We might as well tell you right away: unless you have already registered, you will not be taking part in the next edition, scheduled for November 17 to 21, unless there is a last-minute withdrawal. Why not? Because the 60 places available, (proportionate to the number of participants per country), were snapped up in a few hours as soon as registration opened at the beginning of April! In short, aim for 2022... Let’s go back 15 years: Jeff Lédée, Vincent Jordil and Thierry Lhinarès, were three friends from Saint-Barth who enjoyed sailing sport catamarans. After a small friendly regatta, they had the idea of organizing a race on F18s - because these catamarans are easily dismantlable. The association was created in September 2007. The first edition gathered 14 crews, mostly locals who had picked up 18-footers in sailable condition. The trio quickly called upon Hélène Guilbaud. Originally from Lorient in Brittany, she had been living on the island and working in the hotel business for 20 years. However, her establishment had just closed... so Hélène was asked to organize and coordinate the event.
The Event: Mission Accomplished!
Developing this regatta obviously required the internationalization of the St-Barth Cata Cup. Racing in St. Barth in November is great, but you still need to be informed and able to get there! Receiving an invitation from Emmanuel Boulogne, designer of the famous F18 Cirrus and world F18 champion - with his brother Vincent - in 2003, was probably the trigger: the sailor from the north of France was seduced by the event and did not have too much trouble convincing the elite of the F18 world to come and enjoy themselves in St-Barth. In fact, the organizers suggested inviting the world champions... After just a few editions, the St-Barth Cata Cup established itself on the world circuit: the number of participants was limited to 60 catamarans, while encouraging as many nationalities as possible to take part.
The Saint Jean Beach is the ideal place to welcome the 60 catamarans and their crews
F18s in containers!
There was still a logistical problem though. Most of the catamarans would be coming from Europe and the United States. Every year therefore, in October, the organizers take charge of transporting four containers from Saint-Malo, Toulon and Annemasse in France and from Sarasota, Florida. However, the management of the containers is largely handled by the competitors. They load their catamarans themselves. As a result, teams are organized to ensure these logistics - Emmanuel has become an expert in securing 12 F18s in a 40-foot steel box. One of the competitors is therefore the «container manager»; it is up to that person to build and set up a structure to secure the masts, etc. The cost is shared between the competitors - € 50/60 max per boat. The racers also contribute to the cost of part of the container positioning. Administratively, the French are required to provide an ATA document - for other nationalities, a Temporary Entry Document is required - the idea is to «import» one’s own catamaran temporarily and thus be exempt from the duties and taxes normally applicable, including VAT. The loading, prepared one month before the start of the race, takes about three hours. At the end of a 15-day journey, the containers are unloaded in Saint-Martin to be delivered to St. Barth on the Friday before the race. The containers are (re)loaded either on the Sunday afternoon, the last day of the race, or the following day. The catamarans leave very quickly afterwards - it takes 3 weeks for them to arrive at their destination. Most of the crews spend a few days on the island before the start of the race. A delay that allows the participants to enjoy their tropical stay a little more... after setting up their F18 on the Anse Public beach, close to the port. Here, in the lee of the trade winds, it is very hot; the teams quickly take their catamarans to the breezier Saint-Jean beach, where the race HQ is located.
Registering for the regatta is a challenge in itself: in a few hours, the registration was closed, a full seven months before the start of the first race!
An all-inclusive package
The participants of the St-Barth Cata Cup are all won over by the impeccable organization that manages to create a relaxed atmosphere - tropical, one might say... The secret of this perfect recipe? It is no doubt down to various factors: to begin with, the all-inclusive formula. The €1,050 registration fee includes boat transportation, a room for one crew from Monday to Monday and a car for two crews. Hélène makes all the reservations and manages the list of occupants. However, she has many requests for accompanying persons. She therefore proposes a daily package - € 130 per day per companion for accommodation. Some of the contestants are very keen to return to the same host every year. Once the lodgings have been allocated, Hélène moves on to the distribution of the cars. The service providers - hotels and rental companies - are partners, so it is relatively easy to arrange a stay on request with reduced rates. The success of the race is also down to the convivial spirit that remains intact: the team of volunteers is still led by the original quartet. The Organizing Committee is almost entirely made up of volunteers - all its members have jobs on the side - with the exception of the communication team. Pascal does the website, Alexandra manages the press releases and the press relations, Cahuète takes care of the photos... Every year, it’s the same team - hence its efficiency! The same spirit of mutual aid and commitment applies on the water too. The safety boats are loaned and sailed by volunteers - even the fuel is paid for by the generous owners. Thanks to its partners, the St-Barth Cata Cup is able to thank all its volunteers with a big festive dinner and gifts.
At the end of November the trade winds are often already well established. It’s time for the trapeze and smoking spinnakers!
Turquoise waters and champions galore
The location of Saint-Jean beach simply adds to the overall enjoyment of the place. The site is heavenly with its warm turquoise water bordered by a coral reef, fine sand and coconut palms. Facing north, the beach is usually exposed to a crossshore breeze (the trade wind blows from the east in the West Indies), perfect for creating interesting conditions at the start and finish of the race. As soon as you leave the lagoon, the conditions can be rough with a short swell and 20 to 25 knots of wind. This is the perfect place to sail some amazing circuits on a stretch of water recognized as being extraordinary by the best sailors in the world. The site is bordered by the famous Eden Rock luxury hotel, but it is Nikki Beach that steals the show: this beach restaurant is literally taken over during the race! This is where the best strategies are prepared after the briefings, where the meals are taken and where the parties are held... If the St-Barth Cata Cup has become an international event, the language used remains French. Nobody seems to complain about the absence of English... probably thanks to the presence of Phil Kin. This volunteer takes care of translating for the parties and briefings - he is incredibly good at jumping from one language to another. Phil used to live in St. Martin but following Hurricane Irma, he lost everything and returned to mainland France. In 2019, the organizers did not hesitate to bring him and his family to the race! Could the Cata Cup do better? The indomitable quartet did think about adding a foiling class, but «The rough seas can cause a lot of damage,» said Hélène, “The F18 has come back into its own over the last few years and the class is very popular. The foil being very technical, it will not necessarily be the expected development. We’ll stick with the solid, accessible and happy F18 category as it is now!» Staying faithful to this format has therefore been validated for the very next 2021 edition.
They have no regrets!
A blazing sun and a humid atmosphere: this photographer’s outfit and equipment sums up the local conditions...
