“We’ve never seen so many people on the quaysides! The quality of the line-up was remarkable and the weather really played ball. As a result, all the ingredients were in place to make this edition exceptional! Used to taking part in major events, the Maxis confirmed to us during their prize-giving yesterday evening that the standard of the hospitality at Les Voiles had exceeded their expectations, a sentiment that.
“We’ve never seen so many people on the quaysides! The quality of the line-up was remarkable and the weather really played ball. As a result, all the ingredients were in place to make this edition exceptional! Used to taking part in major events, the Maxis confirmed to us during their prize-giving yesterday evening that the standard of the hospitality at Les Voiles had exceeded their expectations, a sentiment that pays tribute to our team. However, we still have room for improvement and it’s important to always ensure that what we offer is of a standard that befits our exceptional partners, they too an integral part of the event. As the organiser, I always feel a slight twinge of regret not to be on the water myself but I’ve been fortunate enough to race pretty much all over the world and only at Les Voiles have I seen such a unique ballet as the boats dock in and out. Just yesterday, the six large schooners were making headway in single file to the sounds of music, horns and canon fire, which was another wonderful moment. There were smiles of shared happiness and even when the party was in full swing late into the evening, the ambiance is never aggressive here. It’s quite remarkable but that’s the spirit of Les Voiles and something we must continue to cultivate. I was also touched by Patrice de Colmont’s initiative regarding Paul Watson. It’s a cause well worth defending and we’re proud to have supported it. I hope that the visibility of Les Voiles and the various initiatives put in place will have helped him. This anniversary edition of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez also had an America’s Cup vibe running through it, with its nod to the 12mRs in port and the announcement of Britain’s victory in the Louis Vuitton Cup, which delighted a number of the British crews racing here. As the Challenger Club we’re obviously frustrated for the French crew but we will continue to stay in regular contact with Stéphane Kandler going forward. The team is fantastic. Unlucky to break their AC 40, there is an abundance of young sailors coming up through the ranks and there are undoubtedly high hopes to be nurtured for the next edition.”
Georges Korhel, Principal Race Officer at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez: “I’ve never seen so many people on the sea wall!”