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Race History

Since its inaugural race in 2011, the Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy has brought together yachts aged one hundred years or more in Saint-Tropez. Each edition adds a new chapter to the story of these remarkable vessels, celebrating their enduring craftsmanship and the crews who keep them racing.

A pursuit format, with staggered starts determined by a specially developed handicap system, allows yachts of different sizes and rigs to compete for the same trophy. From closely contested finishes to memorable repeat victories, discover the yachts and moments that have shaped the race’s history below.

Past winners list

Leonore (1925) 


Starting 7th, Leonore gradually made her way through the fleet, overtaking competitors one by one. First to round the red buoy ahead of the P-Class yachts Olympian (1913) and Corinthian (1911), the 49-foot Q-Class yacht, designed by Norwegian naval architect Johan Anker and launched in 1925, held onto her lead in a strong tactical performance. Marking her debut at the Centenary Trophy, Leonore, celebrating her 100th anniversary this year, claimed a remarkable victory.

Oriole (1905)

The third boat to start, Oriole, quickly overtook its competitors who had set off a few minutes before, while managing to keep its pursuers at bay. The gaff-rigged sloop was the first to round the outer marker buoy and successfully maintained its lead to cross the finish line as the victor.

Spartan (1913)

In an incredibly close fought finale, it was American flagged Spartan to claim the first place, her second win after the 2016 edition, with Olympian coming in second, and Chips in third. All in all it took the winners slightly over one hour and a half to cover the distance, not bad at all for a century old boats.

Kismet (1898)

Kismet skippered by British Richard Matthews has won the 2022 edition of the Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy, with only a tiny margin on Scud (1903) owned by Italian Patrizio Bertelli with Torben Grael calling tactics in second, and Oriole (1905) sailed by a young Spanish crew completing the podium.

Olympian (1913)

The P Class Olympian (William Gardner, 1913) skippered by Bruno Troublé won the 10th edition of the Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy after a match racing finish just ahead of the NY50 Spartan (Herreshoff, 1915) skippered by the American Peter Isler, whilst the other PClass Chips (Starling Burgess 1913) took third place.

Olympian (1913)

In a nail-biting photo-finish with Viola on a 9-mile course in the bay of Saint Tropez, Olympian managed to take over Viola just five hundred metres from the finish, by hoisting the big spinnaker.

TillyXV (1912)

A record edition for many different reasons: the highest number of entrants, the tough conditions on the racecourse, and the first boat to conquer the Trophy for the second time in a row.

TillyXV (1912)

Photo-finish may seem an overstatement to define centenarian yachts crossing the finish line. But this is what happened where eleven crews, out of twenty entrants. Tilly XV made the best possible debut.

Spartan (1913)

Spartan, sailed by an American-Finnish crew and debuting in the Mediterranean circuit, was the first on the finish line. “No question this is an event we will make sure to participate in the future.”

Oriole (1905)

At the end of a demanding and tough race, NYYC 30 Oriole (1905) crossed the line just off the St Tropez’s breakwater in first in her fourth attempt. “A victory was among our goals for the 2015 season.”

Olympian (1913)

After some three hours, the first boat to cross the line, was Philippe Oddo’s Olympian skippered by Bruno Troublé. “This Centenary Trophy is a very special regatta, the pursuit format is great.”

Due to adverse weather conditions the title was not awarded.

Marigold (1892)

One could not have asked for more for the second edition of the Centenary Trophy. In a close and thrilling finish, gusts sweeping the line, Marigold crossed in first, ahead of Bonafide and Oriole.

Bonafide (1899)

The winner of the Centenary Trophy 2011 was the 44-foot “Bonafide”, a ‘5 tonner’ class, originally built in 1899, followed by Tuiga from the Yacht Club Monaco and Pesa from Jean-Yves Roubine.