Europe’s largest boat races

Boat racing season is underway!

With the Spi Ouest-France, which just took place in the Bay of Quiberon, we really got into the swing of things. This regattaRace involving boats, most often sailboats. More is one of the most important in Europe.

So let’s take a look at the largest European regattas:

Spring

🔹 Spi Ouest-France – Easter weekend in La Trinité-sur-Mer (France 🇫🇷) – the largest regattaRace involving boats, most often sailboats. More in France, with 450+ boats

🔹 ArMen Race – late May in La Trinité-sur-Mer (France 🇫🇷) – a major offshore race in the Bay of Biscay

🔹 Round the Island Race – in June in Cowes (UK 🇬🇧) – 1000 to 1500 boats race around the Isle of Wight

🔹 Giraglia – early June between St. Tropez (France 🇫🇷) and Genoa (Italy 🇮🇹) – a legendary offshore race with 160-200 participants

🔹 Bol d’Or du Léman – mid-June in Geneva (Switzerland 🇨🇭) – the world’s largest inland regattaRace involving boats, most often sailboats. More, with 500+ boats

Summer

🔹 Kieler Woche – last week of June in Kiel (Germany 🇩🇪) – an old competition gathering up to 2000 boats, many of them dinghies and olympic classes

🔹 Gotland Runt – late June-early July around Gotland (Sweden 🇸🇪) – the most prestigious offshore race in the Baltic, with 200-300 boats

🔹 Cowes-Dinard – early July from Cowes (UK 🇬🇧) to Dinard (France 🇫🇷) – a cross-Channel regattaRace involving boats, most often sailboats. More with 170-200 boats participating regularly

🔹 Copa del Rey – late July in Palma de Mallorca (Spain 🇪🇸) – 120 to 140 boats compete in this major regattaRace involving boats, most often sailboats. More

🔹 Fastnet Race – late July from Cowes to Cherbourg (France 🇫🇷) via the Fastnet – one of the most iconic offshore races, with 450-500 participants

🔹 Travemünder Woche – late July in Travemünde (Germany 🇩🇪) – nearly 400 boats, many of them dinghies and olympic classes

🔹 Cowes Week – early August in the Solent (UK 🇬🇧) – one of the oldest sailing competitions, with 500+ boats

Fall

🔹 Silverrudder Challenge – autumnal equinox around the island of Fyn (Denmark 🇩🇰) – one of the most important singlehanded regattas, with 400-450 boats!

🔹 Régates Royales – late September in Cannes (France 🇫🇷) – generally 120 to 150 boats participate

🔹 Voiles de Saint-Tropez – late September-early October in St-Tropez (France 🇫🇷) – gathers 250+ boats, including traditional sailboats

🔹 Barcolana – 2nd Sunday of October in Trieste (Italy 🇮🇹) – the world’s largest regattaRace involving boats, most often sailboats. More, with 2500+ boats!

🔹 Middle Sea Race – in October in Malta 🇲🇹 – one of the most important Mediterranean races, with 100-130 boats racing around Sicily

Additionally, there are many other events that gather dozens, if not hundreds, of boats everywhere around Europe.

Which regattaRace involving boats, most often sailboats. More did we miss in this (inevitably incomplete) list?