The date is set: the 13th edition of the Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy will take place on Thursday 3 October in Saint-Tropez. Once again, this not-to-be-missed event dedicated to century-old yachts will be held on the traditional Voiles de Saint-Tropez Challenge Day.

While the event shines for the elegance and class of its yachts, it is above all a sporting event, attracting more and more competitors each year.

Over the years, the Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy has become ‘The Race’ for all crews sailing a magnificent century-old yacht.

Its unique ‘Poursuit Race’ format - boats cross the start line according to their rating, with the first to cross the finish line being the winner - is much appreciated by all the owners, who return every year with great pleasure to take part in the Centenary Trophy.

For century-old legendary yachts, the Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy is the highlight of the Tropezian week.

"We are delighted to welcome the Gstaad Yacht Club and the Centenary Trophy to Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez for the 13th year. Every year, this event brings together boats over 100 years old and is organised in conjunction with the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez race committee. This event is always a great regatta on the water," explains Pierre Roinson, President of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, on ActuNautique Yachtinbg Art.

"The crew of the 12m JI Thea is international, with a majority of Scandinavians, who are delighted to be taking part in the Centenary Trophy once again. We really enjoyed the event last year, it was our first time taking part and it was really amazing to sail with all the centenary yachts. We're looking forward to coming back this year and to another memorable day at the 13th Centenary Trophy in Saint-Tropez," says Robert de Haer, representing the owner of Thea.

A ‘Swiss night’ dedicated to the crew!

For the second year running, the Gstaad Yacht Club will be offering all the competitors festive, fun-filled entertainment ashore, to make the Centenary Trophy a moment of fun-filled relaxation.

The programme includes a Swiss evening on the Place des Lices in St Tropez on Wednesday, where all the sailors will have the chance to sample the specialities of the Alps, as well as take part in some very Swiss activities... a ‘cow milking’ competition, where two sailors from each participating crew will be put to the test, as well as a brand new roller ski race....

The Centenarian Award

The ‘Centenarian Award ’ centenary prize of the year, organised by Classic Boat magazine and the Gstaad Yacht Club, was created in 2017 .

All boats 100 years or older, which are still sailing are eligible.

Each boat must have achieved something significant in the past year, be it a long cruise, a race win, a major restoration or some other remarkable event. The winner is announced at the annual Classic Boat Awards ceremony, held at the Royal Thames Yacht Club in London, and receives a sterling silver cup donated by Robbe & Berking. The cup, made in the Bauhaus style (1919-1933), embodies a simplicity expressed in precious materials with a clean, modern aesthetic.

The winner of the 2023 edition is Barbara (1923), designed in 1923 by Charles Ernest Nicholson and built at the Camper & Nicholsons shipyard in Gosport, UK, and currently sailing under the Italian flag.

Centenary Trophy winners :

• 2011: Bonafide (1899)
• 2012: Marigold (1892)
• 2013: Due to unfavourable weather conditions, the race did not take place and the trophy was not awarded.
• 2014: Olympian (1913)
• 2015: Oriole (1905)
• 2016: Spartan (1913)
• 2017: Tilly XV (1912)
• 2018: Tilly XV (1912)
• 2019: Olympian (1913)
• 2021: Olympian (1913)
• 2022: Kismet (1898)
• 2023: Spartan (1913)

Gstaad Yacht Club: a yacht club far from the water

The Gstaad Yacht Club was founded in 1998 by a group of passionate sailors with a mission to ‘create a unique, global yacht club away from the water and not just another local yacht club by the sea’. Located in the Swiss Alps and often greeted with astonishment at first, the Gstaad Yacht Club has grown into a club with 400 members from over 40 different countries and a place where members and their guests enjoy meeting. The network of reciprocal clubs has spread to every continent.

The GYC supports sailing projects at all levels, from juniors to professional sailors, and has become a key player in Swiss sailing, particularly Olympic sailing and classic yachting.

Since 2011, ocean and water protection and other issues related to sustainability and the well-being of our environment have been an integral part of the club's life, enriched by collaborations and events such as those with Sylvia Earle, the Blue Marine Foundation and IUCN Oceans Ambassador William Winram.