Brought to you by Boats.com Europe, Yachtworld.com Europe, Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to

ISAF Confirms Events For The 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition
ISAF President Goran Petersson led the ISAF Council in more than three hours of debate and discussion before the ten events were decided. Over 50 Submissions were received for consideration following the changes to the process for selecting events and equipment that was agreed in November 2010.

The ten events selected by the ISAF Council for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition are:

Men's Board or Kiteboard - evaluation
Women's Board or Kiteboard - evaluation
Men's One Person Dinghy - Laser
Women's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Men's 2nd One Person Dinghy - Finn
Men's Skiff - 49er
Women's Skiff - Evaluation
Men's Two Person Dinghy - 470
Women's Two Person Dinghy - 470
Mixed Two Person Multihull - Evaluation

The Vote

In November 2010, a provisional list of Events and Equipment ("the slate") was agreed by the ISAF Council. Since then, ISAF received over 50 Urgent Submissions which proposed alternative slates. A two-stage voting process, similar to that used by the IOC when choosing a host city for the Olympic Games, was used to decide the final list.

After the first stage, seven Submissions went through to the second stage of voting. There was a palpable sense of tension in the meeting room as the Council awaited the results of the second stage.

A full report of the decisions made in St Petersburg will be published in the minutes, these include:

- Decisions on the core events for 2020 were deferred until the 2011 Annual Conference in November.
- 29er XX granted Recognized Class Status
- 2014 Youth Olympic Games Events confirmed as: Boy's Windsurfer, Girl's Windsurfer, Boy's One Person Dinghy and Girl's One Person Dinghy.
- Olympic Class World Championships set to continue
- A single ranking system for the Olympic events to be operational from 2013 onwards.

For more information about the ISAF Mid-Year Meeting and to read the Submissions visit - www.sailing.org/2011-midyear.php

* From Paul Pascoe, Chairman ISAF Multihull Commission:

The International Sailing Federation is a funny beast, and no more so than when the boats are selected every four years to represent sailing at the Olympic Games.

Classes and National Federations spend years positioning themselves, getting their supporters appointed to Committees, perhaps elected as Chairman where they see it may be useful, all with a view to influencing the outcome in their favour. And when it comes to making these decisions, you have no friends, strange bedfellows frequently arise and knives in the back are not unknown.

As much as the individuals would like to 'put the sport before our national or personal interests', National Federations have so much to win or lose by getting their favoured boat into the Olympic Games that it is impossible for these forces not to come in to play. In many large countries where the national body is funded significantly by the government, the sole definition of success, and therefore indirectly its funding, is the number of Gold Medals at the Olympics. They don't care about World Championships or Olympic Silver medals - just Olympic Gold medals.

In Brazil their number one sports stars from the Olympic Games across all sports are Torben Grael and Robert Scheidt.

With the 2016 Olympics being sailed in Brazil, the event was guaranteed to generate huge public interest in the selection between the two leading up to the Games and then at the Games itself. So in you own country, think of your highest profile Olympian across all sports, think of a home Olympic Games, only to have the International Federation pull your number one athlete's event from the lineup - front page news in Brazil and an international scandal.

So with this level of importance we all headed for St Petersburg to decide the disciplines, and in some cases the equipment (read 'boats' in non-Olympic terms). The Olympic Commission had presented their report, made a little tweak between November and May and all submissions were locked in by ISAF some weeks ago. The great news for multihull sailors was that every submission had at least one multihull on the slate, so barring any last minute political maneuvering, we were assured of being back for 2016 in one form or another.

In particular, the Star lobby has a long history of using their considerable influence, and this was again in evidence when they managed to have the Executive support a proposal that was more outlandish than anything anyone had thought possible. A submission that got zero votes at the Events Committee to make only one change to the lineup to remove the 49er of all things, and replace it with the multihull was voted by the Executive as their preferred solution. As much as I am keen to have a multihull back into the event, it would have been tragic to do so at the expense of the 49er. Suffice to say that it was highly unlikely that the support of this submission was unanimous with the Executive. Other websites have posted names of those on the Executive they believe were in support of the Puerto Rican submission, but it was very obvious which 'camps' would have voted in support. As well as the obvious Star lobby, the 470 Class must see that if the Olympics has two skiffs, there are then under threat for the 2020 Olympics.

Paul's full report on the voting and backstory on Sail-World.com: www.sail-world.com

Wilson Trophy for the British Team Racing Championship
Click on image to enlarge.

Wilson Trophy Day 3 of the 2011 Wilson Trophy for the British Open Team racing Championship saw some extreme conditions for the final day of racing, with a series of weather fronts bringing prolonged gusts up to 30 knots. With last year's two finalists, West Kirby Hawks and NYYC Extreme, both assured a quarter final place, there were as many as 16 teams involved in the scramble to secure their place in the final eight, making every match in final rounds of the Swiss League qualification absolutely vital. By late morning, as the twentieth and final round began, it was becoming apparent that 12 wins were going to be required to make it through to the quarter finals. From here on, for the teams still fighting for a place in the elimination rounds, it was a case of win or go home.

Conditions were absolutely perfect for the quarter finals, with sunshine and 10 - 12 knots of breeze.

The semi final pairings pitched West Kirby Hawks against Spinnaker and NYYC Team Extreme against West Kirby SC. With a place in the final at stake, all four teams knew they needed to be at the absolute top of their game.

By the time the Grand Final got underway the wind had risen considerably again and with the boats still on full rigs, the crews had some real boat handling challenges to deal with. The first race went to NYYC Team Extreme after West Kirby Hawks squandered a potentially winning position on the final beat. Quickly regrouping, the Hawks struck back in the wild and windy second race, to level the score. NYYC Team Extreme then took the next race to establish a 2 - 1 advantage. With the wind now topping twenty knots in the gusts, the race committee in the interests of fair team racing, made the sensible decision to send the teams ashore to change to the smaller rigs.

Given the extreme conditions, the pre-start action in the third race was surprisingly intense. However, from the moment the start gun sounded, the Hawks knew they were in trouble - with two boats over early and forced to restart. NYYC Team Extreme are simply too good a squad to hand such an advantage to, and given control so early in the race they rocketed away to close out the Grand Final with a comprehensive win. -- Justin Chisholm

Semi Finals
West Kirby Hawks beat Spinnaker
NYYC Team Extreme beat West Kirby

Grand Final
Team Extreme beat West Kirby Hawks (3-1)

NYYC Team Extreme (USA):
Zach Brown and Emmet Smith
Thomas Barrows and Marla Menninger
Stuart McNay and Michael Hession

West Kirby Hawks (UK):
Ben Field and Tom Foster
Dom Johnson and Debs Steele
Andy Cornah and Hamish Walker

Full results and video from the day: www.wksc.net/wilsontrophy

New Marina Consultancy Team in Asia Pacific
MarinaProjects.com Marina Projects Ltd and Mott MacDonald Hong Kong team up in a new partnership which offers a seamless collaboration between marina consultancy and maritime - coastal engineering expertise.

Marina developers and investors can now benefit from a comprehensive and unrivalled consultancy service available throughout the Asia Pacific region. Marina Projects and Mott MacDonald Hong Kong are fully committed to providing environmentally sustainable solutions to all aspects of marina design. This teamwork approach has already been applied successfully on the prestigious Baroque on Lamma project in Hong Kong.

Marina Projects has provided marina design and waterfront development consultancy in over 20 countries worldwide.

Mott MacDonald Hong Kong is a major engineer throughout the Asia Pacific region and utilises state of the art numerical simulation of wave dynamics.

Contact Geoff Phillips, Marina Projects Ltd for more information.
+44 (0)23 9252 6688

www.marinaprojects.com

Victory For Indie and Ryokan 2 at the Nespresso Cup...
Photo by Guilain Grenier / Nespresso Cup. Click on image for photo gallery.

Nespresso Cup The second edition of the Nespresso Cup came to a conclusion today in Portofino with Andrea Recordati's INDIO delivering a near emphatic victory in the Overall Division to lift the stylish Nespresso Cup Trophy, whilst Philippe Ligier's Ryokan 2 snatched victory from INTI in the Performance Divison in the very final race.

Tricky light winds dominated the three-day Nespresso Cup regatta which set the stage for a testing regatta.

In the Overall Division, the 30.50m In took control early in the regatta with three race victories, only on the final day did they concede a win to Claus-Peter Offen's Y3K.

With Overall victory almost guaranteed for INDIO as the starting gun went, Y3K and Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones' Magic Carpet2 were locked in a dual to secure second place overall. Today it was Y3K's turn for victory crossing the line ahead of 2010 Nespresso Cup winners, Magic Carpet2.

As the Wallys headed out to start line today, the much-anticipated duel between the all-French team on Ryokan 2 and the Italian team on INTI in the Performance Division got underway. Philippe Ligier's crew on Ryokan 2 knew that it was likely only one race would be completed, and they would only have one chance to beat the INTI team on the water to secure victory. "It was difficult for us because our boat is better when the wind is very strong because we have the canting keel so in this kind of weather makes it very difficult," said Ligier. But despite these disadvantages the French team, that included tactician François Brenac and navigator Olivier Douillard, rose to the challenge: "This year we have won in very low winds, it was very difficult but we had a nice navigation and tactics," concluded a very satisfied Ligier.

Nespresso Cup Final Results 8TH May, 2011

Overall Results After 4 Races
Pstn / Boat Name / Race Results / Points

1. Indio 1-1-1-3 = 6 points
2. Y3K 3-2-2-1 = 8 points
3. Magic Carpet2 2-3-3-2 = 10 points
4. Dark Shardow (P) 4-4-4-4 = 16 points
5. Esense (P) DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS = 24 points

Performance Division Results After 4 Races
Pstn / Boat Name / Race Results / Points

1. Ryokan 2 2-1-2-1 = 6 points
2. Inti 1-2-1-2 = 6 points
3. Dark Shadow 4-3-4-3 = 14 points
4. Kenora 3-4-3-4 = 14 points
5. Esense DNS-DNS-DNS-DNS = 24 points

www.nespresso-cup.com

Pornichet Select
The closing of the finish line, last Wednesday at 7am concluded the 11th edition of the Pornichet Select 650.

75 Minis at the starting line, 18 withdraws and 5 boats off-time, the "Select" offered both nice and difficult conditions.

300 single handed milles around islands, and variable weather... hard when it is the first mini race, and, or, when the qualification for Bahia is at stake.*

Top five, Protos
1. Sebastien Rogues, FRA, Eole Generation GDF Suez
2. David Raison, FRA, Teamwork Evolution
3. Thomas Normand, FRA, Financhiere de L'Echiquier
4. Milan Kolacek, CZE, Gaben Follow Me
5. Aymeric Chappellier, FRA, La Tortue de L'Aquarium La Rochelle

Top five, Series
1. Pierre Brasseur, FRA, Voiles Ocean
2. Davy Beaudart, FRA, Innovea Enrionnement
3. Benoit Mariette, FRA, Rossinante
4. Jean-Marc Allaire, FRA, Baker TIlly AG2R La Mondiale
5. Amaury Francois, FRA, Group Qualitel

* The Pornichet Select is a qualification for La Charente-Maritime Bahia Transat 6,50

Report on the Mini 6.40 class site:
www.classemini.com

Event site:
www.ecoledevoilecnbpp.fr

Guyader Grand Prix Dragon - Douarnenez
Photo by Christophe Launay, www.sealaunay.com. Click on image for photo gallery.

Guyader Grand Prix Dragon - Douarnenez Douarnenez, Brittany, France: It was the last dance for the Dragons at the Guyader Grand Prix today and the winner of the 2011 edition is the Ukrainian boat Bunker Prince. The new M34 and Longtze classes will continue to animate the racecourse tomorrow while the operation 'all on the bay' with initiation and free embarkation will begin as of 10 a.m.

For the 77 Dragons engaged in the Grand Prix Guyader it was a big bang finish today. The occasion for the leaders of the fleet to put their print on this 12th edition of the Grand Prix and for those how had nothing to loose to sail for the sheer pleasure.

Out on the bay, the conditions were ideal and Jean Gab' Cleac'h was able to run two beautiful races on a course of 1.8 miles. The first start, after a traditional general recall, was given under black flag. Nine crews were disqualified and among them, was Lars Hendriksen sailing UKR 8 Bunker Boys, one of the big favorites and overnight leader of the regatta. It wa a hard blow for the men of Bunker Boys who tumbled down in the ranking to fourth place in the general classification before the last race. They were a little more careful at the start of the ultimate race of the Grand Prix 2011 as their finishing place testifies at 21st.

But the Ukrainian Bunker Team nevertheless became the overall winner of the edition, as it was Evgeniy Braslavets sailing Bunker Prince (UKR 9) who overtook his teammate to win the Grand Prix Guyader 2011. Alphie (GBR 751) helmed by reigning Dragon World Champion Lawrie Smith, another favourite of the Grand Prix, was second overall, while Klaus Diederichs on Fever (GBR 758) completed the podium, in spite of a DNF on the last race. The first French crew is that of Luc Pillot (FRA 386).

Complete results at www.grandprixguyader.com

Dubarry Lahinch - Hanging Ten In Style
Dubarry Lahinch - Hanging Ten In Style Misguided though their choice of watersport may be, you'd have to admit that surfers know a thing or two about keeping control on a wet, rolling surface - and looking good while they're doing it. Dubarry's new Lahinch, inspired by Ireland's world famous surf destination, features a durable, lightweight upper that's quick draining and drying, and a two-part sole that uses Formula 1 technology to create a cushioned cocoon for the foot. The moulded sole acts like a shock absorber, the heel protects and supports the ankle and the toe protects, well, your toes.

Dubarry Lahinch - performance perfected.

www.dubarry.com

Running the Rhumblines
Successful solo Around Australia sailor Ian Thomson will gain further international awareness to his Save Our Seas campaign when Brindabella makes her attempt to set another record.

The famed Australian ocean racer remains as the current record holder for the Audi Sydney to Gold Coast race and the fastest time for a conventionally ballasted yacht in the Rolex Sydney Hobart race.

Her present proud owner Sydney yachtsman Jim Cooney has rebadged the pocket maxi under the Save Our Seas banner for her anti-clockwise race against the clock to complete the 6536 nautical mile voyage under 37 days 1 hour 23 minutes 57 seconds.

For sailing master Ian Thomson the challenge will give him the opportunity to compare his tactical notes from 12 months ago when he solo sailed the water ballasted yacht Kamikaze to smash the solo circumnavigation record by 26 days in 2010.

The SOS record challenge crew had a full scale evaluation trial when Brindabella contested her first ever Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race over the Easter weekend.

Her elapsed course time of 1 day 11 hours 21 minutes 47 seconds for fourth place on line honours behind the more modern Lahana, Black Jack and Hooligan allowed Brindabella to complete the testing 308 nautical mile course with an average of 8.71 knots.

Based on this performance Brindabella has the potential to complete a successful record breaking performance in less than 30 days.

However to achieve this Brindabella will need an average of 9.08 knots and log consistent 24 hour runs in excess of 217 nautical miles to keep the record challenge on track.

Normally the May -June coastal weather systems are considered to be the best with no hidden rig testing low depressions in the tropics while the cold South West winds that blow in from the Southern Ocean should allow the record challenging Brindabella crew with a cold ride surfing the ocean swells on the leg from Cape Leeuwin towards the west to east rounding of Tasmania.

This race against the clock will be a test of character for the crew who while having the opportunity will need to be aware that all the 6,536 nautical miles will be spiced with physical and mental challenges.

Crew harmony and avoiding sickness and injury will be paramount to the success of the record attempt while the weather along the way will also be a deciding factor.

What Ian Thomson experienced during his solo Airlie Beach to Airlie Beach circumnavigation in 2010 will be different geographical time slot in 2011 with the possibility of facing light northwest headwinds along the Queensland tropical coast before heading west after clearing Cape York.

Staying ahead of the minute by minute boat speed average of 7.31 knots represents a big challenge for the Save Our Seas Ocean racing crew but they know that Brindabella has the proven pedigree and all the need is for a favourable sailing breeze to fill her sails for the record to become a reality. -- Ian Grant

Gaffers and Classics Regatta
Click on image to enlarge.

Gaffers and Classics Regatta The Gaffers and Classics Regatta at Lymington, May 21st & 22nd, presents owners and crews of all types of classic yachts, built prior to 1975, with the opportunity to join the friendly local fleet for two days of racing and relaxed enjoyment afloat and ashore.

Competitors are advised to come fully prepared to accept the challenge of the event - the sponsors include Dubarry (fancy a new pair of boots?); Gill Marine (specialist on-the-water clothing); Pussers Rum (just like the one that preserved the Royal Navy for centuries) and Hall & Woodhouse (best "proper" beer for miles).

All for an entry fee (and there will be four races) of £25.00.
Classic motor yachts are also welcome.

www.RLymYC.org.uk

* Editor's note: The "friendly local fleet" refers to itself as "Old Sh***ers," and sports sail numbers in the OS series.

Taittinger Royal Solent Yacht Club Regatta
Click on image to enlarge.

Taittinger Royal Solent Yacht Club Regatta South Coast yacht racing pundits are already predicting an increased level of entries to the fourth edition of the Taittinger Royal Solent Yacht Club Regatta 2011 held in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, between Friday 19 - Sunday 21 August. Escalating interest in the Western Solent's premier regatta has triggered the inclusion of additional sport boat and classic yacht classes in an event that delivers competitive and highly social racing.

In 2009, 124 boats entered the regatta and, last year, 150 boats raced in a variety of conditions on the Western Solent with diverse fleets including 33 IRC boats; 11 Classic Swans; five International Dragons; 18 Folkboats; 26 cruisers; five Yarmouth One Designs (YOD); 26 X One Designs (XOD) and a trio of sleek International 6 Metres. This year, the event's enduring popularity has triggered the inclusion of a J105 fleet and - due to the increased interest from classic boat owners - a separate start is scheduled for gaffers: a class swelled by the constant presence of Pilot Cutters in Yarmouth Harbour.

The prevailing popularity of The Taittinger RSYC Regatta is easy to define: a diverse fleet and well-organised racing; onshore entertainment with a broad appeal and an informal atmosphere where families are encouraged, all set against a stunning backdrop. Reserved berthing for competing yachts has been arranged in Yarmouth Harbour from Friday 19 August and throughout the regatta.

The regatta also coincides with Yarmouth Carnival Week (13-20 August), providing additional onshore entertainment. -- Oliver Dewar

www.royalsolent.org

Inaugural Hungarian 18ft Skiff Grand Prix
The inaugural Hungarian 18ft Skiff Grand Prix will be sailed at Lake Balaton, Hungary from 12-15 May, and is the first European Grand Prix of 2011.

Miklos Ujhelyi-Gaspar, the leading Hungarian 18ft Skiff skipper and 2010 European champion, advises that the four-day long event will be organised by the Spartacus Sailing Club http://www.spartacus.hu at the south side of the lake located at Balatonfoldvar.

Miklos said: "We plan to do ten races, with one long distance race around about the Tihany peninsula. It will be a great challenge and a beautiful voyage".

"The Hungarian sailors await the 18ft fleet with great excitement as this will be the first international 18ft regatta in Hungary".

"The organisers will be trying to do everything to make it an unforgettable regatta for the competitors. We wait with Hungarian food and drinks and with a bar above the lake"

"We expect 10-15 boats will line up, with teams from Denmark, Germany, UK and Switzerland as well as four Hungarian boats".

"Thanks to our sponsors, we will also have TV coverage". -- Frank Quealey Australian 18 Footers League

Featured Brokerage
Featured Brokerage Boat 2005 Cookson 50. Located in Sydney, Australia. A$ 895,000.

This Cookson 50 has had no expense spared since new, including a thorough preparation for the 2010 Sydney to Hobart resulting in a 4th overall in IRC open and 2nd in ORCi open.

Build 2004 in New Zealand by Cookson, she won the NZ Coastal Classic, around North Island Race, Auckland Race Week and Bay of Islands Race Week, before arriving in Sydney.

Complete with an extensive cruising inventory for fast comfortable passages, she is a great compromise. Alternativly, in race mode she is capable of being at the sharp end of any fleet.

Brokerage through Yoti: www.yachtworld.com/yoti/

Complete listing details and seller contact information at
uk.yachtworld.com

The Last Word
Anyone who says he can see through women is missing a lot. -- Groucho Marx

Bookmark and Share

Use this box to send a copy of this issue of the Scuttlebutt Europe Newsletter to a friend:
[FORWARDFORM]

Or [FORWARD] for a page where you can send copies to up to a dozen friends.

[USERTRACK]

About YachtWorld.com
Formed in 1995, YachtWorld.com is the premier online sales channel for yacht brokers around the world. The site lists more than 110,000 boats for sale in 115 countries by some 2,500 brokers in 60 countries. The total value of boats listed is over $40 billion. Headquartered in Seattle, YachtWorld.com has its European headquarters in the United Kingdom, with sales offices in Germany, Italy and Russia and sales representation in Dubai, Australia and China.

About Boats.com
Boats.com provides marketing and Web services to boat builders, dealers, brokers and service companies throughout the global recreational marine industry. The Boats.com Website provides consumer access to information, boat listings and financial and insurance products. With more than 143,000 new and used boat listings from more than 5,500 brokers, dealers and manufacturers, Boats.com is the largest concentration of recreational marine industry marketing in the world.

Yachtworld.com on line magazine is available free of charge and delivered digitally every month. Click here to receive your copy: www.yachtworldmagazine.com/ywm/latest/

See the Boats Blog at Boats.com -- www.boats.com/blog/

To subscribe, unsubscribe, and select HTML or Text format visit scuttlebutteurope.com

Editorial and letter submissions to

Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: or see www.scuttlebutteurope.com/advertise.html

Search the Archives

SEARCH SEARCH

Our Partners

Seahorse Magazine

YachtScoring.com

Wight Vodka

Robline Ropes

Harken

Marlow

Navico

Translate