The Swiss Club has taken the tough decision to move forward the 10th edition of the Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy, the regatta dedicated to boats one hundred years and more of age that over the years has become a true tradition for the best centenarian sailing yachts in the Mediterranean.
The event, was originally scheduled for October 1st, on the “challenges day” at the Voiles de SaintTropez but after broad internal discussions with a heavy heart, the Club’s Board came to the conclusion that the wisest option was to postpone to 2021 the 10th edition of the Centenary Trophy, and the big celebrations that were planned. The quarantine measures in place between France and Switzerland do not allow the organisers this year to ensure the smooth running of this race, which has had to be written out of the programme.
“We stand by the people who suffered for this pandemic, that has been affecting us all. Everyone at the Gstaad Yacht Club is saddened to make such an announcement. We have been working hard to make our event happen. But as it comes at sea, sometimes you have to reduce sail and wait for the storm to pass.”
Said GYC’s Commodore Manrico Iachia.
“This would have been a major milestone for the Club and the Centenary Trophy, the tenth anniversary. A special edition to celebrate is style, yet priorities have changed, and we believe this is the most sensible and considerate decision we could take. Parties are meant to be happy, festive moments, and I am sure more untroubled times will come, enabling us to celebrate together with all our friends and supporters. We’ll start working straight away to make the 10th edition of the Centenary Trophy a very special race in 2021.”
The Gstaad Yacht Club expresses its appreciation to everyone at the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez for all the support so far and wishes them a successful 2020 event.
Past winners of the Centenary Trophy
2011: Bonafide (1899)
2012: Marigold (1892)
2013: due to adverse weather conditions the title was not awarded
2014: Olympian (1913)
2015: Oriole (1905)
2016: Spartan (1913)
2017: Tilly XV (1912)
2018: Tilly XV (1912)
2019: Olympian (1913)
Editors' notes:
The Gstaad Yacht Club was founded in 1998 by a group of sailor enthusiasts with the vision to "create a unique global yacht club away from the waters, instead of another local club by the waters". Based in the Swiss mountains and in the beginning, very often acknowledged with surprise, the GYC developed to a club with 400 members from over 30 different countries and to a place where members and their guests love to meet. The GYC supports sailing projects on all levels from juniors to professional sailors and it has become a solid force on the Swiss sailing scene and especially among Olympic sailing and the classic yachts. The Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez With more than 600 members and organizing fifteen events including the Voiles de Saint-Tropez, the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez is one of the oldest clubs in France, its origins date back to 1862. Since 2015, the merger of sailing clubs of Saint-Tropez (formerly UST Sailing and SNST) helped to broaden the horizons. Located in two beautiful places, the Club includes several centres of nautical activities: Sailing competition, sailing school and Motor Yachting.
