September is always one of the busiest months in the sailing calendar, and this year was no exception. With the Mediterranean season reaching its peak, there was barely time to unpack one bag before the next one needed packing.
We started the month in Porto Cervo, where the Tilakkhana II team arrived early for a full week of training ahead of the Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup. Training matters hugely in these campaigns, especially when new crew are joining. We had a few new faces to bring up to speed, but everyone settled in quickly, finding their roles and building confidence on board.Conditions were generally lighter than in previous years, though we did get the odd blustery day to remind us how fast things can change in the Mediterranean. Racing combined windward-leeward courses with longer coastal races, testing different aspects of both boat and crew.
Our results were mixed. We also had to sit out one race after equipment damage, which was frustrating, but that's yacht racing: you deal with what's in front of you and focus on the next opportunity.Happily, we finished the week on a high, sailing a clean final race with fewer mistakes and closing the gap to the front of the fleet. It was a great sign that the hard work we've put in this season is starting to show in better boat speed, teamwork and consistency. Once the Maxis headed out of Porto Cervo, I simply changed uniform and stepped onto another boat!
This time I joined WaveWalker, a Swan 58, for the Rolex Swan Cup, marking an incredible 60 years of the Nautor Swan yard. With around 170 boats and 1,800 sailors, the scale of the event was something else. The Swan fleet is always hugely competitive, but there's also a wonderful camaraderie and shared passion for these beautiful boats.
Our first race wasn't the start we'd hoped for. In very light conditions, we struggled to find our rhythm, and the result reflected that. But we didn't let one race define the week. Over the next three days the team really came together, and although racing was incredibly tight, we kept putting ourselves in the right places and ultimately finished on top of our Cruiser Racer Performance Class. There's something particularly satisfying about recovering from a disappointing first day. It takes a good team to put a result behind them, reset and come back stronger and that's exactly what we did.
After just a couple of days to catch my breath, it was time to head to Saint-Tropez for Tilakkhana II's final regatta of the season: Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.
By this point the team knew the boat so much better than we did at the start of the season. Racing again combined windward-leeward courses with coastal races, giving different boats their chance to shine depending on conditions. As they say, the cream always rises to the top and in a fleet this competitive, consistency is everything.
Results were mixed through the week, but the bigger picture was encouraging. We're sailing Tilakkhana II better now than at the start of the season, with genuine gains in boat handling, communication and understanding what the boat needs. The frustrating part is that the margins are so tight that even a single silly mistake can swing the result.
Perhaps the biggest positive from Saint-Tropez, though, was the team itself. We've built a real bond over the season, and that makes a huge difference when you're pushing hard on the racecourse. There's trust on board, people communicate well, and everyone is invested in making the boat perform.
As the Mediterranean season draws to a close, I look back on September with a mixture of tiredness and satisfaction. Three weeks, two boats, two very different sailing challenges, and plenty of lessons along the way. From the intensity of Maxi racing to the sheer scale of the Swan fleet, it's been another reminder of why I love being part of competitive sailing teams.
Now it's time to catch my breath, take the lessons from the season, and start thinking about what comes next. Because, as ever, there's always another start line just around the corner.