A DECADE OF LES VOILES DE ST. BARTH RICHARD MILLE

Created in 2010, Les Voiles de St. Barth Richard Mille has welcomed tens of thousands of sailors and close to 500 boats from the four corners of the world. Open to both modern and classic yachts in its first three editions, the regatta then decided to give pride of place to technology, with a focus on attracting spectacular and prestigious boats such as Comanche, Proteus, and Phaedo, to name only a few, rather than the doyennes of the seas. This year, the organization also opened the race to welcome boats that had participated in the Route du Rhum. The result for this 10th-anniversary edition was a line-up of 63 remarkable racing yachts crewed by 1,200 sailors, including Pierre Casiraghi of Monaco, who also served as patron of the regatta.

Conditions in the Caribbean were ideal for racing this year and set the stage for five days of breath-taking battles at sea. On the final day of competition, with winds topping 18 knots, the Maxi 72 SORCHA completed a flawless run to sweep all titles. The triumph was especially sweet for helmsman Peter Harrison, who earned second place a year earlier. Other top finishers were Davit Witt’s (HKG) SHK SCALLYWAG and AMBERSAIL 2, owned by Pajarskas (LTU). A Richard Mille RM 60-01 Flyback Chronograph Regatta was awarded to SORCHA. Harrison decided to resell the piece through the Richard Mille Paris boutique and donate the proceeds to charities that help young people learn to sail and safeguard the coastal areas of the island of St. Barth.

The 11th edition of Les Voiles de St. Barth Richard Mille is scheduled to begin April 12, 2020.