JETHOU Takes Saint-Tropez Maxi Opener as NORTHSTAR III Shows Its Pace

JETHOU has taken the first Maxi 1 win at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2026, after the opening day brought a close contest among the largest racing yachts off Pampelonne. The Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez reports that NORTHSTAR III was prominent in the light conditions, while BALTHASAR completed the leading group.

The first day on 28 September produced a valid race in each of ten competing categories. The Maxi result is an opening-race position rather than a final series result, with more racing still scheduled later in the week.

A close contest among the Maxi Grand Prix boats

JETHOU, owned by Sir Peter Ogden and launched in 2012, remains competitive against much newer designs. The official event account says seven yachts were separated by less than two minutes at the line after around an hour of racing, underlining how closely the fleet was grouped in the first contest.

The podium also included BALTHASAR, while NORTHSTAR III showed the speed expected after its recent world-title success in Porto Cervo. All three Maxi Grand Prix entries formed the leading group within the Maxi 1 division, according to the organiser.

Why NORTHSTAR III has attracted attention

NORTHSTAR III belongs to Peter Dubens and is a Judel/Vrolijk design that entered this regatta only months after launch. The event report describes a canting-keel arrangement and a strategy of sailing at relatively modest heel angles, rather than simply seeking maximum righting moment.

A rotating mast and carefully considered deck aerodynamics form part of the design approach described by the organisers. Those details explain the interest in the new yacht, but the Saint-Tropez result shows that established rivals can still prevail in a particular set of conditions.

Light wind changes the balance for larger yachts

In the relatively gentle opening breeze, manoeuvre execution and low drag mattered alongside raw waterline length. The organisers place last year's winner, the Wallycento V, sixth in the opening contest and MAGIC CARPET E tenth; they caution that the bigger units could not fully exploit their size in those conditions.

Elsewhere on the racecourse, Maxis 2, 3 and 4 followed a separate 18-nautical-mile coastal course towards Cavalaire. Comparing the result of those divisions directly with Maxi 1 would therefore misrepresent the day's racing.

What happens next at Les Voiles

Maxi racing continues on Tuesday 29 September before a scheduled day away from regular fleet competition on Wednesday, when the Club 55 Maxi Yacht Cup takes place. The wider programme resumes later in the week, with Maxi prizes including the Edmond de Rothschild Trophy due on Saturday 3 October.

Race programmes are subject to weather and official race-committee decisions. The result and course details in this report are taken from the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez's official 28 September race report; the article is independently written by Superyacht Guide.