Innovative regatta management for the 25th edition
In keeping with the great tradition of the Nioulargue, the 25th edition of the Voiles de Saint-Tropez offers a more compact 10-day format. The spirit of the event remains unchanged, both at sea and on land.
On the water: ask for the programme
The Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez is in charge of organising the event and orchestrating the regattas. It has to manage a fleet of competitors comprising around 250 boats divided into three main categories – Maxis, Moderns and Traditions – which are themselves subdivided into classes grouping together boats with similar performance levels and speeds. We’re going to do the same thing for Les Voiles as we did for the Rolex Giraglia,” explains Georges Korhel, the Principal Race Officer. “The day before each day of racing, the Race Committee will inform the competitors of its intentions, taking into account the weather forecasts. Why not imagine the fleet of large moderns doing constructed courses, and the fleet of small moderns doing a short coastal race, or racing with the Maxis? You can envisage just about anything with that. Thanks to the use of geopositioned electric course buoys which have no impact on the seabed, the Committee will also be able to set up courses in the race zone in front of the beaches of Pampelonne, respecting this area adjacent to the Port-Cros National Park managed by the Marine Observatory of the Communauté de Communes du golfe de Saint-Tropez.
On land: a seaside village!
It’s one of the big surprises of the 25th edition: the ephemeral village of Les Voiles will be set up right next to the regattas, on the Môle Jean Réveille! This unmissable meeting place, open to participants and the public alike, is the real beating heart of the event for the duration of the Voiles. “On one side you can see the sea, on the other the church tower of Saint-Tropez”, sums up Pierre Roinson, President of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, when describing this incredible location and all its advantages, thanks to the technical prowess required for its design and construction. “As well as being new, it will give a different dimension to the Voiles, with greater visibility of the marquees from the port for this area that is truly open to all, which will have a stage where the musicians will perform”. A special effort is also being made to improve signage.
On the entertainment front, the pillars of the Voiles’ success will be there for all to see, with performances by groups in the Voiles village in the evenings, as well as the not-to-be-missed highlights such as the boule competition on Wednesday evening, and the famous parade of crews that lights up the harbour and adjacent streets on Thursday evening.
Focus on : Highfield, the world leader in aluminium-hulled RIBs joins the Voiles de Saint-Tropez partner club
Their nickname was given to them by the skippers of the Vendée Globe and the Route du Rhum: the ‘guardian angels of Highfield’, standard-bearers of the brand which has made its deep-V aluminium hulls its trademark, have forged a reputation over the last 12 years for smooth handling and exceptional performance in all sea conditions. Highfield France, managed by Pascal-Eric Montazel, has recently been acquired by RCM, one of the world’s leading distributors of cars and yachts, and is joining forces with Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez for the next three years, with the launch of a brand new range with the evocative name of ‘Sport Méditerranée’.
Programme 2023
Friday 29 September: (early afternoon) welcome to the Maxis (over 18.28m)
Saturday 30 September: Maxis (over 18.28m) and Classic and Modern yachts up to 18.28 metres in length.
Sunday 1 October: regattas for the Maxis,
Classic and Modern yachts up to 18.28 metres in length
Monday 2 October: regattas for the Maxis and Modern yachts
Tuesday 3 October: regattas for all fleets
Wednesday 4 October: regattas for Modern and Classic yachts
Day Off for Maxis and Club 55 Cup Maxis
Thursday 5 October: Challenge Day and Club 55 Cup for Modern and Classic yachts, regattas for Maxis.
Friday 6 October: regattas for all fleets,
Prize-giving ceremony for the Maxis
Saturday 7 October: regattas for Modern and Classic yachts,
Sunday 8 October: Prize-giving ceremony for Modern and Classic yachts
Partners of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez
ROLEX
BMW
NORTH SAILS
WALLY
SUZUKI MARINE
HIGHFIELD
MERCANTOUR
BYBLOS
CHAMPAGNE BARONS DE ROTHSCHILD
GALERIE BARTOUX
ESPRIT VILLAGE A SAINT-TROPEZ
VILLE DE SAINT-TROPEZ
PORT DE SAINT-TROPEZ
LES MARINES DE COGOLIN
FEDERATION FRANCAISE DE VOILE
YACHT CLUB DE FRANCE
INTERNATIONAL MAXI ASSOCIATION
Organisation :
Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez
Président : Pierre Roinson
Principal Race Officer : Georges KorhelSites internet : www.lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr ; www.societe-nautique-saint-tropez.fr
Facebook : les Voiles de Saint-Tropez Officiel
Twitter : @VoilesSTOrg
Instagram : les_voiles_de_saint_tropez
La Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez
Fondée en 1862, la Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez organise des régates depuis plus de 160 ans. Certains de ses membres ont laissé une trace impérissable, comme Guy de Maupassant en 1887 et Paul Signac en 1892, qui font partie des pionniers de la plaisance française. Affiliée à la FFVoile et Club allié du Yacht Club de France, la SNST n’a cessé de s’agrandir avec comme leitmotiv de toujours être ouverte à la modernité et aux nouveautés tout en respectant la tradition.
Fort d’une équipe de passionnés dont 16 membres du Conseil d’Administration, 5 permanents, 500 membres et de nombreux bénévoles, le Club organise de grandes épreuves comme les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, la Rolex Giraglia, les Dames de Saint-Tropez ou la course Paprec 600 Saint-Tropez. Il accueille des événements exceptionnels comme des championnats du monde et depuis 2021 l’étape française de Sail GP, ainsi qu’une étape du 52 Super Series circuit des TP 52 en 2023.
La Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez est le club support de l’équipe française Orient Express Team pour la 37eme America’s Cup, qui aura lieu en septembre et octobre 2024 à Barcelone.Photos : Gilles Martin-Raget
