Semana Internacional de Vela de Ilhabela
Semana Internacional de Vela de Ilhabela takes place Jul 24 - Aug 1, 2026 (SIVI 53); 54th edition expected late Jul 2027 in Ilhabela, Brazil. The dress code is Nautical casual - shorts, polo, deck shoes; pack a windbreaker and long sleeves for cool winter mornings afloat. Typical cost ranges from 500 to 1600 EUR per person.
Latin America's largest sailing regatta, drawing hundreds of boats and international crews to the Atlantic-forest island of Ilhabela off the Sao Paulo coast. Racing runs across many classes in the sheltered Sao Sebastiao channel, with a free race village ashore in the colonial old town that keeps non-sailors occupied. The 53rd edition ran from 24 July to 1 August 2026 under the Semana Internacional de Vela de Ilhabela name.
- When
- Jul 24 - Aug 1, 2026 (SIVI 53); 54th edition expected late Jul 2027
- Where
- Ilhabela, Brazil
- Dress code
- Nautical casual - shorts, polo, deck shoes; pack a windbreaker and long sleeves for cool winter mornings afloat
- Cost
- Typical cost ranges from 500 to 1600 EUR per person.
- Weather
- 15 - 25C, mild coastal winter, generally pleasant with a steady sea breeze
- When to book
- Book island pousadas and the mainland car ferry 4 to 6 months ahead; entries open through the Yacht Club de Ilhabela from around May
- Getting there
- GRU (Sao Paulo Guarulhos), about 3.5 h by road plus a 15 min car ferry
- Where to stay
- DPNY Beach Hotel & Spa, Maison Joly Ilhabela, Ilha Flat Hotel
- Official site
- https://sivilhabela.com.br/
How to attend
Watching is free from the Ilhabela waterfront, beaches and the Vila pier, and support or spectator boats give a closer view of the channel racing. Sailors register a boat and crew through the Yacht Club de Ilhabela, usually from around May, and the race village hosts open social events through the week. There is no ticketing at all, so the only real costs are the Sao Sebastiao car ferry, accommodation and food - book both the crossing and a pousada early.
There is no spectator ticket at all - watching from the Ilhabela waterfront is free, and only competing crews register a boat through the yacht club.
Insider tip
This is the same regatta once branded as Rolex Ilhabela Sailing Week - Rolex is no longer the sponsor, so search under SIVI or the full Portuguese name or you will get two conflicting sets of dates.
Get inside Semana Internacional de Vela de Ilhabela
Booking matters here: book island pousadas and the mainland car ferry 4 to 6 months ahead; entries open through the Yacht Club de Ilhabela from around May. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.