Hyères Europa Cup 2026
Hyères Europa Cup 2026
Where 12 Metre Legends Sail Again
From June 12 to 14, 2026, the Bay of Hyères became the stage for one of sailing’s most elegant and historic classes: the 12 Metre International Rule yachts.
For three days, four legendary 12mJI boats came together on the Mediterranean: French Kiss, Kiwi Magic, South Australia, and France 1.
Each carried the heritage, power, and unmistakable presence of America’s Cup history.
For decades, these yachts helped define some of sailing’s greatest rivalries. Once fierce competitors in the legendary match-racing era of the 1980s, they met once again in Hyères, not only as historic yachts, but as living symbols of a remarkable period in international sailing.
This is not ordinary yacht racing.
These are long, powerful, demanding yachts built for precision, discipline, and tactical control. Every maneuver requires timing. Every tack takes coordination. Every shift in the wind creates an opening.
Aboard a 12 Metre, victory is never about speed alone. It is about crew work, strategy, anticipation, and nerve.
Reading the wind. Protecting position. Controlling the racecourse. Finding the lane. Taking the opportunity before it disappears.
Among the sailors on the water was Marc Pajot, back aboard French Kiss, guiding his crew with the same passion, precision, and determination that helped make him one of the great figures in French sailing. A silver medalist at the 1972 Olympic Games alongside his brother Yves, a five-time world champion, winner of the Route du Rhum, and twice skipper and project manager of French America’s Cup campaigns, Pajot has represented French sailing excellence around the world for more than five decades.
At the helm of Kiwi Magic was Jens Jes Gram-Hansen, one of Denmark’s most accomplished professional sailors, known for his experience in the America’s Cup, the World Match Racing Tour, and the Extreme Sailing Series.
With ideal Mediterranean conditions, including 8 to 14 knots of wind and warm summer temperatures, the Hyères Europa Cup 2026 delivered exceptional racing in a setting worthy of these legendary yachts.
Across three completed races, Kiwi Magic delivered a commanding performance, taking three first-place finishes to win the 2026 Hyères Europa Cup. French Kiss followed in second overall, with South Australia taking third and France 1 finishing fourth.
Final Results
1st - Kiwi Magic
2nd - French Kiss
3rd - South Australia
4th - France 1
A video from the regatta can also be viewed on YouTube here:
In Hyères, the spirit of the 12 Metre class was on full display: classic yachts, modern competition, close racing, and the unmistakable drama of sailing’s golden era brought back to life on the Mediterranean.
More than a regatta, the Hyères Europa Cup 2026 was a celebration of sailing history.
Four boats. Three races. One historic class.
This is 12 Metre racing.
