The Richard Mille Cup 2024 concluded with a spectacular victory by the 1911 William Fife-designed gaff cutter Mariquita on 15 June, after two weeks of intense competition featuring the finest classic yachts from around the world.
Following last year’s successful debut, this year’s Richard Mille Cup challenged an exclusive fleet of century-old yachts with a grueling 255-mile offshore race and eight days of shorter inshore courses in England and France. This unique regatta celebrates these yachts as the high-performance racers they were originally designed to be.
Richard Mille, known for combining technical innovation, architectural design, and fine watchmaking heritage, sponsors the event. The 2024 regatta commenced at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club in Falmouth on 2 June and included stops at the Royal Dart Yacht Club in Dartmouth, the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, and finally the Société des Régates du Havre in Le Havre.
Each of these historic clubs has a long-standing connection to yacht racing. Shoreside events featured an opening night party at the picturesque Trelissick House in Cornwall, a reception on the three-masted schooner Atlantic, and prize-giving ceremonies hosted by each yacht club.
Tim Malachard, Marketing Director of Richard Mille, stated, “We aim to go beyond by offering vintage yachts the chance to race on the same courses as a century ago. This is a genuine regatta, not a parade, spanning two weeks and involving four historic yacht clubs in England and France. For the second year running, over ten classic yachts, alongside authentic replicas, have come together to revive the early days of yachting with authenticity and passion.”
The final prize-giving at the Société des Régates du Havre followed a thrilling day of racing off the Normandy coast, culminating in a breathtaking neck-and-neck finish between Mariquita and Moonbeam IV.
This dramatic finale was the perfect end to a regatta filled with highlights, including a moonlit reach past Portland Bill in strong winds, an agonizing light-wind finish off the Royal Yacht Squadron with an adverse tide, and a 100-mile race across the Channel where tall gaff-riggers finished within minutes of each other at dawn.
Competing yachts included three of William Fife III’s greatest designs: Mariquita (1911), Moonbeam III (1903), and Moonbeam IV (1920). The regatta’s oldest yacht, Thalia, dates back to 1889. Also participating were the giant schooners Atlantic and Elena, legendary American designs from the early 1900s.
In just two years, the Richard Mille Cup has established itself as the premier event for serious classic yacht racing, reviving the traditions that defined the sport.
