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Tight Tactical Racing
Photo by Richard Langdon/Ocean Images, www.oceanimages.co.uk. Click on image for photo gallery.
Tight tactical racing was the name of the game on the second day of ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami as light breeze tested the patience and nerves of the 580 sailors from 50 nations.
Sailors and their coaches made the most of morning down time for the second consecutive day, as the breeze refused to cooperate early on Biscayne Bay.
The AP flags began to drop around the five sailing venues in Miami between 14:00 and 15:00 local time. Race Committees prepared to fit in one race each during the afternoon session. The local breeze on the bay hit 4 knots by late afternoon, giving the committee hope that racing was possible.
Whilst the sun was out, the breeze came in slowly allowing one race per fleet apart from the RS:X and Nacra 17 fleets that managed to squeeze in two.
Top three by class:
2.4
1. Megan Pascoe, GBR
2. Allan Leibel, CAN
3. Bjornar Erikstad, NOR
49er
1. John Pink / Stuart Bithell, GBR
2. Julien D'Ortoli / Noe Delpech, FRA
3. Jonathan Bay / Christopher Thorsell, DENn
470 Men
1. Sofian Bouvet / Jeremie Mion, FRA
2. Sime Fanntela / Igor Marenic, CRO
3. Stuart Mcnnay / David Huges, USA
470 Women
1. Sophie Weguelin / Eilidh McIntyre, GBR
2. Camille Lecointre / Helene Defrance, FRA
3. Barbara Cornudella / Sara Lopez Ravetllat, ESP
Finn
1. Giles Scott, GBR
2. Olliver Tweddell, AUS
3. Luke Lawrence, USA
49er FX
1. Guilia Conti / Francesca Clapcich, ITA
2. Noora Ruskola / Camilla Cedercreutz, FIN
3. Jena Hansen / Katja Salskov-Iversen, DEN
Laser
1. Tom Burton, AUS
2. Tonci Stipannovic, CRO
3. Robert Scheidt, BRA
Laser Radial
1. Paige Railey, USA
2. Vasileia Karachaliou, GRE
3. Caterina Romero, PER
Nacra17
1. Thomas Zajac / Tanja Chiara Frank, AUT
2. Ben Saxton / Hannah Diamond, GBR
3. Lucy Macgregor / Andrew Walsh, GBR
RSX M
1. Byron Kokalanis, GRE
2. Makoto Tomizawa, JPN
3. Mattia Camboni, ITA
RSX W
1. Bryony Shaw, GBR
2. Flavia Tartaglini, ITA
3. Patricia Freitas, BRA
SKUD 18
1. Alexandra Rickham / Niki Birrell, GBR
2. John McRoberts / Jackie Gay, CAN
3. Ryan Porteous / Cindy Walker, USA
Sonar
1. Alphonsus Doerr / Hugh Freund / Timothy Angle, USA
2. Bruno Jourdren / Eric Flageul / Nicolas Vimont Vicary, FRA
3. Paul Tingley / Logan Campbell / Scott Lutes, CAN
Prince De Bretagne Trimaran Capsized; Lionel Lemonchois Safe
On Monday afternoon, at precisely 3:57pm, Lionel Lemonchois manually triggered the distress beacon of his 80-foot maxi trimaran Prince de Bretagne. He had started his 11th day at sea, trying to break the Mauricienne record, from Port-Louis in Brittany to Port-Louis, the capital of Mauritius. When the beacon was triggered the trimaran was approximately 800 miles off the Brazilian coast, at the latitude of Rio de Janeiro, sailing under a southeasterly breeze between 16 and 18 knots.
Following the activation of the emergency beacon, the Prince de Bretagne shore crew in France was unable to get in contact with Lemonchois. However, early in the evening, the French sailor called his team to inform them that the trimaran had capsized. He was sound and safe inside the boat's central hull but was forced to to cut her rigging.
Vsail: www.vsail.info
* Since yesterday evening, the rescue of Lemonchois and the recovery of the Maxi80 is in progress. The team of Prince de Bretagne, who studied all the possible solutions, has already implemented various operations, starting with the mobilization of a crew of four (Frederic Le Peutrec, Patrice Richardot Gurloës Merrien and Quentin MONEGIER) will fly at the end of the afternoon in the direction of Rio de Janeiro, where she is expected at 7 am local time tomorrow morning.
www.voile.princedebretagne.com
New Solo 24 Hour Record
Armel Le Cleac'h set off on Thursday at 19:56:59 UTC his attempt to break the singlehanded record for the 3884 mile long Route of Discovery course, from Cadiz, Spain, across the Atlantic to the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas, leaving Gran Canaria to starboard. The record currently stands at 8 days 16 hours 7 minutes and 5 seconds, set last year by Francis Joyon on IDEC 2.
Le Cleac'h, who is undertaking this record as part of his training for this autumn's Route du Rhum, is doing a formidable job. His Banque Populaire VII, the 31.5m long VPLP-designed trimaran that was former Groupama 3, rounded Gran Canaria at 0300 on Saturday, some 50 miles ahead of Joyon's pace and has since been steadily extending.
Into the strong trade winds, the big tri has been regularly sailing in the vicinity of 30 knots and yesterday managed to set a new record for the fastest ever singlehanded 24 hour run up until 1600 Sunday of 677 miles or 28.2 knot average, although this awaits ratificiation from the arbitrators in such matters, the WSSRC. Previously this record stood at 666.2, set by Francis Joyon. -- James Boyd in TheDailySail.com
Banque Populaire VII: www.voile.banquepopulaire.fr
Folkboats UK Spread Their Wings With A Visit To The Dusseldorf Boot 2014
Tony Smee and Deedra Jeffrey shake hands with Jens Knappe at the Dusseldorf Boot 2014. Click on image to enlarge.
Tony Smee, the sole agent for Folkboat sales in the UK, flew out to the Dusseldorf Boat Show to meet new Director of Folkeboat Central GmbH, Jens Knappe, to discuss new and exciting ways to develop the Folkboat into the future.
A mutually successful outcome was achieved, encouraging and promoting closer working relationships between the German builder and Folkboats UK Ltd. This involved broadening the sales market and managing the suppliers of spare parts being shipped to the UK.
Tony Smee and his Lymington team are looking forward to welcoming Jens to their dedicated Folkboat premises in the near future.
Clipper Race 8 Course To Be Shortened
The Race 8 course will be shortened because of unseasonable weather conditions which is hindering the fleet's progress towards Singapore.
Clipper Race director Justin Taylor said that just as in Race 2, where the Doldrums lasted an unseasonably long time, the fleet is now experiencing uncommon and unexpected weather patterns.
Justin said: "The sea area where they are sailing in currently should be characterised by north easterly trade winds which should be allowing for fast downwind sailing conditions.
"Instead the fleet is battling against strong headwinds which are being produced by a depression which is north of them. These strong winds are forecasted to last for another four to five days, therefore the intention is to shorten course at Sarangani virtual mark.
"When Sarangani virtual mark bears true north (000T) each yacht shall record their time. The cruise phase of the race will then commence from this point and not Basilan Gate as originally intended."
The front of the fleet is about 850 miles from Sarangani and where the course will be shortened which is approximately five days' sailing in these conditions.
88th Bruny Island Race Could Be Don's Party With Intrigue
Hobart yachtsman Don Calvert sailed on a winning yacht in the iconic Bruny Island Race for the first time in 1957, crewing for his father Charles on the famous Caprice, later to be known as Caprice of Huon and to represent Australia at the Admiral's Cup.
Don has been racing his own yacht, the also famous Intrigue in Bruny Island Races since 1985, with the Castro 40 winning the historic race a record nine times.
Next month, Don will aiming for a tenth rating win, a victory that would be of great significance, as October this year will mark the 30th anniversary of the launching of the classic timber racing yacht.
Intrigue won her first Bruny Island Race in 1985 and later that year Don, his crew and his boat were chosen to represent Australia at the Admiral's Cup in England. Intrigue was the top-scoring Australian team boat in the prestigious international offshore regatta.
Intrigue is one of the first six early entries for this year's 88th Bruny Island Race, Tasmania's oldest long inshore/offshore race. The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania held the first race in 1898, but there have been gaps due to world wars and other factors.
The 2014 Veolia Bruny Island Race, an 89 nautical mile circumnavigation of the elongated island south of Hobart, will start at 9.30am on Saturday, February 8.
Other early entrants include Gary Smith's Bakewell-White 45 The Fork in the Road which last year made a clean sweep of major trophies, taking line honours and first place on corrected time under AMS, IRC and PHS handicap categories. -- Peter Campbell
Antigua Dragon YC Challenge
Click on image to enlarge.
The Antigua Dragon YC Challenge is an inaugural invitational event for prestigious yacht clubs from all over the world. Competing in identical Petticrow Dragons, a galaxy of stars will be racing in the beautiful waters of Antigua, WI.
Winners of the America's Cup and Olympic Games will be representing international yacht clubs and taking part in a week long regatta incorporating inshore and coastal racing with social occasions at some of Antigua's most exclusive locations.
Clubs / Skippers:
Royal Yacht Squadron - Poul Hoj-Jensen
Yacht Club Costa Smeralda - Mauro Pelaschier
Harmony Hall YC - Shannon Falcone
Fort Lauderdale YC - Mike Toppa
Federacion de Vela de Puerto Rico - Eric Tulla
Antigua YC - Karl James
Monaco YC - Carlo Falcone
The event organisers have chosen to keep aside one Dragon for a wild card entry. -- Louay Habib
For more information go to the Racing Section at www.harmonyhallantigua.com
Rowing To A Pole With Jock Wishart
An illustrated talk from Jock Wishart about an extraordinary adventure into a fragile world by the Old Pulteney Row to the Pile expedition. A story of motivation, leadership, exploration, drama, danger, tension, ambition, luck, teamwork, planning, tactics & judgement. Together they made for a success against the odds.
Tuesday 4th February 2014, 19.00 at the Royal Ocean Racing Club
Free for members, £10 for non-members. A two course buffet will be available at £15 per person.
To book please email or call 0044 (0)207 493 2248
Jock Wishart is established as one of the UK's leading adventurers and explorers with a successful background in polar exploration, rowing and extreme navigational feats. He is renowned for his engaging and motivating speaking style, captivating audiences with his delivery.
Sarah Ayton Returns To The Racetrack
British Olympic gold medallist Sarah Ayton will make her debut in the Extreme Sailing Series in Singapore next month after she joined The Wave, Muscat team for the 2014 season, marking a welcome return to top level competitive sailing after a three year break.
The 33 year-old sailing professional who won her first gold medal in the Yngling class at Athens in 2004 and a second at Beijing four years later, is currently in training in Singapore with Leigh McMillan's new look crew in preparation for the 2014 curtain raiser which starts on February 20.
Her last competitive outing was in 2010 as a member of the British Olympic squad for London 2012 but joining The Wave, Muscat's championship winning crew after a break and with little experience of Extreme 40 racing represents an extreme and exciting challenge for Ayton. "It has been a while since I last raced competitively and my only experience of Extreme 40 sailing was when we did a fly by for Princess Anne in Basilica in Weymouth so it's all new," she said.
McMillan's fresh 2014 crew also features Kinley Fowler, the New Zealand match racer who was a member of Oracle's winning crew in the last America's Cup and Omani bowman Nasser Al Mashari, who made his debut in Extreme 40s when he raced with Ben Ainslie (and Fowler) on Oman Air in 2011.
Ayton, Fowler and Al Mashari replace Ed Smyth from New Zealand who has joined GAC Pindar and its Australian America's Cup crew, Hashim Al Rashdi and Musab Al Hadi. McMillan's right hand man Pete Greenhalgh will be back in action in the afterguard.
2014 The Wave, Muscat crew
- Leigh McMillan, skipper (GBR)
- Pete Greenhalgh (GBR)
- Nasser Al Mashari (OMA)
- Sarah Ayton (GBR)
- Kinley Fowler (AUS/NZL/IRL)
Extreme Sailing Series 2014
- 20-23 February: Act 1 Singapore
- 19-22 March: Act 2 Muscat, Oman
- 1-4 May: Act 3 Qingdao, China
- 26-29 June: Act 4 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- 22-25 August: Act 5 Cardiff, UK
- 11-14 September: Act 6 Istanbul, Turkey
- 2-5 October: Act 7 Mediterranean venue TBC
- 11-14 December: Act 8 Sydney, Australia
www.omansail.com
extremesailingseries.com
Australian Sailors Rewarded In Australia Day Honours
Australian Sailing Team (AST) Members, and AST Patron Bob Oatley, have received honours in the 2014 Australia Day honours list.
Olympic gold medallists Tom Slingsby, Mat Belcher, Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen, along with Paralympic gold medallist Daniel Fitzgibbon, all received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to sport.
Belcher's gold medal winning crew at the 2012 London Games, Malcolm Page, was awarded an OAM in 2009, having won his first Olympic gold medal with Nathan Wilmot at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.
Paralympic sailing gold medallist Liesl Tesch, Fitzgibbon's crew at the London 2012 Paralympics, who already holds an OAM following her Olympic success as a basketballer, was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of her significant service to sport at the London 2012 Paralympic Games as well as for her "promotion and facilitation of sport for people with disabilities".
All the athletes were part of the very successful sailing section of the Australian Olympic Team at the 2012 Olympic Games, bringing home four gold (3 Olympic and 1 Paralympic) and one silver medal. In doing so, the team secured three of the seven gold medals won by Australia at London 2012 Olympic Games.
The major honour among sailors went to Bob Oatley, owner of the Sydney-Hobart record-holder Wild Oats XI and long-time supporter, patron and partner of the Australian Sailing Team and Yachting Australia. Bob received an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to the Australian wine and tourism industries, to yacht racing, and to the community as a supporter of medical research and visual arts organisations.
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.
* From Daniel Charles: My compatriot Sadi Claeys advises the president of Brazil to stop "interfering with the ISAF's democratic choice of sailing equipment for RIO 2016". Democratic? Like suppressing the type of boat used by 80 or 90% of sailors, the keelboat? Between the lobbies of established classes, of professional skippers and trainers, the vested interests of Federations who's national financing often depends on their racing results… ISAF wouldn't recognize democracy if it punched her in the face.
* From David Evans: Was interested to read the letter from Sadi Claeys, in respect of Barry Dunnings comments re the keelboat/Star at the Olympics, whilst there are many opinions about the boats used and the courses sailed at the Olympic Games, in common with most yachtsmen & sailors (through probably not boaters) I do not recognise Olympic Sailing as being in any way representative or even similar to the sport I have competed at and still regularly compete at for over 60 years.
However to assert that the ISAF is in any way democratic is verging on the outrageous. As a self appointed Corporation they have trampled all over my sport and not once was any yachtsman or sailor in the UK ever asked if they wanted this Corporation to run their sport, they never were even asked to give their vote or agreement to this, or want it to happen, it was just inflicted on us for what seems to be financial reward.
We only have to look at the simple matter of National letters on sail numbering, here in the UK we have to have GBR yet the name of our Country is the United Kingdom. The name of the island we live on is Great Britain, if someone from Northern Ireland is selected for the Olympics, why should they be forced to sail with a foreign country's national lettering. As I final thought you might ask Bruce Kirby, the Laser designer what he thinks of the ISAF.
Featured Brokerage
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The Last Word
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