Les Voiles de St Barth Richard Mille, the penultimate event of the International Maxi Association’s new Caribbean Maxi Challenge concluded with an impressive ‘victory with a day to spare’ in the Maxi class for Jim Swartz’s Judel Vrolijk 72 Vesper. Jim Madden’s Swan 601 Stark Raving Mad VII managed a similar result among the remaining maxis in the CSA 3 class.
Big winds, large waves and an Atlantic swell made the start of the week challenging, but conditions have got gradually lighter during the week. Today the forecast was for 12-15 knots from the east-northeast. In fact the wind was lighter at start time off Gustavia and as the maxis circled the western lee of St Barts. However as soon as they ventured out to the more exposed north shore, conditions built. Today the Maxi class sailed a 36 mile clockwise lap of St Barts, with a long leeward-windward dogleg northeast of St Barts. CSA 3 sailed a similar 29 mile course with a shorter dogleg.
In the Maxi class order was restored after yesterday with Vesper beating Hap Fauth’s Botin Partners 74 Bella Mente on IRC corrected time by five and a half minutes, the biggest margin to date. Having won every race but one here, the peppermint coloured Maxi 72 ended the week on six points to Bella Mente’s 12, giving her maximum points for this third event in the IMA’s Caribbean Maxi Challenge. Bella Mente comfortably retained second, while a third place for yesterday’s winner, Wendy Schmidt’s Botin Partners 85 Deep Blue, caused them to claim third overall in a tiebreak with George David’s Rambler 88.
This week’s result confirmed several changes made to the Vesper team for this season, including bringing on veteran America’s Cup trimmers Warwick Fleury and Simon Daubney.
International Maxi Association President, Benoît de Froidmont has been here all week as ‘Ambassador’ of this year’s Les Voiles de St Barth Richard Mille. He raced on board Wendy Schmidt’s Deep Blue when she won yesterday’s Maxi race. He commented: “It was a fantastic week. Everything was there to make it a great success – lots of boats, great weather and a race committee and organisation as perfect as usual. Walking the pontoons, everyone seems very happy with this 11th edition.
The IMA’s Caribbean Maxi Challenge continues with its final event, Antigua Sailing Week taking place over 30 April to 6 May.
Find out more at lesvoilesdestbarthrichardmille.com
