A dream line-up for the 15th Anniversary of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez

Classic yachts at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2013 © Gilles Martin-Raget / www.martin-raget.com

Summer is rolling on, yet this has done nothing to dampen the enthusiasm, which drives the team from the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez as they busily work to ensure the smooth running of the 15th anniversary of Les Voiles de Saint Tropez. The success and uniqueness of the event are forged by a prodigious programme for the world's most beautiful modern and classic yachts, to which President André Beaufils likes to add his now customary surprise twist to the delight of the 4,500 competing sailors. With the release of the provisional entry list on the website lesvoilesdesaint-tropez.fr/en/, the outline of the 2014 edition is skilfully taking shape.

Modern craft: the lords of the seas

This is just one of the truly unmissable meetings at Les Voiles. The Wallys are prestigious yachts, some of which exceed 40 metres in length, individually designed by the world's most talented firms of naval architects, including German Frers and Farr Yacht Design. Their DNA speaks volumes about their programme and their performance: with as much pace as the maxis on the racetrack, more comfortable than any other cruising boat, and as simple to manoeuvre as sports dinghies. On top of all that, the Wallys form a highly active class, which links together meets on all the international race circuits. So which of them will lift the 2014 Cup? Could it be last year's winner, Open Season, this year present under the name of Sensei, or perhaps last year's runner-up, the fantastic J One? There is no doubt that there will be a tough battle ahead against the finely honed crew on Magic Carpet3, one of the most recent Wally Centos, which has become increasingly efficient since her launch in 2013, trading top spots with Magic Blue since the start of the season, with none other than the head of Wally, Luca Bassani, calling tactics. For the second year running, the German car manufacturer will award the BMW Trophy for the first Wally in the overall ranking. Eckhard Wanniek, head of international sponsorship at BMW, is delighted by this partnership: "Les Voiles de Saint Tropez is the spot par excellence for the Modern and Classic boats to come together, where timeless aesthetic meets design and high technology." Added impetus then for these fantastic third millennium Wallys!

Magic Carpet 3 at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2013 - photo © Gilles Martin-Raget / www.martin-raget.com

Indeed it would seem that the big boats are out in force this year, with prototypes like Inouï, a Philippe Briand design (2013), which is due to cross swords with the Finot-Conq design (2013) Nomad IV, both measuring 33.44m, and Leopard, the famous Farr 100 (2007). A new addition to the ranks that is well worth a look, is Lady L (ex SFS), Lionel Péan's VOR 70, on which her famous skipper, winner of the Solitaire du Figaro (1983) and the Whitbread Round the World Race (1985), has just headed an express crewed Transatlantic crossing. It's also worth keeping a keen eye on the crew of the Ker 53 Dralion, set to be helmed by the renowned World Match Racing Champion and skipper of the America's Cup team Desafio Espanol, Pole Karol Jablonski, together with an international crew grouping together no less than seven nationalities.

Shamlor is an interesting newcomer on two levels. In fact, this 2012 Axel de Beaufort one-off has secured the Maxi Dolphin Boatyard a ''Nautical Design Award'' from Yacht & Sail magazine. Under the leadership of its Hong Kong-based skipper Thierry Barot, General Manager of China Team for the America's Cup, her crew will notably comprise eight Chinese sailors, the hard core of which has already participated in all the major races in China and Asia: China Cup, China Sea Race and King's Cup. The objective of the Sino-French team is to return to Saint Tropez early next summer to compete in the Giraglia Rolex Cup, as well as participate in the major international races like the Rolex Sydney/Hobart and the Transpac. For Les Voiles, the team will be completed by Bernard Gallay, who has raced in two Vendée Globes and will be trimming the sails.

There are also some strong contenders in the TP52 category with Sorcha, a new British crew, and Nanoq, which will be playing opposite Ran 4 and Spirit of Malouen VI, both chartered by the Paprec team, which notably boasts a crew of youngsters. The GP 42 Genapi is likely to be a serious player among the class.

In terms of the yards, Nautor and Bénéteau are leading the way, each with over twenty craft signed up to race, though all the big names from France and overseas will be in attendance at Les Voiles, including Archambault, Baltic, CNB, Grand Soleil, Jeanneau, J Boat and X-Yachts.

Tradition: even more discoveries!

In addition to the raft of stars lining up for this 15th edition, which include the J Classes (Lionheart, Ranger, Shamrock and Velsheda) and the four legendary 15mJIs (Hispania, Mariska, The Lady Ann and Tuiga), Les Voiles de Saint Tropez 2014 has been heralded as an edition packed with highlights and fine encounters.

Boasting elegant overhangs are the Spanish three-master Xarifa (1927 J M Soper design) and the two sumptuous 50-metre gaff schooners designed by Nathanael Herreshoff in 1910, along with Elena, a replica of the 1928 winner of the Transatlantic Race, and Eleonora, both Westward designs.

Built in Chicago in 1913, Olympian is to make her debut appearance in Saint Tropez. This 16m50 gaff cutter was designed by William Gardner, who was also responsible for the three-masted schooner Atlantic, which held the transatlantic record for nearly 80 years under the command of one Charlie Barr. Olympian is a boat from the ''P Class'', a rule boat which is a contemporary of the ''J Class'' or ''Q Class'', which has given rise to some superbly slender hulls that sit very low in the water and, above all, are supremely quick. This hundred-year-old had never left the Great Lakes until today. As such, her arrival in Saint Tropez will be both outstanding and conspicuous.

The history of Alcyon is reminiscent of Marseille's legendary witticism. Judge for yourself: a 9m deck with an LOA of 21m and an upwind sail area of 115m2! Replicating the very famous gunter-rig, built with real passion by Marc and Edith Frilet, she is widely feared on race zones everywhere. Indeed, she is a machine that creates her own wind and, in the late 19th century, was second to none in her ability to bag race trophies between Marseille and Menton. Everyone's talking about Alcyon, the boat which exaggerates, and you can see her in all her glory in Saint Tropez!

The 12-metre class will be out in force at Les Voiles 2014 after a particularly copious race schedule, which began with the World Cup in Barcelona and culminates at Les Voiles de Saint Tropez. As such the action will be fast and furious among the eight 12m JIs battling it out in the bay: Emilia (1930), Ikra (1964), Seven Seas of Porto (1935), Sovereign (1963), Trivia (1937), Vanity V (1936), Vim (1939) and Wings (1937). It is worth noting at this point that the 12 m JI was an international rule class selected for the America's Cup races from 1958 to 1987. Contrary to what their name suggests, the 12 metre boats generally measure around 21 metres... Also highly dynamic, the 8m JI class, is sure to dish up an almighty battle on the water since no fewer than nine craft will be taking the start line.

Yachting spirit colours the Rolex Trophy

The specifications of the new wave Rolex Trophy involved relaunching the challenge to honour a new category of traditional yacht each year, with the aim of showcasing the different types of classic yacht, thus making them eligible, according to the nominations, to compete in that year's competition. In this way, the category of Yachts d'Epoque Aurique B (Gaff B Contemporary Yachts) has been selected by a committee of yachting historians and members of the organising committee for 2014. These very old boats date back to between 1882 and 1937 and are the ultimate expression of the classic spirit:

Djinn (11m35, cutter 1934), Jap (9m20 Cork Harbour One Design by W Fife, 1897), Kelpie (24m schooner 1928), Lelantina (25m93 schooner 1937), Lulu (14m68 cutter 1897), Marigold (23m82 cutter 1882), Morwenna (20m schooner 1914), Partridge (21m cutter 1885), Rosalind (32m gaff yawl 1904), Runa IV (15m gaff yawl 1918), Runa VI (11m50 cutter 1927), Sif (16m74 schooner 1894) and Veronique (24m86 yawl 1907).

Of note is the fact that this new formula will enable some very interesting boats measuring less than 16 metres to have a chance of winning the 9th edition of this highly coveted Trophy, linked to the points amassed in the ranking over the four days of racing: Tuesday 30 September, Wednesday 1, Friday 3 and Saturday 4 October.

The Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez opens up!

Going back to the bare roots of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, the much celebrated maritime historian Jacques Taglang, the marine journalist Antoine Sézérat and the Club's current president, André Beaufils, hadn't expected to enter into such an epic journey of discovery: founded in 1862, it is no less than one of the – if not the – oldest clubs in France! Its geographical location and its aura on the seas surrounding the pirate village were to forge its maritime history, yet this book brilliantly retraces the lesser known or even overlooked highlights of 'relaxed sailing' in the bay over the past century and a half. The beginnings of the fortified village, the boatyard, the arrival of the train, and the station in Saint Tropez are as much high points of the tale, along with its popularity as the stopover for Guy de Maupassant's Bel-Ami in 1887, and the presence of Paul Signac, owner of the yacht Olympia, who was president of the club for a while!

The Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez since 1862, an entirely bilingual book (French-English) is available for purchase at 35 Euros from the club's temporary address: 14, rue du 8 mai 1945, 83990 Saint-Tropez, France.

Programme

Modern Yachts

• Saturday 27 September – Sunday 28: Registration and checking in
• Monday 29, Tuesday 30 September, Wednesday 1, Thursday 2 (J. Laurain & D. Jayson's day, challenges day), Friday 3 & Saturday 4 October: Inshore race, 1st start 11:00

• Sunday 28, Monday 29 September: Registration and checking in
• Sunday 28 September: arrival of the Coupe d'Automne du Yacht Club de France from Cannes
• Monday 29, Thursday 2: 15mJI championship, 1st start 11:00
• Tuesday 30 September, Wednesday 1, Thursday 2 (J. Laurain & D. Jayson's day, challenges day, Club 55 Cup, GYC Centenary Trophy), Friday 3 and Saturday 4 October: Inshore race, 1st start 12:00
• Prizegiving: Sunday 5 October, from 11:00