– A first dream race to Cavalaire for 132 modern sailboats – IRC B (North Sails Trophy) and IRC C (BMW Trophy) make the powder talk – Tomorrow, the Classics will enter the competition at the pleasure of Eole.
Moderate westerly wind of 15 knots going from cool to 25 knots, 30 gusting, generous sun and pretty swell lined with foam. It is this fantasized Tropézien cliché, that 132 Modern sailboats were, with a beautiful enthusiasm, eager to honour, offering for the sporting opening of the 24th Voiles de Saint-Tropez all the ingredients of the most exciting shows. Cavalaire thus saw the boats of Groups B to F marching in their best form, led by the favourites of the race all already well-positioned at the front. The arrivals grouped under the Portalet of the sailboats all spinnakers out crowned this magnificent start day.
Go West The cool West wind convinced the Direction de Course to send the 132 Moderne sailing yachts to the West, to L’Escalet and Cavalaire, in order to enjoy the return of powerful flows with portable looks, guarantees of speed and show, when spis and great gennakers dance in the breeze and on foam. The sea remained wise and perfectly manageable, especially for smaller units. The landing on Cavalaire and its swirling winds was one of the muscular episodes of the day for the crews forced to multiply maneuvers and sending sails to cross the mark, and descend under spi towards the gulf. On the side of the IRC B in contention for the North Sails Trophy, Clive Llewellyn’s Grand Soleil MadIV, accustomed to the Tropez podiums, finds in Yagiza the formidable First 53 of Ada Cuciac, an opponent at his height. In the BMW Trophy IRC C Daguet3, Frédéric Puzin’s Ker46 was already showing its advantage, beating Hanno Ziehm’s Marten 49 Moana in real time. All results can be found online in real time on the Voiles de Saint-Tropez website. Geostationary buoys on the Tropezian water body Motorized and autonomous geostationary buoys are used during Les Voiles regattas. These buoys self-propelled by electric motors use GPS technology to reach a specific point and maintain their position without anchorage. This system allows the preservation of the seabed thus avoiding the anchoring and ragging of the chains. From a sporting point of view, this technological evolution allows racing committees to quickly modify and adjust a starting line or optimize a course according to the weather conditions of the day.
Tomorrow, Classics or Mistral? Tomorrow Tuesday, we look forward to the entry of the 85 Classic yachts and the prestigious Rolex Trophy. Unless of course the advertised conditions very windy come to constrain this enticing program. George Kohrel, Chief Race Officer: The wind has been rising ever since this morning, and the Météo France Special Weather Report is still in progress. We expect 30 knots of Sector North tomorrow in the Gulf, with gusts on the Pampelonne side announced at 50 knots. If the wind goes down tonight, there will always be more than 20 knots tomorrow morning, and I consider from the outset that there is a 90% chance that we won’t run. A meeting will be held tomorrow morning to decide on the opening of the village.”
They said: Nacho Giammoma – From now on (Swan 45) IRC C; “A very nice day, easy enough at first, and a more muscular return to the bottom, with a little more sea in the gulf. We had a lot of fun on this beautiful route to Cavalaire.”
Focus on: Les Voiles Bleues The Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez and its flagship event, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, are committed with the City of Saint-Tropez and the Gulf Community of Communes to protect the environment under the name “Les Voiles Bleues”. An environmental initiative aimed at the preservation of the marine environment, by raising awareness, federating and acting in favour of marine ecology, through the contribution of elements of understanding and solutions to be put in place. Les Voiles Bleues will be launched this Thursday 29 September for the screening of the film «Mediterranean, l’odyssée de la vie» in the Renaissance room at 9.30 in front of a group of Tropezian schoolchildren and then the same day with a new screening for the Voiles regattas which will be followed by a conference with renowned personalities of the world the Sea and sailing. Activities such as the presence of the innovative semi-submersible boat «Platypus» which carried out the Blue Oydssey Sud expedition in June 2022, cleaning actions operated by Stéphane Mifsud and his Blue Odyssey and workshops to define a «charter of blue sails» by regattas for regattas will be conducted throughout the Sails. A stand dedicated to blue sails is present in the village of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, bringing together the experts and partners involved for this first edition.
Partner of the day: BMW Thomas Donce, Event project manager: “This is the 15th year that BMW has partnered with Les Voiles. We’re powering up every year, with set-ups that match the event. We appeal to sailing enthusiasts, but also to neophytes. We will be very present during the first week with the exhibition of absolutely new vehicles in front of the harbour office, facing the entrance of the village. We are exhibiting three new models, the BMW iX1, 100% electric. The BMW I7, flagship of the range, with all the technologies of the future, as well as the IX, 100% electric. These engines offer the greatest electric range, up to 620 km. Our exhibition space allows to highlight electro-mobility (myBMW application to interact with the car), and durability. BMW wants to reduce its manufacturing impact on the environment by limiting our CO2 emissions. We will also be present on the water, with our program “Excellence Club” which offers our guests to go to sea all day, aboard a Swan. And of course, the IRC C Trophy, which will crown the sportiest, most technological class.”
2022 Program Week 1: Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, Moderne et Classiques Tuesday 27, Wednesday 28, Friday 30 September and Saturday 1 October: regattas for modern and traditional sailing boats Thursday 29 September: Challenge Day, Club 55 cup, Centennial Regatta Saturday, October 1: Awards ceremony (week 1)
Week 2: Maxi Yachts and Multihulls Sunday 3 and Monday 4 October: Home of large modern units (Wally, Mini Maxis, Maxis, Super Maxis) and Performance Cruising Multihulls (from 60 feet) Tuesday 4, Wednesday 5, Friday 7, Saturday 8: regattas Thursday 6: lay day/reserve day Saturday, October 8: Awards Ceremony (Week 2)
Partners of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez ROLEX BMW NORTH SAILS WALLY SUZUKI MARINE MARSHALL MERCANTOUR BYBLOS BESSERAT DE BELLEFON TORPEZ (VIGNOBLES DE SAINT-TROPEZ) BERNARD OPTIC PEPINIERES PIERRE BASSET ESPRIT VILLAGE A SAINT-TROPEZ VILLE DE SAINT-TROPEZ PORT DE SAINT-TROPEZ LES MARINES DE COGOLIN FEDERATION FRANCAISE DE VOILE YACHT CLUB DE FRANCE INTERNATIONAL MAXI ASSOCIATION
Organisation :
Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez
Président : Pierre Roinson
Principal Race Officer : Georges Korhel
Responsable Régates : Frédérique Fantino
Responsable technique : Philippe Martinez
Communication et Attachée de Direction : Chloé de Brouwer
Rédaction : Denis Van den Brink
Site internet : www.lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr
Media site : www.snst-media.com/
Facebook : les Voiles de Saint-Tropez Officiel www.facebook.com/VoilesDeSaintTropezOfficiel
Twitter : @VoilesSTOrg
Instagram : les_voiles_de_saint_tropez https://www.instagram.com/les_voiles_de_saint_tropez/
Photo : SNST/Gilles Martin-Raget
Vidéo : SNST/Guilain Grenier, 6G
Relations Presse : Maguelonne Turcat