extreme II, highlighted the intensity of one-design racing:
“We expect pressure every day and in every race. I never like to relax because you never know what’s going to happen. These boats are incredibly close, and the teams are extremely talented, so we just focus on sailing our own race and doing our own thing. The class is incredibly competitive. The boats are all very similar in speed, which is exactly what you want in one-design racing. If you sail well, the results come your way. If you make mistakes, you pay for them.” The Fort Lauderdale Gold Cup is another important step in Nautor Swan’s strategy to strengthen its presence in the American market. It follows the brand’s participation in the Newport and Annapolis Boat Show and a series of regattas in Newport, where the ClubSwan 28 was presented to the American sailing community for the first time.
The Gold Cup programme runs from today through Saturday 14th, with racing taking place on two separate courses, one north and one south of the mouth of the Stranahan River, the main entrance to Fort Lauderdale’s waterways and the venue for the city’s internationally renowned Boat Show. By bringing together the European and American fleets, the ClubSwan 28 Gold Cup 2026 celebrates not only the competitive spirit of one-design sailing but also the growing international community at the heart of ClubSwan.
