At Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, Thursday is traditionally dedicated to Challenges, a playful nod to the origins of the Nioulargue and a wonderful way to gauge just how far we’ve come since then. The passage of time was also a hot topic today with the Centenarian Trophy, which pitted 19 high-spirited classic yachts against one another, powered up in a race featuring staggered starts according to the speed potential of.
At Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, Thursday is traditionally dedicated to Challenges, a playful nod to the origins of the Nioulargue and a wonderful way to gauge just how far we’ve come since then. The passage of time was also a hot topic today with the Centenarian Trophy, which pitted 19 high-spirited classic yachts against one another, powered up in a race featuring staggered starts according to the speed potential of each of them. Joining the fray, albeit in the bay of Pampelonne, the Maxis had a real spring in their step after yesterday’s day off, adding to the eclectic, good-natured racing out on the water in glorious sunshine.
Following the Club 55 Paul Watson Maxi Yachts Cup, the match contested yesterday between My Song and Balthasar , today it was the turn of Belle Aventure and Il Moro di Venezia I to cross swords of friendship in the battle for the Club 55 Paul Watson Cup. “These Challenges in Paul Watson’s name are not a homage, rather they are designed to assist the president of Sea Shepherd, explains Patrice de Colmont, founder of the Nioulargue and boss of the Club 55. Paul Watson is the spark that fuels questions about wider society. When you begin imprisoning people who are defending nature, it’s a sure sign that things are going very badly…” In the same vein, a public auction of marine paraphernalia will be organised at the CNB Villanova yard on Friday from 19:00 hours for the benefit of Watson. In the meantime, the match between the two big classic yachts, the immaculate Il Moro di Venezia I , a 20-metre Frers design, and Belle Aventure , a 25-metre Fife design, kicked off proceedings today at 12:15 hours in front of the Portalet tower. It was a sumptuous generational clash just the way we like them at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez between Raul Gardini’s first Maxi (1976) and the nearly century-old Marconi ketch (1929)! It didn’t matter that the former’s speed potential was far greater than the second, today was first and foremost a celebration of the pleasure of being together in Saint Tropez!