MONACO, Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Jack 100 crossed the finish line first to clinch their fourth victory in a row. Remon Vos's Maxi 100, skippered by Tristan Le Brun, both Yacht Club de Monaco members, arrived in Monaco on Thursday having set off from the Gulf of Mondello, Sicily, at 12:30 on Tuesday. The crew completed the 500-nautical-mile Palermo-Montecarlo race in 47 hours 27 minutes 2 seconds to secure a fourth line honours victory for the 100-footer, which has dominated the event since 2023 and holds the record it set in 2025 of 38 hours 53 minutes 13 seconds.
Four in a row
Black Jack 100 was the boat to beat, and it didn't take long to live up to that challenge. In the early hours of the race, the 100-footer moved to the front of the fleet, closely pursued by Furio Benussi's 86-foot Maxi Marta07, sailing this year under Yacht Club de Monaco's colours and Circolo della Vela Sicilia, with YCM member Guido Miani among the crew. Nice-Fiamme Gialle came in third although the podium rankings are still provisional.
As the fleet rounded Capo Gallo, Sicily, the first strategic tactical decision had to be made. In a light 8 knot breeze, the three leaders opted to go west before heading up to Sardinia. At this point, the leader Black Jack 100 had not yet managed to break away. The first part of the race played out in light airs, with pressure fluctuations affecting positioning. “There were a lot of transitions, It's not easy to find the right strategy when the wind keeps switching and coming from almost opposite directions”, said Tristan Le Brun. As they headed up to the Strait of Bonifacio, the Maxi maintained its lead.
The situation changed after clearing the strait. As a south-to-southwest airflow strengthened, speeds picked up and Black Jack 100 started to pull ahead. By Thursday morning, just over 100 nautical miles separated them from their closest rival Marta07.
This victory was particularly special for Giulio Guaterri, a young sailor from YCM's Sports Section who was experiencing his first Palermo-Montecarlo race on Black Jack 100, alongside a seasoned offshore racing crew.
Battle in corrected time remains wide open
With this fourth line honours victory, the Black Jack 100 crew also win the Giuseppe Tasca D'Almerita Challenge Trophy, which they will lift on Sunday 23 August at the prize-giving ceremony held in the YCM at 7.00pm.
But while victory in real-time is in the bag, the Palermo-Montecarlo race is far from over. Following the Maxi 100, other boats will be arriving in the Principality, and the battle for the Angelo Randazzo Challenge Trophy, decided on corrected time, remains wide open. Shooting Star, the Bavaria 44 skippered by YCM member Eugène Van Koppen, is still in the race.
Taking into account weather conditions forecast for Friday 21 August, between the Strait of Bonifacio and Monaco, the organisers have amended the Race Instructions. With winds of 60 to 80 knots predicted from around 05:00 and 13:00, the race will be suspended. The time spent in shelter, from the moment a boat leaves the course until it resumes racing, will be deducted when calculating the final overall rankings in corrected time.
Palermo to Monaco: 500 nautical miles and 21 years of history
Launched in 2005, the Palermo-Montecarlo race links Sicily to the Principality with this 500 nautical mile race. For this 21st edition, 39 boats representing 11 nations set off from the Gulf of Mondello. Organised by the Circolo della Vela Sicilia in collaboration with the Yacht Club de Monaco and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the event counts towards the Italian Offshore Racing Championship (Federazione Italiana Vela) and serves as the final leg of the International Maxi Association's Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge.
The race also continues online
As the crews gradually make their way to the Principality, the Palermo-Montecarlo is also playing out on Virtual Regatta. Nearly 7,000 people are taking part in this year's digital version of the event, facing the same weather conditions and strategic choices as the sailors at sea.
For more information:
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e6946a81-7e9f-4fd6-af52-1822e7e954a1