Mariquita Book - mk2

LES VOILES DE SAINT-TROPEZ
30 SEPTEMBER – 4 OCTOBER 2014
How more people aren’t hurt in Saint-Tropez I’m really not sure.
The race committee put on some crazy courses. John Caulcutt
The racing at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez is
unique and occasionally quite dangerous,
as helmsman John Caulcutt describes. “The
year before, they sent the Big Boat Class off
last to windward into
the bay off Cogolin
just as all the other
fleets were coming
out. These are local
race officers who
don’t know how to
handle these big
fleets, especially the
‘Big Boat Class’. In
my opinion they
need to bring in some professional race
management from the great yacht clubs
around the world. It’s all very controlled
on the start line with the exclusion zones.
But after the start it’s a real bunfight.” Long
reaching legs scuttled Mariquita’s hopes as
the schooners, notably Elena, came into
their own. Long waterline length and speed
come to the fore in the off-the-wind legs. As
Matty Oates explains, “Elena is an absolute
weapon. Traditionally, the cutters love the
light airs and the schooners love the breeze.
When it’s light, boats
like Altair just wallow
in it. But Elena, she’s
so lofty, has so much
sail, that she will just
carry through all the
calm. Her rig can
reach breezes up high
that none of us can
get to, and she has a
weight and size that
makes her immune to all the messy chop you
might find in the Bay of Saint-Tropez, the
same chop that will stop us dead in the water.
They sailed her brilliantly, and deserved that
win. They never get on the podium, due to
their handicap, so to have her take the win
in a light-airs regatta really is a testament to
their racing skill.”
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