First, a word from Yann Joannon, Event Director “Les Voiles d’Antibes are very proud to have the main Sponsorship support working as a team with Hill Robinson. During the COVID-19 crisis we have been able to work together and adapt ourselves to this unusual situation. Hill Robinson and their teams have always supported us in our decisions and without their involvement we would have never been able to organize Les Voiles d’Antibes 2020 as it happened”.

Safety. First.

Probably another ‘first’ is a full international classic yacht regatta staged in the middle of a pandemic, with all the rigorous planning and safety protocols put in place to ensure total safety for those sailing and all the teams onshore. Adding yet another dimension to this newsworthy 25th Anniversary event was that the regatta was run within the spirit of the carbon offset initiative driven by Yacht Carbon Offset who issued a certificate to sign-off the event as Carbon Neutral.

The racing conditions this year were in two halves with a few days of a balmy breeze followed by some zesty sailing days in winds of 40 knots at times. Winning in the big yacht category this year was the spectacular William Fife designed ‘Tuiga’, built in 1909, restored in 1990-3 for the Yacht Club de Monaco. A worthy winner.

Hill Robinson partners at Les Voiles

Somewhere in amongst the fleet and having fun were Hill Robinson’s founding partners Nick Hill and Niall Robinson (see picture below) sailing what they call ‘their modest classics’. Nick comments ”We were certainly nervous in the lead up to the postponed regatta, as the Covid situation did not improve at the end of the summer season in the Alpes-Maritimes. However a huge thank you to the determination and hard work from Les Voiles d’Antibes team: Yann Joannon, Thierry Piel and Maurice Carette, who made sure all the local and regional regulations were respected and followed, with the support of the Mairie of Antibes Juan-les-Pins. The conditions varied from swimming in flat calm to surviving in squalls of 40 knots, but fortunately no casualties, apart from some torn sails and dented egos. We all had fun and were delighted to host this wonderful regatta. Well done especially to ‘Viola’ for winning one race in her class and the Hill Robinson teamwork award, sporting very nice shirts at prize giving”.

Save the date of the 26th edition : June 2-6, 2021

Hill Robinson is a global yacht solutions company with 12 offices worldwide and over 150 talented and motivated staff offering a wide support for superyacht owners from yacht management, refits and repairs, new-builds, crew, financial, aviation and yacht sales, brokerage and charter.

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