Charles Dunstone and team aboard the maxi yacht Nokia Connecting People won the Rolex Giraglia Cup in St Tropez on Saturday.

Dunstone took advantage of the light conditions during the 243-mile offshore race to trial the latest additions to his racing sail wardrobe, and the upgrade programme proved a success as the 76 footer performed at its best in what has always been its favourite weather.

The racing was close throughout the 30-hour race, with Nokia Connecting People continuously in sight of other competitors throughout a course that took them from St Tropez to Genoa via the Isles de Hyeres and the Giraglia Rock off Corsica. With the last four miles taking four hours the crew of Nokia watched from behind as the larger 90ft maxi Alfa Romeo slipped across the finish to take line honours, but were delighted they won overall on corrected time, beating their second place of the previous year.

“I’m delighted with this success,” declared Charles Dunstone immediately after the event. “It was a long and often frustrating race but the crew worked tirelessly and we got the result that we deserved.”