First day of windy racing for Voiles d’Automne 2023 competitors!

On Saturday, November 11, after several withdrawals due to strong gale force winds, some forty Osiris, IRC and one-design yachts took the start of the first day of racing in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.

Chaired by Alice Coquant, the Société Nautique de Saint Tropez race committee launched the first race at around 11 a.m. on a coastal course in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
Divided into five groups, the three starts were very lively!
Faced with a 20-knot Mistral with good gusts, the crews of the First 31.7 and Osiris C groups opened the competition, followed by the IRC and Osiris C groups, then the Osiris A and B groups.
For the First 31.7s, this was their Mediterranean Championship final.

Two great races were run, offering a beautiful ballet of sails under the autumn sun of Saint Tropez. A very sporting day for the sailors, who get together for a convivial evening at the SNST Club.

Young crews, the next generation in force!

Les Voiles d’automne has always attracted many competitors from the Mediterranean. This time of year offers generally more intense wind conditions. Young competitors, eager for a good feeling, are out in force. Like Sylvain Bretagne’s Overdose sailboat, renamed “Les Pitchounes by Overdose” for this event, with a bunch of young Tropezian sailors on board.
On Christophe and Coralie Wargny’s Swan 42 “Zappy S”, and Jérôme Stubler’s “Raving Swan”, the young crews are also regular sailors, since their children are just as passionate about sailing! The next generation is thus assured…

At the end of this first day after two races, Sagai, Expresso, Tiki too, Majolanm and Sensation 2 lead their group.

In the IRC group, Expresso was tied on points with Raving Swan, each having taken turns to be first and second, with the last race being decisive in determining the winner. Christophe Wargny’s Zappy S came third.

In the First 31.7 group, Dominique Lexa’s Sagai leads the way ahead of Sylvain Bretagne’s Les Pitchnounes by Overdose and Guy Gorzerino’s Procyon Ville de Saint Mandrier.

In the Osiris D group over 21.5 (mauve), Joël Seckler’s Tiki Too finished level on points with Serge Ehrhardt’s Mikala, ahead of Bruno Jouanard’s Curieuse .

In the Osiris D group under 21.5 (yellow), Christian Floch’s Majolanm is ahead of Lionel Michon’s L’autre Femme, followed by Gilles Ferrua’s Velouqui .

In the smallest group, Osiris R, Thibaut Garnotel’s Sensation 2 came in first ahead of Marc Pons’ Macaya and Dirk Glinkowski’s Bagatelle.

At this stage, everything is still up for grabs tomorrow, Sunday November 12, when the second and final day of racing gets underway – conditions permitting – at around 11am, before the prize-giving ceremony at 5pm at the SNST.