All the yachts taking part in the Richard Mille Cup were built before 1939 or are faithfully crafted replicas. Even the race formats were faithful to those of yesteryear, following courses used during the pre-war regattas.

Launching from The Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, Falmouth, on June 15, the event finished 10 days later with a sprint across the English Channel to Le Havre in France.

A fleet of 11 yachts, crewed by 200 sailors from all walks of life and of varying degrees of experience, embarked on the competition commemorating the great yacht races of the early 20th century.

“The spectacle of a fleet of pre-first World War gaff cutters and grand schooners racing hard has not been seen at these venues in our times,” says Richard Mille.

“Racing for two weeks has been a real challenge of endurance and sportsmanship, which in turn has given way to the joys of great camaraderie and unforgettable memories. The Richard Mille Cup has opened a new dimension in classic yacht racing and one which we will take even further in future editions,” he says.

The twin-masted Mariette and her crew dominated the series, securing a perfect scoreline by winning all eight inshore and passage races, taking home the overall trophy and the Schooner Class.

Built in 1915 and designed by naval architect Nathanael G. Herreshoff, the Mariette started with back-to-back wins in the first inshore races out of Falmouth Harbour and never looked back. Leaving classmates Atlantic and Adix scrapping for second place, it went on to finish the regatta ahead of the Cutter Class winner, The Lady Anne, totalling an impressive 991 points.