Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez Day 3: The Best of Les Voiles
by Maguelonne Turcat 1 Oct 14:37 PDT
28 September – 6 October 2024
What an incredible spectacle! Enjoying the sunny weather, the 250 competitors at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez delivered an exhilarating performance from the Portalet tower to the Pampelonne bay and all the way to the Fourmigue, lighting up the Gulf of Saint-Tropez late this afternoon.
During afternoon tea, they all gathered in the port with a delightful tilt, showcasing a fantastic range of vessels from a small sportsboat to a 40-meter gaff schooner, a collection of 12mRs, and the impressive Maxis. It was a brilliant day for everyone, yielding some of the stunning images that make Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez so special.
The full details
The Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez’s office and Village des Voiles were buzzing with energy this morning as the three Race Committees collaborated to create the optimal schedule for the three classes, making for their first gathering this Tuesday.
The large Maxis, comprising classes A and B, participated in two windward-leeward races similar to Monday, while classes C and D raced along a 32-mile coastal course towards the Fourmigue mark, east of Cape Bénat. By week’s end, the program will switch for the fleets to allow necessary sail adjustments on their day-off.
In the Modern fleet, the four classes departed on an 18-mile coastal course at 12:40 p.m., having patiently awaited about an hour for the wind to settle in the bay. Meanwhile, the Classic yachts had to wait a bit longer. On the bright side, the Race Committee, led by Philippe Enel, successfully executed five very coordinated starts at lunchtime.
Unlike the Modern fleet, the larger Classic yachts, the Grand Tradition and Big Racer classes, were the last to hit the water and enjoyed some mingling throughout the day, striving for a close finish in the late afternoon in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
“It’s crucial to note that these boats are complex to maneuver. Some exceed 40 meters, making clear water essential at the start of a race. We actually provide them with a ten-minute warning signal before the starting procedure to help them position themselves,” says Georges Korhel, Principal Race Officer at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.
Two bays, two vibes
While the sun was blazing today, the differences in breeze across the various waters were even more pronounced than the previous day. Maxis enjoyed a solid 15 knots of wind in Pampelonne, while a transition zone caused the frontrunners to stagger slightly when exiting the Saint-Tropez bay.
Struggling in rough chop at Basse Rabiou, the IRC Bs found themselves caught up with the smaller classes, and the same scenario occurred on the return leg. Consequently, the finish ballet in the Modern fleet included both small and large vessels. The Classic yachts experienced similar challenges, powered up in gentle breezes, only to be left stranded when the wind died despite their elegant, expansive sail area.
Such tricky conditions unfortunately dampened some of the ambitions of the Grand Tradition yachts, particularly around Les Issambres.
A favorable thermal breeze to finish grandly
Apart from Jolt and Lyra, who continued to be untouchable today in their respective classes (Maxi A and B), as well as the Swan 65 Six Jaguar in Maxi D, yesterday’s champions did not always replicate their previous performance. In Maxi C, Wallyño, neck-and-neck with Lady First 3, was unable to fend off Yoru, who claimed victory today.
Among the Modern boats, the TP52s had to yield to the Swan 42 Lagherta in IRC B, while the A 40 Ad-hoc took the win for the Trophée BMW (IRC C). For IRC D (Trophée Suzuki Marine), the JPK 10.10 Expresso sailed impressively to finish first in both elapsed and corrected time as it did yesterday, while the Dufour 40 Lady claimed victory in IRC E. In the Modern rankings, Pippa’s triumph in the Tofinou fleet stood out.
Starting at 16:00 hours, the thermal breeze began to really pick up, leading to numerous finishers nursing sail and rig damage, especially among some Classic fleet members, but also resulting in some beautiful images. The match race between Tuiga and Mariska was a highlight captured on film today. These two crossed the starting line together at 14:00 hours and maintained close proximity throughout the race.
It nearly came down to a photo finish to distinguish them. Ultimately, Mariska claimed victory in elapsed time, but corrected time could see the roles reversed…
With action also commencing today in the Rolex Trophy, Chips secured a win in the P Class, which is already developing into a fierce competition.
Postscript: After finishing this afternoon, the brand-new Daguet 5, a Carkeek design built in the UK at Carrington Boats, unfortunately collided with another vessel. The team has since pulled the boat out to evaluate any damage and determine if they can continue racing at Les Voiles…
www.lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr
