Richard Mille Les Voiles de St Barth
Richard Mille Les Voiles de St Barth : The 10th anniversary edition of Les Voiles de St Barth Richard Mille witnessed the triumph of Sorcha, a boat belonging to Peter Harrison, Richard Mille CEO for EMEA
Les Voiles de St Barth Richard Mille is the perfect combination of sporting performance and innovation, with its complement of 1,200 sailors and 63 racing yachts.
Sorcha was the overall winner in this 10th edition, which had Pierre Casiraghi, patron of Les Voiles, serving as helmsman aboard the Sorcha. The winner’s RM 60-01 Regatta will be sold for charities through the Paris boutique.
The event, organised by François Tolède and Luc Poupon, had remarkable sailing craft, a magnificently diverse fleet, top-flight crews and exciting routes. Ideal weather conditions throughout the week ensured a breath-taking spectacle on the water. On April 20, the last day of competition following four days of regattas, the crews battled for victory in a stage of 24-29 nautical miles, with winds that varied between 16 and 18 knots.
A loyal participant since 2013, Peter Harrison traded his C-suite suit for sailor’s garb aboard his Maxi 72, Sorcha, one of the most technically advanced monohulls on the planet.
Harrison shared helmsman duties on this 16-tonne carbon fibre behemoth with Pierre Casiraghi, Richard Mille partner and patron of this year’s edition of Les Voiles.
Sorcha’s crew completed a flawless run, sweeping all titles, including the Maxi 1 category, and were joined on the podium by Davit Witt’s (HKG) SHK Scallywag and Ambersail 2, belonging to Pajarskas (LTU).
In addition to winning the Maxi 1 category, Sorcha took home the Richard Mille Maxi Cup and the prize that goes with it – an RM 60-01 Flyback Chronograph Regatta.
Peter Harrison has decided to sell the piece through the Paris Richard Mille boutique and donate the proceeds to charitable organisations that help young people learn to sail, while the remainder will contribute to safeguarding the coastal areas of Saint-Barthélémy following the passage of Hurricane Irma, which devastated the island in September 2017.
A new feature this year was the organisers’ commitment to making the event as ecologically responsible as possible, especially by approaching zero plastic within the racing village. While the race itself takes centre stage at this event, organisers seek to raise awareness among youth of the need for marine and ocean floor preservation efforts. The 11th edition, with 5 days of unforgettable regattas, will begin on April 12, 2020.
