Since it’s founding in 1854 Louis Vuitton has maintained a close relationship with sailing and the sea; the label initially gained fame as a maker of luxury travelling trunks, becoming a must-have item for the globe trotters of the 19th century. It comes as no surprise that the brand is closely identified with the most prestigious seaborne racing event in the world – The America’s Cup - the company lends its name to the competition by which the title challenger is selected.
The Louis Vuitton Trophy (LVT) has been the scene of drama, adrenaline and, it must be said, a fair amount of champagne since its inception in 1983. This year, having visited Nice, Auckland and Sardinia, the finale of LV’s eponymous competition came to Dubai and Bespoke’s Tatyana Majaroff strapped on her life jacket and joined the USA BMW Oracle team as they vied for a coveted America’s Cup spot.
What makes the Louis Vuitton Trophy so special?
It’s about the great competition - the best sailing teams in the world come together to race one another in head-to-head contests over a period of a fortnight. The yachts are impressive 24-metre-long racers. The two teams that score the most points - by winning races in each regatta – go head to head on the final day to determine the winner. Each team sails in turn and on the same boats. This heightens the excitement, because it eliminates the advantage any team might have otherwise, mere on account of more advanced technology. Best of all, the winner of the Trophy goes on to compete in the America’s Cup.
Tell us a little about your involvement in the LVT.
Well, the crew of each boat is made up of 17 sailors, but they also carry what is known as the 18th Man, invited aboard shoulder to shoulder with the crew while they fight through the race. This is a highly sought-after position, often awarded to a celebrity or a representative of the team. Louis Vuitton kindly invited me to be the 18th Man onboard the USA BMW Oracle racer. It goes without saying that it was a huge honour, but my first reaction was, “I’m a woman, am I allowed onboard?” It transgressed that I wasn’t altogether wrong and on any ordinary racing day, on account of the physical risk involved, only men join the crew. I was granted an exception - provided of course, I would agree to sign all the waivers [laughs]. It was an incredible experience and truly the opportunity of a lifetime!
With great pride I consider that my joining the US team in this prestigious event was not an ‘18th Man’ affair, but rather the celebration of a ‘1st Woman’.
What was it like to be on one of these boats while racing for such an important title?
You are absolutely right, the LVT is unbelievably important. It’s the battle ground for the best teams while they prepare to fight again in the America’s Cup, the next of which is in 2013. Add to it, that the position of 1st Woman came with a fair amount of responsibility. I had to know how to move on the boat depending on which direction the wind worked the boat in order to avoid a situation where we all go overboard. I had to help the team as per their directions, quickly and without hesitance. I had to learn when to bow down and when to stand up in order to avoid disrupting the course of the wind and allow the boat to achieve the best possible hydrodynamic shape, and maintain its speed. And of course, I had to avoid stumbling over or touching any ropes that I wasn’t asked to touch as I could not only come to serious harm, but one wrong move can jeopardise an entire race. In competitive sailing the slightest error from anybody on board during a race can lead to defeat as victory in a regatta sometimes comes down to mere seconds.
It seems there’s a great amount of stress involved and a need to work as a team if you’re going to win. To be honest there are many factors in winning a race. The boats, of course, play a major role, but Louis Vuitton only invites the best of the best. The sailors aboard all have equal importance, as each is in charge of a particular task. They are incredibly strong and work synchronised as a group. Then there’s the onshore team, the support system - they assist the team upon departure and arrival, and maintain the boat before and after a race, making sure the team is well-equipped and the boats are ready to sail. Without them none of this would be possible. As for myself, I learned that next to a fair wind, team work, instinctive responses to changing situations, coordination, all play a role on the way to victory.
This particular event received even more media coverage and attention than previous LVT events around the world. Why was that?
Well, for starters this was the first time the regatta happened in Dubai, the cosmopolitan heart of the Middle East. Golden sunshine, hot desert, white beaches and shamal winds were more than enough to attract pretty much anyone in the middle of November [laughs].
But also, additional to the LVT, Dubai celebrated its Heritage Day, when the sailors of each team were invited for the first time to compete on traditional dhows in a unique, landmark race finishing in front of the Burj Al Arab. This was the very first time non-Arab sailors were permitted to race these historical, legendary sailboats, making it a worldwide premiere. The sailors considered this a great honour, they were like little kids going sailing for the first time - and I was there to witness it, totally caught up in the excitement. I was a bit scared, too, I must admit, but since this was new to everyone, the team insisted I participate as much as I could. So I quickly got busy pulling ropes faster and faster, tilting the direction of the sail from left to right and right to left with all my body weight. Coordinating the physical demands of high-speed sailing with the task of translating the friendly tips and hints on how to sail their unique vessels to the BMW oracle team was no easy feat. It was a lot of fun though, seeing both parties lost in translation in this superb experience where old meets new, East meets West, tradition meets modernity.
So overall how was the whole experience?
I feel very privileged to have been part of such an event, the Dhow race, the first woman to compete, the sea, the sun, all of this was overwhelming. But I also want to thank the US team for having made me feel like a valued member. Throughout wins and defeats they kept such faith and determination and were a great and friendly bunch. I would also like to add that this was the last time they were racing those ACC 24-metre yachts, used since 1992, as they will be replaced in the next America Cup by new cutting-edge AC72/AC45 wingsail catamarans. For the public this might seem like normal progress but for the sailors who have been racing those boats for years, saying goodbye was a very emotional moment. Sadly the crew size will be reduced to 11 members from 17 so each team will be letting go of six fellow sailors. It was hard for me to learn the news and I was only part of the crew for an insignificant amount of time; I can only imagine how difficult it must be for the team.
Cutting to the chase – who won?
[Laughs] Two crews raced each other daily and in the end Team New Zealand and Team USA were left on the final day to compete for the title and entry to The America’s Cup. The winner of this year’s LVT was the Emirates New Zealand team who competed hard for this well-deserved win. However, allow me to share a little, yet essential, detail with you. My USA team was in the lead but, as I mentioned, luck is an important factor — and it wasn’t on our side that day. The sail tore. Changing it in the middle of the ocean cost us precious time and, ultimately, victory. I guess its life! You win some, you lose some.
Making the loss far sweeter was then Luis Vuitton’s public announcement of their decision to continue being the official sponsor of the 34th America’s Cup to be held in 2013 in San Francisco.
www.louisvuittontrophy.com & www.americascup.com
