Overview
ONE more winner for VdV in Cannes
Our rich run of form when it comes to Van der Valk custom builds winning prestigious prizes continued last weekend at the Cannes Yachting Festival. The newly launched 34-metre ONE was hailed as the ‘Most Achieved Yacht’ at the closing event of the boat show on 14 September during the World Yachts Trophies. The ceremony organised by Yachts France magazine saw 30 winners chosen by a jury of journalists, historians and industry experts. There was also a gala dinner and fireworks in front of the Carlton Hotel, followed by a yacht parade in the Bay of Cannes.
As you can see, the Van der Valk team present was delighted with the award for ONE, as was interior designer Carla Guilhem, who flew from Florida to join us in Cannes. The World Yachts Trophies rewards the best motorboats and yachts up to 140 metres launched over the past year so ONE was in very good company. We’re also proud of everyone back at the yard who, despite the complexity of this fully bespoke four-decker, managed to complete the project two months ahead of schedule.
ONE is a testament to experience in other wats too, synthesising 30 years of client-sailing know-how with the proven all-aluminium hull pioneered on Lady Lene. Her size accommodates the owners’ wishes for five suites, a sky lounge and main salon, and a multifunctional beach club/tender garage in the stern. Guido de Groot’s exterior design masterfully meets the challenging requirement for four decks of entertainment while ONE’s carte blanche interior has a futuristic feel with smooth rounded shapes.
The award rounded off a successful week in Cannes’ venerable Vieux Port as we welcomed friends old and new to our stand. Many visitors also took the opportunity to tour our 32-metre Jangada, another yacht that caught the attention of prize juries when nominated for a World Superyacht Award in 2020. The owner of this fine vessel has ordered a larger custom build at Van der Valk (his third) so Jangada attracted significant interest from potential buyers.
ONE’s triumph in Cannes comes hot on the heels of a number of annual awards that Van der Valk clients have taken home over recent times. Last year’s World Yachts Trophies ceremony saw the EDGE 65 receive the red-carpet treatment after winning the Best Custom motoryacht award. Lady Lene was a winner in Cannes in 2022 and we were also on the podium in 2019 and 2020 with the BeachClub and Waterdream projects respectively. The 2021 Yachting Festival was cancelled due to Covid so Van der Valk can now proudly say that we have won a World Yachts Trophy five show-years on the trot in Cannes.
Elsewhere, Lady Lene was honoured with a coveted Neptune trophy for Best Interior Design for Motor Yachts under 499G at the 2023 BOAT Design & Innovation Awards in Italy. And then there was that wonderful night in Istanbul when Blue Jeans came out tops in the ‘Semi-displacement or planing motoryacht 30 to 34.99m’ category at the 2023 World Superyacht Awards. Click here to read about these Van der Valk victories on page 46 of the latest FLCN Magazine and so much more in this new 124-page edition.