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Breeze At Its Best For Maxi Final Showdown
Photo by Ingrid Abery, www.ingridabery.com. Click on image for photo gallery.
Porto Cervo laid on 'best day of the year' conditions for the finale of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and the International Maxi Association. After Friday's postponed layday, the 39 competing Maxis today enjoyed winds that peaked at 24 knots and a growing sea state off Porto Cervo.
While all the other classes sailed a coastal course, the Maxi 72s completed the final two windward-leeward races of their World Championship in winds of 17-22 knots.
American Hap Fauth's Bella Mente started the day leading from Roberto Tomasini Grinover's Robertissima III and Dieter Schön's MOMO, with just two points separating these three. Sadly MOMO's chances faded after she was called OCS in the first race, allowing Bella Mente to forge her way through to take the first win of the day.
In the second race, Sir Peter Ogden's Jethou won the pin and did well out on the left, but she and George Sakellaris' Proteus encountered traffic as they approached the top mark on port, causing MOMO to take the lead. In second, Belle Mente nosed in front on the run, but coming into the leeward gate, trawled her A4 kite, getting it caught around the bow and the crew eventually jettisoned the wayward sail. By this time they were last. However, Fauth observed: "We just sucked it in and put our nose to it." Bella Mente recovered to third, enough to win the first Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship, one point ahead of Robertissima III.
Hiving off the Maxi 72s, left a void for high performance but less extreme Mini Maxis, such as the Mills 62 Supernikka, Peter Dubens' Mani Frers-designed day boat Spectre and Maximilian Klink's Botin 65 Caro. These formed the new Mini Maxi Racing class.
Ultimately Spectre, with a crew including two time 470 Olympic silver medallist Nick Rogers and Volvo Ocean Race skipper Neal McDonald, won today's race, but a second for Supernikka secured them the overall top prize.
Full results: www.yccsfiles.com
Frostad Steps Down as Volvo Ocean Race CEO
Knut Frostad, CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race, is stepping down at the end of 2015 after eight years at the helm for family reasons.
The 48-year-old Norwegian has guided the event over three editions in 2008-09, 2011-12 and 2014-15 after taking over as chief executive in March 2008.
Frostad said it had been a journey he was very proud of, transforming the race into a high-level professional organisation as well as making significant and key changes to the race format while retaining a strong focus on the history and legacy of the 42-year-old race.
"With almost half of my life and a lot of passion invested in the race, it has been one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make," he said.
"I am an 'all-or-nothing' person and this is an 'all-or-nothing' race. I now want to dedicate more of my time to my young family.
"The Volvo Ocean Race is in a strong position for the future with a proven one-design format, a great team at our Alicante headquarters and ambitious and committed owners in Volvo Car Group and Volvo Group."
Frostad, who competed in four editions of sailing's leading offshore race dating back to 1993-94, including twice as a skipper and founder of teams, continued: "The late Sir Peter Blake once said about the race: 'There's nothing like it - it gets in your blood and you can't get rid of it!'
Frostad will remain in the position as CEO until the end of 2015, while the search for his replacement has started.
Ocean Safety Brings Evolution To Southampton Boat Show
Ocean Safety will once again be exhibiting at the Southampton Boat Show on Stand G125 in the Ocean Hall with a host of new products developed in the past 12 months.
The specialists in the worldwide supply, distribution, service and hire of marine safety equipment will show the latest Kru Professional lifejackets which are being used by all the crews of the 2015 Clipper Race around the world, whose fleet is now underway. The new Clipper model sports advanced features following a meticulous study of it in the previous Clipper Race.
Also showing will be the Ocean ISO liferaft, which has been supplied to the RNLI, and the new Ocean Standard Liferaft which has benefitted from advanced design, testing and feedback. The Ocean Standard features a high visibility yellow floor for easy identification if inverted, and newly designed rounded corners on buoyancy tubes to improve the ease of being brought alongside a rescue vessel. It's on sale at the Marine Superstore stand No. F006 at the show.
The company's product offer which will also include such best sellers as flares, man overboard recovery systems, lifejackets and EPIRBs will be hosted on their spacious 5m x 13m stand, first used last year to showcase Ocean Safety's ever-expanding product offer.
Don't miss us, from 11-20 September.
Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup
It is a testament to the ideals of Corinthian competition, and the camaraderie associated with the sport that for the fourth edition of the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, six of the 17 entered yacht club teams will be welcomed back as four-time veterans of this highly-regarded event.
Hailing from all corners of the globe, the returning teams - Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, the Japan Sailing Federation, Real Club Nautico de Barcelona (ESP), the Royal Yacht Squadron (GBR), Royal Cork Yacht Club (IRL) and the two-time defending champion, the Royal Canadian Yacht Club - are drawn by the intensity of the on-the-water competition which is enhanced by notable social events held at Harbour Court, New York Yacht Club's iconic clubhouse overlooking Newport harbour.
Irish helmsman Anthony O'Leary has assembled his crew based on their performance on his winning Ker 40, ANTIX. Representing the Royal Cork Yacht Club, generally considered to be the world's oldest yacht club, could be a daunting task for O'Leary who focuses most of his sailing efforts on offshore racing. However, a 5-8-4 record indicates that while the Irish team infrequently sails one-design boats of the size of the Swan 42s used for the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, they are strong competitors within reach of the prize.
The 2015 Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup welcomes competitors from the following yachts clubs: the Royal Yacht Squadron (GBR), Japan Sailing Federation (JPN), Real Club Nautico de Barcelona (ESP), Royal Canadian Yacht Club (CAN), Royal Cork Yacht Club (IRL), Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (HKG), Royal Thames Yacht Club (GBR), Yacht Club Argentino (ARG), Yacht Club Italiano (ITA), Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (AUS), Royal Swedish Yacht Club (SWE), Eastern Yacht Club (USA), Itchenor Sailing Club (GBR), Middle Harbour Yacht Club (USA), Newport Harbour Yacht Club (USA), Seattle Yacht Club (USA) and New York Yacht Club (USA).
The Mod70 Race For Water Has Capsized In The Indian Ocean, The Crew Is Safe
On her way from the Koror Islands to Chagos Islands, in the Indian Ocean, the MOD70 Race for Water trimaran has capsized yesterday at 8:15PM (GMT +1), 90 miles South East from the Chagos Archipelago, as they were navigating by night with 18 to 20 knots of wind. Further information about the exact reasons of the accident will follow. The crew is safe and unhurt inside the upturned main hull.
The shore team are working on solutions to recuperate both crew and yacht. Personnel at the military base in Diego Garcia, less than 100 miles away, have agreed to assist the team. No emergency beacon has been set off and no MayDay requested.
"MOD70 Race for Water" has been sailing around the world for the Race for Water Odyssey project, to highlight the impact of plastic pollution in the oceans. The professional team have already crossed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and have an experienced crew onboard, composed of Steve Ravussin, Claude Thelier, Martin Gaveriaux, Olivier Rouvillois and Marco Simeoni, expedition leader. They had already sailed more than 32,000 miles for the project.
Further updates will be posted on the website when available : www.raceforwater.org
Little America's Cup
The Littlecup 2015 was launched officially Saturday evening at the Societe Nautique de Geneve during the opening ceremony which ended with a red illumination of the Jet d'Eau Fountain. Compulsory training racing sessions was held today so that teams could test their new battleground before getting down to the nitty gritty tomorrow in the qualifications.
After a few sessions earlier this week to familiarize themselves with Lake Geneva, today the teams met each other for the first time in a fleet training session.
Each day, the course will be set in the area of the Petit Lac in the most favourable wind conditions for racing to be held between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. in front of the SNG, in Versoix or off Hermance. At the end of the 4 days of qualifying fleet races, the 2 winners will battle it out in match racing finals.
Follow the racing tomorrow in situ from the Quai Gustave Ador or on YouTube, where racing will be broadcast live using a tracking system and 3D modelling.
Quantum Key West Race Week Extends Early Entry Deadline To October 1
A strong initial turnout for entries has prompted event organizers at the Storm Trysail Club to decide to extend the early discount deadline one month further to October 1st, 2015 for the 2016 edition of Quantum Key West Race Week. After October 1st, the entry fee increases by $4/foot of the overall length of the entered boat.
Already the majority of entries to the 2016 event have signed up for one-design competition in several classes: Melges 24, J/70, J/80, Farr 280, Viper 640, J/88, C&C 30, J/111, and J/122 classes. And there are other one-design classes also considering their entry plan to the event.
Among the handicap classes, IRC 1 and 2 have thusfar attracted 9 committed entries, with more expected, but the real growth is expected in three new class offerings at this year's event: ORC Club, Multihulls and Performance Cruisers.
Organizers are also exploring the option of having exhibition race classes at the event to give spectators on shore a taste of the excitement of competitive sailing.
Classes that may be interested in a reduced format of three days of racing over Wednesday-Friday, January 20-22nd, should as soon as possible contact event manager Bill Canfield at .
Entry form and race documents:
www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=1390
Guo Chuan's Qingdao China Approaches Arctic Sailing Record
After eight days sailing on the treacherous waters of the Arctic Ocean, skipper Guo Chuan on Saturday has less than 1,000 nautical miles remaining on board his 97-foot trimaran Qingdao China to set the world record for a non-stop crossing of the Northeast Passage from Europe to the Pacific via the Bering Strait.
Departing from Murmansk around noon on Sept. 3, Qingdao China crossed the start line at 13.41 UTC and started the attempt to set the first non-stop sailing world record across the Arctic Ocean's Northeast Passage.
With strong winds during the first three days, Guo Chuan decided to pilot the trimaran to a more southerly route then originally planned. Qingdao China reached a maximum speed of 37 knots on Sept. 4, and covered 466 miles during one 24-hour stretch of the Arctic Ocean World Record Challenge between Sept. 4 at 11h04 and Sept. 5 at 11h04 with an average speed of 19.43 knots.
Qingdao China has now sailed through the Laptev Sea and will soon enter the East Siberian Sea and the Chukchi Sea. The boat will then head south until reaching the finish line at Bering Strait.
Weather expert Christian Dumard added that from the most recent weather forecast analysis, Qingdao China is expected to complete the voyage on Sept. 14.
ISAF Sailing World Cup Qingdao
More than 240 sailors from 37 nations will be in Qingdao, China from 14 - 20 September 2015 for the next ISAF Sailing World Cup installment. On offer will be world class racing across nine Olympic fleets, Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots, Rio 2016 Olympic Games places, a share of the $150,000 USD prize fund as well as World Cup medals.
As the Asian continental qualification regatta for the Men's and Women's 470, Finn and Nacra 17 the competition in Qingdao is set to be fierce with a depth of international sailing talent joining Asian hopefuls within the respective fleets.
The Asian nations vying for Olympic qualification are:
Men's 470 - China, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand
Women's 470 - Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand
Finn - China and Iran
Nacra 17 - China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Thailand
Results from 16 September : www.sailing.org/worldcup/results/index.php
The racing will be available to watch in 2D and 3D via the live tracking. Live tracking will be available when racing commences via - www.sailing.org/worldcup/multimedia/tracking.php
Live Tracking via the Sailviewer-3D Tablet App will be available for devices with 7" or greater screens. Click here to download the iOS Application
Click here to download the Android Application
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