Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez closed out its on-water action on a blazing summer Saturday, an easterly breeze clearing the clouds just in time for the fleets to settle 20 class championships before nightfall. Tension built steadily through the afternoon as results filtered in. Celebrations began with the Rolex Trophy contenders and the Maxi prizegiving, while the Modern and Classic yacht honours follow on Sunday.
If there was one overall winner this week, it was the regatta itself. Passion, the simple joy of taking part, and a celebration of sailing in all its forms, Modern, Classic and Maxi alike, carried the week.
The Rolex Trophy produced its own drama. Four P Class yachts, all genuine jewels of the sport, fought it out all week, with the real battle coming down to Olympian against Chips. Olympian picked up a penalty in the first race and needed back-to-back wins just to stay in touch, then had to beat Chips again on the final day to take the overall prize.
"It was an intense battle with Chips. They kept tacking away, so it was basically a permanent match race. We fought right to the end. It's a wonderful story that began fourteen years ago; the fight is intense every time, but the team gets on wonderfully well, both internally and with all the other P Class boats," said Philippe Oddo, beaming on the dock.
Olympian, the narrowest of the P Class fleet, handled the Saint-Tropez chop kicked up by the easterly better than most. The win puts her name alongside Cambria, last year's victor, in a growing list of yachts celebrated for genuinely exceptional performances in yachting history.
Among the Tradition fleet, the schooner Elena of London won in superb style after an epic match race with fellow schooner Lelantina and the ketch Sumurun, the latter climbing to second overall after a fabulous race today. In Grand Tradition, Jimmy Spithill took two days to unlock the full potential of the Fife-designed Tuiga, but his timing proved perfect, delivering overall victory despite Viveka having won the first two races.
Among the Vintage Gaffers, Kismet sailed a flawless series with three wins from four races to take the overall win ahead of the Herreshoff sloop Oriole and the New York 40 Marilee. In Vintage Marconi A, the largest class at Les Voiles with nineteen entries, Leonore triumphed ahead of the Q Class Falcon and the 8 Metre Carron II. In Vintage Marconi B, Lak II sailed beautifully to head Harlekin and One Wave overall. In IOR, Il Moro di Venezia had to surrender its crown to the One Tonner Resolute Salmon, with the Frers 53 Encounter and another One Tonner, Ornella, close behind. Among the 12 Metres, Kiwi Magic's decision to take time out mid-week to repair her mast clearly paid off, the yacht finishing level on points with French Kiss but credited with two race wins to take the title.
In the Maxi fleet, Sir Peter Ogden's Judel/Vrolijk design Jethou claimed the Trophée Edmond de Rothschild after a dazzling start on Monday, winning in light airs ahead of the big 100-footers and series contender NorthStar III, recent world champion. The black Maxi strung together strong results all week, her worst score a fifth in Tuesday's breezy conditions, and she was level on points with V going into the final day. Jethou won today's coastal race to take the championship, an impressive result for a yacht built in 2012, originally as a 72-footer before being lengthened to 77 feet, and still being developed at the top level in both sail plan and appendages.
V, the Wallycento, missed out on the double at Les Voiles but had already secured the 2026 IMA Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge overall, a season-long tally combining 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. In Maxi 2, Lyra beat Twin Soul B in a tight duel thanks to winning today's race. Maxi 3 saw an epic battle between Why Not and Yoru, but it was the Vismara 62 that ultimately prevailed with a blistering final race. In Maxi 4, the Dehler 60 Blue Oyster took the overall win comfortably with three wins from four races.
Svea flew for the J Class fleet, named for Sweden's patriotic emblem. Built in 2017 to long-lost designs by Swedish architect Tore Holm and sailed by Niklas Zennström's crew, the longest and most powerful of the J Class yachts won three of the six races held. Rainbow and Hanuman were never far behind, the latter winning today's race, with both lifting their game throughout the week according to Svea's tactician, Tony Rey.
"The racing keeps getting tighter. Our challenge is to stay just ahead of Rainbow and Hanuman, while continuing to build our pace, because that will be key for the battles to come next season. Every new beat or run alongside our rivals is another chance to learn, even though we've sailed together on Svea for years. That's what drew us to Les Voiles," Rey said.
Svea was presented with the Corinthian Kings Cup this evening, a trophy first awarded in 2012 by the J Class to recognise the owner-driver at the standout regatta of the season. J Class secretary Louise Morton said the choice of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez for the honour was no accident. "The J Class raced as a fleet here for the first time in several years. The race organisation really lived up to our expectations, and we were delighted to welcome some of the best sailors in the world aboard the Js. As always, the atmosphere ashore was unique, with the J Class at the centre of attention." The fleet could grow further when it returns in 2026.
In the Modern fleet, Spirit of Lorina, the Botin-designed TP52 formerly known as Azzurra, took out the BMW Trophy in IRC 0 by finishing second today behind the Wallyrocket51 Kilara 2, despite a fantastic start from the TP52 Nanoq. Marcelo Pica and Jean-Pierre Barjon's team took over the yacht this year and sailed it superbly, picking up two race wins and barely a mistake in a high-calibre fleet.
"Jean-Pierre has done a fabulous job with the team on the boat. We worked very hard and stayed focused right to the end. We won three races, which is incredible given the level in this class," said Marcello Pica on the dock.
Interlodge IV, the Botin 44 owned by American Gwen Fragomen, took second ahead of Nanoq, proof that a top-class team can still challenge on a smaller boat in a fleet dominated by TP52s and Wallyrocket51s.
In IRC 1, the Ker 46 Lisa R won ahead of the Nacira 47 Pretexte 2, which held a comfortable margin over third-placed Searcher 2, another Ker 46. In IRC 2, the Ukrainian J 133 J Wow dominated completely with firsts and seconds throughout the week. In IRC 3, the Farr 30 Topaz chased down the Swan 44 Pride all week to take the title, with another Farr 30, Letto di Pletto, completing the podium. In IRC, the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez's own Sun Fast 3200 Overdose Neo won the 28th edition ahead of the Swan 391 Iskareen and the First 34.7 Corto Maltese.
The Comité International de la Méditerranée presented a trophy this evening marking the organisation's 100th anniversary, recognising the best-performed yacht across five events held this season in France, Spain and Italy. Hallowe'en, Eugenia V, Ojala, Rowdy and Varuna 2 each won their respective categories. Special prizes were also presented to Benoît Couturier for establishing Team Fife, to Steve MacLaren, former captain of Elena of London, and to the yacht Eileen, built in 1938.
Sunday brings the final prizegiving for the Modern and Classic fleets, including the BMW Trophy and special awards, closing out the 28th edition of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.
