23 superb boats lined up on October 5th for the 12the edition of the Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy, during the Voiles de Saint Tropez. The winner is… Spartan.
The wait was long for the sailboats that competed in the 12th edition of the Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy, with a record number of 23 centenarians out of the 24 who raced Les Voiles, lining up off Saint Tropez to compete in the only race dedicated to boat centenarians and more, an event that has become a unique and unmissable meeting place for vintage boats and beautiful classics.
Since its inception, the Gstaad Yacht Club Century Trophy has been contested as a pursuit race with staggered starts, which has proven extremely attractive over the years for both sailors and the public. Thanks to a specially created and constantly refined handicap system, competitors cross the starting line according to their handicap, with the first boat to cross the finish line off Saint-Tropez being declared the winner.
One of the Trophy aficionados is Esterel, the 8M IR (Sebille 1912) rigged with a gaff, with a group of friends who already have five editions under their belt and who are showing their usual positive attitude, as one of them said: " We love the Gstaad Yacht Club Century Trophy; the atmosphere is really good, and it's where you see the most beautiful and authentic boats in the fleet. We know who's going to win because we know all the competitors, but the most important thing, as Pierre de Coubertin said, is to participate. We're here for the fun! »
This year marked the return of three magnificent 15Ms, Mariska (William Fife III 1908), The Lady Anne (William Fife III 1912) and the flagship of the Yacht Club de Monaco, Tuiga (William Fife III 1909). Daniel Pereira, skipper of Tuiga, said : " We are happy to be participating in the regatta again after several years of absence. It's an ideal format and I'm sure we'll have a great day of racing, with a relaxed atmosphere and lots of fun! In addition, for the Century Trophy, Pierre Casiraghi is at the helm. Tuiga.
If the yawl Marconi Barbara, flying the Italian flag, designed in 1923 by Charles Ernest Nicholson and built at Camper & Nicholsons shipyard in Gosport, UK, is a family cruising yacht, another newcomer to the Trophy has had a much more competitive history and was created purely for racing purposes. The 12M Thea was in fact designed by Norwegian navigator, double Olympic medalist and prolific architect Johan Anker in 1918. It was built by the Anker & Jensen shipyard. In 2017, I was invited by the GYC to sail with Bruno Trouble on the P Class Chips. It was one of the most memorable sailing events I've ever participated in. » Robert Henry de Haer, representative of the owners of Thea, adds: “ I am browsing on Thea in Scandinavian waters for five years and I am delighted to be competing in the Century Trophy. Thea is currently in the Mediterranean training for this year's 12M European Championship and next year's Porquerolles World Cup. The crew of Thea consists of a group of experienced Danish sailors, some of whom have Olympic experience. It's an amazing team and I'm sure they'll do their best to do well in the Century Trophy. ».
This year, the triple winner Olympian (William Gardner, 1913) wants to set a historic record of four victories after winning the 2014, 2019 and 2021 editions, out of the eight in which he participated, just like last year's winner, Kismet (William Fife III 1898), for a consecutive double.
But this year, it's Spartan Charlie Ryan's (NY50), flying the American flag, won this 12th edition of the Gstaad Yacht Club Century Trophy, making it a double after his previous victory in 2016.
Pierre Roinson, President of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, said: “ This 2023 edition marks an important year in terms of figures, as Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez and the Gstaad Yacht Club are both celebrating their 25th anniversary. An idea from the Gstaad Yacht Club, the Century Trophy, organized jointly with the race committee of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, brings together century-old boats every year. The event will once again be a major regatta on the water. ».
But before battling it out on the water, all the crews had a very different and original competition in Saint-Tropez. They all gathered in the famous Place des Lices to watch a video at the cinema. La Renaissance on a sustainable development and education project on the Mediterranean promoted by Tom Woods, the owner of PTM Wiki (Herbert Wustrau 1920), then a Swiss-style aperitif and later for a unique cow milking competition where two sailors from each participating crew were put to the test in this unusual, but very Swiss, activity...
The Trophy, awarded annually, is also a hundred years old, having been created by Wakely and Wheeler of London in 1911, exactly 100 years before the first edition of the regatta.
The winners of the Centenary Trophy
2011: Bonafide (1899) – 2012: Marigold (1892) – 2013: Due to adverse weather conditions, the title was not awarded – 2014: Olympian (1913) – 2015: Oriole (1905) – 2016: Spartan (1913) – 2017: Tilly XV (1912) – 2018: Tilly XV (1912) – 2019: Olympian (1913) – 2021 Olympian (1913) – 2022 Kismet (1898) – 2023 Spartan (1913).
About the Gstaad Yacht Club
The Gstaad Yacht Club was founded in 1998, and celebrating its 25the anniversary this year, by a group of sailing enthusiasts whose vision was to “ create a unique global yacht club far from the waters, instead of another local club by the sea " Based in the Swiss mountains, the GYC has grown into a club with over 400 members from over 35 different countries and a place where members and their guests enjoy meeting. The GYC supports sailing projects at all levels, from juniors to professional sailors. The club has become a strong force on the Swiss sailing scene, particularly in Olympic sailing and internationally among classic yachts.
About the Saint-Tropez Nautical Society
The Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez was founded in 1862 and has been organizing regattas for over 160 years. Some of its members have left an indelible mark, such as Guy de Maupassant in 1887 and Paul Signac in 1892, who were among the pioneers of French yachting. Affiliated with the FFVoile and associated with the Yacht Club de France, the SNST has continued to grow, with the leitmotif of always being open to modernity and new developments while respecting traditions. With a team of enthusiasts including 16 members of the Board of Directors, 5 permanent staff, 500 members, and numerous volunteers, the Club organizes major events such as the Voiles de Saint-Tropez, the Giraglia Rolex, the Dames de Saint-Tropez, and the Paprec 600 Saint-Tropez race. The Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez is the support club of the French Orient Express team for the 37e America's Cup to be held in Barcelona in September and October 2024.
Patrick Koune
