Mariquita Book - mk2.5

MAHÓN XI COPA DEL REY
DE BARCOS DE ÉPOCA
28 – 30 AUGUST 2014
We were rarely more than a boat length apart for the whole
race. The guys pulled and pulled. Chris Tibbs
The racing in Mahón was the fiercest of the
whole season. After Argentario, spirits were
high, and with Mariquita heading up the
Panerai rankings, events came to a head with
Moonbeam IV. With
the rough conditions
likely to favour her
main rival the ‘after
guard’ on Mariquita
decided to raise the
stakes. Tactician
David Bedford described
the mood on
board, “We went
to Mahon thinking
that although we knew how to win this was
going to be a more difficult regatta because
of the elements. That raised the ante at
the starts where we decided to make the
pre-start skirmishes even more high risk
than normal.” Mariquita won the first two
races after Moonbeam IV was disqualified
from the second race for a port/starboard
infringement on the start line. The third race
hinged on a brave navigation call from Chris
Tibbs who took Mariquita much closer to a
rocky island than her
rivals dared. Instead
of being behind,
Mariquita was able
to dictate the race,
as Chris recalled,
“We had tack after
tack going up the
Menorcan coast. Each
tack we pulled them
in another few metres,
and then we got to that beautiful position
where we were on starboard and they were
coming out on port and they couldn’t cross
us.” A convincing win on the water, as Tubby
commented, “All to play for. I shouldn’t say
it, and I don’t want to tempt fate, but at the
moment we’re the boat to beat.”
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