A first round validated for all the groups in a summery atmosphere. Morgana makes history in the Super Maxis Wallycento versus Maxi 72: the hostilities have begun
The 800 or so Maxi Yachts sailors taking part in the first day of racing at the Voiles de Saint-Tropez, Maxis version, were invited to revise their palette of micro-adjustments and meticulous analysis of the race course. The light easterly flow was exploited to the full by the four groups of Maxis competing in a double loop in the gulf. Oversailing, with air draughts reaching a ceiling for some (Wallycento) of around 45 metres, these big racers managed to make the most of the conditions on offer, sparing little effort as they changed sails in search of the reefs that would save their lives. In these light conditions, the event favourites Morgana and Jasi, in the Maxi 1s, Magic Carpet3, in the Maxi 2s, Capricorno, Maxi 3 and Kiwi MagicKZ7 were already at the front of the pack, all formidable in their efficiency in choosing the most optimised routes. Morgana from the outset… The 46 Maxis Yachts in the Saint-Tropez fleet are divided into four distinct groups based on length and tonnage. It was the large sloops over 30 metres long, known here as Maxi 1, which kicked off the week’s proceedings. Faced with a very light easterly flow, the giants, Wally, Swan, Hoek and Dubois were already impressing with their ease of take-off, creating their own wind and escaping in a tight formation towards the edge of the gulf. Already, the temptation to make extreme tactical choices was dividing the fleet, with Rambler88, to his chagrin, opting to continue towards Sainte Maxime on a very penalising tack, while the rest of the fleet headed for the Canoubiers. At the end of a shortened course, the Race Committee validated a heat for each group. Morgana, the large cruiser signed by Reichel Pugh, was able to make the most of the day’s reefs. This evening, she is ahead of Pattoo (McKeown 2016), the first Maxi 1 in compensated time, in the provisional general ranking.
Maxi 2: Wallycento versus Maxi 72 The three ‘real’ Wallycentos, Magic Carpet3 (Reichel/Pugh 2013), Galateia (Reichel/Pugh 2015) and Tango (Mills 2017) are aiming to give the Maxi 2 Group a boost, if not a real shake-up. Their clash with ex-Maxi 72s Jethou, Cannonball and record chasers such as Rambler 88 and Leopard3 promises to be exciting throughout the week, starting with today’s subtle opposition, during which Cannonball distinguished himself by leading almost from start to finish, before losing his grip in the final lengths to Magic Carpet3. His very interesting rating propels him to the top of the Maxi 2 rankings this evening, ahead of the other two 72-footers, North Star and Jethou.
Wallycento, a race like no other! The Wallycento is a class based on box rules. Her length is between 30 m and 30.48 m, her displacement between 45 and 50 tonnes, her draught with a fixed keel is 5 m, and 6.2 m with a lifting keel. Owners retain the possibility of managing and personalising their projects. In particular, they can choose their architect and shipyard in consultation with the avant-garde Luca Bassani, the man behind this concept of futuristic 100-footers, all different, but all able to race on equal terms. Built in 2013, the first Wallycento Magic Carpet3 was built in Ancona to designs by Reichel Pugh Design . Three other Wallycento have since been built, Galateia, Hamilton and the latest Tango. These four sumptuous ships are at Les Voiles. Hamilton, once renamed Open Season, has been lengthened to 107 feet and is therefore no longer a Wallycento. She sails under the name of Spirit of Malouen X in the ‘big’ Maxi 1 group.
Lyra makes history Wally 77 Lyra, a familiar name on the Tropézien podiums, was also quick to make her mark in the Gulf. Throughout the day, she paved the way for her twelve protagonists in the Maxi 3 group, battling it out with the Italian sloop Capricorno (a 1995 Reichel Pugh design), who seems to be unaffected by the passage of time. But it was Les Amis, the Swan 601 from Monaco, which beat them in compensated time.
French Kiss meets up with Kiwi Magic KZ7… In Saint-Tropez, French Kiss meets up with another myth from the golden age of 12m JI boats in the America’s Cup, her contemporary New Zealand boat Kiwi Magic KZ7, built in fibreglass in 1986. In the hands of Chris Dickson, it lost out to Dennis Conner’s Stars&Stripes in the Cup final in Fremantle. From the very first race of the week, the two 1986-87 vintage 12m JI yachts battled it out with a spirit worthy of their glorious past. Virtually neck and neck throughout the course, they only separated in the final hectometres, with Kiwi MagicKZ7, the boat in New Zealand colours but crewed by a Dane, beating French Kiss to the punch. However, the venerable Swan 65 Saïda, launched in… 1973.
Designed by Philippe Briand, French Kiss was built in aluminium a few kilometres from La Roche-sur-Yon, in the Vendée, in an undisclosed hangar, by the Alubat shipyard. At the helm, Marc Pajot achieved the best result ever obtained by a French syndicate in the America’s Cup in 1987.
Cedric Chateau, Spirit of Malouen X Cédric Chateau, 41, has been Director of the Pôle Espoir Voile in Le Havre since 2007 and Sports Director of the Normandy Elite Team since 2013. He is also coach to Camille Lecointre (bronze medallist at the 2016 Olympic Games) and Jérémie Mion, and accompanied Charlie Dalin on his maiden voyage, as well as Pauline Courtois, last year’s match race world champion, who is accompanying him this week aboard the large Wally 107 Spirit of Malouen X. Cédric has also recently embarked on a career as an ocean racer. He recently finished third in the Transat Jacques Vabre aboard the Class40 Sogestran-Seafrigo. On 6 November, he will be lining up at the start of his first solo transatlantic race, the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, again in Class40.
Zoom on : Signing of the Pelagos charter As part of the environmental approach promoted by the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez as part of the Voiles event, Roland Bruno, Vice-President of the Communauté de communes du Golfe de Saint-Tropez, responsible for maritime areas, signed the Pelagos Charter on behalf of the intercommunal body. This charter represents a commitment to protecting marine mammals, notably through awareness-raising campaigns aimed at users of the sea, observation monitoring and intervention when marine mammals are stranded. Thanks to this charter, the Communauté de communes will be taking another step forward in its commitment to protecting marine mammals and, more generally, to biodiversity and sustainable development.
Programme 2022
Semaine 2 : Les Voiles Maxi Yachts
Mercredi 5, vendredi 7, samedi 8 : régates
Jeudi 6 : lay day/reserve day
Samedi 8 octobre : remise des prix (semaine 2)
Partners of 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