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There is Patrice de Colmont who tells the story (see “How it all began!”) but there is also the team who welcomes you each year in the Press Room. She has summarised the whole history of the Voiles in a few paragraphs. Read on:

here are evenings when one has ideas… of genius. It all started on September 29th 1981, when a challenge without much sporting interest, except to defend a sailor’s honour, was launched between Pride, Dick Jason’s American Swan 44, and Ikra, the 12M JI skippered by Jean Lorrain. The challenge could not have been simpler: start at the foot of the village of Saint-Tropez at the Tour du Portalet, turn the mark of the Nioulargo (which means “nest of the sea” in Provençal) and arrive in front of the restaurant, the “Club 55”, located on the beach of Pampelonne. If for the anecdote, Ikra won before Pride, for the history, this challenge gave birth, thanks to the spontaneity and the enthusiasm of Patrice de Colmont, to the “Club 55 Cup”.

And from this regatta was born a unique event, a gathering of its own that would allow ordinary racing boats to race with prestigious maxi yachts, ultra-sophisticated prototypes with classic yachts with histories as long as days without wind. The incomparable and inimitable Nioulargue was thus born and, for fifteen years, mixed the greatest sailors with owners of all calibers. Imagine that majestic J-Class yachts will be able to cross bows with the latest generation of racing boats… Imagine that the nautical jousting game, once finished, will continue as an improvised game of boules and anchovy jam on the Place des Lices…

And if the same state of mind and good-natured simplicity is to be found every year, each year will also see its coup d’éclat, its miracle or its appearance. 1984 will see the giant J Class Velsheda cross the gulf whilst Eric Tabarly at the helm of the maxi Coriolan IV battled hard against Herbert von Karajan’s maxi Helisara or against Harold Cudmore, then at the helm of Gitana.

In 1988, it was John Parkwright IV, owner of France II, who challenged other boats when the official regattas were cancelled due to the strong Mistral wind blowing on the peninsula. He just asked that the start be given and that the finish be noted. The Florida Cup (which today has become the Défis Jean Lorrain) was born and witnessed some fantastic duels such as the one between Astra and Candida or in 1992 the J Class Endeavour and Ville de Paris, then a recent challenger for the America’s Cup.

Another highlight, 1990, with the arrival of five three-masted boats: Shenandoah, the magnificent Créole, Raphaelo, Aquarius and Fleurt Je. 1991 saw three exceptional boats pointing their bows: Eric Tabarly’s Pen Duick, which came to taste the waters of the Grande Bleue for the first time, the J Class Endeavour, defender of the America’s Cup in the 1930’s, and Matador, the famous reigning world champion maxi boat, which belonged at the time to one Bill Koch.

1993 will see the arrival of the splendid Tuiga. 1995 will celebrate the return of Kentra and the arrival of Mariette. For the anecdote, it should be known that during the shooting of the mythical film “And God created woman”, Brigitte Bardot had spent a lot of time on board Kentra. Once again, one of those famous and magical “coincidences” of the Nioulargue!

But after so many years of success and recognition, the sixteenth edition was to suffer a tragedy. A collision between Mariette and a 6M JI, Taos Brett IV, put the event in mourning and put it on hold for three years.

It was not until 1999 that the Voiles de Saint-Tropez took up the never-extinguished torch.

And as if by magic, autumn has regained its lights on the sails in Mylar and cotton, the challenges have once again blossomed at the corner of the counters and ball games have resumed in the Place des Lices mixing Tropéziens and sailors from around the world.

benchmarks

1981: Duel between the 12M JI Ikra and Pride, a Swan 44. Patrice de Colmont creates the «Club 55 Cup».

1983: The Kiaola III crew celebrates the historic victory of Australia II on the evening of the America’s Cup final.

1984: Class J Velsheda is present and the maxis impress. Coriolan IV, Helisara, Gitana and Mephisto compete for power, Eric Tabarly and Harold Cudmore are among those at the helm…

1988: Birth of the Florida Cup, a day of challenges beyond the norm that will then mark the various editions of the Nioulargue

1990: Five three-masts are there: Creole, Aquarius, Raphaelo, Shenandoah and Fleurt I. Impressive!

1991: Three exceptional boats are present: Pen Duick of Eric Tabarly, the Class J Endeavour and Matador, the reigning maxi world champion of Bill Koch. Three boats that have marked in indelible ink the pages of the yachting.

1993: The 15M JI Tuiga walks its superb restoration. Magical!

1994: Kentra returns to Saint-Tropez, Mariette appears.

1995: Mariette collides with the 6M JI Taos Brett IV. The black year…

1999: First edition of Voiles de Saint-Tropez.

2009: The 10 years!

2011: 13th edition of Voiles de Saint-Tropez and thirtieth anniversary of the original regatta: the Nioulargue.

2019: The 20 years!