With winter weather persisting in northern parts of the U.S. and Europe, sailors could be envied for heading to the Caribbean to extend their racing calendars. As it is, over 60 yachts and crew are currently on the island of St Barths, in the French West Indies, preparing for tomorrow’s start of Les Voiles de St. Barth. The fourth edition of this regatta will offer up four days of racing on a mix of courses and a social schedule equally as demanding, with dockside entertainment each evening and a lay day (Thursday) full of activities at Nikki Beach on St. Jean Bay.

As it has for its prior three editions, Les Voiles de St. Barth again has drawn a competitive mix of international yachts and crews from the UK, USA, France, Italy, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium, and South Africa, as well as a strong Caribbean contingent from Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, Anguilla, Antigua, and Trinidad.

The inaugural event in 2010 drew 27 boats, and since then, entries have steadily grown as the media and sailing’s coconut telegraph helped spread the word. Event Director François Paul Tolède was enthusiastic as yachts tied up stern-to at the Quai General de Gaulle in Gustavia. “The atmosphere is great on shore and the weather looks perfect,” he said. “With 62 boats entered so far (registration closes at 5 p.m. today) and considering the current economic climate, the turnout shows what great regard the yacht owners have for the Voiles de Saint Barth.”

Tolède continued: “Luc Poupon (Course Director) has come up with some new courses, slightly longer in some cases, as many of the sailors wanted to spend more time on the water, and so racing will start a little earlier. We expect anywhere between 15 to 20+ knots of wind this week — ideal conditions for the fleet, which ranges from 24 feet (Melges) to 100 feet (the Swan 100 Varsovie).”

The fleet is divided into eight classes: Maxis; Spinnaker 1, 2, and 3; Melges 24; Non-Spinnaker; Classics; and Multi-hulls. Organizers can chose between 28 course variations, from 11 to 40 nautical miles. Racing begins tomorrow, Tuesday April 9, with the first signal at 1100.

Jim Swartz, owner/skipper of the TP52 Vesper, is the anointed “godfather” of this year’s regatta. An enthusiastic competitor, he has participated in all four editions. For Swartz it is a do-not-miss event. “The conditions are fabulous,” he said.  “Sailing around this island is beautiful — the winds are always predictable, they are always a lot of fun, particularly when we get a good breeze on the back (windward) side of the island.” Sailing onboard Vesper will be former America’s Cup sailors Gavin Brady (tactician), Rob Salthouse (jib trim), Kazuhiko Sofuku (mid bow), and Jamie Gale (navigator), past Volvo Ocean Race crew.

After Vesper competed in the TP52 Worlds in Miami last month, the boat was shipped to St. Thomas to get it race ready and then delivered to St. Barths this week. “Les Voiles is always on our calendar,” Swartz said,  “It’s the atmosphere — the racing is great, the people are great, as is the organization.  It all runs very well. And the dining and shopping (for the ladies)…all that St. Barths is about, we enjoy the same thing!”

Over half the boats and skippers are return competitors. Notable new editions this year include Jens Kellinghusen’s Ker 51 Varuna, which has raced in the year since its launch at Kiel Week and Les Voiles de St. Tropez; the Volvo 60 Cuba Libre (ex-Heineken) in Non-Spinnaker (while the V60 Ambersail will be in Spinnaker 1); Phil Lotz’ Swan 42 Arethusa, which is fresh off winning the Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean; Jolt 2, a Baltic 45 that has already stretched its legs on the recent RORC Caribbean 600; in the Classic class, Heroina, a 74’ cold molded Frers design build in the ‘90s; and the 51’ Aage Nielsen-designed ketch Saphaedra, a seasoned ocean racer.

At this morning’s media briefing at Hotel Carl Gustaf on the hill overlooking the harbor of Gustavia, Nils Dufau, Vice President of the Collectivity of St. Barth’s and president for the Tourism Committee, said, “Les Voiles de St. Barth has become a formidable communication tool for our island as an up-market destination. This event conveys to all the “state of mind” of an island that has built up over time and which today has become a haven of peace and stability — the very basis of its reputation.”

In a further nod to this relatively new event, the Caribbean Sailing Association named Les Voiles de St. Barth and the BVI Spring Regatta “Best Events of 2012.”

This evening is the Skipper’s Briefing after which event organizers will kick off the week with the Opening Ceremony and party in the Race Village on the Quai General de Gaulle.

The event enjoys the continued support of watchmaker Richard Mille as well as sportswear brand Gaastra. Other event partners include leading St. Barth villa rental agency WIMCO, which offers a gorgeous portfolio of private villas for rent on St. Barth. WIMCO’s sponsorship includes presenting eight Les Voiles class winners with a complimentary week in one of their top villas, inclusive of a concierge ready to attend to every request.
 

.

2013 ENTRIES

MAXI Racing – MAXI Racing Cruising
DYNAMITE IDEA
Design : MAXI 80
Loa: 80′
Skipper: Tony McBRIDE

—–
WHISPER
Design : Souther Wind 78
Loa: 78′
Skipper: Mark DICKER

——–
MAXIMISER
Design : FARR
Loa: 73′
Skipper: Jose DIEGO-AROZAMENA

——–
VARSOVIE
Design : Swan 100
Loa: 100′
Skipper: Tomek ULATOWSKI

——–
SELENE
Design : Swan 80
Loa: 80′
Skipper: Benjamin DAVITT

———

IRC 52
VESPER
Design : TP 52
Loa: 52′
Skipper: Jim SWARTZ

——–
VARUNA
Design : KER 51
Loa: 51′
Skipper: Jens KELLINGHUSEN

——————————————————————————–

Spinnaker
CUBA LIBRE
Design: VOLVO 60
Loa: 60′
Owner: Benedikt Clauberg

——————————————————————————–
PUFFY
Design: Swan
Loa: 53′
Owner: Patrick DEMARCHELIER- Skipper: Karl Spijker

——————————————————————————–
MUSIC
Design: Swan
Loa: 53′
Owner: James BLAKEMORE

——————————————————————————–
AEZ OPTIMIX
Design: Swan 45
Loa: 45′
Skipper/Owner: Gideon MESSINK

——————————————————————————–
AMBERSAIL
Design: Farr Vo 60
Loa: 60′
Skipper: Simonas STEPONAVICIUS

——————————————————————————–
RAMANESSIN
Design: Beneteau First 40
Loa: 40′
Skipper: Christian ZUGEL

——————————————————————————–
HAMACHI
Design : J 125
Loa: 41′
Skipper: Greg SLYNGSTAD

——————————————————————————–
LEFORT CLIM
Design: MELGES 24
Loa: 24′
Skipper: Antoine LEFORT

——————————————————————————–
Boost’n Sail
Design : MELGES 24
Loa: 24′
Skipper: Mowgli FOX

——————————————————————————–
TEAM ISLAND WATER WORLD
Design : MELGES 24
Loa: 24′
Skipper: Frits BUS

——————————————————————————–
Budget Marine/Gill
Design : MELGES 24
Loa: 24 ‘
Skipper: Andrea SCARABELLI

——————————————————————————–
AMCON Express
Design : MELGES 24
Loa: 24 ‘
Skipper: John GIFFORD

——————————————————————————–
FRENCH CONNECTION
Design : MELGES 24
Loa: 24′
Skipper: Didier Roulault/Bernard Sillem

——————————————————————————–
LAZY DOG
Design: J 122
Loa: 40′
Skipper: Sergio SAGRAMOSO

——————————————————————————–
VOILES au FEMININ
Design: J 109
Loa: 35′
Skipper: Sophie OLIVAUD

——————————————————————————–
StBarthSailRacing
Design : A40
Loa: 40′
Skipper: Alain CHARLOT

——————————————————————————–
JOLT 2
Design: BALTIC 45
Loa: 45′
Skipper: Peter HARRISON

——————————————————————————–
MAELIA
Design : X 34
Loa: 34′
Skipper: Raphael MAGRAS

——————————————————————————–
LANCELOT SBH
Design : First 31,7
Loa: 31,7′
Skipper: Serge MAZEIRO

——————————————————————————–
NINA
Design : BORDEAUX 60
Loa: 60′
Skipper: Nicolas CHALAPHY

——————————————————————————–
MERENA
Design :
Loa: 40′
Skipper: Alexis GUILLAUME

——————————————————————————–
SPEEDY NEMO
Design : DUFOUR 34
Loa: 34′
Skipper: Raymond MAGRAS

——————————————————————————–
ARETHUSA
Design : SWAN 42
Loa: 42′
Skipper: Philip LOTZ

——————————————————————————–
ANATOLE
Design : JPK 9,60
Loa: 31′
Skipper: J-L LEFEBVRE

——————————————————————————–
TRISKELL
Design : DUFOUR 45
Loa: 45′
Skipper: Jean Michel MARZIOU

——————————————————————————–
TEAM BOSTON
Design : FIRST 40,7
Loa: 40,7′
Skipper: John “Jack” WATSON

——————————————————————————–
Performance Yacht Charter-Northern Child
Design : Swan 51
Loa: 51′
Skipper: Christian REYNOLDS

——————————————————————————–
FISER
Design : B 28
Loa: 28′
Skipper: Jean-Michel FIGUERES

——————————————————————————–
Ptits Filous Lipton
Design : A 40
Loa: 40′
Skipper: Philippe CHARRET

——————————————————————————–
White Rhino Holdings
Design : Swan 56
Loa: 56 ‘
Skipper: Jack DESMOND

——————————————————————————–
SLIPPERY
Design : Reichel Pugh 37
Loa: 37 ‘
Skipper: Peter PEAKE

——————————————————————————–
MARTINIQUE PREMIERE – CREDIT MUTUEL
Design : SUNFAST 3200
Loa: 32 ‘
Skipper: Andrzej KOCHANSKI

——————————————————————————–
Kick ‘em Jenny 2
Design : MELGES 32
Loa: 32 ‘
Skipper: Ian HOPE-ROSS

——————————————————————————–
WHISTLER
Design : J-105
Loa: 35 ‘
Skipper: Peter LEWIS

——————————————————————————–
VOILES 44 CAVA
Design : POGO CLASS 40
Loa: 40 ‘
Skipper: Rodolphe SEPHO

——————————————————————————–
ORMEAU
Design : Beneteau 47
Loa: 47 ‘
Skipper: Alain CHARLOT

——————————————————————————–
BACHATELLE
Design : Swan 57
Loa: 57 ‘
Skipper: Joan Navarro Guiu

——————————————————————————–
TEAM HAN
Design : HANSE 47
Loa: 47 ‘
Skipper: Han de Bruyn Kops

——————————————————————————–
DEFIANCE
Design : MARTEN 49
Loa: 49 ‘
Skipper: Steve CUCCHIARO

——————————————————————————–

Non-Spinnaker
GIRLS for SAIL
Design : ELAN 37
Loa: 37′
Skipper: Annie O SULLIVAN

——————————————————————————–
NIX
Design : X-612
Loa: 60′
Skipper: Nico CORTLEVER

——————————————————————————–
Jaguar Island Water World
Design : J 120
Loa: 40′
Skipper: Ben JELIC

——————————————————————————–
FRENCH KISS
Design : Beneteau Sense 50
Loa :50′
Skipper: Alexandria KILMON

——————————————————————————–
ALPHA CENTAURI
Design : SWAN 57
Loa : 57′
Skipper: Bruno CHARDON

——————————————————————————–
HOTEL CALIFORNIA TOO
Design : SANTA CRUZ 70
Loa : 70′
Skipper: Stephen C SCHMIDT

——————————————————————————–
HIGH TENSION
Design : MUMM 36
Loa : 36′
Skipper: Bernie EVAN-WONG

——————————————————————————–
COSTA MESA
Design : DUFOUR 425 GL
Loa : 45′
Skipper: Pascal REY

——————————————————————————–
SHAMROCK VII
Design : J/95
Loa : 31′
Skipper: Thomas MULLEN

——————————————————————————–
L’ESPERANCE
Design : Beneteau 45 f
Loa : 45′
Skipper: Sir Robert VELASQUEZ

——————————————————————————–
VOILACTUS
Design : JEANNEAU 44
Loa: 44 ‘
Skipper: Eduardo LENTZ

——————————————————————————–
VANILLE
Design : First 300
Loa: 30 ‘
Skipper: Garth STEYN

——————————————————————————–
SPIRIT
Design : Swan 65
Loa: 65 ‘
Skipper: Alan EDWARDS

——————————————————————————–

Racing Multihull
DAUPHIN TELECOM
Design:
Loa: 50′
Skipper: Erik CLEMENT

——————————————————————————–
FILDOU
Design: F 40
Loa: 40′
Skipper: Stéphane CATTONI

——————————————————————————–
PARADOX
Design: Irens 63′ Trimaran
Loa: 63′
Skipper: Olivier VIGOUREUX

——————————————————————————–
PLAN D’ENFER
Design: Trimaran F40 Montesinos
Loa: 40′
Skipper: Bruno ESCALES

——————————————————————————–

CLASSIC
WILD HORSES
Design: W Class
Loa: 76′
Skipper: Donald TOFIAS

——————————————————————————–
The Blue Peter
Design: Alfred MYLNE
Loa: 65′
Skipper: Mathew BARKER

——————————————————————————–
SAPHAEDRA
Design: Classic wood ketch
Loa: 51′
Skipper: Jamie ENOS

——————————————————————————–
S/Y HEROINA
Design : Frers
Loa: 74′

 

Share on Facebook

By Norma Trease

As The Bard said “parting is such sweet sorrow”, and that is exactly the way everyone feels at the end of another fantastic edition of the Saint Barths Bucket. With every hug, every single-double-triple goodbye kiss, every sincere “I love you” a piece of your heart leaves with each friend and sailing companion who departs for their home ports by plane, ferry – or indeed by yacht. Yet we all know that in this world, we will all meet again, whether in another country, surely another regatta, boat show, wedding, or quay encounter in another port town. ‘Tis the nature of our biz! The upshot is that we carry with us, one and all, amazing memories of another Bucket, bigger and better than ever.

Michael Bradfield, owner of the superb Dubois-designed, Royal Huisman built Twizzle, summed it up as well as I ever could. “What a superb and exciting Bucket Regatta. The sailing was varied and challenging and brilliantly planned. The four categories were spot on and the exciting and tight finishes were a testament to the superb rating by Jim Teeters. Peter Craig as PRO and the team did a superb job of promoting a rich and varied regatta with a strong emphasis on safety and good nature. It was a privilege being able to take part.”

 

With forty seven yachts of this value and calibre, all competing for prizes, glory and bragging rights, racing can sometimes get a little hairy. Yet with the intense professionalism of both permanent and racing crews, once again, Bucket racing in Saint Barths remained safe, and with other than a few protest-enducing close calls, and some gear failure, everything turned out well in the end. However, there were some incidents of the yacht air-kiss variety.

On Day Three of racing, “Round the Island the Other Way”, with the four classes separated into two parallel courses, there were less of the mega-million-dollar-baby pile ups we all gasped at on Day Two. Day Threes’ biggest heart thumping moments happened at the finish line, which went between a marker buoy, and the lovely Burger yacht committee boat, Ingot. Blue Too, who had a great race, coming in 2nd in Class and 3rd place overall, narrowly avoided becoming the filing in a Perini panini. It was an exciting race for Perinis today, as Fidelis, and Parsifal III came across the finish line within inches of each other, and Andromeda also came exceedingly close to the committee boat.

BTW, a sincere “Merci Bucket” must be given to our three graciously loaned committee boats Rena, Krisujen, and Ingot. They are an integral part of Bucket racing, providing excellent hospitality and a great environment for our hard-working Race Committee officers, while also serving as appropriately elegant foils to the superb sailing yachts who pass them twice each day. Thanks very much!

It’s virtually impossible to fairly rate a gigantic fleet of this magnitude and diversity. No one has more data available, or crunches those numbers more assiduously than our ratings guru, Jim Teeters. Yet unfortunately, despite achieving the goal of many excitingly close-to-photo finishes, you can never please everyone in this super knowledgeable and experienced crowd. Amy Laing, who has for many years managed the complexities of the very busy Whisper program, delicately explained their frustrations at the ratings they received this year (which saw them start three from last on Day Three, for instance.) “The racing format needs work!” She further explained, “the size and number of yachts has rendered the objective of an overall winner impossible to fairly determine. The committee should be applauded for running this Bucket Regatta as competitively as it did given the obsolete format. I am sure Peter Craig will solve the format issue and Jim Titters will fairly rate the fleet in the future.” Extremely constructive criticism, and it is obvious that the Bucket racings need to be as varied and flexible as are the entries themselves.

Excellent racing and cruising skipper Dean Maggio, who unfortunately was involved in one of the few protests, looked at it from a historical perspective “this used to be resolved with a case of champagne, but no more! Maybe we could go back to that!” Capt. Johnno Johnson of Antara, always the Bucket host-with-the-most, also shared his frustrations too, “not matter how well we sail- and we’ve had some cracking good sailing here, we simply can’t get ahead of all of these bigger, newer boats. Sure, the owner and guests are having the time of their lives – but we like to at least be in the middle of the fleet.” Antara was this year awarded the Skulduggery Cravat for their always-excellent good humour, and much appreciated hospitality.

The All-Star Crew went to Endeavour ­- who were so much admired as they decorated the courses daily, and also came in top in the J-Class, with a very respectable 23rd overall. The Vitters Seamanship Trophy was given to Race Committee member Don Gunning, who worked night and day to keep this race safe, and enjoyable for everyone.

Lots of awards going around: Perini Navi Barracuda, took home the always coveted Escargot Cup – whose title is self-explanatory. The Alloy Yacht Award for the top performing Alloy Yacht went to Blue Too. In a charming speech, Alice Huisman presented the Wolter Huisman Memorial Award, given to the yacht or person who best exhibits the ‘spirit of the Bucket’ to Capt. Richard Archer of the Swan Virago, well-known for their competitive spirit, and intense emphasis on safety. The Perini Navi Cup, which had a lot of potential winners in this years bumper-crop, was given to Panthalassa, who had an excellent race, coming in 2nd in Les Grandes Dames class, and 4th overall.

 

BRAVO, BRAVI, BRAVE to every one of us all lucky enough to part if this always totally awe-inspiring event – or as Don Tofias, that yacht-loving, and Bucket-loving sailorman says “the 2012 edition of the St. Barths Bucket is now complete, and as always – Yachting was the Winner.”

Blogger Norma Trease, one of the most sincere Bucket fans ever, is  celebrating her own 25th Bucket Regatta – but who’s counting?

Overall Winners

First	This Is Us
Second	Lady B
Third	Blue Too

Les Gazelles Winners

First	Mari-Cha III
Second	Firefly
Third	P2

Les Grandes Dames Winners

First	Parsifal III
Second	Panthalassa
Third	Axia

Les Elegantes Winners

First	This Is Us
Second	Blue Too
Third	Windcrest

Les Mademoiselles Winners

First	Lady B
Second	Ganesha
Third	Twizzle

J Class

Endeavour

Skullduggery Award

Antara

Escargot Cup

Barracuda

Alloy Cup

Blue Too

All Star Crew Award

Endeavour

Wolter Huisman Memorial Spirit of the Bucket Trophy

Virago

Perini Navi Cup

Panthalassa

Vitter’s Shipyard Seamanship Trophy

Don Gunning – Race Committee

Descriptions of Awards

Best Performance by an Alloy Yacht

All Star Crew Award

At each Bucket Event, every yacht is asked to cast a ballot for the yacht crew among the fleet that demonstrates the most professional service in all tasks, while maintaining the best voie de vivre, camaraderie, teamwork and respect among the crew.  This is the crew that displays the pinnacle of the profession and has the most fun at it – the yacht that everyone wants to work aboard.   Because the award is earned by peer recognition, it has earned serious stature within the marine industry.

Spirit of the Bucket Trophy

This award is presented each year by Alice Huisman, to the yacht that best exemplifies the spirit of the Bucket Regattas.  The selection is absolutely subjective, but considers sportsmanship, safe seamanship, best hospitality and overall contribution to the event.

We have created a lot of humor around the premise that “Bribes can get you anything in the Bucket” and this is where the truth comes clear.  The Bucket Regatta was really started as a Club of yacht owners who loved nothing more than sailing their yachts well, getting the best out of them, and then sharing great yarns and libation at the end of the day.  There are a group of owners who have contributed a lot to the event over the years, from tenders to parties, committee boats, etc.  It is this Spirit that sets this event apart from all others.  It is in recognition of this Spirit that the Wolter Huisman Memorial Trophy is awarded.

Perini Navi Cup

Perini-Navi Yacht with the best result.

Vitters Seamanship Trophy

Awarded to the yacht that demonstrates the best seamanship and sportsmanship in the interest of promoting safety on the race course.  All participants in the Bucket acknowledge that superyachts have serious limitations operating safely in close quarters and therefore, the RC has always valued safety well above performance.  This award will recognize the yacht that best demonstrates that understanding.  It also goes to prove that nice guys don’t always finish last!!

Skullduggery Cravat

The Skullduggery Cravat is a perfectly tied Admiralty Noose, framed, with instructions in elegant calligraphy on how to tie a proper, 13 turn noose.  This was originally awarded to the owner of SARIYAH in 2002, so his captain, Timothy Laughridge (Bucket Committee) could be hung at the pleasure of the Fleet.

The award was renamed and put forward by the Committee to reinforce the Bucket premise that we are NOT here to promulgate adult behavior.  The Cravat will be awarded to the yacht and crew who display the best bucket humor.  As a guideline, we again focus on SARIYAH, where one year they spent the evening prior to the last race, slaughtering a down feathered mattress, then they packed the feathers in with their spinnaker so when they set their ‘Chute with the Hawk logo the following day, they not only dusted the horizon with feathers, but left a rubber chicken hanging from their spinnaker pole!!!

 

 

Breathtaking photos, results and more on the web site: http://www.bucketregattas.com/stbarths/index.html

Cumlative Results

Share on Facebook

 

By Norma Trease
 
My mother used to say “if life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” The Saint Barths Bucket version of this was heard at the end of today’s very rainy race from Rebecca’s helmsman saying “well, at least we don’t have to wash down – or chamois!” The other upside of this unseasonable – even cold – rain falling in buckets all day was that it brought wind. Albeit the gusty, the fluky, variable winds we saw proved as much a challenge as an asset. So Day One of the Saint Barths Bucket proved to be very interesting indeed, a dramatic start to an always fascinating racing spectacle.
 
To begin with, this incredible fleet, featuring 47 of the worlds’ most impressive sailing yachts, hailing from every yacht building nation on earth, with a LOA of close to two kilometers in length total is mind boggling to any normal human being, even us hundreds of die-hard Bucketeers. Add in a new, fourth ratings class, and the ever-present discussions which surround the Bucket Ratings System, and the stage is set for a lot of excitement.
 
Day One as usual featured the ‘Round the Island Race’ clockwise. The races here are based on the pursuit racing theory which has yachts begin at staggered times based on predicted performance, which when figured correctly (as if this were possible with a fleet of this breathtaking diversity), and counting in slightly differing courses for some of the classes – could, or should result in all of the yachts coming across the finish line at the same time. Great concept, and there’s doubt that no one does it better that our ratings guru Jim Teeters, but can you imagine the fear factor in that amount enormous, and hugely valuable fleet of floating assets bearing on the same finish line at the same time? Needless to say, it rarely happens just that way.
 
Todays’ Bucket racing proved about as good as it gets, despite the unseasonable weather. Most of the yachts had great starts, with many of them right on the money, or bare seconds behind their allotted times. Throughout the race, which was either 20.8 or 24.5 miles depending upon your class, there was some seriously thrilling sailing. The finishes – proving that the years of data crunching behind the Bucket Ratings system actually does produce results – were in a few cases almost too close. The final mark proved a bottle neck, which saw several encounters of the heart-stopping variety, including a couple of clusters of Perini Navis coming within drink-sharing distance of each other. A definitely too intimate meeting of Whisper, Rebecca and Salperton – which came very close to producing the seriously frowned-upon protest – was averted at the last minute by the usual gentlemanly discussion. No T-bones today!
These yachts, although increasingly built to perform on the race course, are still at heart cruising vessels, and invariably, the rarely seen stresses that racing places on the yachts can – and does – cause some damage. Depending on who you spoke to, there were anything from four to eight spinnaker sails shredded, including those on Barracuda and Meteor. Most seriously damaged was the largest yacht in the fleet, the very impressive 67m Baltic Yacht Hetairos, designed by one of hottest current yacht design collaborations possible, Dysktra and Reichel/Pugh. She unfortunately hit a submerged rock and did quite a bit of damage to her keel – yet finished the race to the bitter end.
 
This was a race where experience really counted. The gorgeous classic 43m ketch Rebecca, which was designed by German Frers, and built at Pendennis Shipyard, has participated in many yacht races worldwide. Their well-rehearsed team, composed of experienced former and current yacht skippers, has brought them onto the winners’ podium at numerous Buckets. They chose the conservative route, carrying up on deck and rigging three different spinnakers, and in the end, although they could have chosen a more aggressive approach, went with a heavier sail, but at least, brought it back on deck safe and sound. From my point of view riding on board as an ‘extra’, the swath she cut through the eleven vessel Elegantes de Mer class, with a start as second-to-last place, and finishing right in the middle provided a fantastic view of the entire fleet as we chased and caught up with most of the yachts on the course today.

 
The newly formed Mademoiselles de la Mer class, dominated by no less than ten Dubois designed beauties, saw a very excited Ed Dubois chortling over his very first ever Bucket race win on Lady B, snagging both first in class and first over all. Ganesha and Salperton IV came in at 2nd and 3rd place respectively. With the vast quantity of yacht owners they make happy year after year – not to mention the aesthetic satisfaction they bring to their legion of fans worldwide – they deserve lots of prizes. Congrats to him and his great Dubois team!
 
In Les Grandes Dames, a/k/a the Perini Navi class, there was a battle of titans, as two of the Bucket founder captains, Tim Laughridge and Ian Craddock did guest helmsman duty on Parsifal III and Antara. The light variable winds did not at all favor these elegant, stately beauties, yet that did not stop them from battling mightily all throughout the race course. Capt. Timmy snagged a First in class with some quite aggressive driving. Axia, with her multi-generation family team, their dogged hard work, and long-time Bucket participation, well merited their close 2nd in class. The sleek Panthalassa rounded out 3rd place in Les Grandes.

 
Adela, another long-time favourite Bucket boat, swept to first in Les Elegantes, with Blue Too and This Is Us chasing them closely. Overall winners were Lady B, Adela, and Mari-Cha III. The newly instituted daily prize givings were well-attended by many still soggy Bucketeers.
 
The rain stopped just in time for the chamois to be wielded, the champagne popped, and hors d’oeuvres to be prepared for the Yacht Hop, which due to some serious security measures, remained very civilized. Very popular were Bliss, Barracuda and Parsifal III, but as usual – the party winner favours always go to those dancing fools on Antara. Their theme this year was Motown, and they had the sound system, the tunes, the bling and the hairdos to carry it off in style.
 
The sun is out for Day Two of the Saint Barths Bucket 2012. We’re all looking forward to enjoying another great day out on the water. See you on the race course!

Share on Facebook

By Norma Trease

Emails are already flying back and forth from yachts, to skippers, owners, race crew, the Race Committee, to hotels on island and everything in between, just a short week in advance of the always breathlessly anticipated Saint Barths Bucket, March 22-25, 2012. Soon, yachts, owners and crew will be descending on this verdant little slice of Caribbean heaven, eager to share the tremendous excitement and pure sailing joy that is Bucket Racing.

Beautiful Video of Saint Barths Bucket Regatta 2011  by Superyacht Media

Just announced by the Race Chairman Peter Craig is a spectacular fleet of more than 40 vessels, representing builders and designers worldwide. Once again, the fleet will be split into three classes: Les Gazelles, Les Grandes Dames, and Les Elegantes.

Needless to say, there will be a huge variety in the fleet, which this year will range from 27 to 62m LOA. He has published a detailed description of the various factors involved in the devilishly complicated task of calibrating the classes, so for more details, please do check    St.  Barths Bucket

2012 Entries

Les Elegantes des Mers
Yachts (12)	Type	Builder	Designer	LOA
Adela	Schooner	Pendennis Shipyard	Dykstra & Partners	55m
Athos	Schooner	Holland Jachtbouw	Hoek	62m
Bequia	Ketch	Brooklin Boat Yard	Stephens	28m
BooToo	Sloop	Pendennis Shipyard	Holland	27m
Marie	Ketch	Vitters Shipyard	Hoek	55m
Meteor	Schooner	Royal Huisman	Dykstra & Partners	52m
Paraiso	Sloop	Alloy Yachts	Fontaine	33m
Rebecca	Ketch	Pendennis Shipyard	Frers	43m
This is Us	Schooner	Holland Jachtbouw	Hoek	42m
Whisper	Sloop	Holland Jachtbouw	Fontaine	35m
William Tai	Ketch	Royal Huisman	Hood	40m
Windcrest	Ketch	Hogdon	Fontaine	30m
Les Grandes Dames des Mers
Yachts (17)	Type	Builder	Designer	LOA
Andromeda la dea	Ketch	Perini Navi	Perini Navi	47m
Antara	Ketch	Perini Navi	Perini Navi	47m
Axia	Ketch	Palmer Johnson	S&S	38m
Baracuda	Ketch	Perini Navi	Holland	50m
Blue Too	Ketch	Alloy Yachts	Holland	34m
Clan VIII	Sloop	Perini Navi	Holland	45m
Destination	Sloop	Alloy Yachts	Dubois	41m
Fidelis	Ketch	Perini Navi	Perini Navi / Holland	56m
Ganesha	Sloop	Fitzroy Yachts	Dubois NA	39m
Genevieve	Sloop	Alloy Yachts	Dubois	37m
Helios II	Sloop	Perini Navi	Holland	45m
Hyperion	Sloop	Royal Huisman	Frers	48m
Koo	Sloop	Vitters Shipyard	Dubois	43m
Moonbird	Sloop	Fitzroy Yachts	Dubois	37m
Panthalassa	Ketch	Perini Navi	Holland	56m
Parsifall III	Ketch	Perini Navi	Holland	54m
Zenji	Ketch	Perini Navi	Holland	56m
Les Gazelles des Mers
Yachts (18)	Type	Builder	Designer	LOA
Bliss	Sloop	Yachting Developments	Dubois	37m
Endeavour	Sloop	Camper & Nicholson	Thomas Sopwith	40m
Firefly	Sloop	Claasen Jachtbouw	Hoek	35m
Hanuman	Sloop	Royal Huisman	Dykstra & Partners	42m
Hetairos	Ketch	Baltic Yachts	Dykstra / R/P	67m
Lady B	Sloop	Vitters Shipyard	Dubois	45m
Mari-Cha III	Ketch	Sensation	Briand	45m
P2	Sloop	Perini Navi	Briand	38m
Ranger	Sloop	Danish Yachrs	Burgess & Stephens	42m
Salperton IV	Sloop	Fitzroy	Dubois	45m
Sojana	Ketch	Green	Farr	35m
Symmetry	Sloop	Yachting Development	Frers	30m
Twizzle	Ketch	Royal Huisman	Dubois	58m
Unfurled	Sloop	Royal Huisman	Frers	34m
Varsovie	Sloop	Nautor Swan	Frers	30m
Velsheda	Sloop	Camper & Nicholson	Nicholson	38m
Virago	Sloop	Nautor Swan	Frers	30m
Zefira	Sloop	Fitzroy	Dubois	50m

CLASS BREAKS

 

Everyone has a soft spot for one repeat Bucket boat or another, and back this year will be fleet favourites Antara, Andromeda La Dea, Axia, Parsifal III, Ranger and Sojana to mention but a few. A couple of newer beauties will be making their second Bucket appearances including Huismans Twizzle, and Hanuman; joined by Hoek-designed Marie, who fired up the crowds last year with their spectacular air shows of historic WWII planes. Making Bucket debuts this year are Holland Yachtbouw schooner Athos, at 62m the largest Bucket Boat 2012; and of course, it wouldn’t be a Bucket without a couple of brand-new Perini Navis,  Clan VIII and Fidelis.

 

So, Bucket fans worldwide, prepare yourselves for the best week of the year coming up very soon, an annual treat for racing fans, and lovers of beautiful yachts alike. So it’s Bon Voyage and A Bientot until we see you next in Saint Barths!

 

Share on Facebook

 

When the third annual Les Voiles des St. Barth gets underway this April 2-7, there will be more that meets the eye than the simply stunning panoramic views of the colorful French West Indies island that hosts the event and the expansive blue Caribbean ocean that surrounds it. Competitive sailors and, for that matter, local residents and visitors alike will have the privilege of also indulging in the indelible impressions left by the aesthetically unmatched designs of some of the world’s finest yachts participating as well as the passion of their owners.

Among the 60+ entrants registered to date is what many call the world’s most famous yacht of all time: the 52’ (15.8 metre) yawl Dorade. Purchased in 2010 by Matt Brooks (San Francisco, Calif.), Dorade was designed by the late Olin Stephens and originally launched in 1930. She influenced nearly all developments in yacht design for the next three decades and was hugely successful in distance racing, taking overall victory in the 1931 Transatlantic race and the 1931 and 1933 Fastnet races, among others. Now, Brooks, who has spent the last year overseeing a refit and major restoration of Dorade, is utilizing Les Voiles de St. Barth as a platform for both yacht and crew preparation, with the goal of entering Dorade in her first major modern ocean race this summer: the Newport to Bermuda Race, in which she finished second in both 1930 and 1932.

“We are assembling and training a crew with the right skills, chemistry and experience to race Dorade and win,” said Brooks, who is a world champion in the Six Meter class as well as an accomplished mountain climber and world record-holding jet pilot. “We also are toughening up Dorade herself, readying her for the kind of long-range sailing she hasn’t seen in decades, keeping in mind that while she may be game, she is also an 80-year-old lady.”

Dorade will sail in the Classics division against such other standouts as Kate, an Intel 60 (18.2 metre); Cruinneag III, a 63’ (19.4 metre) ketch, and Marie Des Isles, a Gran Shpountz 65 (20 metre). Among Dorade’s crew will be John Burnham, an IOD World Champion and Shields ClassNational Champion; legendary Bermudian sailor Buddy Rego; Jesse Sweeney, Dorade’s navigator and a member of the Camper Emirates Team New Zealand’s meteorology team for the Volvo Ocean Race; and Jamie Hilton, a two-time 12 Meter World and North American Champion, who also was a member of Brooks’s team when it won the 2011 Six Meter World Cup.

“St. Barth is a legendary destination and a beautiful place to sail, and we are expecting great wind, great camaraderie among the competitors, and a good test of the new and improved Dorade,” said Brooks.

Another remarkable yacht that will be seen in St. Barth is the Hoek 115’ (35.2 metre) Firefly, the recently launched prototype for the new one-design F Class. The superyacht was designed to hold her own against larger (130’/39.7 metre) J Class yachts and sports some similarities such as a towering rig and long bow and stern overhangs to those massive yachts, which were built in the 1930s and have experienced a rebirth.

According to her designers, Firefly is a perfect mix of classic lines and retro-design details, optimizing her for the Spirit of Tradition classes hosted by some regattas, but at Les Voiles de St. Barth she will depend on her high-performance racing characteristics to prevail against eight other yachts thus far signed up in Maxi class (yachts 75’/22.86 metres and longer).

“The concept is to have a beautiful, classic-looking boat with a modern underbody, using the latest technologies in deck gear and rigging solely for use as a racing boat and/or daysailer,” said Mark van Gelderen, who supervised Fireflys nine-month building process and has been the captain since she splashed in June of 2011. Having headed straight to the Med to compete in a handful of maxi events, Firefly was further optimized to improve performance before heading to the Caribbean.

“We have a relatively young crew combined of professional sailors, very good amateurs and friends of the owner,” added van Gelderen, who will be skippering and driving together with the owner. “Within the crew we have Olympic, Volvo Ocean Race, big boat and dinghy experienced sailors a great combination of very motivated guys!”

Van Gelderen also explained that St. Barth will offer a great place for guests and crew to be entertained when not participating in racing. “There are beaches, great restaurants, shopping and peace and tranquility, all within close proximity,” van Gelderen said. “It’s the perfect combination.”

While three other Maxi Class boats — the 112′/34 metre Baltic Nilaya, the 112′/34 metre Swan Highland Breeze, and the 115’/35 metre Farr Sojana — are nicely matched size-wise to Firefly, no one is quite sure how they or five smaller Maxis in the class are going to compare speed-wise. Certainly all eyes will be on the 90′ (27.4 metre) Reichel/Pugh Rambler, which won the inaugural Les Voiles de St. Barth and has been brought out of retirement by its owner George David (Hartford, Conn.) after its successor, Rambler 100 (which won last years Les Voiles de St. Barth with David steering) lost its keel and capsized in the 2011 Fastnet.

“These races invariably start a mile or two off Gustavia (the main harbor and capital of St. Barth), which means in any kind of a northeasterly trade it is a shifty first leg to a weather mark just outside the harbor,” said David, who most recently finished second overall and second in class with Rambler at the 2012 RORC Caribbean 600. “Then there are a couple of miles reaching either way across the south side of the island, so it’s a parade after that first weather mark, and you don’t want to get there second. Our ride last year, Rambler 100, got us there first every time with boat lengths to spare. It wont be so easy in the 90 footer.”

David noted that 15 of Ramblers crew sailing in the Les Voiles de St. Barth were present at the now-famous Fastnet incident, and a majority of them have sailed in the last two runnings of this regatta.

In addition to the Classic and Maxi classes at Les Voiles de St. Barth, there will also be a Racing Class with divisions for Spinnaker, Non-Spinnaker, 52-Footers, and Multihulls. Other notable entries include the Tripp 75 Blackbird, the Carkeek 40 Decision, the X 65 Karuba 5, and the Irens 63 trimaran Paradox.

With a Tuesday (April 3) through Saturday (April 7) schedule that includes four days of intense racing and a lay day on Thursday (April 5), the regatta kicks off on Monday, April 2, with opening ceremonies and cocktails at the festive Race Village on the Quai General de Gaulle overlooking Gustavia Harbor, where the event is headquartered. Lay day events planned for Nikki Beach include lunch and a surprise sporting challenge for all crews. Evening activities include off-site parties as well as post-racing bands and entertainment in the Race Village.

Official Poster
Organizers unveiled the official limited edition Les Voiles de St. Barth 2012 poster by well-known St. Barth artist Antoine Heckly. Only 300 posters will be printed, with the original artwork to be auctioned off during the crew party –hosted by the real estate agency, Sibarth — at Shell Beach on Wednesday, April 4. Proceeds from this auction will be donated to FEMUR (Foundation for Emergency Medical Equipment) to fund the purchase of a CT scanner to be installed in the new Radiation Center in the island’s Hopital de Bruyn.

 

Share on Facebook

 

 

Virago a performance Nautor Swan sailing yacht wins the 2011 St. Barths Bucket Regatta overall for the 25th Anniversary St. Barths Bucket Regatta.

BY CLASS

Results: GRAND DAMES		(Course #7 19.6 nm)
	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Total
	Points	Points	Points	Points	Rank
AXIA	2	3	7	12	1
GENEVIEVE	10	2	3	15	2
BLUE TOO	13	1	2	16	3
HELIOS II	11	5	1	17	4
ETHEREAL	8	6	4	18	5
KLOSTERS	3	4	12	19	6
MALTESE FALCON	6	7	6	19	7
PARSIFAL III	4	9	9	22	8
PARAISO	9	8	5	22	9
DRUMBEG	5	10	10	25	10
TWIZZLE	7	11	8	26	11
WILLIAM TAI	1	13	13	27	12
ANTARA	12	12	11	35	13
Results: ELEGANTES		(Course #7 19.6 nm)
	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Total
	Points	Points	Points	Points	Rank
REBECCA	4	1	4	9	1
WINDROSE	3	2	7	12	2
MARIE	1	7	5	13	3
CHRISTOPHER	5	9	2	16	4
BEQUIA	2	6	8	16	5
THIS IS US	9	3	6	18	6
GAIA	7	8	3	18	7
ELENA	8	10	1	19	8
WHITE WINGS	6	5	9	20	9
METEOR	10	4	10	24	10
GLORIA	11	12	11	34	11
Results: GAZELLES		(Course #6 22.6 nm)
	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Total
	Points	Points	Points	Points	Rank
VIRAGO	4	1	1	6	1
SYMMETRY	2	2	7	11	2
RANGER	5	4	4	13	3
HANUMAN	3	9	2	14	4
P2	6	6	3	15	5
MARAMA	1	5	12	18	6
SOJANA	8	3	8	19	7
LEOPARD 3	7	10	6	23	8
HYPERION	11	11	5	27	9
MOONBIRD	9	8	11	28	10
MIRABELLA V	16	7	10	33	11
VARSOVIE	10	12	15	37	12
KOKOMO	14	15	9	38	13
ZEFIRO	12	14	13	39	14
LADY B	13	13	16	42	15
SONG OF THE SEA	15	16	14	45	16

A beautiful slideshow courtesy of  Cory Silken of the 40 strong fleet of Superyachts with spectacular St. Barths as the backdrop.

 

 

 St. Barth’s Bucket selects – Images by Cory Silken

 

Overall Winners
1st 2nd 3rd	Virago Hanuman Symmetry
Les Gazelles – Racing Class
1st 2nd 3rd	Virago Symmetry Ranger
Les Grand Dames – Cruising Class
1st 2nd 3rd	Axia Genevieve Blue Too
Les Elegantes – Classic Class
1st 2nd 3rd	Rebecca Windrose Marie
Alloy Cup
Blue Too
All Star Crew Award presented by Holland Jachtbuow (also presented by The Yacht Report and Crew Report magazines)
Rebecca
Wolter Huisman Memorial Spirit of the Bucket Trophy
Marie
Perini Navi Cup
P2
Vitter’s Shipyard Seamanship Trophy
Maltese Falcon
Skullduggery Cravat
Axia
Hard Hat Award
Mike Slade on Leopard
Escargot Cup
Gloria
Hard Hat Award
Mike Slade on Leopard
Descriptions of Awards
Overall These awards, first through third, are presented for the best performance overall for combined results, all classes, all races.
Les Gazelles & Les Grand Dames In 2005, when the Bucket Regatta grew beyond all expectations and the fleet doubled in size, it was determined that the yachts should be split into classes that considered their essential attributes.  However, the distinction of “Cruising Division” and “Racing Division” seemed just, oh so pedestrian, for a fleet of this stature.  In the RC’s opinion, the designation of “Les Gazelles des Mers” for the Racing Division and “Les Grandes Dammes des Mers” for the Cruising Division, seemed far more appropriate. In 2011 “Les Elegantes” was added, providing a class for “classic yachts”. Each Division has trophies presented for best performance overall, first through third.
Alloy Cup Best Performance by an Alloy Yacht
All Star Crew Award At each Bucket Event, every yacht is asked to cast a ballot for the yacht crew among the fleet that demonstrates the most professional service in all tasks, while maintaining the best voie de vivre, camaraderie, teamwork and respect among the crew.  This is the crew that displays the pinnacle of the profession and has the most fun at it – the yacht that everyone wants to work aboard.   Because the award is earned by peer recognition, it has earned serious stature within the marine industry.
Spirit of the Bucket Trophy This award is presented each year by Alice Huisman, to the yacht that best exemplifies the spirit of the Bucket Regattas.  The selection is absolutely subjective, but considers sportsmanship, safe seamanship, best hospitality and overall contribution to the event.  We have created a lot of humor around the premise that “Bribes can get you anything in the Bucket” and this is where the truth comes clear.  The Bucket Regatta was really started as a Club of yacht owners who loved nothing more than sailing their yachts well, getting the best out of them, and then sharing great yarns and libation at the end of the day.  There are a group of owners who have contributed a lot to the event over the years, from tenders to parties, committee boats, etc.  It is this Spirit that sets this event apart from all others.  It is in recognition of this Spirit that the Wolter Huisman Memorial Trophy is awarded. (None of the above reduces the RC’s taste for fine champagne!)
Perini Navi Cup Perini-Navi Yacht with the best result.
Vitters Seamanship Trophy Awarded to the yacht that demonstrates the best seamanship and sportsmanship in the interest of promoting safety on the race course.  All participants in the Bucket acknowledge that superyachts have serious limitations operating safely in close quarters and therefore, the RC has always valued safety well above performance.  This award will recognize the yacht that best demonstrates that understanding.  It also goes to prove that nice guys don’t always finish last!!
Skullduggery Cravat The Skullduggery Cravat is a perfectly tied Admiralty Noose, framed, with instructions in elegant calligraphy on how to tie a proper, 13 turn noose.  This was originally awarded to the owner of SARIYAH in 2002, so his captain, Timothy Laughridge (Bucket Committee) could be hung at the pleasure of the Fleet. The award was renamed and put forward by the Committee to reinforce the Bucket premise that we are NOT here to promulgate adult behavior.  The Cravat will be awarded to the yacht and crew who display the best bucket humor.  As a guideline, we again focus on SARIYAH, where one year they spent the evening prior to the last race, slaughtering a down feathered mattress, then they packed the feathers in with their spinnaker so when they set their ‘Chute with the Hawk logo the following day, they not only dusted the horizon with feathers, but left a rubber chicken hanging from their spinnaker pole!!!

Share on Facebook

An enthusiastic Ken Read (Newport, R.I.) got the 2011 sailing season off to a resounding start on board the new Maxi Yacht Rambler 100 in the Caribbean 600. The American skipper, who leads the Puma Ocean Racing project, has just won the event, leaving his rival Leopard 3 a long way behind and in so doing also grabbing the race record. Winner of last year’s inaugural running of the Les Voiles de St. Barth as skipper of George David’s (Hartford, Conn.) 90-footRambler, Read was naturally entrusted with the helm of Rambler 100 (the former Speedboat) when David took command of it earlier this year. Very excited by Rambler 100’s performance so far, Read is looking forward to the race program that lies ahead in the coming weeks. The second edition of the Les Voiles de St. Barth is next on the schedule (April 4-9), and with a mere mention of Read’s victory at the 2010 event, he admits without hesitation that he took advantage of “the best conditions ever experienced in my whole career….”

The prospect of once again facing their main rival Leopard 3 (owned by Great Britain’s Mike Slade) at Les Voiles de St. Barth–in closely fought contests on a variety of windy courses–is something that Read and David are extremely happy about. The Americans will bring along the whole of Read’s Puma Ocean Racing team, comprised of 15 top class professional sailors that will join seven other experienced crewmen to sail the powerful carbon Maxi Yacht.

“Don’t change a thing!,” said Read about the Les Voiles des St. Barth format, which features short daytime race courses that will have Rambler 100 and Leopard 3 facing off for the first time with that type of racing. “Rambler 100 and Leopard 3 are two huge monsters,” he said, explaining that both boats are entered in the Atlantic Ocean Racing Series, which reaches its climax in June with the 2011 Transatlantic Race from Newport, Rhode Island to The Lizard (UK). “They are record-breaking boats designed for long ocean races and major offshore courses; however, for our crew, it is vital to be able to compete in inshore races like those that will be held in St. Barth. Our battle against Leopard 3 will be very demanding for the crews and fascinating to watch, as we will be alongside each other for a lot of the time and it is bound to offer a maximum level of excitement.”

The Caribbean 600 represented an intermediate format for Ken Read and his crew, and it very quickly turned to the advantage of Rambler 100, which led the way from start to finish in what were typically Caribbean conditions, with strong trade winds windward of the islands and tricky currents, particularly at night. “Sailing along at 26 knots under the stars, we had some great moments aboard Rambler 100, a boat that offers a completely new dimension to racing,” concluded Read. Peter Harrison’s (Great Britain) 115-foot Farr-designed Sojana, which stood out in the Les Voiles de St. Barth last year and will be back again this year, also took part in the Caribbean 600 alongside Genuine Risk, the 90-foot Dubois design that has registered for the Les Voiles de St. Barth for the first time and may also thwart the favorites’ plans.

“In St. Barth, each day is different,” said Read. “The race committee has done an excellent job coming up with courses around the islands that are spectacular and at the same time very demanding from a tactical perspective, as they mean we have to sail at every point of sail. The Les Voiles de St. Barth is also physically very tiring, as the strong regular winds that sweep across the islands at this time of year allow us to get the most out of the boat, implying frequent sail changes with each change of tack. Technically, this is a really interesting event, which is a fantastic complement to the Atlantic Ocean Racing Series.”

Key information:

With one month to go until the start of racing, the Les Voiles de St. Barth has registered no fewer than 49 yachts, divided according to their size and class in the following five divisions:

SUPER / MAXI YACHT : A Maxi yacht refers to a prototype yacht or one that is produced in limited numbers measuring at least 69’ in length: 8 boats registered

CLASSIC: Classic Yachts or traditional boats are boats that are at least 35 years old and fit into various categories: 5 boats registered

RACING: This division brings together racing monohulls designed specifically for coastal or offshore races: 15 boats registered

RACING-CRUISING : The Racing Cruising division includes chiefly series boats, fitted out for cruising as well as for racing: 17 boats registered

RACING- MULTIHULLS: This division includes racing multihulls, be they trimarans or catamarans, with a length between 30 and 60 feet and which are very light and fast: 4 boats registered

The Les Voiles de St. Barth officially begins on Monday, April 4, 2011 with the traditional registration process and the opening of the Voiles Village, Quai du Général De Gaulle in Gustavia. At 1300 hrs (local time) the next day (Tuesday, April 5), the Race Directors, under the leadership of Luc Poupon, will signal the start of racing on some exciting and varied race courses set up according to the weather conditions. Racing continues Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with Thursday, April 7 set aside as a lay day, with a full list of festive events lined up, allowing the crews to rest and enjoy themselves along with the people of St. Barths. The closing evening on Saturday, April 9 will include the prize-giving
ceremony.

Entries

LEOPARD 3
 GBR 1R FARR 100′ MIKE SLADE Pre-entry
 
SOJANA
 GBR 115 FARR 115 Peter HARRISON /Marc FIDZGERALD Pre-entry
 
BELLA PITA
 US 53560 TRIPP DESIGN 75′ JIM GRUNDY Pre-entry
 
HIGHLAND BREEZE
 888 SWAN 112 RS/GPR 112′ ALBERT KEULARTS Pre-entry
 
SPIIP
 FRA 8686 CNB 86 86′ ROBIN DE JONG Pre-entry
 
RAMBLER 100
   100′ GEORGE DAVID Pre-entry
 
MARAMA
   100′ GERARD NAIGEON Pre-entry
 
GENUINE RISK
 8390 DUBOIS/MC CONAUGHY 97′ HUGO STENBECK Pre-entry
 
Racing
Yacht Name   Sail Design LOA Skipper Status
 
 
REGIS GUILLEMOT.COM
 FRA 96 POGO 40 S2 40′ REGIS GUILLEMOT Pre-entry
 
PANIC ATTACK
 750 OPEN 750 24′ JAN VANDEN EYNDE Pre-entry
 
NOVUS ACRA
 GBR 150 L BENETEAU F 50 50′ TONY MACBRIDE Pre-entry
 
BLACK HOLE
  SANTA CRUZ 37 37′ J. Hin Pre-entry
 
FIFI
 FRA 2114 X55 55 G;MARTIN Pre-entry
 
LANCELOT
 FRA 25597 BENETEAU 31.7 32 SERGE MAZARIO Pre-entry
 
TECHNOMARINE
 FRA 27917 Farr 36,7 DEREDEC Christian Pre-entry
 
OCEAN WARRIOR
 SA 3625 CLASS 40 40′ LENJOHN VAN DER WEL Pre-entry
 
PUFFY
 USA 45454 Farr 45 DEMARCHELLIER Patrick Pre-entry
 
ANTILOPE
 GRB 1513L GRAND SOLEIL 43′ WILLEM WESTER Pre-entry
 
LOST HORIZON
 ANT 104 J 122 40′ JAMES DOBBS Pre-entry
 
MONNEYPENNY
  TP 52 54′ JIM SWARTZ Pre-entry
 
VENOMOUS
 GBR 60006 FARR DESIGN 60′ PETER CUNNINGHAM Pre-entry
 
SPIRIT OF JUNO
 GBR 8653 R FARR 65 65′ RORY FAULKNER Pre-entry
 
SONIC OF AYR
 GBR 370 L SANTA CRUZ 37 37 RYAN BROOKES Pre-entry
 
Classic
Yacht Name   Sail Design LOA Skipper Status
 
 
WHITE WINGS
 US2 W CLASS 76′ DAVID TOFIA Pre-entry
 
DUENDE
 10200 Herreshoff 43 43 D.Randy West Pre-entry
 
KATE
 ES5 MYLNE 60′ Walwyn Pre-entry
 
CARA MIA
 SUI 4405 SWAN  41′ PATRICK NICHOLAS Pre-entry
 
Racing Cruising
Yacht Name   Sail Design LOA Skipper Status
 
 
FENIX
 GBR 9660R SWAN  60′ MORITZ BURMESTER Pre-entry
 
L’ESPERANCE
 123 Beneteau 45 VELASQUEZ Robert Pre-entry
 
VANILLE
 16286 FIRST 300 SPIRIT 30′ PHILIPPE HERVE Pre-entry
 
COSTA MESA
 88 DUFOUR 425 GL 43′ REY PASCAL Pre-entry
 
ORMEAU
  FINOT BENETEAU 47.3 ALAIN CHARLOT Pre-entry
 
MR. WALKER
 FRA 491 REQUIN 33 MELISSA RIMBAUD Pre-entry
 
LIL’E
 FRA 479 REQUIN 33 FOX MOWGLI Pre-entry
 
BEESE
  BERRET 50.5 ANDRE BEESE Registered 
 
MAE-LIA
  X-YACHT 34 MAGRAS Raphael Pre-entry
 
FESTING
  BERRET 50.5 PATRICK SMITH Registered 
 
SPEEDY NEMO
  DUFOUR  34′ RAYMOND MAGRAS Pre-entry
 
CORBAN
 97133 SWAN 42 HARPER Daniel Pre-entry
 
TARA II
  SUN ODYSSEY 54 DS 54′ HENRY ALBERT Pre-entry
 
SPLENDIDO
 FRA37407 GRAND SOLEIL 40′ PHILIPPE HERVOUET Pre-entry
 
NIX
 IVB 612 X-YACHT 60′ NICO CORTLEVER Pre-entry
 
AFFINITY
 US 50007 SWAN  48′ JACK DESMOND Pre-entry
 
SOLANO
 FRA 34625 LATINI 52 FELCI 52′ FREDERIC RIALLAND Pre-entry
 
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
 GRB 1007L ELAN 37′ ANNIE O’SULLIVAN Pre-entry
 
COYOTE 2
 GBR 9949 T FIRST 40.7 41′ KEN ACOTT Pre-entry
 
iLOST
  HARMONY 42 42′ HANNEKE STEGWEG Pre-entry
 
SHAMROCK VII
 USA 1 J 95 31′ THOMAS MULLEN Pre-entry
 
Racing Multihull
Yacht Name   Sail Design LOA Skipper Status
 
 
PHAEDO
 399BC GUNBOAT 66′ PAUL HAND Pre-entry
 
KARIBUNI PINEL
  COULOMBEL 40′ ERICK CLEMENT Pre-entry
 
BIANCA
  SEACART 30′ HERVE DE MARJOLIE Pre-entry
 
SPIRIT 
 GBR 565  40′ JASON GARD Pre-entry

Share on Facebook

- Squalls and a race around the whole island of St. Barts to mark the end of an exciting week

- Rambler in homage to Peter

- Wild Horses by 4 seconds!

- The joy of the sailors from St Maarten

After three days of racing on various courses, which were physically and tactically demanding, Luc Poupon and the race directors scheduled a race all the way around the island of St. Barts to close this first highly successful edition of the Voiles de Saint-Barth. A 22-mile long race between the rocks in a trade wind that remained strong throughout the week.  In order to ensure that the festive atmosphere of the event was respected, the 23 yachts taking part all lined up on the same starting line at the same time at 1100 hrs to be given the off.

Rambler, thinking of Peter Doriean

As soon as the start procedures got underway, a huge tropical squall meant that the race area and the crews were drenched. A few minutes later, the skies brightened and as is often the case it suddenly went flat calm in the entrance to Gustavia harbour and on the start line. The yachts waited for a while with their sails flapping and the race directors launched the start procedures again, as the trade wind made its presence felt again with an 18-knot easterly blowing. The final clearance buoy set up less than a mile from the start saw a huge traffic jam build up, with the two giants deciding to come in on different tacks, Sojana on starboard and Rambler on the port tack. The tone was set, and this final race of the Voiles de Saint-Barth was underway with the same thrilling competition as on the previous races this week. O, just two hours, the impressive Reichel/Pugh-designed Rambler completed the course that was very tactical because of all the marks. Dominating throughout winning four times in four races, George David’s men remained modest in their triumph, and as they crossed the finishing line they were thinking of the Australian, Peter Doriean, their friend, who recently died in a tragic accident. As the boat’s tactician, the American Ken Read, explained earlier, the best way for the twenty men that make up the crew could pay homage to their team mate was to do their best throughout this event. The big ketch Sojana tried every day to keep up with the fast pace set by the American Maxi. The trade wind also helped her to show her full amazing potential.  In vain. The speed difference with the Farr designed boat was simply too great for Peter Holmberg’s men, who included the French sailors Loïck Peyron, Lionel Péan and Jacques Vincent, to hope to achieve a  win. However, the gap between the boats was not that huge and today only ten points separated them.

Wild Horses… by 4 seconds!

It was today’s big match after the huge success yesterday of the women on the W 76 White Wings.  The one all the crews and spectators at the Voiles de Saint Barth were looking forward to. Would Faraday Rosenberg and her 15 ladies repeat their performance, winning today’s race and in so doing win the event against the sistership, Wild Horses sailed by Donald Tofias and his boys? Everything remained uncertain throughout the 22 theoretical miles of the course around St. Barts. Clearly more and more at ease in their precise choice of route, White Wings once again showed their determination at the start and passed the clearance buoy way out in front of Wild Horses. The two big W 76 boats sped along leeward of the island, and it was in the long tacks in seas that were building that the all-female crew would ease off a little. Enough in any case to allow Tofias to get back in the race. He made a final dash for the finish on the downwind stretch and won by four tiny seconds. So victory went to Wild Horses in this particularly exciting Classic division, which was extremely fascinating to watch with such elegant racing, and with the presence of Kate, the gaff rigger recently built based on designs by Mylne, on the starting line to offer inspiration.

The sailors from St Maarten were just too much!

Robert Velasquez came to the Voiles de Saint-Barth confident in his crew from the Dutch Antilles and in the intrinsic quality of his First 45, having acquired decades of experience sailing around the West Indies. With four wins in four races, he was beaming with joy this evening and he made his pleasure felt, not finding the words to express his sheer enthusiasm, when talking about how kind the wind gods were this week. He triumphs at the top of the rankings in this group which included the largest number of participants at the “Voiles”, not and he never left the slightest chance for Raymond Magras’s valiant Dufour 34 “Speedy Nemo”, which had to make do with being runner up leaving David Cullen’s J 109 “Pocket Rocket” take third place.

The amazing J 122

Battling throughout the week against the splendid Swan 45 “Puffy”, belonging to the event’s godfather Patrick Demarchelier, the fast and daring “little” J 122 “Lost Horizon” skippered by the sailor from Antigua, James Dobbs triumphed this evening by achieving a fourth victory. Neither the strong breeze, not the heavy swell, which was sometimes very messy, nor the squally interludes seem to have affected Dobbs and his men, who found just the right tactics to overcome the power of the Swan and to see the name of their racing machine on the list of winners at this first edition of the “Voiles de Saint-Barth”.

What they said:

Robert Velasquez (L’espérance) :  ”Great week! great races! We’ll be back next year! My lads were fantastic and we’re really pleased to have won this first edition of the “Voiles de Saint-Barth”, by in fact winning all the races…”

Karl James (Sojana) : “We had a great fight with Rambler. There were some tough encounters as we rounded the marks. We really enjoyed this week of sailing, with a very fine crew, who enabled us to get the most out of Sojana. Now, I’m moving on to another giant, Ranger, the big J Class boat that will be racing in Antigua against her eternal rival Velsheda…”

Some choice words from Loïck Peyron (Sojana): “2009 was a strange year; for the first time in thirty years, I didn’t sail across the Atlantic!  I was awarded the “Red Cap, I’ve been anointed. Now I’m a real sailor!”

Ken Read (Rambler): “This great week of racing does not mean of course that we have forgotten about the loss of our dear friend, Peter Doriean. All the crew showed how professional they were throughout the races. We shan’t forget Peter. Life goes on. Rambler will be continuing to race in the States. As for me, I’ve got a lot of work waiting with the wonderful “Puma Ocean Racing” project.

Marlies Sanders, White Wings : “Our crew was deliberately made up of women.  There are sixteen of us in all under the control of our skipper Faraday Rosenberg. There is a fantastic atmosphere on board, with a great team spirit. Everyone helps each other all the time. We have been sailing rather like in a match race against Wild Horses, which is a W76 class that is absolutely identical to ours, except that she is in the hands of the men. So there is real rivalry between us. Our first day was not that great, as we were using it really to train, but we soon found our marks, finishing second in race N°2, and winning yesterday. The final day was therefore decisive, as if we had won it, we would have been on equal points with the boys and we would have won the event because of winning the final race. It almost happened!  There’s an extraordinary atmosphere ashore, as it seems that everyone was supporting us and wanted to see us win. This was a fantastic week and we’re already making plans to come back next year.”

They were at the “Voiles de Saint-Barth” :

Loïck Peyron France – Sojana, Oman Sail

Lionel Péan France – Sojana

Jacques Vincent France – Sojana, L’Hydroptère

Peter Holmberg US Virgin Islands – Sojana

Gavin Brady – New Zealand Moneypenny, Malcazone Latino

Frazer Brown – New Zealand – Sojana – Extreme 40 Ecover

Ken Keefe – USA – Moneypenny, America’s Cup

Kimo Worthington – USA  Moneypenny, America’s Cup

Ken Read  - USA – Rambler, Puma Ocean Racing

Tim Dawson -USA –  Rambler

Justin Juggy Clougher – USA – Rambler, Volvo Ocean Race

Craig Alexander- Australia – Duende –  Classe 40 Kazimir partner

Justin Slattery – UK – Sojana – Volvo Ocean race

Tania Thevenaz -Switzerland- White wings, Tuiga

Overall rankings at the first edition of the Voiles de Saint-Barth

Classic (CLA) division after four races

1: “Wild Horses”, Donald Tofias ( (Classic / US) 5 points  (Race results: 1,1,2,1,)

2: “White Wings”, Faraday Rosenberg ( (Classic / US) 7 points  (Race results: 2,2,1,2,)

3: “Duende”, Randy West ( (Classic / Saint Barthelemy Yacht Club) 14 points  (Race results : 3,3,3,DNC ,)

4: “Kate”, Philippe Walwyn ( (Classic / Great Britain) 16 points  (Race results: 4,DNS ,4,3,)

Multihull division (M2K) after 4 races

1: “Escapade”, Greg Dorland (  / US) 5 points  (Race results: 1,1,DNS ,1,)

Racing division (RAC) after 4 races

1: “Lost Horizon”, James Dobbs ( (J 122 / Antigua) 4 points  (Race results: 1,1,1,1,)

2: “Puffy”, Patrick de Marchelier ( (Swan 45 / Saint Barthelemy Yacht Club) 8 points  (Race results: 2,2,2,2,)

3: “Black Hole”, Jeroen Hin ( (First 40.7 / Great Britain) 15 points  (Race results: 3,HTP ,3,3,)

4: “Malachite”, Pierre Mancy ( (A 40 / St Quentin Sailing Club) 17 points  (Race results: 5,3,4,5,)

5: “Lancelot”, John Shanholt ( (First 40.7 / US) 20 points  (Race results: 4,HTP ,DNS ,4,)

RACING CRUISING (R_C) division after 4 races

1: “L’esperance”, Robert Velasquez ( (First 45 F5 / Antilles Hollan) 4 points  (Race results: 1,1,1,1,)

2: “Speedy Nemo”, Raymond Magras ( (Dufour 34 / Saint Barthelemy Yacht Club) 8 points  (Race results: 2,2,2,2,)

3: “Pocket Rocket”, David Cullen ( (J 109 / Ireland) 12 points  (Race results: 3,3,3,3,)

4: “Lil’e”, Tanguy Fox ( (Requin / Saint Barthelemy Yacht Club) 18 points  (Race results: 6,4,4,4,)

5: “Thula”, Max Imrie ( (Baltic 39 / US) 19 points  (Race results: 4,5,5,5,)

6: “Corban”, Daniel Harper ( (Swann 42 / United States) 23 points  (Race results: 5,6,6,6,)

7: “Baladin”, Raphael Magras ( (Feeling 30 / Saint Barthelemy Yacht Club) 30 points  (Race results : 7,9,7,7,)

8: “Ormeau”, Alain Charlot ( (Oceanis 473 / Club de Voile du Lac D’orient) 33 points  (Race results: 9,8,8,8,)

9: “Iznogoud”, Christophe Baudoin ( (Surprise / Ctre Nautique de St Barthelemy) 35 points  (Race results: 8,7,DNS ,HTP ,)

SUPER YACHT (SUP) division after 4 races

1: “Rambler”, George David ( (Maxi / US) 5 points  (Race results: 1,1,1,2,)

2: “Sojana”, Marc Fitzgerald ( (Farr 115 / Great Britain) 8 points  (Race results: 2,2,3,1,)

3: “Moneypenny”, James Swartz ( (Swan 601 / United States) 11 points  (Race results: 3,3,2,3,)

4: “Nix”, Nico Cortlever ( (X 612 / Switzerland) 17 points  (Race results: 4,4,DNS ,4,)

Share on Facebook