This year I am joining a new team and, although the boat is very well known, it is new to both me and the new Tilakkhana crew. Formerly Magic Carpet 3, she has had a change of livery and, together with the owner, Pascale Decaux, we will be racing onboard Tilakkhana II.
With a strong and determined female owner who is keen to change the narrative in the International Maxi scene, this is an exciting venture. As well as providing more opportunities for female sailors to be part of the racing, the team is very international and comprises fantastic sailors with a vast array of experience. Among the crew of 25, there are 8 females who all hold key roles. Not only is it lovely to be able to sail with this crew, it is also a great opportunity for me to learn from them as we come together to improve our performance on this Wally Cento racing cruiser.
Our first training session took place in April as we prepared for the Palma Vela Regatta. After six days of sailing together in Palma as a new team on an unfamiliar boat, we headed straight into the racing. The regatta was made up of two days of windward leeward courses, with two races a day, followed by two days of coastal courses. Our performance improved each day, as we had hoped it would, and as we came into the final day of racing there was everything to play for. Being tied on points, we needed to beat the other boat on the last day to claim the overall win.
The conditions were near perfect for sailing our coastal course of 35 miles in winds ranging from 15 to 20 knots. Our goal was simple – sail a clean race, make sensible decisions and avoid mistakes. It was brilliant sailing and we worked hard as a team to deliver on our objectives. Not only did we sail clean, we also managed to win by the smallest of margins and secure first place in the regatta.
It was a great start to the season for Tilakkhana II. We departed as a happy crew who are looking forward to continuing our progress. Next stop will be Sorrento for the Tre Golfi Regatta.
Image credit: @sailingshots.es