Racing Against The Odds

October to April in Mumbai is sailing season. At the end of April, we will celebrate the winner of the Bombay Merchants Cup (BMC) Regatta, where luxury yachts will compete for the much sought-after Gurkha Cigars Trophy.

- Danny Carroll

From October to April, every Saturday afternoon, a collection of India’s leading sailors—world champions and Olympic champions included—partner with some of India’s leading business tycoons to race luxury yachts in Mumbai. The Bombay Merchants Cup Regatta, as the race is called, has two categories of yachts taking part in it—those above 40 feet in length and those below 40 feet. Having been invited by Capt Homi Motivala—an exsailor, yachting coach and Arjuna Award winner—to join him on one of these exhilarating races, here’s bringing you an adrenaline-fuelled account of the event. Capt Motivala’s yacht is named ‘Tengi’ and competes in the below 40 feet category. It is now 3:20 pm and we are making our way to the starting line, which is just off the Gateway of India. The official starting time of the race is 3:30 pm. There are 18 luxury yachts taking part in the race, and they are all traversing the water near the starting line. Every captain is jockeying for position to be the first to cross the starting line. There is a catch here though. If we cross the line before 3:30 pm, we will be disqualified; if we time the traverse badly, other yachts will get ahead of us, so timing is critical. At one point, it looks as though we are heading for a c