Maxi winners decided in perfect Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez finale
by International Maxi Association 6 Oct 05:36 AEDT
29 September - 5 October 2025
Karel Komárek and his V team celebrate their victory © Gilles Martin-Raget /
www.martin-raget.com
Saint-Tropez at the beginning of autumn often provides no wind or too much. But for the last day on Baie de Pampelonne the southwesterly was 12-15 knots, perfect conditions for a worthy finale to the maxi racing at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, organised by the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, with the full schedule completed.
The breeze took its time to arrive with the race committee only able to send Maxi 3-5 away after 13:30, followed after 1400 by the Maxi 1 and Grand Prix classes racing a windward-leeward course.
Across the five maxis classes the racing went to the wire in several. Most hair-raising was the Maxi Grand Prix class for the former Maxi 72s where the results were turned on their head with Peter Harrison's Jolt scoring her first bullet of the regatta, while the two front runners sailed themselves into last place: Yesterday's winner, Jim Swartz's Vesper finished last, while overall leader since Tuesday, Giovanni Lombardi Stronati's new wallyrocket 71 Django 7X, was fourth. However this was enough for Django 7X to win overall, but only by a point, from Vesper, with Sir Peter Ogden's 77ft Jethou another point behind in third.
"It was quite hard today," said Stronati. "We had a match race but it was a very nice race and Vasco [Vascotto - tactician and team manager) did a good job. We were a bit lucky, like you always have to be, but the boat is good."
Django 7X is the newest in the Maxi Grand Prix class and is setting a new benchmark - she arrived in Saint-Tropez fresh from the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup where she was crowned IMA Rolex Maxi Grand Prix World Champion.
A more decisive win came in Maxi 1. This class was a mix of five 100 footers and two 80 footers with one of each ultimately filling the top two positions: Karel Komárek's 100ft V scored her third bullet today and discarded a third to win Maxi 1 by three points from Alessandro Del Bono's 82ft Capricorno, which finished second today ahead of Galateia. V and Capricorno were the class acts of Maxi 1 this week, with the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Champion, David M Leuschen and Chris Flowers' Galateia (being campaigned here by Chris and daughter Lizz Flowers), out of action for the first three races following a collision.
For the V team this was their first win since their North Sound Maxi Regatta in the Virgin Islands in March. "We had an exceptional week," commented V's tactician, North Sails President, Ken Read. "The team is sailing the boat exceptionally well and it's just really fun to be a part of. There's nothing between us and Galateia - they sail a little better, they beat us; we sail a little better, we beat them."
In the final race the magic came on the first beat: "The bay becomes quite right-hand favoured, especially at the top," Read continued. "We got just enough ahead that we could control the top of the beat and then launch ourselves." Also owner Karel Komárek has had a different advisory team this week allowing Read to focus on tactics. "We've had a couple of blemishes, but today it worked perfectly. Today was just stunning, beautiful Mediterranean..."
In Maxi 3 Luciano Gandini's Mylius 80 Twin Soul B had already done enough: She discarded her DNC to beat today's winner Terry Hui's Wally 80 Lyra by one point - a strong return to the race course for Gandini, who has not competed in three years due to health issues. Both teams put in exemplary performances this week - Twin Soul B having no results lower than a second until today, and Lyra discarding a fourth, leaving seven points between her and Sven Wackerhagen's third-placed Wally 80 Rose. Many of the 11 Maxi 3 teams have 'had their 5 minutes' this week, with, for example, Christian Oldendorff's modern classic Spirit 111 Geist fourth today - her best result of the week.
In Maxi 4, Luigi Sala's Vismara 62 Yoru suffered a substantial wobble on Friday - following three bullets, she scored a 4-OCS in the two windward-leewards. Paul Berger's Swan 80 Kallima won the final coastal race, in around 15 knots, but Yoru rediscovered her form finishing second, ahead of Maurits Van Orange's third-placed Wally 80 Sud. This was enough for Yoru to defend her title in the class, which she also won last year, this time finishing a point ahead of Kallima with Alessandro Doria's Swan 60 Seaquill a further two back in third.
"Yesterday we made a lot of mistakes, so we entered into a dangerous area," admitted Sala. "We had to come out today and keep our concentration and stay focused. We are very happy today, obviously - twice in two years is not bad!"
In today's coastal Yoru, on which Gabriele Bruni calls tactics, enjoyed a good start and first beat. However according to Sala it is downwind when his Mark Mills design excels. "The target for us is not to lose too much upwind. We were able to stay in a very good position all the way up that leg today and then the second half of the race was easier."
Scoring straight bullets throughout this week in Maxi 5 was Enzo Pellizzaro's Solaris 60 Crazy Diamond, which, like Twin Soul B, won her class with a race to spare. This left the Oyster 825 Viva La Vida to take the win today on their coastal course, ahead of Jonathan Litt's CNB 76 Beautiful Day and Francois Benais' Shipman 63 Bambo. Overall Viva la Vida finished second in class ahead of past winner Jürg Schneider's Swan 65 Saida.
"It was a wonderful week - I couldn't ask for more," commented Pellizzaro, who raced with a group of friends with whom he has sailed since his childhood but competing here for the first time. "It was great fun and the place is beautiful. Probably it was beginner's luck this week!"
On Saturday evening a packed prize-giving took place within the regatta village on Môle d'Estienne d'Orves, where trophies were presented to the class winners, including the new Edmond de Rothschild Trophy going to the Maxi 1 winner, V, as well as the trophy for the highest-placed International Maxi Association member.