One of the Caribbean’s most enjoyable sporting events will see skippers and crew from around the world arriving to take part in the fourth edition of Voiles de Saint Barth from the 8th to 14th April. All are keen to extend the sailing season in the paradise waters of Saint Barth. This little corner of France in the Caribbean offers so much to charm and please those looking for the best yachting with an added French touch.
A strong international line-up
Yachtsmen from around the world have known about the attraction of the Caribbean for a long time and the Voiles de Saint Barth has managed since it started in 2010 to pack into one week the true spirit of international yachting. The harbour in Gustavia buzzes with conversation in languages with sailors from around Europe mixed in with those from America, the Pacific and the Caribbean.
Early prediction make the Dutch crew on the Swan 45 Satori one of the serious contenders for a place on the podium, but the trimmer, Maurits van Oranje remains very modest, “We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but hope that one way or another, people will have a good opinion of us,” he declared. “Apart from our skipper Gerard Verduyn, who has raced with some of the top international crews and leading sailors from around the world, most of our crew are not professionals, but they have had a lot of experience. We’ve been sailing together for more than 20 years on a wide range of boats…”
For van Oranje and his crew, what makes the Voiles so attractive is the quality of the organisation, which ensures a perfect mix of leisure activities ashore and excellent racing out on the water. “The geography of the island prevents the event from expanding,” adds van Oranje, “so the Voiles can continue to offer great racing…”
The American, Alexandria Kilmon, skipper this year on French Kiss (Bénéteau 50) cannot praise enough the work done by the organisers, “who have found the perfect mix to ensure the success of the event.” An artist by profession, she is particularly thrilled by the “fantastic sailing conditions,” the extraordinary range of colours the sailors can enjoy with “all the different shades from sky blue to the deepest indigo with hints of pure turquoise, which are different wherever you look and change from race to race…”
High standards throughout and closely fought races
In the Classic Yachts group, Jaime Enos, skipper of the ketch Saphaedra which is 1965 vintage, will have just one other sailor aboard, Amanda Sparks. “We’re used to delivering Saphaedra with just the two of us on board,” explained Enos, “and since 2010, we have competed in classic races in Antigua and in New England. St. Barth is one our favourite events, and we’re really looking forward to racing against Wild Horses and The Blue Peter.”
Among the other entrants determined to defend their country’s colours, is the Puerto Rican Sergio Sagramoso on his J/122 Lazy Dog, and the elegant Ker 51 Varuna belonging to the German owner Jens Kellingshusen.
Jean Pierre Dreau is back again at the helm of his super-maxi Med Spirit with a 100% French crew. Completely won over last year by the Voiles de Saint Barth, he set up his schedule this year to ensure he could compete in the event.
Simonas Steponavicius and the Lithuanians on the Volvo 60 Ambersail are equally passionate about the event. They are returning to the Voiles with an experienced young crew, which has already clocked up more than 100,000 miles of ocean sailing and are even more motivated now, as they look forward to announcing shortly that they will be competing in the Volvo Ocean Race.
Dynamite Idea is another superyacht designed by the Farr team. This 80-foot boat has successfully competed in major races on both sides of the Atlantic. Her skipper, Tony McBride, is coming to Saint Barth with some serious ambitions in the spectacular Maxi Yacht class and is aiming to win, “in spite of the very high standard of racing we can expect here…”
57 entries currently recorded!
MAXI Racing – MAXI Racing Cruising
DYNAMITE IDEA
Design : MAXI 80
Loa: 80′
Skipper: Tony McBRIDE
MED SPIRIT
Design : MAXI 92
Loa: 92”
Skipper: Jean Pierre DREAU
WHISPER
Design : Souther Wind 78
Loa: 78′
Skipper: Mark DICKER
SOJANA
Design : FARR 115
Loa: 115′
Skipper: Peter HARRISON
MAXIMISER
Design : FARR
Loa: 73′
Skipper: Jose DIEGO-AROZAMENA
VARSOVIE
Design : Swan 100
Loa: 100′
Skipper: Tomek ULATOWSKI
IRC 52
VESPER
Design : TP 52
Loa: 52′
Skipper: Jim SWARTZ
VARUNA
Design : KER 51
Loa: 51′
Skipper: Jens KELLINGHUSEN
Spinnaker
PUFFY
Design: Swan
Loa: 53′
Owner: Patrick DEMARCHELIER- Skipper: Karl Spijker
SATORI
Design: Swan 45
Loa: 45′
Skipper/Owner: Gideon MESSINK
AMBERSAIL
Design: Farr Vo 60
Loa: 60′
Skipper: Simonas STEPONAVICIUS
LANCELOT II
Design: First 40
Loa: 40′
Skipper: Chris JACKSON
WILL ADVISE
Design: Beneteau First 40
Loa: 40′
Skipper: Eamonn ROHAN
HAMACHI
Design : J 125
Loa: 41′
Skipper: Greg SLYNGSTAD
TI PIMENT
Design: MELGES 24
Loa: 24′
Skipper: Thierry LEFORT
KSHANNA
Design: BENETEAU 456
Loa: 45′
Skipper: Cybele Rent sarl
LAZY DOG
Design: J 122
Loa: 40′
Skipper: Sergio SAGRAMOSO
ALBACORE 4
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
L’ÎLE
Design: REQUIN
Loa: 31′
Skipper: Mowgli FOX
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
Boost’n Sail
Design : MELGES 24
Loa: 24′
Skipper: Mowgli FOX
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 ISLAND WATER WORLD
Design : MELGE 24
Loa: 24′
Skipper: Frits BUS
SPIRIT of VENUS
Design : FIRST 40,7
Loa: 40,7′
Skipper: Peter ANTHONY
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
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
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
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′
Skipper: Timothy RUTTER
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