1,100 sailors, 70 entrants, 4 days of regattas… the 2016 edition of the now famous Antilles regatta endedon 16 April, with the victory of Proteus, a 72-foot American maxi-yacht. With uneven wind conditions, thewinning difference lay in technique.
Once again this year, the event delivered above and beyond expectations. The most prestigious teams insailing met in the bay of Gustavia to compete in the tropics on a most exceptional body of water. In the end,it was Proteus, belonging to the American, George Sakellaris, and skippered by Stu Bannatyne, that finished first among the Maxi Yachts of the Voiles de St. Barth’s 7th edition. The crew received anRM 60-01 Chronograph Flyback Regatta.
The RM 60-01 is driven by an RMAC2 automatic calibre in grade 5 titanium. This marvel offers a 55-hourpower reserve, a variable inertia balance wheel, and a flyback chronograph, annual calendar, large dateand UTC functions. The RM 60-01 facilitates navigation thanks to its rotating bezel indicating the cardinaldirections and a 360° graduated disk with a 24hr counter. What sets this watch apart from other navigationtimepieces is a capacity to orientate the wearer in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres withoutadditional calculations.
With this regatta watch, Richard Mille, principal partner of the Voiles de St Barth from the very first,confirms the importance of the seafaring universe within his collections.
“Richard immediately understood what the Voiles de St Barth were all about—a combination of technologyand pleasure absolutely in tune with the concepts behind his watches,” explains François Tolède, organizerof the Voiles. “The Maison Richard Mille makes veritable racing machines for the wrist, whereas wegather together the “Formula 1 of the sea,” the fastest boats there are. This is completely in line with theRichard Mille attitude. Since the first edition of the race, nearly eight years ago, he has been a faithfuland committed partner. The brand believes in the sustainability of the event, and helps us improve itsorganisation and development.
For this 7th edition of the Voiles de St Barth, no less than 21 different courses were offered, showcasing9 classes of sailboats from 24 to 100 feet in length. While capricious winds played havoc with the sailors’nerves throughout the week, the last day proved to be the determining contest, and the final miles of therace were taut with suspense.
Neck and neck for first place in the Maxi 1 category were the two Maxi 72 contestants of the fleet, Proteusand Momo. In fact, the two had equal points at the start of the last leg, until the latter boat got caught inan air pocket. The crew, skippered by Stu Bannatyne, seized this opportunity to catch up with their rival,passing her only a few metres from the finish line.
“The boats that compete in the Voiles de St Barth are among the most technically sophisticated yachts inthe world,” points out Ken Read, chairman of the 2016 edition. “In difficult wind conditions such as we sawthis year, crews compete on a technical level to take the lead. This is where the partnership with RichardMille takes on its full significance—his watches are inspired by these self-same cutting-edge technologies.The Voiles embody a perfect combination of the sailing community and Richard Mille’s Haute Horlogerie.”
The 8th edition of the Voiles de St Barth will take place from the 10th to the 15th of April 2017.See you at the docks in Gustavia harbour.
