Les Voiles celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Nioulargue
A breathtaking first week The largest Maxis Yachts gathering in the world They were at Les Voiles, more than 3,200 sailors from around the world…
If the 2020 edition of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez had successfully installed a new format over two weeks, it was indeed the 23rd opus of the great gathering Tropézien that made it possible to measure, rid of a large part of the sanitary constraints, on land as well as on sea, the merits of a two-race regatta, that of Classic yachts and sailboats under 60 feet in the first week, immediately followed by a full week devoted exclusively to Maxis Yachts. A first week out of time, blessed by Eole with ideal sailing conditions, was the prelude to the largest gathering of Maxis Yachts in the world. What to delight the organizers, the President, Pierre Roinson, and the entire team of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, happy to celebrate so grandiose the 40th anniversary of the original race, the Nioulargue, with all the starts and finishes in front of the port of Saint-Tropez.
A breathtaking first week! As pointed out by Georges Korhel, Main Race Officer of Les Voiles, the first week of festivities and regattas – from September 25 to October 2 – won all the votes; all the wind registers allowed the race committees, both Modern and Classic, to send every day beautiful events always so contested. The 23rd Sails of the name have crowned formidable winners, starting with the very famous industry boss Patrizio Bertelli, the winner of the Rolex Trophy, aboard the Herreshoff Scud plan and his high-flying crew, who overcame the sumptuous P Class. Among all the winners in the 10 categories of traditional sailing yachts in the race, the Sails crown exceptional boats, to the signature of the greatest naval architects. Pretext (Nacira 47), for the North Sails Trophy (IRCB), and Nanoq, skippered by the Prince of Denmark for the BMW Trophy (IRCC), won in groups that were particularly competitive. It was Olympian, the 1913 P Class and its deep green hull that won the Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy, after a stunning final, like a race match between Bruno Troublé, who knocked him out, and Peter Isler, America’s Cup figure, in command of Spartan.
The world’s largest Maxis Yachts event, from 3 to 9 October. With 45 units from 60 to 107 feet, also gathered at the invitation of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, the second week of the Voiles rocked in gigantism and accumulated all the superlatives. Wally, J Class, pure racers invaded the gulf for spectacular regattas at will, in wind regimes favouring all expressions. Sport, at the highest level, but also demonstrations at the highest level of exceptional sailing boats, with futuristic profiles designed for pure performance. Comanche, Rambler 88, Leopard3, just like the Mini Maxis 72, delighted the public when, all sails deployed, they landed under the Portalet in search of the prestigious trophies of Voiles. Magic Carpet Cubed, the Wally Cento of Sir Lindsay Owen Jones battled to the last edge to win in IRC1 to confirm his recent title of World Champion, while the pretty Wally 77 Lyra found in Saint Tropez rewards to his many merits. We will long remember the formidable mano a mambo between the two J Class, Topaz and Velsheda whose rivalry has finally turned to the advantage of the first.
They said: Pierre Roinson, President of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez: “We were extremely complimented on the first week of Les Voiles. This is very important because it means that we have reconnected with history, the Moderns sailing at the same time as the Classics. It went wonderfully, with great weather. While scrupulously respecting the sanitary measures, we have reconnected with the atmosphere of the Voiles and it is a great pleasure. I met the owners of Maxis, who are absolutely delighted to come and sail here. Our second week was the largest Maxis gathering in the world with 45 units present. The Maxis were thus able to benefit from departure and arrival in front of the port of Saint-Tropez. This second week was very professional, with very high-level crews. The public also appreciated to be able to discover these rare boats that are the Maxis very close. I want to thank all of our staff and volunteers who have just joined Sail GP, Voiles and will be working on the Swan next week.”
Georges Korhel, Principal Race Officer « It was a great success. The first week was blessed with Gods, with varied wind conditions that allowed running every day. The second week was more complex, but we ran in very different conditions and we crowned beautiful winners. The Maxis are delighted, they are in the port, they are sailing in front of Saint-Tropez… that’s what they wanted. The first week, out of 240 boats, we were able to put 200 in the port. The competitors are happy and that’s what matters. Les Voiles was a great event for the Maxis. 45 boats this year, all of high quality, Rambler, Leopard, Topaz… rare boats that we are happy to share with the general public.»
They were at Voiles: More than 800 sailors from around the world enlivened the second week of Les Voiles, 2,400 the first. Some Maxis indeed require a lot of arms and weight to recall. Every day, Comanche embarked 28 men and women crew, Magic Carpet Cubed or Velsheda nearly 30, and 37 for Topaz. On the pontoons Jean-Baptiste Bernaz, Ernesto Bertarelli, Patrizio Bertelli, Arnaud Boissières, Michel Boujenah, Brad Butterworth, Dee Caffari, Pierre Casiraghi, Julien Cressant, Prince Frederik of Denmark, Simon Daubney, Francesco De Angelis, Bertrand de Broc, Patrice de Colmont, Kevin Escoffier, Shannon Falcone, Robin Follin, Thierry Fouchier, German Frers, Sidney Gavignet, Clément Giraud, Torben Grael, Peter Isler, Xavier Macaire, Corinne Migraine, Philippe Monnet, Marc Pajot, Lionel Péan, Loïck Peyron, Christopher Pratt, Jochen Schuemann, Giles Scott, Tom Slingsby, Bruno Troublé, Le Prince Maurits Van Oranje, Marcel Van Triest, Gerald Veniard, Tom Whidden.
The figures: 132 Modern sailing boats, 82 Classics, in the first week, followed by 45 Maxis, for a total of 3,200 sailors, 20 nationalities.
See you on Saturday, September 24, 2022 for a new edition
Partners of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez ROLEX BMW WALLY NORTH SAILS CHAMPAGNE BESSERAT DE BELLEFON SUZUKI MARINE MARSHALL MERCANTOUR EVENTS TORPEZ (VIGNOBLES DE SAINT-TROPEZ) BERNARD OPTIC DERBEZ JARDINS
institutional partners LA VILLE DE SAINT-TROPEZ ESPRIT VILLAGE PORT DE SAINT-TROPEZ LES MARINES DE COGOLIN FEDERATION FRANCAISE DE VOILE YACHT CLUB DE FRANCE INTERNATIONAL MAXI ASSOCIATION