Anticipation is mounting in Saint-Tropez, one of the most appreciated Mediterranean sailing venues, where 20 crews will have one more reason to enjoy the beautiful bay: compete for the Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy. After last year’s success the Swiss club has again partnered with the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez to organize the Centenary Trophy, a race dedicated to all classic yachts aged 100 years and more, that has thus become a yearly rendez-vous of the classic yachts calendar. With the oldest challenger, Victory, from 1883 and the ‘youngest’ The lady Anne from 1912 the regatta promises to be as exciting as ever. It will take place on Thursday October 4th, during the 14th edition of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.
With 20 centenaries registered for the second edition of the Trophy the number of participants has gone up by five units and last year’s trophy winner, the 44′ gaff cutter « Bona Fide » (the Five Tonner launched in 1899 that in 1900 won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics) will have to fight against an even more competitive lineup. « We are very motivated, very focused not only because we are the title holder but also because we think this is the most interesting event that has ever been organized for classic yachts. It’s not every day that you can see so many beautiful old yachts sailing together. For us the Centenary Trophy has become the most important rendez-vous of the season. » said Bonafide’s skipper Beppe Zaoli from Italy. Among theheterogeneousfleet, also four William Fife III’s designed 15M, Hispania, Mariska, The Lady Anne and Montecarlo’s flagged Tuiga, that will represent a kind of race inside the race. « This race will be very special to us, there can’t be a better way to celebrate the boat’s hundredth anniversary. It is nice to be back to the sailing circuit. We’ll be on the start line to win but at the end of the day, it’ll great just to be racing. » said The Lady Anne’s navigator Sean Whitney.
The format will be that of a pursuit race, with a specially designed rating system to enable boats to start with a time allowance and to reach the finish line as simultaneously as possible. The regatta will be sailed on a coastal course that, according to the weather conditions, will be either 6,5 or 10 miles long, with a finish located at the Portalet just off the Saint-Tropez old port in order to let the many fans and spectators to assist to the show of the « old ladies » different in model and shape, sailing side by side, fighting for the prestigious award. First starting signal will be fired at 1pm for the boat with the lowest rating and the last approximately 30 minutes later (in the case of the shorter course).
All the participants will fly a special Centenary trophy flag featuring the two clubs’ burgees to underline the unique relationships between the two organizations. « This regatta has been created with three main concepts in mind. » said Herr Peter Erzberger Commodore of the Gstaad Yacht Club. « First to develop and support friendship among people who share the passion for sailing. Secondly as a Yacht Club that has no access to the water, sea or lake, we were fortunate enough to find a location, Saint-Tropez that has a lot in common with Gstaad. And finally we wanted to honour all those people who work to restore and maintain the beauty of these old boats. I am sure that the regatta will have a bright future and I hope that more and more yachts will join us. »
The Trophy itself, a masterpiece created by Wakely and Wheeler of London in 1911, has been especially selected by the Gstaad Yacht Club to celebrate some of the most beautiful classic yachts still sailing.