Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez at full strength!

Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez © Gilles Martin-Raget

• The Modern yachts kick off festivities tomorrow
• 16 Wallys to race off Pampelonne
• A quartet of 15 m JIs too...
• The Yacht Club de France's Autumn Cup concludes with Elena taking the bullet in elapsed time

With the arrival mid-afternoon of some 49 classic yachts competing in the Yacht Club de France's Autumn Cup from Cannes, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2016 boasts a full house.

Showcasing 300 yachts, of which some 120 are Classics, the quantity in Saint Tropez never masks the amazing quality of the line-up. From tomorrow, Monday, no fewer than 16 Wallys will be invited to race on their own offshore round off Pampelonne. Stars among the stars, the four 15 m JIs, all gaff-rigged centenarians, will also be competing for their annual Trophy. High-speed devourers of the oceans, Rambler 88 and Leopard will hit the water too in a bid to challenge craft of a similar age, albeit perhaps rather more suited to the ultra-technical courses, as part of one of the 5 IRC groups. Sport and adrenalin-fuelled jousting are sure to be on tomorrow's programme.

Elena of London in the vanguard...

A large Herreshoff-design schooner built in 2009, Elena of London was the first of the 49 classic yachts to make Saint Tropez from Cannes today. Having set sail shortly after noon, the fleet benefited from a light E'ly breeze of around 8 knots to slip along downwind towards Dramont and the entrance to the bay. In a warm, summery sunshine, the classic yachts really put on a show, all sails aloft as they glided to the finish off the Portalet tower shortly before 16:00 hours. Cambria and the 'petite' albeit speedy Bermudan sloop Rowdy (Herreshoff 1916) completed the podium in elapsed time. The majority of these latest arrivals will begin racing at Les Voiles on Tuesday following tomorrow's registration formalities. However, the four 15 m JIs Mariska, Tuiga, Hispania and The Lady Anne are invited to kick off their competition on Monday with their annual Trophy up for grabs.

15 mJI – the rub

Of the nineteen 15mJIs originally launched, only four remain fit to race today; Mariska, Tuiga, Hispania and The Lady Anne... All of the latter are competing in Saint Tropez! The question is, who can stop Mariska? Winner in Puerto Sherry and San Remo, the 1908 Fife design is clearly in Saint Tropez to drive her domination home in the battle for the annual 15 m JI Trophy. However, Tuiga (Fife 1909), is on an upward spiral with Pierre Casiraghi at the helm, and the crew has to make up 7 points on the Swiss leader. According to the new Class rules, each regatta now counts separately. Given the duration of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez and the diversity of the race format that combines windward-leeward races from Monday to Thursday, and coastal courses the rest of the week, the hierarchy could well see an upset in this final face-off.

1- Mariska 1-2(4)1-2-1-2-1 / 10 pts
2- Tuiga 2-3-2(4) 1-3-4-2 / 17 pts
3- Hispania (4)1-3-3-3-2-3-3 / 18 pts
4- The Lady Anne 3(4)1-2-4-4-1- 4 / 19 pts

The superlative Wallys...

With 16 Wallys duly signed up to launch into a full week of racing from tomorrow, this 2016 edition of Les Voiles can take the credit for a record participation. Among them, is the brand new Wally, Better Place, whose 55 metres of technology are nothing short of remarkable. Full of promise on the competitive front, the crew on Magic Carpet Cubed, the winning Wally Cento in Giraglia, fully intends to dominate the competition whatever the wind and sea conditions. However, it may well have to fend off a challenge from the newcomer to both the circuit and Les Voiles, the Wally Cento crew on Galateia, which is beginning to raise its game following its launch last year. Lightweight and embodying all the latest Maxi Yacht technologies, Galateia bears the mark and the expertise of the Reichel Pugh design office.

Also of note: Two large J-Class yachts are sailing at Les Voiles, Velsheda (Camper 1933) and Lionheart (Hoek/Stephens 2010). Initially scheduled in to sail in the Wally round, a last-minute decision means they will now do battle with the Modern boats in the IRC A group.

A yacht of distinction

Cuordileone will make her debut at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez tomorrow. This ClubSwan 50 is a 'one-design' race boat penned by Juan Kouyoumdjian, with the aim of the continuing the tradition of excellence, which has earned Swan great renown through past designs by the likes of Sparkman & Stephens, Ron Holland and Germán Frers Snr. It's Jochen Schuman, triple Olympic medallist, who presides over the ClubSwan 50 Class and he emphasizes the modernity of the boat, associated with her inherent Swan qualites. "The boat is quick, capable of brutal acceleration and has great balance."

Tomorrow's weather forecast...

Monday 26 September: Glorious sunshine with 7 to 9 knots of ENE'ly breeze in the bay at midday, with up to 11 knots of E'ly off Pampelonne.

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