Concours d’E´le´gance in Cannes

Cannes Yachting Festival will host its first nautical Concours d’E´le´gance this Thursday September 10 from 5.00pm to 6.30pm. The parade will be staged at the heart of the show, in the Vieux Port, providing a spectacle of rare vintage and modern-day boats to honour the rich maritime history.

Cementing the show’s luxury credentials and entertainment offering, the Concours d’E´le´gance will be a unique occasion for visitors to admire a fleet of the finest classic yachts, antique vessels and powerboats, as well as the latest releases on display at Cannes Yachting Festival.

Yacht enthusiasts and owners are invited to show off their day boats and for them to be judged. A spectrum of boats from yesteryear and today will congregate in the port and parade one by one in front of a ‘floating’ jury and spectators.

Boats will be drawn from three different categories including vessels from before 1975, those built between 1976 and 2000, and newer models built after 2000.

Judging will examine every aspect from the quality of restoration, design of the boat and conservation status, with points for the history and rarity of the model, through to the elegance of the crew and quality of the parade.

The jury will be composed of famous names from the yachting industry, Festival partners and journalists, as well as well-known experts and enthusiasts in these day boats.

Following the procession, Cannes Yachting Festival has invited participants, partners and Riviera card holders to a cocktail reception and award ceremony in the VIP Club from 7.00pm until 10.00pm.

The 38th edition of Cannes Yachting Festival – dubbed the international in-water boat show – is being staged from September 8 to 13 on the glittering Bay of Cannes, famed for glitz, glamour and international premieres.

Marking the start of the international yachting calendar, with up to 100 world premiere boat launches, visitors to Cannes Yachting Festival are given the exclusive first chance to admire and test-drive the latest releases on the open water.

The Festival expects to welcome more than 50,000 international visitors. The VIP Club, set on the rooftop of the Palais des Festivals, offers a privileged space to relax and enjoy champagne or canape´s with panoramic views of the yachts exhibited in the Vieux Port.

Arguably the most prestigious event on the yachting calendar, Cannes Yachting Festival has something for everyone; for fans of luxury motor yachts or sailing yachts, or those wanting to soak up the glamour that Cannes has to offer.

Meanwhile, the six gorgeous day boats shown above in the Concours d’E´le´gance include in order: a Frauscher; a Sunseeker Sovereigne Hostess (opening photo) built in 1970 and fully restored in 2005; Spirit Yachts; Riva Tritone; AlfaStreet Marine; and a Fiartmare Saggittario..