Richard Mille Announces 1st Edition of Vintage Yacht Race, the Richard Mille Cup

Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille counts its commitment to workmanship, heritage and tradition as the foundation of its own handcrafted timepieces.

This summer, Richard Mille will breathe new life into another category that only exists thanks to those same principles: vintage yacht racing. From June 10th through 25th, 2023, the first edition of the new sailing challenge—the Richard Mille Cup—will see 15 yachts, dating from the end of the 19th century to the late 1930s compete in the Schooner and Cutter categories. “Classic yachts bear a living, breathing testimony to the very highest values of workmanship, heritage and tradition passed on to us throughout the centuries,” Mr. Richard Mille says. “By creating this challenge, we aim to set sail through history and bring this high-end craft very much back to life.”

Some of the most iconic boats in the world will take part, including the Mariette dating from before the 1st World War, the Mariquita, and Richard Mille’s own Moonbeam IV—a 35-meter-long Marconi Gaff Cutter from 1920. Pierre Casiraghi, a partner of the Richard Mille brand since 2018, will race aboard Tuiga, the Yacht Club de Monaco’s flagship vessel.

William Collier, organizer of the Fife Regatta since 1998, is preparing the series of inshore and offshore races. Participants will compete between Great Britain and France, from Falmouth to Le Havre with stopovers in Dartmouth and Cowes—visiting historic yacht clubs such as Royal Cornwall and Royal Dart Yacht Clubs along the way. The winner will be awarded a specially-commissioned, meter-high trophy crafted by Garrard, jewelers to the British Royal Family. The trophy is perpetual, and winners will also be presented with smaller, hand-crafted replicas, also made by Garrard.

Following this year’s inaugural edition, the Richard Mille Cup heads to the waters of the South of France in 2024 and the East Coast of the U.S. in 2025.