Press releases
The 16th Edition is on the Horizon!
In just one week, the starting signal for the 16th edition of the St. Barth Cata Cup will be given. As of now, no fewer than 54 teams are registered for the competition, including Pablo Völker and Federico Polimeni, the Spanish sailors who won gold at the Formula 18 World Championships last July. Participating together in the event for the very first time, they will face the top specialists of the class, most of whom are seasoned veterans of the event. In this context, will they manage to display the same dominance on the Caribbean waters from November 21 to 24 as they did on the Costa Brava last summer? That remains to be seen. Firstly, because the race format—characterized by long-distance courses—is quite unique; secondly, because the sailing area around Saint-Barthélemy is extremely technical and full of pitfalls; and finally, because there are many competitors aiming to succeed the Americans Ravi Parent and Nicholas Lovisa, starting with Parent and Lovisa themselves!
"This edition promises to be exceptional once again! Each year, there are even more top competitors than the previous one!" notes Gurvan Bontemps who, alongside Benjamin Amiot, continues to chase victory after five second-place finishes in 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. "First place continues to elude us for now, but given the remarkable level of competition, we're already very happy to finish on the podium each time," adds the sailor from Côtes-d'Armor, whose consistency at this level is truly exceptional. "The St. Barth Cata Cup remains a unique event in our calendar. We take it very seriously—we're clearly sailing with a knife between our teeth—but we also come to enjoy this unique break it offers each of us in an idyllic setting with a very festive atmosphere," assures the helmsman, who hasn't raced on this platform since the last edition a year ago but can rely on his knowledge of the event and the venue, which is full of traps and ripe for surprises, especially for those experiencing it for the first time.
A Great and Impressive Field
"The St. Barth Cata Cup is always a great challenge. To win or to make the podium, you have to avoid the many traps that line the courses, including equipment breakage. We know that race incidents are always numerous!" says Gurvan, who narrowly missed the title by just one point in 2023 and knows better than anyone the importance of endurance in an event that is physically demanding, with one or two long-distance races scheduled daily around the island and its numerous natural markers. "The sea and wind conditions are always exceptional in Saint-Barth, but they require a certain level of commitment, especially since the competition is very tough," confirms Ravi Parent, the defending champion with Nicholas Lovisa, who had finished 8th in his first participation in 2022 before clinching the win last year. His goal? Achieve back-to-back victories—a feat so far only accomplished by the Belgians Patrick Demesmaeker and Olivier Gagliani (in 2015 and then in 2018). These two, among the most loyal participants since they are about to take part for the 15th time since the event's inception in 2008, will once again be serious contenders. The same goes for the Argentinians Cruz Gonzales Smith and Mariano Heuser, winners in 2021 and fifth in the last world championship with a new boat that they're mastering more each day.
A Crowd of Favorites and Just as Many Dark Horses
Other competitors to watch? The South Americans Agustín Krevisky and Juan Martín Benítez, regularly in the international Top 10; the French sailors Yvan Bourgnon and Jean Boulogne; the Belgians Henri Demesmaeker and Jeroen Van Leeuwen; and Australian Gavin Colby, one of the iconic figures of the circuit who is returning to F18 and will be teamed up with Kai Colman for the occasion. Additionally, Charles Froeb and Matthieu Marfaing, crowned U.S. champions together at the end of September but competing separately this time. "On paper, the Spaniards Pablo Völker (who has already participated in the event and finished 3rd with Sergio Mehl in 2018) and Federico Polimeni are the favorites because they won the world championship in Spain hands down in July. They are formidable around the buoys. It remains to be seen if they'll be as effective in a long-distance race format, with more off-the-wind sailing and double trapeze spinnaker runs," says Matthieu Marfaing, who intends to shake things up at the front of the fleet but also make the most of the event's unique atmosphere. Once again, the event is sold out and features a small novelty: the race village will be located at Émeraude Plage on Grand Saint-Jean (airport side).
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24/11/2024
After literally crushing the competition at the F18 World Championships on the Costa Brava last summer, Pablo Volkër & Federico Polimeni (Saint-Barth Assurances) were naturally among the top contenders at 16th édition of the St.Barth Cata Cup. While they lived up to their reputation by winning the first race of this regatta, they met with some stiff competition from their adversaries, in particular Patrick Demesmaeker & Olivier Gagliani (Les Perles de St Barth – Bativrd). Behind the Belgians by three slim points at the dawn of the day of the final race, the Spaniards prevailed and sailed to victory, succeeding Ravi Parent & Nicolas Lovisa as winners of this regatta!
23/11/2024
This week, it has been impossible to predict what might happen in terms of the weather conditions in Saint Barthélemy. Actually, there was more wind than predicted on Thursday and Friday, which allowed the race committee for the St.Barth Cata Cup to validate four races, against all odds, but the reverse played out on Saturday. Even if the wind was less constant than expected, it was possible for the 53 duos in competition to sail one good race between the Bay of Saint Jean and the small islands of Pelé and Le Boulanger. A race whose results tightened the difference between the leaders in the overall standings. Case in point, in the lead, Patrick Demesmaeker and Olivier Gagliani (Les Perles de St. Barth – Bativrd) are now only three small points in advance of Pablo Volkër and Federico Polimeni (Saint-Barth Assurances), winners of the “ St Barth Assurances Allianz” Prize. To win their bet of being the first team to add their names to the winners list of the regatta for the third time, the Belgians do not have the slightest room for error on Sunday!
22/11/2024
“If you listen to the weather forecast, you’ll spend your life in the bistro,” as the famous French saying goes. The organizers of the St.Barth Cata Cup once again proved that one shouldn’t depend the previsions. Cautious this morning, they sent out the first race, followed by a second identical one, and finally a third, longer course, in the afternoon, taking the best advantage of every light wind available. Like yesterday, the conditions forced the sailors to display a great deal of concentration and finesse. A little consistency as well, as the rather unstable wind dealt some interesting hands. In this context, Australians Ruben Booth and Joan Costa (Kiton) proved the most constant, taking home “EDEN ROCK VILLA RENTAL” Prize, but in the previsionary standings, Belgians Patrick Demesmaeker and Olivier Gagliani (Les Perles de St-Barth) have the advantage, having sailing to victory in two of the three races.
21/11/2024
In spite of rather pessimistic weather predictions for Thursday, November 21, the organizers of the 16th edition of the St.Barth Cata Cup did everything possible to make the best of light wind. As a result, they didn't miss the only small window of opportunity of the day, enabling the 53 crews in the competition to complete their first race between Saint Jean Bay and Roche Le Boeuf. It was a particularly tactical leg, which did not rattle the favorites. As proof, Spaniards Pablo Völker and Federico Polimeni (Saint-Barth Assurances) sailed to victory. However, these reigning Formula 18 world champions had their work cut out for them. Under pressure in the final lengths by Belgians Patrick Demesmaeker and Olivier Gagliani (Les Perles de St-Barth), they won by a nose!
20/11/2024
After the final day of training on Wednesday, the 54 duos registered for the 16th edition of the St.Barth Cata Cup are anxious to enter into the action, yet it seems as if the first races could be extremely tactical. If we are to believe the weather forecast, it is probable that the first confrontations will take place with very light wind, requiring a great deal of finesse on the part of the sailors. One hopes this does not mean that the first races must be postponed due to an insufficient amount of wind to ensure good racing conditions. It that scenario were to play out, it was be a first since the debut of the regatta in 2008. At the moment, the competitors are not too worried and are hoping for a pleasant surprise as the weather forecast has been far from reality most of the past week!
15/11/2024
In just one week, the starting signal for the 16th edition of the St. Barth Cata Cup will be given. As of now, no fewer than 54 teams are registered for the competition, including Pablo Völker and Federico Polimeni, the Spanish sailors who won gold at the Formula 18 World Championships last July. Participating together in the event for the very first time, they will face the top specialists of the class, most of whom are seasoned veterans of the event. In this context, will they manage to display the same dominance on the Caribbean waters from November 21 to 24 as they did on the Costa Brava last summer? That remains to be seen. Firstly, because the race format—characterized by long-distance courses—is quite unique; secondly, because the sailing area around Saint-Barthélemy is extremely technical and full of pitfalls; and finally, because there are many competitors aiming to succeed the Americans Ravi Parent and Nicholas Lovisa, starting with Parent and Lovisa themselves!
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