Once again this year, the event delivered above and beyond expectations. The most prestigious teams in sailing 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 nished rst among the Maxi Yachts of the Voiles de St. Barth’s 7th edition. The crew received an RM 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-hour power reserve, a variable inertia balance wheel, and a yback chronograph, annual calendar, large date and UTC functions. The RM 60-01 facilitates navigation thanks to its rotating bezel indicating the cardinal directions and a 360° graduated disk with a 24hr counter. What sets this watch apart from other navigation timepieces is a capacity to orientate the wearer in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres without additional calculations.

With this regatta watch, Richard Mille, principal partner of the Voiles de St Barth from the very rst, con rms the importance of the seafaring universe within his collections.

“Richard immediately understood what the Voiles de St Barth were all about—a combination of technology and pleasure absolutely in tune with the concepts behind his watches,” explains François Tolède, organizer of the Voiles. “The Maison Richard Mille makes veritable racing machines for the wrist, whereas we gather together the “Formula 1 of the sea,” the fastest boats there are. This is completely in line with the Richard Mille attitude. Since the rst edition of the race, nearly eight years ago, he has been a faithful and committed partner. The brand believes in the sustainability of the event, and helps us improve its organisation and development.

For this 7th edition of the Voiles de St Barth, no less than 21 different courses were offered, showcasing 9 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 nal miles of the race were taut with suspense.

Neck and neck for rst place in the Maxi 1 category were the two Maxi 72 contestants of the eet, Proteus and Momo. In fact, the two had equal points at the start of the last leg, until the latter boat got caught in an 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 nish line.

“The boats that compete in the Voiles de St Barth are among the most technically sophisticated yachts in the world,” points out Ken Read, chairman of the 2016 edition. “In dif cult wind conditions such as we saw this year, crews compete on a technical level to take the lead. This is where the partnership with Richard Mille takes on its full signi cance—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.