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Mini Transat - From Sada To Point-A-Pitre In One Hit
After reviewing all the options open to them, the organisers of the Mini Transat , in consultation with the competitors, have finally decided that the 2013 edition of the race will be run as a single leg, from Sada to Pointe-a-Pitre. The start is scheduled for November 12.

The decision is made, and it break the feeling of uncertainty that had began to weigh on everyone's minds. And once again the organisers of the Mini Transat have, in an unconventional way, choosen an original solution : to go directly to Pointe a Pitre, removing the Lanzarote stopover.

This choice responds to several constraints regarding the rally from Sada to Gijon, it is a trip of more than 160 miles, or 24 to 36 hours, in conditions that may not necessarily be very easy : the prevailing westerly winds, residual high waves residue, coastal navigation requiring vigilance. In the first of the briefings in Gijon, the competitors requested that a stop of at least 48 hours be observed after the arrival of the last competitor in the Galician port. In adding this new delay the time available for the turnaround time in Lanzarote is compromised, which has the knock on effect of also compromising the arrival date in Guadeloupe.

The choice of the direct route can catch some of the delay caused by the bad weather. However, the fleet will race through a gate near Lanzarote that will establish an intermediate classification before crossing the Atlantic. In addition, competitors who wish may make an express stop at Puerto Calero if they wish to make repairs before undertaking the crossing.

Finally, although this leg with be the longest distance in the history of the Mini Transat (about 3,600 miles as opposed to 3,1000 for Madeira to Salvador de Bahia), it could well be shorter in time, because it avoids crossing through the Doldrums. The arrival of the first boats could be celebrated around the 1st of December.

minitransat.fr

ISAF Rolex World Sailor Of The Year Awards - Celebrating Success
The 2013 ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year will be announced on Tuesday 12 November at a glittering award ceremony in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

The winners are selected by the ISAF Member National Authorities (MNAs), the national governing bodies for sailing around the world, who vote for the one male and one female nominee who they believe most deserves the Award.

The ceremony, attended by international sailing stars, key decision makers and sponsors will take place at the Al Bandar Hotel, host venue of the 2013 ISAF Annual Conference, and is a true celebration of the sport.

Five male and four female nominees make up the 2013 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year shortlist based on their achievements from 1 September 2012 to 31 August 2013 but only one winner can prevail in each category.

The names vying for the coveted and prestigious 2013 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards are:

Male
Mathew Belcher (AUS) - Australian gold rush
Francois Gabart (FRA) - Macif Attack
Johnny Heineken (USA) - King of the Kites
Paul Larsen (AUS) - Rocket man
Ian Williams (GBR) - Man of the match

Female
Jo Aleh & Olivia Powrie (NZL) - Conquering Kiwis
Deneen Demourkas (USA) - Farr too good
Erika Heineken (USA) - Queen of the Kites
Raiya Al Habsi (OMA) - Trail blazing Omani

Click here to find out more about the nominated sailors and their achievements: www.sailing.org/worldsailor/2013.php

ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards www.sailing.org/worldsailor

Wight Vodka Favourite Yachting Bar Competition
It's time again for Wight Vodka's Favourite Yachting Bar competition to get underway! Now in its fifth year running, we're expecting the competition to be tighter than ever. So far, you have voted the Peter Cafe Sport in the Azores as the World's Favourite in 2009, the Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke in the BVI as the winner in 2010, IYAC in Newport, Rhode Island as the Favourite in 2011 and Sint Maarten Yacht Club in 2012.

It's time to put some thoughts together and enter your submission today, as in addition to being recognized by the world's yachting community, the winning bar receives a trophy, a prized bottle of Wight Vodka and the coveted Wight Vodka regatta caps to celebrate their win.

Tell us about your favourite bar and why it should win:

scuttlebutteurope.com/sailors-bars.html

Wight Vodka - Tack & Gybe Responsibly
wightvodka.com

The Race Management's Dilemma
Fabrice Amedeo, skipper of the Class 40 SNCF-Geodis and journalist in the French newspaper Le Figaro, wrote a very interesting article about the dilemma Transat Jacque Vabre organizers face with the difficult weather situation. Do they wait until it's reasonably safe to sail or do they take the risk of carnage on the Bay of Biscay? Shouldn't it be up to each sailor to take his own responsibility?

As Amedeo rightly comments, "it is time to set sail and then let the sea dictate its laws, to let sailors be sailors: face the sea and know when to put the race on stand-by in order to preserve their material and life aboard." Some sailors will start and break their boat. Others might stop and, in hindsight, might have taken the right decision while others might start, ride the storm and flee like rockets. After all, isn't this what offshore sailing is all about?

Valencia Sailing's translation at www.vsail.info

Amedeo's article in French: www.reportersdularge.com

Flying Fifteen World Championship
Hong Kong: Having pushed racing to the point where he was the maximum permissible one race ahead, the Worlds RO, Jerry Rollin, was able to relax a little today with the requirement for one race, in a target time of 120 minutes.

After yesterday's grizzly conditions, 'overcast grey' seemed like a distinct improvement, accompanied by 15 to 20kts of appreciably cooler north easterly breeze and the odd patch of blue sky.

The fleet posted an 'all clear' start at the first time of asking, with El Toro setting the early pace, reaching the windward mark in just over 20 minutes, ahead of Steve Goacher, The Wife's Ffault and Foof.

Nick and Janet Jerwood have shown remarkable consistency in both the Nationals and the Worlds and posted a sixth today, however after five races, with El Toro able to discard their BFD score, the overall standing show Vials in first on 5 points, ahead of El Toro and Ineffable on 12 apiece. With two races remaining, the 19th International Flying Fifteen World Championship is still anyone's for the taking.

Top Hong Kong boat is currently Noisy Forefather, helmed by Cosmas Grelon, in 18th overall with Ffact or Ffiction in 21st and Uffa Fox Ache in 24th.

Top ten after five races:

1. Graham Vials / Chris Turner, GBR, 5 points
2. Grant Alderson / Dean McAullay, AUS, 12
3. Nick Jerwood / Janet Jerwood, AUS, 12
4. Steve Goacher / Phil Evans, GBR, 16
5. Matthew Owen / Andrew Reed, AUS, 18
6. Alan Bax / Chris Hewkin, GBR, 20
7. Greg Wells / Andrew Jameson, GBR, 24
8. David Tabb / Chewey Sherrell, GBR, 26
9. Gregory Leaversuch / Peter Barblett, AUS, 36
10. Christopher Paterson / Rupert Leslie, AUS

Full results: www.rhkyc.org.hk

For The Record
The WSSR Council announces the establishment of a new World Record

Record: Sydney to Auckland
Yacht: "Team Australia" ORMA 60
Name: Sean Langman AUS and 5 crew.
Dates:. 16th to the 18th October 2013.
Start time: 01:09:58 UTC on 16:10:13
Finish time: 20:12:43 UTC on 18:10:13
Elapsed time: 2 days 19 hours 2 minutes and 45 seconds
Distance: 1265NM
Average speed: 18.87kts

Comments: A Benchmark will have been set during the 1997/8 Volvo Race which certainly will have been slower than this claim. At present we have been unable to establish this crossing time.

John Reed
Secretary to the WSSR Council

Race Onboard a Volvo 70
Exciting opportunity to join Volvo 70 Monster Project (ex Team Russia) for Transatlantic ARC race starting on 24th November from Grand Canaria, finishing in st Lucia. Hoping to beat the record time of 11 days. Be part of the crew and experience extreme ocean racing.

Project Racing are offering places on our Volvo 70 "Monster Project". We are hoping to smash the ARC record if the weather is right. There will be a maximum of 10 guests and 6 crew, Ocean Master skipper Andy Budgen and his 5 qualified crew will be there to make the trip both safe and enjoyable.

Check out www.volvo70charter.co.uk

Lee Overlay Partners Breaks Dubai To Muscat Race Course Record
Adrian Lee's Cookson 50, Lee Overlay Partners. Photo by Daniel McKeown. Click on image to enlarge.

Adrian Lee's Cookson 50, Lee Overlay Partners, has claimed line honours for the IRC Racing Division in the 2013 Dubai to Muscat Race, sponsored by Xtra-Link.

The Irish canting keel racing yacht crossed the finish line at Muscat on Tuesday, 5 November at 11:58 40 seconds (local time). Lee Overlay Partners elapsed time for the race was 2 Days 53 Mins at 40 Secs, setting a new course record for the 360-mile race.

Adrian Lee was full of praise for his crew, after breaking the monohull record for the longest offshore yacht race in the Arab region that has lasted for 13 years.

Lee Overlay Partners for the Dubai to Muscat Race: Adrian Lee, James Hemingway, Ilya Lee Paveliev, Scott Wilson, Emmet Kerin, James Gunne, Tim Corney, Neil Harrison, Ruairi Herraghty Robert Witte and Daniel McKeown, who took the photo as the team crossed the finish line.

The 22nd Dubai to Muscat Race is organised under the auspices of the Royal Ocean Racing club. HH Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nehayan was the guest of honour for the start. The 360-mile race is the longest offshore yacht race in the region and is organised by The United Arab Emirates Sailing and Rowing Federation in association with the Ministry of Sports Affairs, the Sultanate of Oman. Louay Habib

Updates and tracking: www.xtra-link.com

Slowdown and Conveyor to the Finish
Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard's maxi trimaran Spindrift 2 last night endured the slowest, most complicated and most stressful phase of the Discovery Route record attempt since leaving Cadiz last Thursday, October 31st.

In its sixth day of the race, and following the planned course, the world's largest racing trimaran had to deal with rough seas between the two weather systems. All the crew had a rough ride with often violent storms bringing exhausting wind conditions. The squalls meant the wind would leave them flying or at a complete standstill.

An to further complicate an already tricky situation, the first serious mechanical failure occurred at the same time: "For some added setbacks, and to keep the crew awake all night, the medium sized gennaker fell down on the net, fortunately causing no damage. Thomas (Rouxel) climbed almost 40 meters up the mast to retrieve the halyard. This is no easy task".

Just 175 mile was gained on the past 12 hours at an average 14.5 knots. The lead over Groupama 3 has slipped 60 miles from 333 last night to 270 this morning. Such was the price to pay reach the stronger northerly breeze that is coming down the North American coastline to the Bahamas.

Spindrift 2 is expected to arrive in San Salvador on Wednesday the 6th of November at approximately 5am (6am in Paris).

www.spindrift-racing.com

IRC Notice From IRC Technical Committee
Adjustable Mast Foot and Forestay, 2014

The IRC Technical Committee has reviewed its decision earlier this year to amend the treatment of Adjustable Mast Foot and/or Forestay as announced by IRC Notice 2013/02, Adjustable Mast Foot and Forestay, 2014.

As a result, IRC Notice 2013/02, Adjustable Mast Foot and Forestay, 2014, is withdrawn and replaced by the following.

1. The text of IRC Rule 21.1.6 (b) will remain unchanged for 2014.

2. Boats will therefore retain the right to declare that they will not use while racing any systems capable of adjusting the mast foot and/or the forestay.

3. The rating adjustment will be reduced to approximately 50% of the current level and will in future be linked to the type of boat.

4. A boat with equipment capable of adjusting both the mast foot and the forestay will be rated higher than a boat capable of adjusting just one of these.

5. For guidance purposes only, the 2014 levels of adjustment will be of the order of:

Boat / Either mast foot or forestay adjustable / Both mast foot and forestay adjustable
Typical cruiser/racer / +0.001 / +0.002
52' racing boat / +0.002 / +0.003
70' racing boat / +0.003 / +0.004

6. The IRC Technical Committee considers that if a boat declares it will not adjust the mast foot or forestay while racing, but then actually does so, this would be committing a gross breach of a rule. Any such instances would be reported to the boat's MNA requesting action under RRS 69.

To download a PDF version of this Notice please see www.ircrating.org/technical-a-certification/

Letters To The Editor -
Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

Silver Apple of the Moon seen in Beaulieu river in 2011. Photo courtesy Bert Janssen, Half Ton Class Europe

* From Malcolm McKeag: In answer to Frank Newton's query, the name of the boat was Golden Apple of the Sun. She was one of a pair of Ron Holland sisterships (Two Tonners if I recall correctly). The other was called Silver Apple of the Moon. The poetry was the final stanza of W B Yeats' poem Song Of The Wandering Aengus ( a very complicated figure in Irish mythology). The stanza runs:

Though I grow old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands
I shall find out where she has gone
And kiss her lips and take her hands
And walk through fields of dappled grass
And pick, 'til time and times are done,
The silver apples of the moon;
The golden apples of the sun.

It was quite a big transom.

Golden Apple suffered a set-back on her delivery to the English South Coast, parking and drying out on rocks in St Peter Port in the Channel Islands. Her delivery skipper broke the news to her racing skipper, one H. Cudmore, Esq., with the immortal words : 'no, we haven't sunk her. But the tide has come in and so far it's up to the spreaders...'

She was refloated, refurbished and won the Concours d'Elegance at that year's Champagne Mumm Admiral's Cup.

* From Peter Muir: I recall an Australian J/24 racing at a regatta in Canada circa early 80's. It was called

"Whygiveitanamewhenitwontcomewhenyoucallit"

It written as one word, on both sides of the hull.

* From Wiz Deas: You've started something now!

Some classes do follow certain traditions in naming: Salcombe Yawls are sometimes named after bird species apparently.

My late uncle, Malcolm "Micky" Deas, named a boat "Shy Talk" - apparently his mother, then in her 80's remarked "what a lovely name dear"...

* From Richard Hardcastle: 'Silver Apple of the Moon' and 'Golden Apple of the Sun' both Ron Holland 44' One tonners raced for Ireland at the Admirals Cup 1979. The full name and the apple (in colour) were on their transoms.

See shockwave40.blogspot.co.uk

* From Keith MackeownL The longest name I've seen was Garry Knapp and Cam Lewis's 505 at the 1978 Worlds in Cork (not on the transom for obvious reasons) 'Recreational Pharmacology Complex Chemicals Kill'.

* From Chris Harvey: Another good name I saw was on a one-design dinghy called 'Lazor Brade.'

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The Last Word
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