Regatta update Since Tuesday, each of the four groups in the running has been able to complete two races on courses of around fifteen miles or so, which have been singularly complicated by the vagaries of an often evanescent wind, which has left strategists, sailors and trimmer scrambling to find the right fuel. If, as the saying goes, good sailors are also measured by their ability to perform in light airs, then.
Regatta update Since Tuesday, each of the four groups in the running has been able to complete two races on courses of around fifteen miles or so, which have been singularly complicated by the vagaries of an often evanescent wind, which has left strategists, sailors and trimmer scrambling to find the right fuel. If, as the saying goes, good sailors are also measured by their ability to perform in light airs, then the 800 sailors competing are truly the best in the world. This evening, the McKeon Pattoo design is the one that has best managed the pitfalls at the start of the week. At the halfway point, she is tied on points in the Maxi 1 group, North Sails Trophy, with Morgana (Reichel Pugh) and is just one point ahead of the immense Jasi (Swan 115 Frers). Spirit of Malouen X, the French Wally 107, has remarkably moved back into fourth place thanks to its success yesterday. The Trophée Galeries Bartoux will be awarded to the best boat in the Maxi 2 group. 13 boats, each more remarkable than the last, are in this category, from which the fast 72-foot Maxis emerge. North Star (Vrolijk design) is in the lead this evening, thanks to its victory yesterday and its second place on Tuesday. Cannonball (Botin 72) is hot on his heels, with similar performances. Jethou, Sir Peter Ogden’s Judel Vrolijk design, is just 3 points behind. The Maxis 3 are racing for the Besserat de Bellefon Trophy. There are 12 racers between 18 and 33 metres in length battling it out on sight. It is the astonishing and venerable Capricorno, launched in 1995, which is doing better than resisting the highly feared Wally 77 Lyra. Nothing is certain in this group, where the Swan 601 Les Amis has already made a name for itself with a fine heat victory on Tuesday. Lastly, the Groupe Maxi 4, which supports the Trophée Torpez, is also slow to find its winner. The beautiful ketch Saïda, a Swan 65 built in 1973, is battling it out with the 12 m JI Kiwi Magic KZ7, swapping places under the envious gaze of French Kiss, the other 12 m JI in the group.
Light in light airs Luca Bassani, the visionary founder and Chief Designer of Wally, has created an iconic brand and shaped a specific spirit of boats with a pure aesthetic. He sums up the philosophy behind his industrial approach as follows: “Wally has always been synonymous with innovation, combining the latest technologies with contemporary design, and constantly looking for ways to enhance the experience on the water through performance, comfort and style”. A regular and passionate visitor to Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez and this second week dedicated to Maxis Yachts, he readily shares the following thoughts on the boats’ behaviour in the light Mediterranean breezes. “We are now able to build boats weighing less than 50 tonnes for a length of 100 feet, with every possible comfort on board, thanks to the use of the most modern materials, such as carbon, used in aeronautics. The weight saving compared with a traditional fibreglass boat, for example, is between 40 and 50%. As a result, the power-to-weight ratio is very favourable, and these boats are very fast in light airs. They can make between 8 and 10 knots in 4 to 5 knots of wind, or double the wind speed. 90% of the time, the wind is very light in the Mediterranean, and we include this notion of sailing in light airs in our specifications, in line with the major racing programmes in the Mediterranean. Our boats are light, and the development of the class rules means that we can now consider adding ballasts, so that we can continue to perform well in breezy conditions, while still being able to lighten the boat in light airs.