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Sunday 27 September 2015
Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez – 26 September, 4 October 2015
Modern Monday and more besides…
The Coupe d’Automne to open
15 Wallys off Pampelonne
The curtain was raised on the 17th Voiles de Saint Tropez on a summery Sunday afternoon with the majestic arrival of the Classic yachts participating in the Yacht Club de France’s traditional Coupe d’Automne, which enables those boats competing in Cannes to race to the little port in France’s Var region. On the horizon, the silhouettes of the traditional gaff or Bermudan rigs, merged with the futuristic forms of the Modern yachts in training for when battle commences for their class on Monday. A truly showstopping week awaits then, packed with intense races on the water in what is forecast to be a bracing easterly wind. Back on shore will be some good-natured festivities with no fewer than 4,000 sailors from the world over spreading their good humour around the beautiful little streets of Saint Tropez.
The Coupe d’Automne as a foreword…
In a light 4 to 5-knot north-easterly, some forty-seven Traditional Yachts set sail shortly after midday from Cannes, bound for Saint Tropez, where the finest yachts come together in the Mediterranean in early autumn as a follow-up to the Régates Royales. Several crews also sign up specially for this event, including the 12mJIs Ikra, Crazy Life, Encounter, Espar II, Eilidh and White Wings. The light conditions meant that the course was shortened to 17 miles to conclude at Les Issambres where the speedy 15M JI Mariska, followed by the gaff cutter Rowdy (NY 40 Herreshoff 1916) and the J-Class Shamrock gained the upper hand in elapsed time, crossing the finish from 14:40pm local time. The ranking in corrected time is available on the website www.lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr
The 15M JIs in action from Monday!
Competing in their very own championship, the four 15M JIs still in existence, will hit the racetrack from Monday with a dedicated round setting sail from Le Portalet with two windward-leewards. Just one point separates the leader Tuiga, from Mariska in the "15M JI International Association" overall ranking so it’s sure to make fantastic viewing in this the final leg of their circuit after racing in the Balearics, Monaco Classic Week and Portofino... These fabulously elegant gaff cutters have a double distinction in that they are some of the finest craft of the golden age of yachting and all of them have the honour of being designed by William Fife. Alongside Hispania, built in 1909 by order of King Alfonso XIII of Spain, the famous Tuiga of the Yacht Club de Monaco, Mariska and The Lady Anne will all be vying for supremacy.
Who are you? André Beaufils
André Beaufils is both the guardian of the original spirit of the Nioulargue, precursor to Les Voiles, and the maestro, who wisely orchestrates this grand festival of yachting in Saint Tropez. Much appreciated by one and all and highly respected for his sound choices and judgements, his philosophy is guided by just one simple rule that dates back to 1981. Interview.
“I studied engineering and worked in the defence industry in Paris for some seven years. An opening came up at the torpedo factory in Saint Tropez to manage programmes and I was project manager there for 12 years… At that point, I was keen to explore the private sector so I joined a cable-manufacturing plant as Quality Manager for 7 years… through until my retirement. As such I’ve been a local to Saint Tropez since 1979. Once here, I immediately became immersed in the sailing world with me and my children taking up dinghy sailing and cruising at the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez. I soon became part of the board at the club and I’ve been its President since 2000 as well as organiser of Les Voiles. It’s a full-time job!
I competed in the original Nioulargue in 1982 and 83, which was called the Club 55 Cup back then. In 1984, I met one Patrice de Colmont who invited me to join the team and I watched the Nioulargue grow for 7 years and then continued with Les Voiles from 2000. Patrice is more than a friend; he’s a sage whose brains I regularly pick. Patrice is now involved in humanist and humanitarian projects including world hunger with Pierre Rabhi… We’ll come together again on the Thursday this year with this fresh challenge to search for funding for the Pierre Rabhi foundation, which notably campaigns for agro-ecology and its financing and above all raises awareness about this movement.”00
- Quote of the day:
“Les Voiles evolves with the times, but the spirit of the Nioulargue instilled by Patrice de Colmont remains eternal…” André Beaufils
- Today’s weather:
The easterly wind is coming. Monday’s weather involves variable skies becoming increasingly overcast in the afternoon. No rainfall in the morning but the possibility of showers midway through the afternoon. A light easterly wind will build to around ten knots in the afternoon, though it may become stormier as the low kicks in.
- An extraordinary yacht:
Stiren, Breton for star
A 1962 Bermudan yawl perfectly in keeping with the yachts designed by Olin Stephens, Stiren is a familiar presence in the Med with her new owner. Enjoying considerable success while she was confined to Channel and Atlantic racing, Stiren hit the Med in a bid to take the competition by storm. Winner in Monaco, 2nd in the Juris Cup, her excellent preparation means that she is in with a chance of success in her category in Saint Tropez. Stiren is the American naval architect’s design No.1358 and sistership to Anitra that won the Fastnet in 1959. Built at the impressive Pichavant yard and launched in 1963, she required a thorough refit in 2004 by the Hubert Stagnol yard in Bénodet, north-west Brittany. Solely the hull, the wheel and the gimballed saloon table are original. A second refit took place in 2008/2009 at the Brewer Point yard in Connecticut (including a review of the chainplates and extension of the flooring).
Gilles Martin-Raget, www.martin-raget.com
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