A two-week event
Until now organised over a week of competition, the Voiles de Saint-Tropez will take place in 2020 from Saturday 26th September to Friday 9th October. Previously, the regattas took place in circles - i.e. by category of boat - in different venues: the Classics in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, the modern ones in Les Salins and the Maxis Yachts on the Pampelonne side.
From now on, the regattas will take place over two weeks, but still not boat categories, and all of them will be in front of Saint-Tropez. Thus, boats under 20m (up to 24m for some) will sail in the first week and boats over 20m will race in the second week. In both groups, there will be both classic and modern boats.
"The idea of cutting the fleet in two is first of all to have better reception facilities in the port of Saint-Tropez. Usually, 300 boats participate in the Voiles de Saint-Tropez, but only 100 to 150 boats can moor in the port. By spreading out the fleet, we will be able to better welcome the sailing boats. It will also allow us to give the starts back in front of Saint-Tropez." explains Maguelonne Turcat.
Two regattas for two categories of boats
Sailing over two weeks is not new, since at the origins of the race - La Nioulargue - the Maxi regattas were held outside the rest of the race. This new format will also make it possible to improve the courses according to the potential of the boats and to avoid the routes of the very big boats crossing those of the smaller ones (which are still 18 m long). Maritime Affairs has also asked the organisation to reduce the perimeter of Pampelonne, due to the new anchorage areas.
"In the first week, the on-water programme is unchanged for boats up to about 20 metres - there may be exceptions depending on class and/or boat speed, and in the second week the largest and fastest modern and traditional boats will be grouped together to allow for courses more suited to their size and speed. For the classics, the boats that were in Grand Tradition, most of which are well over 25 metres long, will be welcomed in the second week, as will the Schooner class - the big schooners. For the modern class, maxi yachts racing over 18 metres will also be entered in the second week" details Georges Korhel, the Principal Race Officer
In the first week, the moderns will have 5 days of regattas starting on Monday. The Traditions will start racing on Tuesday 29th, with Thursday reserved for the Challenges. The prize-giving ceremony will take place on the evening of Saturday 3rd October instead of Sunday morning.
The competitors of the first week will have to leave the port before noon on Sunday 4 October to make way for the competitors of the second week, who can arrive until Monday evening. This regatta called "Voiles Super Boats" will welcome the biggest boats (Wally, IRCA, Maxi yachts, Grand Traditions, Big Schooners), which will have 4 days of regatta before the prize-giving ceremony scheduled on Friday 9th October evening.
The spirit of the sails impacté??
With the splitting of the fleet, what will become of the famous "spirit of the Sails of St. Tropez" ?? The organisation expects up to 200 boats in the first week and about 50 in the second week. All will no longer be able to enjoy themselves together ashore, separated into two different groups.
Pierre Roinson, regatta racer and new president of the Saint-Tropez Nautical Society.
