10 days of nautical passion at sea and on land for the 25th edition of Les Voiles

Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, September 29 to October 8:

A prestigious and not-to-be-missed sailing event organised for the 25th time by the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez brings together a fleet of over 250 boats on the same stretch of water.  The world’s finest boats in the Maxi, Modern and Classic Classes are expected in and around the port of Saint-Tropez from September 29 to bring the excitement of another edition to life in a brand new format, with an onshore race village set up for the first time on the seawall Môle Jean Réveille.

A great gathering on the water

Big news this year is that the Saint-Tropez regatta will open on Sunday, October 1 with an impressive fleet of nearly 50 Maxis.  Maxi yachts are yachts over 18.28 metres (60 foot) in length, designed to be on the leading-edge of yacht racing.  These yachts are often characterised by their state-of-the-art equipment and exclusive designs, combining comfort and performance  The incredible Wally yachts are an exceptional illustration of this, with a strong presence this year with 10 boats including the brand new Y3K designed by Judel and Vrolik.

In the Moderns, a new division of the competitors into 4 classes, instead of the 5 last year, should reshuffle the cards for certain series and potentially open the door to a few reversals of fortune.  This will not put off Laurent Courbin’s crew, flying the colours of Stade Français, on their 53 foot Yagiza, who are hoping to make it a double after their victory in the North Sails Trophy in 2022.  The same determination also applies to the TP52 Nanoq team sailed by Prince Frederik of Denmark, the undisputed winners of the BMW Trophy.

As for the Classics, the 2023 edition looks set to be a banner year, with 5 two- or three-masted schooners between 35 and 55 metres overall, including the elegant Elena of London, as well as a very fine series of eleven 12m J1, the sleek monohulls some twenty metres long made famous for being the support boats for the America’s Cup from 1958 to 1987.

A giant screen on the Voiles race village stage

The new layout of the Voiles race village also includes a number of new features.  At the entrance, along the quay Frédéric Mistral, a 150 m² official North Sails boutique mounted on stilts will welcome the public and participants alike.  Visitors will then be able to walk either along the inside of the harbour past the exhibitors’ stands to the SNST shop and the race registration and committee area, or along the seafront with other exhibitors to the bar and pergola terrace, or to the stage where concerts and prize-giving ceremonies will be held.

To facilitate access to the seawall Môle Jean Réveille and Môle Estienne d’Orves from the port car park, a free water-taxi transfer with a maximum capacity of 45 passengers, open to competitors and the public alike, will provide shuttle services from 8.30am and 8.30pm between the capitanerie dock and the sea wall.

Behind the scenes

A sold-out event

Once again, the Voiles de Saint-Tropez will be a sell-out event.  As the maximum number of competitors was reached mid June in all categories, the waiting lists have been closed for the 25th edition.

Portalet departure zone redfined

In order to optimise the safety of the starts in the Gulf, the exclusion zone at sea has been extended as far as the Môle Jean Réveille. This new arrangement will also give the public on land a better view of the start line, as no spectator boats will be allowed to pass through or stay in this zone.

2023 Programme

Friday 29 September: (beginning of the afternoon) Maxi registration (over 18.28m) Saturday 30 September:  Maxi registration (over 18.28m) and registration for Classic and Modern yachts up to 18.28 meters Sunday 1^st October: regattas for the Maxis, registration for Classic and Modern yachts up to 18.28 meters Monday 2 October: regattas for Maxi and Modern yachts Tuesday 3 October: regattas for all fleets Wednesday 4 October: regattas for Modern and Classic yachts, Lay Day for the Maxis, Maxi Club 55 Cup Thursday 5 October: Challenge Day and Club 55 Cup for Modern and Classic yachts, regattas for the Maxis Friday 6 October: regattas for the whole fleet Prize giving for the Maxis Saturday 7 October: regattas for Modern and Classic yachts, Sunday October 8: Prize-giving ceremony for Modern and Classic yachts

Partners to Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez

Organisation:

Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez

President: Pierre Roinson Principal Race Officer: Georges Korhel Regatta Secretary: Frédérique Fantino Technical Manager:  Philippe Martinez Communication and Executive Assistant: Chloé de Brouwer Internet sites: www.lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr;  www.societe-nautique-saint-tropez.fr/ Facebook: les Voiles de Saint-Tropez Officiel Twitter: @VoilesSTOrg Instagram: les_voiles_de_saint_tropez

Photos : Gilles Martin-Raget

La Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez

Founded in 1862, the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez has been organizing regattas for over 160 years. Some of its members have left an indelible mark, such as Guy de Maupassant in 1887 and Paul Signac in 1892, who are among the pioneers of French yachting. Affiliated to the FFVoile and partner club of the Yacht Club de France, the SNST has never stopped growing with the leitmotif of always being open to modernity and innovations while respecting tradition.

With a team of enthusiasts including 16 members of the Board of Directors, five permanent staff, 500 members and many volunteers, the Club organizes major events such as the Voiles de Saint-Tropez, the Rolex Giraglia, the Dames de Saint-Tropez and the Paprec 600 Saint-Tropez. It hosts exceptional events such as world championships and from 2021 the French stage of Sail GP, as well as a stage of the 52 Super Series circuit of the TP52 in 2023. 

The Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez is the challenging club of the Orient Express Team for the 37th America’s Cup, which will take place in September and October 2024 in Barcelona.