/ 
A dense and festive edition
After Friday evening's fireworks and the traditional crew party, the race course came alive at 11 am on Saturday, October 4, 2025, for the final day of racing. Nearly 3,000 crew members completed a week of fast-paced, demanding competition, marked by light conditions and minimal gaps in all classes.
Maxis: tight spreads and V dominance
In Pampelonne Bay, two built courses for the Maxi 1 and GP classes, and a coastal course for the Maxi 3, 4 and 5 classes rounded off the program. The line-up included 41 yachts over 60 feet, or around 18 meters.
- Maxi 1 âeuros Edmond de Rothschild Trophy v wins with 4 victories in 6 rounds ahead of Capricorno . Leopard 3 completes the podium. Tilakkhana II led by Pascale Decaux, finished 4th after a fine week on the ex-.. Magic Carpet Cubed .
- Maxi GP the Wallyrocket 71 Django wins by one point over Vesper after a close fight in light airs.
- Maxi 3 : Twin Soul B ahead of Lyra by just 2 points.
- Maxi 4 : Yoru retains the title he won in 2024 despite a premature start (OCS) on the final run. He leads Seaquill of a point and Kallima II of another.
- Maxi 5 : Crazy Diamond the Solaris 60 enzo Pelizzaro's clearest victory, with 5 out of 5 heats won. Viva la Vida and Saida complete the podium, separated by a single point.
Modern: spectacular starts and a bonus for consistency
With a well-established southwesterly breeze, the five modern classes set off downwind from the Tour du Portalet. A technical exercise in which timing and spinnaker control often make the difference.
- IRC 0 : Vesper wins the BMW Trophy ahead of Zen . Nanoq Final Final winner of the day's round, completes the podium and relinquishes his crown after 4 consecutive victories.
- IRC 1 victory for Ker 40 Vito 2 a point in front Zappys .
- IRC 2 : Give Me Five the smallest boat in the fleet but with a high rating, won thanks to faultless sailing and 2 heat victories.
- IRC 3 : Pride the Swan 44 the black Graves family, dominates. With Steve Benjamin on board, Etchells world champion and Olympic medallist in 470, the crew retained their title without question.
- IRC 4 despite his victory today, Expresso the JPK 10.10 by Guy Claeys, is not catching up. Corto Maltese the First 34.7 by Michel Colasante, takes the overall win after 3 victories out of 5 rounds.
Traditions: a show above all else
No round for the 81 Tradition yachts on Saturday, but an unforgettable parade in the golden light of the Gulf.
The great classic yachts put on a magnificent show with Adix , Atlantic and Elena of London in the spotlight.
- Big Class (Rolex Trophy) : Cambria wins by one point over Elena of London , Atlantic completes the podium.
- Grand Tradition and 12 m JI : unqualified victories for Spartan (New York 50) and Kiwi Magic .
- Auric era : Kismet sir Richard Matthews' century-old Fife plan, takes precedence over Oriole and Viola .
- Classic Marconi : Argynne III the 1955 Cornu design wins its category.
- Marconi period : Varuna VII (Sparkman & Stephens) wins the A category, Sonny by Tobias Brand in B.
- IOR : Il Moro di Venezia and Matrero finished level, but victory went to Il Moro thanks to his 2 first places in the heat.
Highlights to remember
Fireworks over the Gulf, spectacular downwind starts, tiny gaps between the leaders and golden light on the final parade of classics: this 27th edition will go down as one of the most balanced and photogenic ever.
The Maxis offered an exceptional line-up, the IRCs reminded us that regularity pays off, and the traditional yachts once again embodied the living memory of the Nioulargue.
Charles Caudrelier: "I'm very interested in the choreography of manoeuvres"
Invited to Saint-Tropez, Charles Caudrelier, winner of the Route du Rhum and Arkéa Ultim Challenge, confided his admiration for the meticulous manoeuvres of the great classics:
"I've never sailed a Classic, but I find the crew work and coordination fascinating. It's a real choreography. During the Volvo Ocean Race, orchestrating a crew of 11 sailors was already complex, so with 20 on a Maxi, I can only imagine the difficulty!"
He also gave news of the future Gitana 18, expected to be launched in the spring of 2026:
"We preferred to take the time to finalize the technical choices imagined by Guillaume Verdier. The boat will take part in the Odyssée Ultim in the Mediterranean from May 28, 2026."
The 27th edition of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez brought together 3,000 sailors, 41 Maxis and 81 classic yachts in an atmosphere combining competition, elegance and the pleasure of sailing. Once again, the event confirmed its unique status as a meeting place where high technology, maritime tradition and French art de vivre meet.
