The VOR 70 Maserati, manned by skipper Giovanni Soldini and his 13-strong crew, will line out for the start of the 71st Rolex Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, one of the world’s toughest and most prestigious sailing challenges.  The 628-nautical mile event throws up extreme conditions nevertheless attracts top-level, meticulously-prepared craft that battle it out for this much-sought trophy.

The Italian boat will be flanked by 110 others ranging in size between 9 and 30 metres and hailing from no less than 28 different nations. The fleet will number a slew of the world’s fastest maxi yachts including Comanche, the super maxi penned by VPLP-Verdier, Ragamuffin 100, Wild Oats XI and Rambler 88.

Amongst Maserati’s toughest rivals will be the VOR 70 Black Jack, ex Telefonica. Four years Maserati’s junior, the latter has competed in two previous Sydney-Hobarts, finishing fourth and fifth, and is now based permanently in Australia to allow year round preparation for the event.

Organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and the Royal Club of Tasmania, the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race was launched in 1945. The current speed record was set in 2012 by the Australian yacht Wild Oats XI (winner of eight of the last 10 editions) which covered the distance  in one day, 18 hours, 23 seconds and 12 hundredths of a second. There have also been some positively gruelling editions: in 1998, an unusually vicious storm resulted in the sinking of five boats and the deaths of six sailors. Of the 115 craft that cast off that year, just 44 made it to Hobart. In 2005, another storm meant that only 59 yachts out of 116 completed the race.

With 2016 marking the 150^th anniversary of Rudyard Kipling’s birth; British Polo Day , an annual three-day event at Rajasthan’s ‘blue city’ of Jodhpur celebrated the historical ties that link India and Great Britain, just as Kipling’s writing first introduced the wonders of India to the British public.

A befitting counterpart to celebrate the tradition & heritage, Indian jeweller Amrapali lent its support epitomizing the essence of India within its creations and paying homage to the effervescent culture of Rajasthan, with an exclusive live auction held at the majestic Umaid Bhavan Palace in Jodhpur, of their signature Lotus Ruby Earrings alongside offerings from Marrakech’s Royal Mansour, the Inner Way Retreat at Ranvas Nagaur, The Six Senses Laamu in The Maldives, the 3rd Home portfolio; a special bottle of Royal Salute 38 years old and an iconic Reverso watch by Jaeger-LeCoultre; to raise money for The Head Injury Foundation and Head Injury Through Sport.

The event was commemorated with a welcome reception hosted by the Amrapali at 1135 AD atop the Amber Fort in Jaipur. Some of the distinguished guests included the Deputy British High Commissioner David Lelliott, Sanjeev Bali, Princess Diya Kumari, Priya Sachdev, Gen. Pankaj Saxena and members of the Rajasthan Polo Club team – Maharaj Narendra Singh, Abhimanyu Pathak, Sanjay Kapoor & Lt. Gen. Arun Kumar Sahni to name a few.  His Highness The Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur personally hosted the likes of His Highness Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh, Maharaj Narendra Singh, Colonel Umaid Singh, The 13th Duke of Argyll, Helen Bromovsky, The Honorable Geraldine Harmsworth, Satindar Garcha, Ron Wahid, Vinod Kumar, Marc de Panafieu and Princess Alexandra Cantacuzene Count Speransky, for a three-day celebration of sport and creativity.

Nandita Mahtani, synonymous with resort and cocktail wear, hosted an uber holiday pop up at her store Ananya with friend and interior designer Renu Chainani.

The pre-Christmas soiree unveiled holiday wear by Nandita Mahtani, contemporary jewellery by Jewel Diaries (Freanka Dhanak), Fitness Wear by Bia Brazil, Beach footwear by Havaianas, Modern art inspired clothing by Rohit Gandhi & Rahul Khanna, Denim wear by  Denim Story (Mala Hemnani), Little Shilpa Signatures, quirky accessories by The Rad Project (Radhika Mehra) and Anouk Grewal Collections.

Guests seen were Penny Patel, Nidhi Ghia, Deanne Pandey, Ekta Raheja, Kiara Advani, Laila Motwane, Shanna Bahl, Bijal Meswani, Shamita Singha, Indira Bodani, Gauri Pohoomul, Alison Kanuga, Mugdha Godse, Arti Surendranath, Tanya Deol, Ridhima Kapoor Sahani, Shaina NC, Dolly Sidhwani, Priyali Mahtani, Rouble Nagi, Queenie Singh and Rishi Shetia.

Christian Dior has opened its largest flagship store, the Beijing “China World” boutique is split across two levels, featuring a floor-to-ceiling, double-layer glass façade that emulates fine feminine fabric in the fashion house’s “Cannage” print.

Peter Marino designed interiors blend inspiration taken from the brand’s Paris flagship, dotted with a carefully curated group of artworks by contemporary artists. Each of the 10 pieces, which include a bench by Terence Main and a video art wall by Yorame, reflect the codes of the house. There is also a sculpture “Siamese Metal 5” from British artist Richard Deacon, the work “Waterwall, Roselyn” by Gregory Ryan, and table lamps by Véronique Rivemale, while the footwear section is adorned by a “Gaia Imprint” Low Table, designed by Vincent Dubour.

Classic furniture pieces from Guillaume Piéchaud, Paolo Giordano and Timothy Horn have been placed strategically throughout the space, and the store also features a private VIP salon garnished with two Mineral Commodes designed by Juan & Paloma.