The living history of yachting
In October 2025, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez welcomed over 240 yachts. The racing fleet was a stunning panorama of maritime design, featuring elegant vintage vessels, ultra-modern racing machines, and an impressive maxi-yacht division that marked a historic first for the regatta. Nearly a third of the participants measured over 20 meters in length. As Eric Tabarly once noted, a stroll along the quay during this event is like "flipping through the pages of a book on maritime history." From the tower of Portalet during the starts, one can witness practically every innovation in sailing competition from the past 130 years. The sight is particularly breathtaking when the modern composite flyers are followed out to sea by the classics of the Tradition division. It is a truly epic voyage through time, uniting yachts built from the 1880s to the present day, hailing from shipyards across Scotland, New York, and Auckland. The soulful sound of the bagpipes remains a cherished tradition and the unofficial herald of the racing day.
As one of the largest yachts departed the port, she saluted the crowds gathered on the main pier. Elena of London, a beloved regular of Les Voiles and a standout in the classic division, was a familiar sight. However, this year, all eyes were on a different queen of the regatta: the 65-meter Atlantic. This replica of the legendary schooner that set a transatlantic record in 1905—a record that stood for a century—had visited before, but 2025 marked its official debut as a competitor. A new set of flatter racing sails, including a massive 820 sq. m gennaker, was specially built for the occasion. Both the public and seasoned sailors watched in awe as Atlantic glided across the gulf. When she passed close to the pier, even the most engrossed socialites set down their glasses to capture the extraordinary spectacle on their phones.
Atlantic and eight other yachts from the Big Boats division vied for the coveted Rolex Trophy. The season was not without its misfortunes; the beautiful 15-meter Tuiga lost her mast during racing in Mahon, and Invader was absent due to a lightning strike. Back in the fray, however, were majestic vessels like Cambria (1928), Black Swan (1899), the 43-meter three-masted Croce del Sud (1931), and the 36-meter gaff ketch Cariad (1896), the latter making its Les Voiles debut alongside Atlantic.
But it wasn't just the classic beauty that captivated onlookers. Never before had Saint-Tropez hosted such a representative maxi-fleet—41 boats in total! This year, Les Voiles became the ultimate arena for a duel of the giants, divided into five competitive classes. The Edmond de Rothschild Trophy was fiercely contested by renowned names in world-class sailing: V (WallyCento, ex-Tango), Galateia (WallyCento), Leopard 3 (Farr100), and My Song (Club Swan 80). Among them were also Pascal Decroix's Tilakkhana II (WallyCento) with a stellar mixed crew including Dee Caffari, Marie Riou, and Sophie de Turckheim, and Capricorno (82 Judel-Vrolijk) with Torben Grael calling tactics.
The appearance of the brand-new Wally Rocket 71 Django in the Maxi GP class created a particular stir. This ultra-modern racing machine, having already claimed victory at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo, arrived in Saint-Tropez intent on solidifying its elite status. Light, fast, and decisive, she led the Maxi GP fleet and secured a well-deserved win for her team.
The week of maxi-yacht racing off Pampelonne Beach was intensely competitive, with leaders often separated by a single point. In the Maxi 1 class, the team on V delivered a masterful performance, winning four out of six races to confidently secure the Edmond de Rothschild Trophy, finishing ahead of Capricorno and Leopard 3. In Maxi GP, the British-flagged Django 7X prevailed, edging out the American Vesper by just one point. The Italians also celebrated victories: Twin Soul B won in Maxi 3, Yoru successfully defended its title in Maxi 4, and Crazy Diamond dominated Maxi 5 with a perfect scoreline.
The Modern division saw 125 yachts compete across five IRC classes. The key rivalry unfolded among the TP52s, vying for the BMW Trophy awarded to the winner of IRC Class 0. The presence of His Majesty King Frederik X of Denmark aboard one of the TP52s, Nanoq, added a distinguished air to the competition. His boat secured a respectable third place; the overall victory went to Vesper, with the team on Zen taking second.
Intense battles also took place in the historic 12-metre class, where five yachts, including the famous French Kiss celebrating its 40th anniversary, went head-to-head. Kiwi Magic emerged as the winner of this prestigious division.
A cherished tradition of the regatta is Challenge Day, held on Thursday and featuring match racing. This day commemorates the origins of the Nioulargue (the event's name before 1999), which was born in 1981 from a friendly wager between the crews of Pride (Swan 44) and Ikra (12mR) at the iconic Club 55 beach restaurant. It was here, famously, that Roger Vadim filmed "And God Created Woman" with Brigitte Bardot and Jean-Louis Trintignant.
This year, Club 55, situated on Pampelonne Beach, celebrated its 70th anniversary. The traditional 55 Cup was contested in the same spirited manner as 44 years ago, with the duel between Il Moro di Venezia and Mariella ending in victory for the former. In honor of the winner, a grand lunch was held at the restaurant on the beach, which, despite its elegance, traditionally culminates in lively dancing on the main table.
Another coveted prize was the Centenarian Trophy, contested by yachts aged one hundred years or more in a pursuit race format. Eighteen yachts took to the starting line. The oldest, Viola (1908), led the fleet, with the 35-metre Sumurun (1914) starting last. After an hour and a half of intense competition, Leonore (1925) was the first to cross the finish line, celebrating its own centenary in the most perfect way.
The regatta week flew by in a whirlwind of starts, tactical duels, glamorous parties, and friendly gatherings aboard yachts and in the town's chic venues. Saint-Tropez, during these days, completely immerses its guests in the celebration. The festivities culminated in a spectacular fireworks display over the gulf, followed by the trophy presentation.
Most racing days enjoyed gentle breezes, but on the very first day after the regatta's conclusion, the sea unleashed its fury, forcing the award ceremony to be hastily relocated from the waterfront to the town center. Anemometers in the bay recorded wind gusts reaching an astonishing 55 knots in some places.
The ultimate triumph in the Big Boats class, and the winner of the Rolex Trophy, was Cambria, which outperformed Elena of London and Atlantic. The latter's "ballet" in the bay under the soft, golden rays of the setting sun remains one of the most unforgettable images of the regatta. Other class winners included Spartan Kismet, Oriole, Varuna VII, Sonny, and Il Moro di Venezia.
Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez continues to evolve into a grand-scale sailing festival, attracting the luminaries of the professional yachting world—some to compete, others simply to admire the spectacle and enjoy time among peers. The port of Saint-Tropez welcomed a constellation of America's Cup and offshore racing stars: Francesco de Angelis, Ed Baird, Brad Butterworth, Charles Caudrelier, Bertrand de Broc, Paul Cayard, Luc Peyron, Ken Read, Marie Tabarly, Bruno Trouble, Vasco Vascotto, alongside renowned yacht designers like German Frers, Marc Pajot, Juan Kouyoumdjian, and Jim Pugh, and yachtsman-businessmen such as Pierre-Louis Loro Piana, Tara Getty, and Ariane de Rothschild. Dee Caffari, Torben Grael, and the King of Denmark, as previously noted, added to the star-studded guest list.
Year after year, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez proves that it is more than just a regatta; it is the living, breathing history of yachting, a vibrant tapestry where a magnificent past meets an ambitious future.
