Brought to you by Seahorse magazine, 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

Zennstrom's Ran Retains The Lead
Photo by Ingrid Abery, www.ingridabery.com. Click on image for photo gallery.

Two second places today, both of them hard earned from intense, close boat-on-boat combat, keep ice cool Niklas Zennstrom's Ran crew on the top of the 52 Super Series' Ford Vignale Sailing Week.

After a chilly opening day, the mercury rose up to a record a pleasant early season warmth and with the return of late Spring sunshine came the resulting reliable Valencia sea breeze.

The steady 12-15kts winds kept the action close and tight all the way down the 12 boat fleet. And as two different teams won Races 3 and 4 of the 10 race series - Andy Soriano's Alegre and Vladimir Liubomirov's Bronenosec - Ran maintain their high level of regularity. With Morgan Larson and Adam Beashel combining on tactics and stratgey they restored themselves from sixth to third to second around the first race track of of the day and then chased the runaway Russians in the second contest to step three points ahead of nearest rivals Alegre which posted a 1,5 for the day.

52 Super Series, Ford Vignale Sailing Week. After four races.

1. Ran Racing, Niklas Zennstrom, SWE, 7 points
2. Alegre, Andre Soriano USA, 10
3. Bronenosec, Vladimir Liubomirov, RUS, 21
4. Provezza, Ergin Imre, TUR, 22
5. Sled, Takashi Okura, JPN, 24
6. Quantum Racing, Dalton DeVos, USA, 25
7. Azzurra, Pablo/Alberto Roemmers, ARG, 25
8. Platoon, Harm Muller-Spreer, GER, 26
9. Interlodge, Austin & Gwen Fragoman, USA, 28
10. Gladiator, Tony Langley, GBR, 36
11. Paprec FRA, Jean-Luc Petithuguenin FRA, 43
12. XIO, Guiseppe Parodi ITA, 45

www.52superseries.com

ORC Sportboat European Championship
Lake Balaton, Hungary: After two days of measurement and registration, 27 teams representing Hungary, the Netherlands, Russia, Great Britain, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland and Turkey with sailors hailing from 13 countries will start to race tomorrow at the 2015 ORC Sportboat European Championship, hosted at Hungary's oldest sailing club, the Balatonfured Yacht Club. The competition begins tomorrow with a coastal race starting at 10:00 with a course around Lake Balaton to be announced in the morning by Principal Race Officer Denis Marinov.

Following the passage of a strong cold front, winds are forecast to be 15-20 knots from the northwest, trending to 10-15 knots from the north through the afternoon.

The remainder of the event will be inshore racing held daily through Sunday, May 24th. A minimum of three completed inshore races and one completed offshore race are needed for a valid championship, with a maximum of three races held in one day.

Despite the variety of boat sizes and types, the fleet will start as one class with ORC ratings and scoring applied.

There are a wide variety of boat types at this event, ranging from open dinghy-like designs with trapezes, to boats with keels and small cabins. All must be from 6 to 9 metres in length, weigh no more than 2 tons, and have a displacement/length ration of less than 4.50. All crews must be at least 50% ISAF Group 1 (Corinthian) sailors.

orcsportboateuropeans2015.byc.hu

18th Edition Of Match Race Germany Starts Thursday
Langenargen, Germany: One day ahead of the start of this year's 18th edition of Match Race Germany the arrival of twelve sailing teams from ten countries and the growing race vilage in the Gondola Harbour have turned the romantic south German town of Langenargen at the shores of Lake Constance into an international headquarter of the sport of sailing.

On their first day in Langenargen the teams enjoyed nearly ideal wind conditions around twelve knots during their training sessions. Central to todays intensive training have been maneuvres and timing. Most teams did pair with one of their rivals to simulate pre-start and start situations. Each of the teams has been on the water for about four hours to learn about the huge 40 foot yachts used at Match Race Germany.

The first start of the first European regatta of this year's World Match Racing Tour will be at nine in the morning, local time.

matchrace.de
www.match-center.de
wmrt.com

Improve Your Chances Of Survival - Be Seen and Get Rescued Fast!
You may think a man overboard will never happen to your crew. If it does, being found fast could be the difference between life and death.

Exposure's MOB strobe and searchlight is designed to do just that - make the difference between life and death.

As soon as the buoyant, pocket-sized MOB hits the water, its 1300 lumens strobe starts flashing automatically. What's more, it will keep flashing for up to 40 hours. 1300 lumens means it's highly visible from the air and can be seen from more than five miles away.

The MOB strobe is a really powerful search light as well, so it serves as the perfect personal crew torch for offshore racing too.

What is it like to be a man overboard in pitch dark? See the video.

One night, your MOB light might just make the difference.

Contact oceansafety.com for dealers or visit exposuremarine.co.uk/mob for more information.

Pain Ahead
Seahorse has been digging a bit more around America's Cup 35 and it is looking more than possible that another big change to the boats is just around the corner. And this one could really shut the door on innovation and design - with all that that implies - while potentially opening the door for new teams...

Or to be brutally frank, to make it cheaper for Team France who are still a long way from being 'financially sustainable'.

Dean Barker and Team Japan will certainly not complain if the development angle is further reduced or even eliminated altogether.

www.seahorsemagazine.com

Team New Zealand Start America's Cup Catch-Up Game On The Water
Team New Zealand are upping their sailing programme as they play a game of catch-up on the way to the next America's Cup in Bermuda in 2017.

With most of their rivals already well under way in working out on the revamped foiling 45-foot catamarans, Team New Zealand will be involved in official testing in England.

Veterans Glenn Ashby, Jeremy Lomas, and Richard Meacham will be involved in the Portsmouth exercise which will be a shakedown for the world series opener there in late July.

Peter Burling and Blair Tuke will be involved in the leadup closer to that regatta which is the first of three events this year with others to follow in Sweden and Bermuda.

Ashby, Lomas and Meacham will detour to Bermuda on their way back from testing in Portsmouth to give Team New Zealand a first-hand look at the race zone for the cup action that will be sailed in larger 48-foot foiling catamarans.

Ashby, who had limited time helming the massive AC72 at the last regatta in the shadow of regular skipper Dean Barker, is in a battle with Burling for duties on the wheel in the leadup to Bermuda.

www.stuff.co.nz/sport/

2015 WIM Series Ready To Set Sail
Danish defender Camilla Ulrikkeholm is going for another win

The first two years of the Women's International Match Racing Series (WIM Series) saw 39 professional teams from 19 countries competing for gold and glory. Entering the third season, more than 20 teams have already committed.

The upcoming WIM Series season will kick off in Middelfart, Denmark in July. The venue was selected by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) to host the 2015 ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship.

Then the WIM Series moves on to Lysekil in Sweden and to Sheboygan in the USA, before concluding with the grand finale in Busan, South Korea

2015 WIM Series Teams (skipper, country, ISAF World Ranking):
Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN, 1
Anna Ostling, SWE, 2
Stephanie Roble, USA, 3
Lotte Meldgaard, DEN, 4
Anne-Claire Le Berre, FRA, 5
Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 6
Milly Bennett, AUS, 7
Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED, 8
Pauline Courtois, FRA, 9
Katie Spithill, AUS, 11
Annabel Vose, GBR, 12
Denise Lim, SIN, 14
Nina Ramm-Schmidt, FIN, 15
Sanna Hager, SWE, 17
Rikst Dijkstra, NED, 18
Johanna Larsson, SWE, 22
Alexa Bezel, SUI, 33
Juliana Senfft, BRA, 40
Sungeun Choi, KOR, 97
Louise Christensen, DEN, 104
Urara Fujii, JPN, 128
Johanna Bergqvist, SWE, unranked
Diana Kissane, IRL, unranked

www.wimseries.com

Race Coach / Bosun Vacancy
The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, one of the oldest sailing and rowing clubs in Hong Kong, is looking for a talented and youthful dinghy sailor to fill the post of Race Coach / Bosun.

This is a full-time contract based in Hong Kong commencing July or August 2015. Reporting to the Middle Island Sailing and Marine Manager, the successful applicant will coach up and coming cadets to higher levels of racing expertise. Classes of boats include the J80, Optimist, Laser, 420 and 29er. Coaching and mentoring at international events will be involved. Off-water there will be basic fibreglass repairs and maintenance of sailing craft and RIB's to be completed. Middle Island has a clubhouse, sailing academy, hardstand, marina and launching areas serviced by a regular club ferry.

We are looking for people with:

- Extensive dinghy racing experience.
- Graduation from an internationally recognised sail training academy.
- Race Coach qualification is essential with Keel Boat Instructor preferred.
- Excellent interpersonal, team and leadership skills.
- Fibreglass repair experience and confidence to install small boat rigs and deck equipment to a professional standard.
- Flexibility to work weekends and midweek shifts.

We offer attractive remuneration and excellent fringe benefits to the right candidate. Closing date for applications is 15 June 2015. Interested parties should submit a comprehensive CV together with a recent photograph to The Human Resources Manager, Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, Kellett Island, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong or e-mail to

Kieler Woche Is Promoting The Olympics
With the world's largest sailing event, Kiel will be promoting Germany's application for the Olympics 2024 as Hamburg's partner for hosting the sailing competitions.

Hamburg's Senator for the Interior and Sport Michael Neumann and Kiel's Lord Mayor Dr. Ulf Kaempfer demonstrated their excitement for the Olympics 2024 in Hamburg and Kiel at the Kieler Woche press conference on Tuesday, 19. May. "We are pleased to have Kiel on board", said Neumann at the Elbpanorama overlooking the city of Hamburg. For the City of Hamburg, Kiel is a strong partner, representing the sailing sport internationally, explains the Senator.

The German Sailors' Association DSV (Deutscher Segler-Verband) is following the same thought. "The DSV is convinced, that the decision for Kiel as t

Only a few days ago, the premier of the state Schleswig-Holstein, Torsten Albig, announced support the official sailing venue Kiel as the partner for Hamburg

Race calendar for the Kieler Woche 2015 (20. until 28. June):

Olympic part, EUROSAF Champions Sailing Cup: 20 - 24 June:
Charly: 470 M+W, Finn M
Echo: Laser Std. M, Laser Rad. W
Golf: 2.4mR (open), Sonar (open)
Hotel: 49er M
Juliett: Nacra17 mix, 49erFX (open)

International part (25 to 28. June):
505er, FD, 420er, J/24, Folkeboot, H-boat, Musto performance Skiff, R-S 800, 29er, Contender, Ok-Jolle, Europe, laser radial (open), laser 4,7, Formula 18, Hobie 16, A-Cat

Offshore courses (20 to 27. June):
20. - 21. June: Welcome Race (ORC Club I-IV, Albin Ballad, Multihull)
20. - 23. June: Kiel Cup Foxtrott (Melges 24, J/70, J/80, Albin Express, SB 20, Platu 25)
22. - 24. June: Kiel-Cup Alpha (ORC Int. I-IV, Farr 30)
25.- 26. June: "Silbernes Band" (ORC Club I-IV)
27. June: "Senatspreis" (ORC Club I-IV)

www.kieler-woche.de

Dublin City Council To Foot &Euro;100k Bill For Jeanie Johnston
The responsibility of Jeanie Johnston soon to be transferred to Dublin City Council faces annual running costs of some €100,000, reports the Herald.ie

The replica famine ship which was undergoing repairs when previously reported on Afloat.ie is among a list of assets that will be handed over from the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) to the council when it eventually winds down.

Currently, the ship costs €240,000-a-year to run but ticket sales do not cover all expenses.

The ship is among some key features in the Docklands which will be transferred to the council.

It is also planned to give a €3m cash sum to the council and extra funds to carry improvements on facilities that are not up to scratch.

www.herald.ie/news/

Afloat magazine: afloat.ie/sail/tall-ships/

USS Constitution Restoration Project
After months of planning and a short trip Monday night, the USS Constitution safely entered Dry Dock 1 at the Charlestown Navy Yard to begin a three-year restoration project, officials said.

The main focus of the restoration will be replacing 3,400 sheets of copper that protect the ship's hull below the waterline, Navy Commander Paul J. Brawley said. The thick copper hull prevents wood-boring worms and other sea life from attaching to the bottom, he explained. Removing the copper sheeting will also allow for inspection of the wooden planks underneath.

The new copper sheets are being housed at the USS Constitution Museum, where visitors can sign them in Sharpie marker all summer before they are installed on the ship. With 3,400 sheets, there is room for a lot of signatures, Brawley said. The same process occurred the last time the ship was dry-docked in 1992.

The restoration process will also involve replacing deck beams and maintaining the ship's masts.

"There's plenty to be done," Brawley said.

www.bostonglobe.com

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 John Burnie: The ORC Worlds in Barcelona has attracted 105 yachts form 23 countries - 3 are listed as GBR entries - only one of which looks to be a genuine GBR (or should I say UK) entry. Should the purveyors of the IRC rule be more concerned about the popularity / ascendancy of the ORC rule in all other European countries? Clearly in UK domestic racing IRC appears to be king. In every other part of Europe ORC appears to becoming more dominant - its tenets are even attached now to the Superyacht Rule.

IRC is a good rule as it is very well managed and reasonably inclusive of older boats (which are the only ones I get to sail on!) But it has "grand prix" aspiration as well. If you look at the type of yachts entered at the event in Barcelona there is a large proportion of club style cruiser/ racer yachts that in the past you would expect to have an IRC rating. (It looks like a rather good entry list for a RORC offshore!) Is ORC providing something better on their platform which Italian / Spanish / German / Scandinavian club racers prefer?

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The Last Word
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