With the three-day St. Barths Bucket Regatta due to start Friday, 14 March, 30 of the world’s most magnificent superyachts – ranging in length from 28-56 meters – have descended on Gustavia Harbor, bringing color and grandeur to an already brilliant waterfront. This marks the 31st running of the event on St. Barths, and as always this tiny French West Indies island has embraced the swelling of its population to include over 1000 participants, including superyacht owners, with their guests and permanent yacht crews; additional sailors brought in to help work the behemoths around the race courses; an army of organizers and volunteers; and, of course, the all-important Stewards and Friends of the Bucket.
As tried-and-true as the regatta is for providing three days of lively pursuit racing for a diverse fleet of sloops, ketches and schooners built primarily for recreational cruising, the 2025 St. Barths Bucket does not come without some interesting new plot twists. Not only has a class been added for the purpose of giving two racing-outfitted 100 footers a chance to try the Bucket event on for size but also the award criteria has been revised for determining which of the cruising superyachts in this year’s fleet will win the coveted Bucket Trophy.
“We always have an open door when it comes to new ideas, and we’re constantly working on ways to improve the event and attract new owners,” said Event Chair Peter Craig. “The 100 footers just competed in Antigua and had time on their schedules to join us here. They wanted to see what we’re all about, so that next year perhaps we can host more of these types of superyachts.”
The 100-foot Racing Class will start its competition on Thursday with two windward/leeward races (sailed under the IRC rule). They’ll then join in the traditional Bucket racing (sailed under ORCsy, better known as the “Superyacht Rule”) on Friday through Sunday, completing a single coastal race each day alongside the other entries.
The fleet has been divided into four “conventional” Bucket superyacht classes (Les Gazelles, Les Elegantes, Les Mademoiselles, and Les Grande Dames), one non-spinnaker Corinthian Spirit class (L’Esprit), a 90’ class (Les Petites Dames), and the aforementioned 100’ Racing Class (Les Cent Pied). The 100 footers will be dual-scored in the Bucket Regatta: by themselves in Les Cent Pied and then again in combination with the three superyachts in Les Gazelles, which is the class reserved for the fastest performance-oriented cruising superyachts here.
“It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out, and both the racing and the cruising superyachts are onboard for having a little fun with this,” said Craig.
As ever, racing is gentlemanly yet competitive on courses that circumnavigate the island of St. Barthelemy and/or weave through an abundance of rocks and cays that lie near shore, providing breathtaking views as well as significant navigational challenges. And as it has been for as long as the Bucket has appeared at this venue, a full schedule of lively social events provides indelible memories for all lucky enough to have hitched a superyacht ride here.
As for the Bucket Trophy, it will be awarded to the yacht that succeeds on the racecourse while demonstrating its commitment to the time-honored values of the Bucket throughout this unrivaled superyacht event. To be eligible, yachts must be class winners in the cruising superyacht classes (e.g., the 100 footers are not eligible); pass both an objective/quantitative criterion and a subjective criterion that involves numerous considerations; and must have competed and participated in the true, enduring spirit of the Bucket. (More information on this can be found on the website 2025 Awards.)
Keep an eye on two returning class winners from 2024: Velsheda, sailing this year in Les Gazelles, and Freya, sailing in Les Petites Dames. Velsheda won the Bucket Trophy in 2015 while Adela, sailing in Les Grande Dames, won the Bucket Trophy in 2013.
Also remember, that even with several new boats at the Bucket – Liberty (in L’esprit), Nefertiti and Prevail (both in Les Petites Dames) to name a few – racers aboard are expected to be anything but novice. For many of the world’s most notable and accomplished sailors, this is their favorite stop on the global racing circuit. That is, and will be, forever a constant.
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