Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez Sailing Event Story

Experience Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2026 through the lens of sailing photographer Kurt Arrigo. From centenarian classics to modern racing...

Capturing the Moment: Sailing Photography by Kurt Arrigo

Photographing Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez calls for anticipation as much as instinct. Kurt reads the wind, follows the light and watches the fleet, positioning himself ahead of the action as the scene takes shape.

“For a fraction of a second, the yacht, the light, the sea and the story come together. That's the moment I'm chasing.”

His photographs offer a perspective on a regatta where sailing history remains vividly in motion. Explore Kurt Arrigo’s Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez photography and discover the yachts, crews and fleeting moments that define the event.

Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2026: Sailing History on the Mediterranean

From 26 September to 4 October 2026, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez brought together 253 yachts for nine days celebrating sailing heritage and competitive racing. Centenarian classics, elegant schooners and contemporary racing yachts gathered on the Mediterranean, showcasing more than a century of yacht design and craftsmanship.

For sailing photographer Kurt Arrigo, this meeting of generations offers a compelling subject: historic yachts and modern racers, each responding to the same wind and sea.

Classic Yachts in Competition

The classic yachts at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez offer more than graceful silhouettes. Under sail, these carefully maintained vessels reveal the performance and ambition behind their original designs.

“I'm still fascinated by the contrast, these beautiful, classic yachts carrying decades of history, yet being pushed to their limits in fiercely competitive racing.”

Kurt’s photography captures that tension between elegance and effort. Behind each sweeping sail is a crew adjusting, anticipating and working to find an advantage. His images bring the demands of classic yacht racing into focus, alongside the craftsmanship that makes these boats distinctive.

Kurt Arrigo’s Connection to Saint-Tropez

Kurt first photographed La Nioulargue, the predecessor to Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, in 1993. He later returned as a crew member, building a connection with the regatta that now spans more than three decades.

His experience aboard yachts informs his work behind the camera. Beyond the shape of a hull or the scale of a sail, he looks for the human details of competition: a crew’s concentration, coordinated movement and response to changing conditions.