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Feels Like The Doldrums
Last night, for a while, it was more like the Doldrums. Perfect for a cruise across the Atlantic, but frustrating for racing. I slept in the cockpit last night so I could see the windex which indicates where the wind is coming from at the masthead, and adjust course as the wind shuffled around. Eventually I reached a satisfactory setting and the next thing I knew 3 hours had passed. That is the longest single sleep I have had since the start and it felt wonderful.

It looks as if the Azores High is splitting, and certainly its southern extremity has moved south. Those who got south earlier have benefited, those of us who were trying to get south but had not got far enough, are suffering. To avoid going closer into the High I gybed yesterday evening and have been on a direct south course since, so I can get to stronger winds south of the high. This, inevitably effects my position in class, but there are 5 of us within 50 miles of each other on distance to the finish, so plenty for us all to go for.

Gybing, in fact tacking or a sail change make me appreciate just how big everything is on these boats. Its nothing compared to the Ultime class of course, the big multihulls that are now all finished. How those guys cope is a miracle and a testament to their ability, and frankly, their courage.

But the trouble with the larger boats is not that you cannot do all the jobs, its just you cannot do them as effectively. When i did this race in 1982 on my 70 fvoot Catamaran Olympus 5, I could gybe the boat, including gennaker, in 7 minutes. Now that process takes 20 minutes on this boat.

Maybe I should get a smaller boat for future races? -- Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, sailing on Grey Power in the Rhum class, and currently in 5th place.

www.routedurhum.com

And In Other Sir Robin News...
GREAT Britain, the British government's international marketing and promotional enterprise, will compete in the next edition of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, after a successful debut this year.

As with the 2013/14 event, GREAT Britain will offer partnership opportunities, available for UK£250,000 each, to six British companies, with the opportunity set to be officially launched in January.

The GREAT Britain boat will compete in the next edition of the Clipper race, which is scheduled to begin in August next year. The 2013/14 race began and finished in London and took in stops in Brazil, South Africa, Australia, China and the USA.

www.sportspromedia.com

* A lawyer turned sailor who tried to sue Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and organisers of his round-the-world yacht race for alleged sexual discrimination and harassment has had her case thrown out.

He was named on the claim in his capacity as founder of the company and none of the allegations are directed at him personally.

However a tribunal judge in Havant dismissed the case this week after a preliminary hearing. The case was rejected on the legal points of whether England and Wales has the jurisdiction to hear the claim, whether Ms Harvey could be classed as an employee and whether Sir Robin should be a named defendant.

A spokesman for Clipper Ventures said: "This case should never have been brought following Ms Harvey deciding to leave the race after completing only two of the eight legs around the world.

In a statement, Ms Harvey said: "This ruling is a missed opportunity to consider the international law provisions that apply to these kinds of races, and to put in place much-needed protections for all Clipper crew.

"There is a real need to curb the excesses of this male-dominated sailing culture and it remains a non-inclusive sport."

www.telegraph.co.uk

An Absorbing Interest. The America's Cup - A History
By Bob Fisher (£250 + p&p)

Revised limited edition signed by the author. Now down to the last 60 copies... for the sailor on your gift list who seemingly has everything... a very unique gift.

This coveted  2-volume slip-case edition has become a collector's item as important to the history of the Cup, as Lawson's original 'History of the America's Cup' published in 1901. 

These two beautifully designed tomes chart the history of sailing's most enigmatic and greatest prize, covering  the dramas, designs, and personalities from the first race around the Isle of Wight in 1851 to 2003 in Auckland where Ernesto Bertarelli and his largely Kiwi renegade team stole the Cup away to Europe. It is this rich history that has  led to the sheer fascination of what has become the oldest international sporting event. Heavily illustrated with rare etchings, lithographs, line drawings, paintings and pictures, all chosen to complement the text, this collector's edition charts every Cup match in great detail and can rightly claim to be a definitive history. 

The perfect gift for all those fascinated by the Cup

"This is the Bible of the America's Cup." Bruno Troublé - Louis Vuitton

View sample pages: www.southatlanticpublishing.com/aai_sample.htm

Purchase online at southatlanticpublishing.com

Big Brother Is Coming!
Rob Greenhalgh has been called up by MAPFRE to boost their Volvo Ocean Race campaign and the experienced offshore sailor will now go straight into opposition with his younger sister, Libby, in Leg 2 starting next week.

The Britons are the first brother and sister to compete in opposing boats in the race since Tanya (NED-Maiden) and Edwin (NED-Equity & Law) Visser competed against each other in 1989-90. Libby is the navigator of Team SCA.

Ironically, Libby Greenhalgh guided the women's crew past MAPFRE to beat them into sixth place in the opening leg from Alicante to Cape Town.

Her elder brother replaces Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) in the MAPFRE crew as one of two changes they have made after finishing seventh last Friday (November 7). Jean-Luc Nelias (FRA) took over as navigator from Nico Lunven (FRA).

Greenhalgh brings considerable experience to Martínez's crew. He has competed in the race three times before, winning it onboard ABN AMRO ONE in 2005-06. He was also second in 2008-09 with Puma and fifth in the last edition in 2011-12 with current race leaders, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing.

The fleet departs for the second leg to Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, November 19.

volvooceanrace.com

ISAF Match Race Rankings
There's no change atop of the ISAF Match Race Rankings with Taylor Canfield (ISV) and Camilla Ulrikkeholm (DEN) holding firm in the Open and Women's rankings.

Johnie Berntsson (SWE) was triumphant at the 2014 Argo Group Gold Cup in Hamilton, Bermuda and as a result moves up four spots to World #12. The Swedish racer followed the world's top sailors such as Russell Coutts, Peter Gilmour, Ben Ainslie and Chris Dickson in becoming a two time victor of the Argo Group Gold Cup, the sixth stage of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour.

The Swedish sailor claimed the title 3-1 over Switzerland's Eric Monnin. Despite walking away as runner-up, Monnin can celebrate the fact that his performance pushed him up to World #4 from World #6, a personal best.

Camilla Ulrikkeholm (DEN) counts eight exceptional regatta scores to her points total and remains firmly in charge atop of the ISAF Women's Match Race Rankings.

Despite missing the Busan Women's Match Race 2014 in Korea the Dane is more than 500 points ahead of World #2 Anna Kjellberg (SWE). In all eight of the regattas she counts to her point's total Ulrikkeholm has finished on the podium at each one with three gold medals to her name.

Top ten, Open rankings

1. Taylor Canfield, ISV
2. Ian Williams, GBR
3. Mathieu RIchard, FRA
4. Eric Monnin, SUI
5. Bjorn Hansen, SWE
6. Philip Robertson, NZL
7. Joachim Aschenbrenner, DEN
8. Nicolai Sehested, DEN
9. Keith Swintonn, AUS
10. Pierre-Antoine Morvan, FRA

Full Open rankings: www.sailing.org/mrorankings

Top ten, Women's rankings

1. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN
2. Anna Kjellberg, SWE
3. Stephanie Roble, USA
4. Lotte Medgaard Pedersen, DEN
5. Caroline Sylvan, SWE
6. Anne-Claire Le Berre, FRA
7. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED
8. Lucy Macgregor, GBR
9. Milly Bennett, AUS
10. Claudia Pierce, NZL

Full women's rankings: www.sailing.org/mrwrankings

EUROSAF 2K Keelboat Team Racing Championship - Countdown
Hamburg Sailing Club, 14th to 16th November

In a few days from now the EUROSAF Championship 2K Team Racing will be held at the Hamburg Sailing Club in Germany where there is a record entry. With eight teams from across Europe, including new entries from Austria, Germany and Ireland as well as new sailors from Hungary, Greece and Finland, the scene is set for some fantastic competition and some awesome parties.

The British team 'Serpentine' is in poll position closely followed by the Dutch and their British rival Spinnaker. The EU team with Greek and Hungarian Match Race crews are the great unknown, as is a revival team from Ireland, led by ISAF Silver medallist Marshall King.

Racing takes place right in the city centre of Hamburg, on the Alster Lake, which is one of the main attractions within Hamburg.

The 2K Association has just announced the Card Holders for the 2015 International Tour. The Tour of five top events will see the elite of 2K battling it out across Europe over 2015.

2kteamracing.com

Expedition Outfitters
In 2002, Sail Racing got the assignment to outfit an expedition headed for Antarctica that was led by Magnus "Mange" Olsson and Richard Brisius. Both men and their crew were provided with clothes for sailing in the extremely cold environment and windy conditions they would face on a daily basis.

The result was the Sail Antarctica Expedition. Today, this collection is used by, among others, sailing legend Skip Novak and his Pelagic crew on various expeditions.

Read more about the expedition with Mange, Skip and Richard at www.sailracing.com

Thanks But No Thanks....
ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year, Olympic medallists, world champions and a Volvo Ocean Race superstar are on their way to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for the inaugural ISAF Sailing World Cup Final but two Irish Olympic sailors turned down invitations to attend due to there being 'no money in the budget' and the lateness of the ISAF decision in announcing the regatta. Neither Annalise Murphy or Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern will compete in the UAE despite receiving invitations it was confirmed today by team manager James O'Callaghan. The Irish team is currently training in Rio.

From 26-30 November 2014 283 sailors from 39 nations with proven track records of excellence will fight it out in the Emirati capital for the right to become an ISAF Sailing World Cup Champion.

The sailors to secure their place were confirmed at the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Santander where the top ten in each event were offered a place.

'I wouldn't read too much into the Irish not going to UAE', one team insider told Afloat.ie this afternoon. 'Lots of sailors are avoiding Abu Dhabi for various reasons - while plane tickets are supplied, it will cost the technical classes money to get ancillary equipment there. Also season plans were made long ago and Abu Dhabi is too late to fit in with these', the source said.

afloat.ie

New Date and Venue for Monsoon Cup
Organisers of the Monsoon Cup Malaysia - the final event of the 2014 Alpari World Match Racing Tour - have confirmed today the event will be hosted from 10-14 February 2015 replacing the earlier published dates of 26-31 November 2014. The 10th Anniversary of the event will also be staged at a new venue in Johor, the southern most state of Malaysia. Details of the venue will be released shortly.

The change of dates for the Monsoon Cup Malaysia is part of an expansion of the event by Kuala Lumpur based event organisers Innovatige in partnership with the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports, the NSA (National Sports Council) and MYA (Malaysian Yachting Association).

The Monsoon Cup has now been split into two separate events, Monsoon Cup Terengganu - a regional qualifier event to be held in Pulau Duyong, Terengganu from 19-22 November 2014, and the Monsoon Cup Malaysia - the World Championship grade event and final stage of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour in Johor from 10-14 February 2015. The winner of the MC Terengganu will qualify for entry to the final in Johor.

www.wmrt.com

Helena Lucas Mbe, Paralympic Gold Medallist, Presents Prizes at Royal Southern Yacht Club's Awards Ceremony
At this weekend's Prizegiving & Awards ceremony at the Royal Southern Yacht Club in Hamble, the title of 'Champion of Champions' 2014, sponsored by Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), was awarded to Iain Mackinnon, owner and helm of Tigh Soluis, winner of the hotly contested J109 series, and presented by Devon Chase on behalf of the BTMI.

Iain Mackinnon. will enjoy a week's holiday in Barbados during the Mount Gay Rum Round Barbados Race (MGRRBR) in January, including flights, the opportunity to race in the MGRRBR and superb accommodation, courtesy of the luxury Radisson Aquatica Barbados Resort; all enjoyed by the sailor who has been awarded the most points from race wins across the Royal Southern's Summer Series regattas sponsored by Harken UK, Champagne Joseph Perrier, Mount Gay Rum, Raymarine and AVEVA plc.

The evening's guest of honour was Paralympic Gold medallist Helena Lucas, who presented the prizes and later gave an insight into her Paralympic campaign and her current campaign run up to Rio 2016.

Recognition was paid to 19 year-old Royal Southern Academy member Annabel Vose who was presented with The Duke of Edinburgh Trophy, awarded in recognition of a particular achievement or outstanding contribution to Club activities and is in the Gift of the Sailing Committee.

More awards information on www.royal-southern.co.uk

Featured Brokerage
1997 RP77. 495,000 USD. Located in San Francisco, California, USA.

Reichel/Pugh Yachts are pleased to announce that the 77' Racing Sled AKELA is now for sale.

US Registered Yacht built by James Betts Enterprises in California USA and originally launched in 1997 as Zephyrus IV.

-Smashed the Middle Sea Race Course Record by 8 hours in 2000 as Zephyrus IV

-Smashed the Cape Town to Rio Course Record by 1 day and 22 hours in 2000 as Zephyrus IV

-Winner of 2001 Block Island Race Week as BrightStar

-Winner of 2001 Marblehead to Halifax - Line Honors as Brightstar

Contact the Reichel/Pugh Design Office for more info: or 619 223 2299

Details

See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/

The Last Word
Irreverence is our only sacred cow. -- Paul Krassner

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