Even though 30-knot winds, a broken fore main gaff, and two crewmembers falling into the drink provided drama during the recent Pendennis Cup, the regatta, held in honor of Pendennis Shipyard’s 20th anniversary, brought superb superyacht sailing to the South West coast of England–a sight not seen since 1911.
Held during Henri Lloyd Falmouth Week in Falmouth Bay, England, in mid-August, the Pendennis Cup attracted seven competitors: Mariquita, Mariette, Altair, The Lady Anne, Adix (pictured here during the race), Lutine, and Kelpie. The winds were particularly strong on the fifth and final day of sailing, delaying the start an hour and keeping Kelpie and The Lady Anne at the dock. But The Lady Anne‘s crew jumped aboard Adix to go up against Mariquita, Mariette, Altair, and Lutine. And while Adix gave Altair, which got off to a textbook start, a run for her money, in the end Altair claimed victory and the Cup.
Despite his yacht being the one to suffer the broken gaff, Capt. Charlie Wroe of Mariette says the overall experience was “great.” “Our crew had lots of fun. We welcomed the experience to race in windy and boisterous conditions that we don’t typically see in the Med. We look forward to coming back.”
They should be able to do just that. Based on the turnout (the yard hoped to attract up to 10 megayachts) and the conditions, Pendennis expects to hold another Pendennis Cup in the future. “Falmouth provided the ideal backdrop for challenging sailing and entertainment,” says Toby Allies, head of sales and marketing for the yard. “It was a real highlight of our 20th anniversary year.” In the meantime, Pendennis is returning its focus to new builds and refits, such as the recently completed, four-month refit of the sailing yacht Midnight, involving a new paint job and engineering system overhaul.
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