63 racing yachts sailing craft, a magnificently diverse fleet, 1,200 sailors and exciting routes — that pretty much sums up the 10th edition of Les Voiles de St Barth, organised by François Tolède and Luc Poupon.
Ideal weather conditions throughout the week ensured a breath-taking spectacle on the water. On Saturday, 20 April, the last day of competition following 4 days of regattas, the crews battled for victory in a stage of 24 – 29 nautical miles, with winds that varied between 16 and 18 knots. A loyal participant since 2013, Peter Harrison, Richard Mille CEO for EMEA, traded his C-suite suit for sailor’s garb aboard his Maxi 72, Sorcha, and shared helmsman duties on this 16-tonne carbon fibre behemoth with Pierre Casiraghi, Richard Mille partner and patron of this year’s edition of Les Voiles.
Sorcha’s crew completed a flawless run, sweeping all titles, including the Maxi 1 category. They were joined on the podium by Davit Witt’s (HKG) SHK Scallywag and Ambersail 2, belonging to Pajarskas (LTU).
In addition to winning the Maxi 1 category Sorcha took home the Richard Mille Maxi Cup, and the prize that goes with it — an RM 60-01 Flyback Chronograph Regatta. Peter Harrison has decided to sell the watch through the Paris Richard Mille boutique and donate the proceeds to charitable organisations that help young people learn to sail, while the remainder will contribute to safeguarding the coastal areas of Saint-Barthélémy following the passage of Hurricane Irma, which devastated the island in September 2017.
A new feature this year was the organisers’ commitment to making the event as ecologically responsible as possible, especially by approaching zero plastic within the racing village. While the race itself takes centre stage at this event, organisers seek to raise awareness among youth of the need for marine and ocean floor preservation efforts.
Les Voiles de St Barth Richard Mille welcomes the most fabulous sailboats of the world back to the Caribbean for its 11th edition that will begin on 12 April 2020.
