The 4th edition of the Paprec 600 saint-Tropez, the Mediterranean ocean race, is set to take off this Monday, April 20, 2026 at noon in front of the Port of Saint-Tropez.

After a few cancellations, thirty-five boats will be on the starting line, including seven Class 40s, fifteen double-handed IRC teams, twelve IRC crews and one multihull.

Competitors are fine-tuning their final adjustments, and the entire race committee team has checked each boat’s mandatory safety equipment.

The aim of this race is to have fun at sea and win the race, and why not beat the real time record set by Mikael Mergui on CENTRAKOR in 2025 of 3 days, 14 hours, 11 minutes and 49 seconds, even if the weather looks rather calm over the whole course. But the Mediterranean is always full of surprises….

“ This year, we’ve achieved a greater number of crewed participants and we’re delighted because that was our objective with Paprec ,” says Pierre Roinson, President of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, at the crew briefing.. ” There are also a lot of very young crew this year at the start of the Paprec 600 Saint-Tropez, so the next generation is assured! ”

Organized by the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez with the support of Paprec, this race attracts a fine fleet of sailboats, including some formidable sailors, as well as amateur crews, some with families or friends.Like other international races, the Paprec 600 Saint-Tropez offers a beautiful 600-mile course along the most beautiful coasts of the Mediterranean. Strategy is important.

Stéphane Névé, PAPREC Sailing Project Manager (on the right of the photo next to Pierre Roinson, President of the SNST) “Paprec has been associated with sailing for 25 years! We’re partners in various events, including the Figaro circuit with the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec with the Transat, which takes place every two years and is the first mixed double-handed race. There’s the IMOCA, which took part in the last Vendée Globe, and we’re currently building a new boat for the Vendée 2028, and the TP52, which competes in the 52 Super Series crewed race circuit. With the Paprec 600, we’re aiming for a great classic in the Mediterranean, starting in Saint-Tropez, and we thought the 600-mile format was perfect, like other races such as the Fastnet, the Middle Sea Race, etc. We’ve therefore been associated with the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez since 2023 for this offshore race, with the aim of making it grow and having more and more boats in this Mediterranean basin. A race that’s easily accessible for crews based here, between Antibes, Nice and Marseille. I remember the Spi Ouest France when there were 50 IRC 1 boats on the starting line! Today, between IRC 1 and IRC 2, we sometimes manage to get around twenty boats. For double-handed crews, it’s easier for the owners, because crew management is a complicated business, and you need to be available to manage it. As a result, we’ve noticed that double-handed crews are on the rise, as they’re easier to manage and have fewer constraints. It’s an important breeding ground for the Paprec 600! The course is just incredible, and we worked hard with the club to find something attractive, with symbolic landscapes and points of passage: the Bouches de Bonifacio, Elba Island, the Giraglia… . I’m going to keep an eye on the tracking, especially at the crossing points. In fact, on this edition, Paprec’s Médiaman will be in the Bouches de Bonifacio to watch and capture the boats as they pass – making beautiful images in this sumptuous setting. It’s important that the crews enjoy themselves, as this helps them to perform well. Thank you all for accompanying us on this adventure, which is so dear to us because we are passionate about sailing.

Royalty-free photos and videos for the press on the following links and on request
© Gilles Martin Raget/SNST
Videos: ©Guilain Grenier/SNST

Press contact: Chloé de Brouwer
Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez