Les Voiles de Saint Tropez - Always something on

by Sail-World.com NZL on 2 Oct 2015 Heave-ho! Anything’s possible on a Thursday! Even after two days of easterly gales of unprecedented ferocity, Les Voiles de Saint Tropez gets back down to action at the first opportunity both on shore and at sea.

Indeed this Thursday traditionally plays host to Challenge Day, a moment which celebrates the spirit of Les Voiles and yachting, with the crews particularly excited to get back out on the racetrack after two days on the dock. In the wake of the Wally, Genie of the Lamp, which was celebrating her 20th birthday with the 15m JI Tuiga, centenarians and modern yachts alike paid homage on what was still a rather lumpy bay, safe in the knowledge that there would be plenty of merriment and racing banter back on shore in Saint Tropez.
Moonbeam takes the Club 55 Cup!

In light of the weather, the crew of the Bermudan cutter Hallowe’en was this morning forced to inform the organisation of its desire not to race today. Meantime the gaff cutter Moonbeam of Fife deemed itself fit to hit the race zone and thus, by default, bagged the Club 55 Cup. As a result, the grand jury, which presides over this Club 55 Cup, will shortly decide the name of the next Defender, Moonbeam having already won it.

Genie and Tuiga race for a good cause…
Today, in an amazing generational clash, the Wally Genie of the Lamp came up against the venerable Tuiga, a 1909 gaff cutter, within the context of a challenge coloured by values that are cherished by seafarers everywhere. Indeed each boat owner, HRH Prince Charles of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (Genie) and HRH Prince Albert of Monaco (Tuiga), had decided of his own free will to race their duel under the banner of the struggle against world hunger and the preservation of the oceans. Neck and neck throughout the course, which led them from the Tour du Portalet to the far end of the bay and the Beauvallon mark, it was modernity that won out over tradition, Genie crossing the finish line with a lead of several boat lengths. The respective crews promptly headed back to shore where their carriages awaited to lead them in merry procession to Pampelonne and the Club 55.

The Trophée Rolex also plays a starring role…
Somewhat lacking in races since the start of this edition of Les Voiles de Saint Tropez due to the unfavourable weather, a number of participants in the Trophée Rolex benefited from a lane opened up under Le Portalet and a course set in the bay to launch some very friendly challenges. Patrick Teyssier and his Stephens Palynodie II design leapt at the chance to challenge his lifelong friends aboard Ratafia (Mauric 1967), Jericho (Carter 1966), Helisara and Stiren (Stephens 1962). Alas, one of the race marks simply vanished, leaving the skippers no option but to adjourn to the bar in the Village des Voiles to decide on the outcome of the race between gentlemen. It was the same good-natured mindset that reigned aboard Outlaw and Oryx, the two Illingsworth designs also competing in the Trophée Rolex, which benefited from starts launched on request by the Race Committee from Le Portalet.

The Centenary Trophy for Oriole
The gales had caused the organisers and participants of the fifth edition of the Centenary Trophy to fear the worse. However, with the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez and the Gstaad Yacht Club working in perfect symbiosis, some 23 yachts, all of them centenarians of differing sizes and rigs, were able to hit the racetrack from noon, in what finally proved to be a manageable wind and smoother seas. Georges Korhel, Race Director of Les Voiles de Saint Tropez, concocted a course that was well protected given this week’s complex weather systems. “The idea was to keep the yachts protected from the bay,” he explained. In this way, the yachts were invited to set sail, in an order dictated by their measurement handicap, on a large 8-mile long rectangular course from Le Portalet towards the Rabiou mark, beam onto the bay towards La Sèche, before dropping downwind towards the far side of the bay and the Beauvalon mark and then returning to Saint Tropez. The first to set off, Lulu, a Caillebotte-design gaff cutter launched in 1897, was accompanied by the gaff schooner Morwenna (Linton Hope 1914). The principle behind the racing is simple: following this handicapped start, the first to cross the finish line is declared the winner. Oriole (Herreshoff 1905) had the edge today and thus succeeds Olympian (Gardner 1913), last year’s winner, which must contend with second place for this edition. Mignon (Plym 1905) completes the podium.

Friday 2 October; Genie day
The story of the Genie of the Lamp is inextricably linked to that of Les Voiles; indeed it was during the Nioulargue, ‘ancestor’ to Les Voiles, in 1995, that Genie made her racing debut. In celebration, tomorrow will be entirely dedicated to her group of Wallys. A special trophy will be awarded to the day’s winners, and Genie herself will be star of the show with all the Wally fleet sporting their large class flag and welcoming her back into port in the evening amidst a fanfare of horns and sirens. Launched in 1995 according to a concept developed by Luca Bassani, inventor of the Wallys, Genie of the Lamp was the first in a long line of top of the range cruiser-racers capable of being sailed singlehanded thanks to a number of navigational devices fine-tuned by Wally. More comfortable, faster and safer too, Genie of the Lamp was hailed as a revolution. Measuring 24 metres in length, she inspired the developments of all the Wallys and still influences yacht design worldwide. Despite being 20 years of age, Genie still has a very up-to-date look about her, that is untarnished by time…

Who are you? Jérôme Nutte
Of Mediterranean descent, Jérôme is a Race Officer in the International Race Committee for the Régates Royales in Cannes and for the past 4 years he has been in charge of the ‘Classics’ round at Les Voiles de Saint Tropez. “Cannes plays host exclusively to the Dragons and Classic yachts, and the atmosphere is very sporty. Les Voiles de Saint Tropez is the last regatta of the season for a number of crews, so it’s both sporty and fun.” The Classics round, ultimately governed by Georges Korhel, endeavours to design a series of courses each day in the hope that the resulting races will satisfy even the most demanding racers. “Each morning, Georges gives us a set of objectives and instructions, which need to be adhered to so as to guarantee some good racing,” explains Jérôme. “We organise 5 starts a day. We then keep track of the race times and the stability of the course.” Jérôme’s focus is on the racers, but a specific feature of the Classics round is that some consideration also goes into protecting the material element given the number of centenarians among the fleet. “Discussions can be pretty lively at times,” he admits. “Recently in Cannes, Mariska and Elena rubbed shoulders a bit!” For Jérôme, Georges and fellow round managers, Jean-Pierre Mannetstatter and Paul Bastard, maintaining a good relationship with the racers is key. “It is through dialogue with the racers that we make progress with the organisation of races.”