{"id":4848,"date":"2026-09-15T14:05:37","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T12:05:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr\/the-spirit-of-the-voiles"},"modified":"2026-10-29T12:20:33","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T11:20:33","slug":"the-spirit-of-the-voiles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr\/en\/the-spirit-of-the-voiles","title":{"rendered":"The Spirit of Les Voiles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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From September 26 to October 4, Saint-Tropez transforms into the world yachting capital, pulsating to the rhythm of Les Voiles, orchestrated by the Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 Nautique de Saint-Tropez. 253 sailboats are expected for an exceptional display and unique encounters. Blending tradition and modernity, elegance and high technology, Les Voiles remains above all faithful to the Corinthian spirit instilled by Patrice de Colmont, creator of the Nioulargue in 1981 and who passed away last year: the best regattas on the water and the best atmosphere ashore. A spirit that will continue to inhabit this truly unique week. <\/strong>Maxis: The Giants Take the Stage<\/strong>With 50 Maxis announced, this 2026 edition of Les Voiles could break records and surpass the 46 entries recorded in 2022. A dense fleet, evenly distributed between Maxis 1, which compete for the Edmond de Rothschild Trophy, and the other classes, ranging up to Maxi 5, including the Maxi Grand Prix (Maxi GP). These large racing yachts, over 18.28 meters in length, are not classified by size but by performance, based on their rating. Thus, Atalante<\/em>, a 39-meter Hoek design with a neo-classical look, competes in Maxi 5, while Capricorno<\/em>, a radical 25-meter racer designed by Judel Vorlijk, races in Maxi 1.A highlight of this edition will be the presence of the three J-Class yachts, Hanuman<\/em>, Rainbow<\/em>, and Svea<\/em>, bringing a touch of the America’s Cup to the port of Saint-Tropez and Pampelonne Bay. Beautiful images are in store and wonderful stories to tell, such as that of Svea<\/em>.Designed by Tore Holm in 1937, Svea<\/em> is in fact the newest J-Class yacht, as she was only built for the first time in 2017. It was only after the architect’s death that the plans for this vessel, which had flown under the radar, were found in his archives. Holm, who was also an Olympic medalist and passionate about metric class rules, had built Svanevit<\/em> (White Swan) around the same time\u2014an 8 mJI intended to race in the 1940 Helsinki Olympic Games, which ultimately did not take place. He had no idea then that Svea<\/em> would indeed see the light of day, much less that she would cross paths with her little sister Svanevit<\/em>. The kinship between the two designs is indeed striking. This caught the attention of Guillaume Wattinne, who bought Svanevit<\/em> in 2023 in Holland to bring her back to the Mediterranean. With the same sleek lines, the same transom, and similar hull color, the 14.65-meter sloop is a true scaled-down version of Svea<\/em>. For the very first time, the giant and the 8 m JI will be on the same body of water. A family photo is already scheduled in the port of Saint-Tropez! <\/strong>Tradition: Performance and Authenticity<\/strong>Eighty Traditional yachts, including more than 20 centenarians, will once again illuminate the port and the Gulf of Saint-Tropez this year, where regattas start in front of the Tour du Portalet. This exceptional fleet testifies to the enthusiasm for maritime heritage across Europe and the world today, and confirms the prestige of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, the largest gathering of these historic vessels. But the most incredible aspect of the development of global classic yachting is the major role played by the Nioulargue: its “class rules,” conceived on the back of an envelope, directly contributed to the creation of those of the International Mediterranean Committee (CIM). An influence born in Saint-Tropez and now largely international. Initially gathered for cruising races or rallies, particularly in Italy in the 1990s, Traditional yachts became structured under the impetus of the Yacht Club de Monaco, and a true class rule was developed by the CIM, which became the International Mediterranean Committee for Classic Sailing (CIMVC). Today, it assigns each boat a rating calculated according to performance criteria weighted by an authenticity coefficient, allowing for the organization of international regattas.1,100 vessels have been rated worldwide, and approximately 300 certificates are issued each year for regattas in the Mediterranean, an essential reservoir of Traditional yachts. A remarkable achievement to the credit of the CIM, which celebrates its centenary this year under the presidency of the Italian Luigi “Gigi” Rolandi, recently elected as part of the rotating presidency provided for in the Committee’s statutes, surrounded notably by Renaud Godard, Secretary General and President of the Measurement Commission, and Thierry Leret, Treasurer and President of the Safety and Regattas Commission. <\/s>The Corinthian Spirit, in Memory of Patrice<\/strong>“Regatta is too serious a matter to be left to competitive sailors,” Patrice de Colmont probably told himself when creating the Nioulargue in 1981. For Patrice was not a competitor\u2014he preferred bivouacs on islands aboard Cocotte<\/em>, the small mahogany dinghy built by Matonnat that he sailed as a child\u2014but he loved the sea, beautiful boats, and those who sail them. A master of improvisation yet a shrewd manager, an unparalleled storyteller yet a good listener, a host to stars yet a friend of Pierre Rabhi and a staunch advocate for small-scale farming, which he practiced himself to supply the kitchens of Club 55, the unclassifiable Patrice de Colmont managed to retain that sense of lightheartedness and daring that allowed him to orchestrate and grow a festive regatta week, unique in the world. Having withdrawn from organizing the event after 1995, he maintained closeness and benevolence for Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, which strives to be the worthy heir of the Nioulargue. And he continued to host, he who described himself as a “country innkeeper<\/em>,” the crews of the yachts competing on Wednesday and Thursday, in the tradition initiated by the Swan 44 Pride<\/em> and the 12 m JI Ikra<\/em> in 1981.Patrice de Colmont, who passed away on October 11, 2025, after a short and cruel illness, leaves a profound legacy. The 28th edition of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez will therefore be the first without him, but thanks to his daughter Camille, it will not deviate from the tradition of the Club 55 Cup and the Challenges in which “protests are prohibited or associated with a cash deposit (preferably chilled ros\u00e9)<\/em>” as per the Sailing Instructions, which have not changed a comma since the beginning. This year, the Club 55 Maxi Yacht Cup will see Balthasar<\/em> (Maxi 72), the reigning champion, take on the challenge from Tilakkhana II<\/em> (Wally Cento) on Wednesday, while the two J-Class yachts Rainbow<\/em> and Hanuman<\/em> will face off in match racing, in the spirit of the America’s Cup.And for the Club 55 Cup on Thursday, the defender Mariella<\/em>, a yawl designed by Mylne in 1938, will meet Hallowe’en<\/em>, the Bermudian cutter designed by Fife in 1926, which celebrates its centenary this year. Two beautiful tributes, undoubtedly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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