– The winners of the four Groupe Maxis awards were honored tonight.
– Capricorno, winner of the 2022 IMA Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge
– See you in 2023
Two weeks! It’s already been 15 days since Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez has been lighting up the Gulf, the Var, and the yachting world. Sailing, in all its facets—athletic, aesthetic, and historical—has shone brightly in Saint-Tropez, offering sailors and curious onlookers alike that indispensable touch of dream and escape. The beautiful summer of Les Voiles comes to an end tonight, leaving all participants a little dazed by so much splendor, so much friendship, and so much shared passion. They will return, that’s for sure, to rediscover the docks, the lights, and the scents of a celebration that is ever-renewed around the beautiful boats that carry the spirit of passersby out onto the water. We’ll see you in 2023, from September 30 to October 14.
Spirit of MalouenX, Cannonball, Lyra and Saïda take the crown!
The final day of Les Voiles was decisive for the awarding of the trophies in each of the four Maxi groups, marking the conclusion of the two-week Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez event. Thunderstorms and rain radically transformed the atmosphere and the light over the gulf as the 46 competing Maxis set off on a short coastal course, in a light north-northeasterly breeze that was unstable in both strength and direction. Despite a proper start and all the efforts made by the race committees—who had been admirable throughout the fortnight—to set a course, it was the storm that prevailed, sucking up every last breath of air in the gulf and forcing the outright cancellation of the scheduled regatta. However, the four Maxi groups—in addition to the Challenge Day—completed three excellent races, allowing us to crown magnificent winners this evening. Spirit of Malouen X Stéphane Névé’s boat, with a crew from the TP52 class, came close to a perfect record in the Maxi 1 class, securing two race wins. Cannonball Not only did he dominate the Maxi 2 class, but he also beat the other two formidable Maxi 72s, Jethou and North Star, and dismissed Magic Carpet3, the formidable Wallycento, the star of all the hits. Lyra wins by a hair in the Maxi 3 class against one of the most remarkable Maxi sailboats of the season, the 80-foot Reichel/Pugh design Capricorn. The ketch Saïda Swiss sailor Jurg Schneider also triumphed unchallenged in the Maxi 4 class, ahead of—no less—the two protagonists of the America’s Cup of yesteryear, the 12-meterers JI Kiwi Magic KZ7 and French Kiss.
An articulated foiler at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez: Flying Nikka
The futuristic foiling yacht Flying Nikka was entered in Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, at the behest of the IMA (International Maritime Museum). Its size, profile, and above all, its immense articulated foils caused a sensation. Designed by a team coordinated by Irish designer Mark Mills, Flying Nikka , 19 meters long and equipped with cutting-edge foils that allow it to sail at over 40 knots, was built in Valencia at the King Marine shipyard using the latest composite technologies. “Roberto Lacorte wanted a pure racing boat, built for speed,” explains Alezio Razeto, Team Manager of Flying Nikka . We observed the development of foils on IMOCA-class sailboats and in the America’s Cup, and we thought to ourselves: why not use articulated foils on a regatta boat in the Mediterranean? We called architect Mark Mills and explained what we wanted. Roberto Lacorte, the owner, is at the helm. The crew is largely made up of America’s Cup sailors. Steering a foiler isn’t the hardest part. The real challenge lies in trimming the sails and foils. There are a lot of things to adjust to get the boat to fly, such as the boat’s upright position or balance, given that the pressure in the sails is never constant. Adjusting the foils is the most complicated part, especially when you’re flying at over thirty knots.”
Georges Kohrel, Chief Race Officer
“The two-week experiment has been a success. We’re seeing more and more large boats, and they’re getting bigger and bigger. Everyone has come to realize that it’s impossible to have the massive Wallys and the small classics competing side by side. The logic behind the two-week format is undeniable. Our courses in the second week are perfectly suited for the fast Maxis. The Club 55 Cup was a big hit. We had a very challenging first week, with the Mistral picking up at the end of the day and adding a bit of tension to the races. We’d start the races in 15–16-knot winds, but the fleet would return in the evening amid gusts exceeding 25 knots. Everyone played along. And everything went smoothly. In the second week, we experienced very light conditions. We had to adjust the courses, anticipating possible shortening. But in the end, we were able to validate races every day, and all the sailors are happy. We’re also making progress in managing the results while going paperless. Everything is computerized, and everyone has easy access to it thanks to dedicated apps.”
Benoit de Froidmont, President of the International Maxi Association.
“The Maxis have found their place in Saint-Tropez. I’ve received excellent feedback from the owners. They sailed well all week, and the results are in line with the season, with a few exceptions. Tonight we’ll be presenting the trophies for our Mediterranean Inshore Championship, as well as awards to our top members. Multihulls and foilers are attracting a number of owners, and it’s our mission to welcome them.”
The winners of the Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2023 MAXIS:
Maxi 1 – North Sails Trophy ; Spirit of MalouenX (Stéphane Névé). 2nd: Pattoo . 3rd: Jasi (Toby Clarke).
Maxi 2 – Galeries Bartoux Trophy : 1st: Cannonball (Dario Ferrari). 2nd: North Stars (Peter Dubens). 3rd: Magic Carpet 3 (Lindsay Owen Jones)
Maxi 3 – Besserat de Bellefon Trophy: Lyra (Terry Hui). 2nd: Capricorno (Alessandro Del Bono). 3rd: Les Amis (Valter Pizzoli)
Maxi 4 – Torpez Trophy:Saïda (Juerg Schneider). 2nd: Kiwi Magic KZ7 (Johan Petersen).3rd: French Kiss (Christophe Babule)
IMA Inshore Mediterranean Winner: Capricorno (Alessandro Del Bono)
IMA’s Top Member: Lyra (Terry Hui)
Saint-Tropez City Cup – 1st Maxi Yacht: Cannonball (Dario Ferrari)
Club 55 Maxi Cup: Magic Carpet3 – Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones
Challengers: Kiwi Magic KZ7 (Johan Petersen)
Photo Contest Results: Alain Laub, from Cavalaire, represented by Cléa Auger
A trophy designed by OCTO.
The City of Saint-Tropez trophy is awarded to the first Maxi Yacht in all categories, in this case Cannonball. It is an original sculpture designed by Hyères-based designer Arnaud Régalet of the firm Octo—a wooden creation evoking a sail, measuring 60 cm and weighing 2.5 kg.
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 IN SAINT-TROPEZ
CITY OF SAINT-TROPEZ
PORT OF SAINT-TROPEZ
LES MARINES DE COGOLIN
FRENCH SAILING FEDERATION
YACHT CLUB DE FRANCE
INTERNATIONAL MAXI ASSOCIATION
Organization:
Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez
President: Pierre Roinson
Chief Race Officer: Georges Korhel
Regatta Manager: Frédérique Fantino
Technical Manager: Philippe Martinez
Communications and Executive Assistant: Chloé de Brouwer
Editor: Denis Van den Brink
Website: www.lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr
Media site: www.snst-media.com/
Facebook: Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez Official 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
Video
SNST/Guilain Grenier, 6G
Press Relations:
Maguelonne Turcat