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Les Voiles 2026 Opens With 50 Maxi Yachts and Three J Class Entries

Sept. 28, 2026 Event

Image: Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez / Gilles Martin-Raget (official event archive photograph)

Les Voiles begins its 2026 racing programme with 50 Maxis expected, three J Class yachts and an 80-strong classic fleet on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.

Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez moves into its racing programme on Monday 28 September, with the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez expecting 253 sailing yachts across its modern, maxi and classic divisions. For the superyacht sector, the centrepiece is an unusually strong large-yacht gathering: 50 Maxis are expected, with the 2026 programme also bringing together three J Class yachts.

The event runs from 26 September to 4 October, with the opening weekend devoted to registration and arrivals. The organiser schedules racing for the Maxis and modern yachts from Monday, while the classics join the programme on Tuesday. The entry totals are organisers’ advance figures rather than final race-start counts, which may change with arrivals and conditions.

Fifty Maxis put large-yacht racing in focus

The organiser says the 50-strong Maxi entry could exceed the previous high of 46 recorded in 2022. The classes are based on performance ratings rather than length alone, allowing different design approaches to compete within the same broad fleet.

The 39-metre Hoek-designed Atalante is entered in Maxi 5, while the 25-metre Capricorno races in Maxi 1. That contrast illustrates why a simple length table is not an adequate guide to race competitiveness. A yacht’s rig, displacement, sail plan and rating all help determine where it fits within the programme.

Hanuman, Rainbow and Svea return the J Class to Saint-Tropez

The three J Class entries—Hanuman, Rainbow and Svea—are a separate point of interest for owners and crews following large classic and modern-classic sailing yachts. Their presence brings the scale and technical demands of these grand racing machines into the port and surrounding waters.

Svea was designed by Tore Holm in 1937 but was not built until 2017. The organiser also plans to reunite her on the water with the smaller Svanevit, an eight-metre design associated with Holm. The meeting offers an unusual view of the relationship between drawings conceived in the same era but realised at very different scales.

Classic-yacht heritage remains central

Around 80 classic yachts are expected, more than 20 of them at least a century old. The sailing programme includes racing off the Portalet Tower and a Rolex Trophy sequence for the classic fleet, making the regatta as much a showcase for specialist yacht preservation as an event for current racing design.

The historical fleet relies on rig maintenance, shipwright expertise, sailmaking and crew who understand older operating practices. These are directly relevant to the working superyacht industry because keeping a century-old sailing yacht active requires an enduring technical support network rather than a one-off restoration.

The week ahead for captains and owners

Wednesday is designated the Maxi rest day and includes the Club 55 Maxi Yacht Cup, with the organiser listing Balthasar and Tilakkhana II for its challenge programme. Thursday returns the Maxis to racing and brings the classic and modern Challenge Day, while Friday and Saturday carry further racing and major trophy presentations.

The Maxi prizes are scheduled for Saturday 3 October, with final prizes for the modern and classic fleets on Sunday. These are published programme dates rather than guaranteed starts: crews, guests and support craft should follow the official race notices and harbour information for any weather-driven changes.

For the wider superyacht community, the value of Les Voiles extends beyond the scores. Saint-Tropez brings together owners, yacht crews, sailing specialists and yards responsible for preserving substantial sailing yachts, while the concentration of Maxis provides a live view of large-yacht sail handling and performance.

This report uses the organiser’s published 2026 programme and an official Les Voiles event archive photograph. The image is illustrative archive material, not a claim that the depicted yachts were photographed at the 2026 racing.

Official sources: Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, 2026 event briefing and event programme.

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