Marking 36 years since François Zuretti started designing yacht interiors, the first edition of La Regatta Zuretti kicked off in Nice at the weekend. Nick Jeffery reports back on the action.
Hosted by interior designer Zuretti, who won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Design & Innovation Awards 2023, La Regatta Zuretti was an event that brought together key figures from nautical design and beyond. The occasion also celebrated the more than three decades since Zuretti's interest in the yachting world was piqued, which he recalls as being the moment when he bought a copy of "The Superyachts - Volume One - 1988" in New York.
Seven boats raced in the friendly regatta, which was hosted in Nice the weekend before the Monaco Yacht Show, and saw renowned superyacht designers, naval architects, yacht managers and brokers participate.
Guests and participants were welcomed with cocktails, dinner and dancing at the historical Club Nautique de Nice on Saturday evening, with familiar industry faces from the likes of Arrow, Burgess, Carla Guilhem Design, Espen Øino, Feadship, Oceanco, Winch Design and Zuretti Design.
After the sailor's breakfast on Sunday – where confidence was oozing from Paul Archer of Arrow, Richard Lambert of Burgess, Pierre Perben of Espen Øino and Jim Dixon of Winch – the teams were shuttled to the skippered local boats ranging from a Dehler 39 to a First 47.7.
Sponsors – including high-end furniture makers Siebensee / Land & See – ventured out on a Grand Soleil Maxi 65, Blue, and an Elba 45 sailing catamaran as spectators.
Frisky conditions saw all boats putting a reef in their mainsails in the Baie des Anges as the waves built, the Race Committee laying perfect upwind downwind courses. Zuretti Design powered ahead at the first start, tacked onto port out to sea, and led the way to the finish line.
The only incident was the parting of a shackle on the genoa sheet on one of Espen Øino's boats, which Perben said was "quickly replaced and lost us just a few minutes". Such was the pace – and sea state – that a break for picnic lunches was put off, replaced by an extra fourth race.
On corrected time, with one race discarded, the overall podium positions went to Arrow on Dama Bruna in third place (with two third places and a fifth), second place to Talby 3, one of Espen Øino's two boats (with a first and two seconds) and the winner was Espen Øino's smaller boat, Aria 3 (with three firsts, the discard being a second). Burgess, Feadship, Guilhem, Winch and Zuretti all managed third place in one race, while Oceanco pipped Zuretti in one race.
In a social post, Zuretti said of the event: "We did it and this incredible day on the water was made possible thanks to you! Thank you. Thank you for your competitive spirit, your kindness and all the emotions we shared together. More than just a competition, La Regatta was a breathtaking spectacle unfolding across the entire Baie des Anges."
He also congratulated all participants and gave special recognition to the Espen Øino team, before signing off, "We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! More things are coming."
The club's president presented recently published books about the fascinating history of Club Nautique de Nice to Zuretti's team, while Matthieu Zuretti awarded bronze, silver and gold glass paperweight trophies to the top crews. A Lasvit crystal trophy – designed to capture the waves frozen in motion within a sail shape – was awarded to Espen Øino's winning crew.
Zuretti Design's Sebastien Gey quipped that being the winners they must organise next year's regatta, as champagne flowed on the club's open-air terrace along with music from the live band.
From the feedback of participants and buzz afloat and ashore, it would seem that La Regatta Zuretti may well rack up as many editions as there are volumes of The Superyachts.