{"id":5341,"date":"2026-10-03T23:29:44","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T21:29:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr\/?p=5341"},"modified":"2026-10-03T23:29:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T21:29:44","slug":"a-sumptuous-finale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr\/en\/a-sumptuous-finale","title":{"rendered":"A sumptuous finale"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

As the fleets set sail this Saturday morning in brilliant sunshine and a well-established breeze, there was still pretty much all to play for in each of the 20 categories. For the last racing of the week, the E\u2019ly breeze chased away the clouds to offer competitors and spectators a lovely summer\u2019s day. And as dusk fell, the tension became increasingly palpable as the results rolled in. The celebrations began with those vying for the Rolex Trophy and the Maxi prize-giving, while the best Modern and Tradition yachts will be honoured tomorrow, Sunday. However, if we have to single out just one winner, it would have to be this week-long regatta itself: Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, coloured by passion, the joy of being a part of it and a celebration of yachting in all its forms, Modern, Traditional and Maxi yachts alike.<\/strong>

Rolex Trophy: Olympian, a resounding triumph.\u00a0<\/strong>
There is absolutely no question that the four P Classes are four jewels of yachting. The grace of these Epoque Gaffers from America\u2019s eastern seaboard and the historic appeal of their presence at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez had certainly not escaped the Swiss watchmaker. The main partner to Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, Rolex is awarding its prestigious Trophy for the twentieth year and it is this new class that takes the honours in 2026. Boasting very similar performance capabilities and honed crews, the regatta was hotly disputed throughout the past week, though the competition was particularly fierce between\u00a0Olympian<\/em>and\u00a0Chips<\/em>. The former incurred a penalty in the first race and despite following that up by two bullets, she had to post another win ahead of her direct rival again today to triumph outright. \u201cIt was an intense battle with\u00a0Chips<\/em>. They made a load of dummy tacks, so it really was a match race throughout. We fought all the way to the wire. It\u2019s a wonderful story, which began fourteen years ago and the battle is intense every time, but the team gets on fabulously well with one another and with all the other Ps,\u201d said a beaming Philippe Oddo as they arrived dockside.\u00a0
A cut above the rest this year and particularly at ease in the chop off St Tropez picked up by the E\u2019ly wind,\u00a0Olympian<\/em>, the narrowest of the P Classes, has succeeded in adding her name to the recipients of the Rolex Trophy. After\u00a0Cambria<\/em>\u00a0last year, she joins what is now a long list of yachts hailed as making truly standout performances in the history of yachting, a history which they continue to write with both joy and talent.

Tradition\u00a0yachts: smart and stylish<\/strong>
In the Big Boat category, the schooner\u00a0Elena of London<\/em>\u00a0secured victory in stunning fashion after an epic match race with another schooner,\u00a0Lelantina<\/em>, as well as the ketch\u00a0Sumurun<\/em>, which managed to pull herself up into second place overall after a fabulous race today. In the Grand Tradition category, Jimmy Spithill at the helm of\u00a0Tuiga<\/em>\u00a0took two days to truly realise the potential of the Fife design but his timing was pitch perfect and earned the crew outright victory despite\u00a0Viveka<\/em>\u00a0winning the first two races. Among the Epoque Gaffers,\u00a0Kismet<\/em>\u00a0posted a flawless performance with three out of four bullets to take overall victory ahead of the Herreshoff sloop\u00a0Oriole<\/em>\u00a0and the New-York 40\u00a0Marilee<\/em>.
In Epoque Marconi A, it was\u00a0Leonore<\/em>\u00a0which triumphed ahead of eighteen other candidates in this the biggest class at Les Voiles. The Q Class\u00a0Falcon<\/em>\u00a0finished second and the 8mR\u00a0Carron II<\/em>\u00a0completed the podium. Among the Epoque Marconi Bs,\u00a0Lak II<\/em>\u00a0sailed splendidly, followed in the overall ranking by\u00a0Harlekin<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0One Wave<\/em>. In IOR,\u00a0Il Moro di Venezia<\/em>\u00a0had to hand over her crown to the One Tonner\u00a0Resolute Salmon<\/em>, tailed by the Frers 53\u00a0Encounter<\/em>\u00a0and another One Tonner,\u00a0Ornella<\/em>.
Of the 12mRs,\u00a0Kiwi Magic<\/em>\u00a0was clearly right to take time out to repair her mast on Wednesday and Thursday since she finished the event in stellar fashion, tied on points with\u00a0French Kiss<\/em>\u00a0but credited with two race wins.\u00a0

Maxi yachts: Jethou wins the Edmond de Rothshild Trophy<\/strong>
On Monday, Sir Peter Ogden\u2019s Judel Vrolijk design\u00a0Jethou<\/em>\u00a0made a dazzling start to the competition with a victory in the light airs, holding the large 100-foot Maxis in check, along with\u00a0NorthStar III<\/em>, the unruly child of the series and the recent world champion no less. All week long, the black Maxi was constantly racking up some superb races, fifth place being her worst score in Tuesday\u2019s breezy conditions. Still tied on points with\u00a0V<\/em>\u00a0this morning, she won today\u2019s final coastal course and hence the championship.\u00a0
It\u2019s a prime example of longevity for this 2012 yacht, originally designed as a 72-footer, before being extended to 77 feet and always maintained at the highest level, both in terms of her sail plan and the development of her appendages. As a result, the Wallycento\u00a0V<\/em>\u00a0did not secure a double at Les Voiles, but she did win the IMA Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge 2026, which tots up the results from the Palmavela, the IMA Maxi European Championship Inshore in Sorrento, the Loro Piana Giraglia Inshore, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.
Within Maxi 2, in her mano a mano with\u00a0Twin Soul B<\/em>,\u00a0Lyra<\/em>\u00a0triumphed thanks to her bullet in today\u2019s race. There was also an epic match in Maxi 3 between\u00a0Why Not<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Yoru<\/em>, though ultimately it was\u00a0Vismara 62<\/em>\u00a0which was supreme thanks to a blinding last race. In Maxi 4, the crew of the Dehler 60\u00a0Blue Oyster<\/em>\u00a0snaffled the overall crown with ease thanks to three out of four bullets.

J Class: Svea shoots to the top of the Js<\/strong>
The J Class named after the patriotic emblem of Sweden, wins Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez in indomitable spirit. Built in 2017 according to some long-forgotten plans drawn by the Swedish architect Tore Holm and helmed by Niklas Zennstr\u00f6m\u2019s crack team, the longest and most powerful of the J Classes won three of the six races she completed.\u00a0Rainbow<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Hanuman<\/em>\u00a0were never far behind her, the latter winning today\u2019s race and both of them raising their game throughout the week according to Tony Rey,\u00a0Svea<\/em>\u2019s tactician. \u201cThe races are increasingly close. Our problem is that we have to keep slightly ahead of\u00a0Rainbow<\/em>and\u00a0Hanuman<\/em>, whilst continuing to up the ante as that will be key in future matches next season. Each new upwind or downwind leg in close contact with our rivals is a further opportunity to learn, even though we\u2019ve been sailing together aboard\u00a0Svea<\/em>\u00a0for years. That\u2019s what prompted us to compete in Les Voiles!\u201d
This evening,\u00a0Svea<\/em>\u00a0was awarded the\u00a0Corinthian Kings Cup<\/strong>. This trophy, first presented in 2012 by the J Class, annually rewards the owner-helmsman in the season\u2019s most noteworthy regatta. And it is no coincidence that Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez was selected on this occasion: \u201cThe J Classes returned to fleet racing for the first time in several years here, explained the secretary of the J Class, Louise Morton, this evening. The organisation of the race really lived up to our high expectations and we were thrilled to welcome some of the best sailors in the world aboard the Js. As ever, the atmosphere on shore was unique with the J Classes the centre of attention.\u201d\u00a0
Indeed, it is fair to say that the public was treated to a sublime feast for the eyes by the Js during this edition of Les Voiles and their crews clearly had an absolute ball. So set a date for 2026, when the fleet could well be fleshed out even more.

Modern yachts: The sparkling Spirit of Lorina wins the BMW Trophy<\/strong>
Despite a fantastic start by the TP 52\u00a0Nanoq<\/em>\u00a0at 11:00 am this morning, it is\u00a0Spirit of Lorina<\/em>\u00a0that takes home the BMW Trophy in IRC 0 by finishing second today behind the Wallyrocket51\u00a0Kilara 2<\/em>.\u00a0Spirit of Lorina<\/em>, the Botin design TP 52 has still got it. Formerly known as\u00a0Azzura<\/em>\u00a0(2012), Marcelo Pica and Jean-Pierre Barjon\u2019s team took over the yacht this year and have sailed brilliantly, bagging two bullets and making virtually no mistakes in this fleet of very high-level performers.\u00a0\u201cJean-Pierre has done a fabulous job with the team on the boat. We worked very intensely and remained very focused right to the wire. We won three races, which is amazing given the standard of this class,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>enthused Marcello Pica at the finish.
Interlodge IV<\/em>, the Botin 44 owned by American Gwen Fragomen, nudged into the second spot ahead of Nanoq, proving that a superb team can still reach for the stars on a smaller boat amidst a class made up predominantly of TP 52s and Wallyrocket51s.
In IRC 1, the Ker 46\u00a0Lisa R<\/em>\u00a0came out victorious ahead of the Nacira 47\u00a0Pretexte 2<\/em>, which was quite a way ahead of the third placed\u00a0Searcher 2,<\/em>\u00a0another Ker 46. In IRC 2, the Ukrainian J 133,\u00a0J Wow<\/em>, utterly dominated the competition with first and second places throughout the week. In IRC 3, the Farr 30\u00a0Topaz<\/em>\u00a0held off the Swan 44\u00a0Pride<\/em>\u00a0all week long to finally topple her, whilst another Farr 30,\u00a0Letto di Pletto<\/em>completed the podium.
Lastly, in IRC, the Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 Nautique de Saint-Tropez\u2019s Sun Fast 3200\u00a0Overdose Neo<\/em>\u00a0triumphed in this 28th edition of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez ahead of the Swan 391\u00a0Iskareen<\/em>\u00a0and the First 34.7\u00a0Corto Maltese<\/em>.

Spotlight on:<\/strong>
The Comit\u00e9 International de la M\u00e9diterran\u00e9e\u00a0<\/strong>presented a Trophy this evening within the context of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the venerable institution, it rewards the top boat in the season\u2019s five events, which span three different countries (France, Spain and Italy).
Hallowe\u2019en<\/em>,\u00a0Eugenia V<\/em>,\u00a0Ojala<\/em>,\u00a0Rowdy<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Varuna 2<\/em>\u00a0each managed to secure victory in their respective categories.\u00a0
Three special prizes were also awarded to Benoit Couturier for creating Team Fife, to Steve MacLaren, former captain of\u00a0Elena of London<\/em>, and to the yacht\u00a0Eileen 1938.<\/em>
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026 Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez Schedule<\/strong>\u00a0
Sunday, October 4:<\/strong>\u00a0Prize-giving for the Moderns and Classics, including the BMW Trophy and special trophies
\u00a0<\/strong>

LES VOILES DE SAINT-TROPEZ PARTNERS<\/strong>
\u00a0<\/strong>
Major Partner<\/strong>
ROLEX

Premium Partners<\/strong>
BMW
EDMOND DE ROTHSCHILD

Privileged Partners<\/strong>
WALLY
SUZUKI MARINE
BRIG

Associated Partners<\/strong>
VSC CORPORATE RECOVERY CONSULTING
PORT DES MARINES DE COGOLIN
NORTH SAILS

Suppliers<\/strong>
MERCANTOUR EVENTS
BYBLOS
PEPINIERE DU GOLFE
CHAMPAGNE BARONS DE ROTHSCHILD\u00a0
CHATEAU SAINT-MAUR CRU CLASSE
MAITRES VIGNERONS DE LA PRESQU\u2019ILE DE SAINT-TROPEZ
TIKAMOON
L\u2019ECOLE DU LUXE

Institutional Partners of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez\u00a0<\/strong>
VILLE DE SAINT-TROPEZ
PORT DE SAINT-TROPEZ\u00a0
SAINT-TROPEZ TOURISME
ESPRIT VILLAGE A SAINT-TROPEZ
FEDERATION FRAN\u00c7AISE DE VOILE
YACHT CLUB DE FRANCE\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
INTERNATIONAL MAXI ASSOCIATION
COMITE INTERNATIONAL DE LA MEDITERRANEE

Organisation\u00a0
<\/strong>Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 Nautique de Saint-Tropez, President: Pierre Roinson
Principal Race Officer: Georges Korhel
Registrations: Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique Fantino
Marine Safety: Gilles Doyen
Logistics and Procurement: Alice Coquant\u00a0
Communications and External Relations: Chlo\u00e9 de Brouwer

Websites and Social Media\u00a0<\/strong>
www.lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr<\/a>
www.societe-nautique-saint-tropez.fr<\/a>
Instagram: les_voiles_de_saint_tropez
Facebook: les Voiles de Saint-Tropez officiel
X formally Twitter: @VoilesSTOrg
YouTube: Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez Officiel

Media Production\u00a0<\/strong>
Editorial: Pierre-Marie Bourguinat\u00a0
Video: Guilain Grenier, Images 6 G Production\/SNST
Photography: Gilles Martin-Raget\u00a0
Press Relations: Maguelonne Turcat\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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