© Gilles Martin-Raget
Making up the Classic, Modern and Maxi classes, nearly 250 boats are officially entered in Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.
Elena of London with 14 meters over the deck in addition to the 41 meters of water line length is the biggest entry. This replica of Nathanaël Herreshoff’s 1910 auric schooner was built in Spain in 2009. Also joining the fleet Dainty from the Solent Sunbeam series with crew of British sailor Peter Nicholson is returning to Saint-Tropez where in 2022, they celebrated her 100th anniversary in the Yacht Club de Gstaad Centenary Trophy.
Sky, the 26meter auric Yawl Sky built in 1890 in England at the Thetis Ware shipyard, is the oldest entrant. She will compete in the Classic class having undergone a full refit.
In the Maxi class, Radical 82-foot Judel-Vrolijk Capricorno, built entirely out of carbon last year at King Marine and her Italian crew will have their work cut out to beat North Star, another from the drawing board of the German design duo, or Jethou, the master Wally 101, not forgetting Y3K, largest in its category at 30.80 meters.
In the Modern class, Nanoq, helmed in 2023 by Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, returns with the same helmsman, crowned king in the meantime following the abdication of his mother last December. Competition will be tough, with three TP52s on the line, light-weight one-designs like the Cape 31 class and other prototypes specifically designed to perform under IRC class rules.
The fleet divided into four classifications will once again allow for an equal playing field for boats as diverse as the Tofinou 9.50, the Club Swan 42, the Code 0 and the Grand Soleil 50.
See you on the water!
