47m Royal Huisman yacht Hyperion announced as overall winner of St Barths Bucket 2025

The 47.4-metre Royal Huisman sailing yacht Hyperion has clinched the overall victory at the St Barths Bucket 2025 after securing two firsts and a second-place finish for a total of four points in the Les Elegantes Class.

This year’s regatta saw 26 superyachts competing across seven classes, while organisers opted for shorter-than-usual courses to accommodate the forecasted light breeze. Over three days, perseverance and tactical awareness proved key, particularly in the frequent park-ups and converging fleets caused by the soft winds, which dropped as low as four knots.

The 2025 Bucket Trophy is awarded to the yacht which succeeds on the racecourse while demonstrating its commitment to the time-honoured spirit of the Bucket. It is judged objectively based on close race results and subjectively by a specialist panel that determines which yacht reflects the seamanship and sportsmanship of the Bucket ethos.

Competing in the highly competitive Class C: Les Elegantes, Hyperion ultimately secured the prestigious 2025 Bucket Trophy with a total of four points. The yacht was delivered in 1998 with naval architecture by German Frers and design by Pieter Beeldsnijder; her mainsail was the largest ever made and she is a Bucket regular with many second places on the podium. Racing helmsman Ed Danby praised the team's ability to stay adaptable in challenging conditions, describing how they capitalised on fleeting wind shifts and executed crucial manoeuvres to stay ahead of rivals such as Adela and Ravenger. 

“We were robbed of the tradewinds this year, but driving these giant yachts around in four knots of wind is seriously challenging,” said Danby, after Hyperion’s second-day win.

Special awards:

Several yachts were also recognised for their exceptional performance and spirit during the regatta:

• 2025 St Barths Bucket Best Overall Starter, presented by Vitters: Symmetry
• 2025 St Barths Bucket Owner Driver, presented by the Yacht Club de Monaco: Gitana 
• 2025 St Barths Bucket Wolter Huisman Memorial Trophy Spirit of the Bucket: Vijonara

Tactician Tony Rey of Vijonara summed up the unpredictability of this year’s event: “It looked like a rally car race! We made a play staying high against the island and extended out, which made us look good, but in fact we were just a bit lucky.”

Class highlights and winners:

• Les Elegantes (elegant classics, 5 boats): Hyperion led the pack, narrowly beating rivals like Ravenger and Adela.
• Les Gazelles (high-performance, fastest boats): Visione took first place on day one, using a wind shift under a cloud to its advantage, while Velsheda rose to the top on day two after a strong showing.
• Les Petites Dames (90-footers): Hummingbird excelled in light air conditions, finishing first on day one and maintaining the class lead overall, though Prevail edged ahead on day two.
• Les Grande Dames (heavy-displacement Perini Navi yachts): Panthalassa dominated both days, despite light wind not favouring heavier yachts, finishing significantly ahead of Rosehearty.
• Les Mademoiselles (smaller classics):  Aurelius clinched a narrow victory on day one, while Action bounced back to take the top spot on day two. However, it was Whisper’s commanding first-place finish on the final day that secured her the overall win, thanks to consistent podium placements throughout the regatta. Action followed closely in second overall, with Aurelius rounding out the top three.
• Les Cent Pied (100-footers): V  held strong with consistent wins.
• L’Esprit (corinthian non-spinnaker class): Vijonara showcased skill and tenacity, overcoming wind "park-ups" to claim victories.

Despite the lack of trade winds, the 2025 edition of the St Barths Bucket highlighted the prowess, patience and adaptability of its competitors, delivering another memorable chapter in the regatta’s storied history.