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Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup
Today's lone race favored the teams who were in the right place to strike and who were proficient in sailing in light air. Genoa, Italy, where the Yacht Club Italiano is based, is known for light breeze and, with Leonardo Ferragamo at the helm, the team parlayed that experience to win the race.
Second across the line was the Irish team representing Royal Cork Yacht Club. Skipper Anthony O'Leary, who has raced every edition of this event, credited finding a hole in the starting line with their performance in the race.
After two days, Seattle Yacht Club has taken over the top spot in the overall standings although it is tied on points (22) with Royal Thames Yacht Club. Royal Cork is third overall with 24 points, and Itchenor Sailing Club is fourth with 27 points. Three points back, tied at 30 points apiece, are Marblehead's Eastern Yacht Club and Toronto's Royal Canadian Yacht Club which is the two-time defending champion.
Racing resumes tomorrow with the winning team determined at the conclusion of racing on Saturday, September 19.
www.nyyc.org/yachting/invitational-cup
Livestream with tracking and commentary:
livestream.com/Degan/Invitationalcup
Spookie Set The Pace In Portugal
As the 52 SUPER SERIES moved to the Atlantic, the regatta standings at the Cascais Cup after the first two races reflect a certain American flavour.
Jim Swartz's Vesper crew instantly made their long odyssey from the USA for their one and only 52 SUPER SERIES of the season worthwhile when they won the first race, while Steve Benjamin's US team on Spookie followed up their second in the first race with a win in the second contest and so top the standings.
A big sea-state left over from an overnight storm made for difficult sailing especially in the shifty, patchy breeze. Over the course of the two races the wind ranged from 270 degrees to 320 degrees and blew between eight knots and 18kts.
Spookie started well enough on both guns. A fundamental weakness identified from last month's Copa del Rey regatta was turned to a strength today and owner-helm Steve Benjamin proved particularly adept at keeping the boat moving well in the changeable conditions which were so very different, a rude awakening even, after the Med's primarily flat waters.
Peter Holmberg, tactician on Spookie, acknowledged the contribution played by Olympic silver medallist Steve Benjamin's steering and highlights Spookie's speed edge in the lighter winds and big seas:
"We have got Steve Benjamin driving which is a nice thing and I think our boat likes the lighter air so it was a good day for us. And we didn't get in the way of the boats... so that was a good thing too. First race was even sides but I think it was the sides which were good so we picked the inside and first place came from the outside but it was very close. And I think just having a lane with the freedom to steer where you wanted to in those big waves was key also."
52 Super Series - Cascais Cup (After 2 races)
1. Spookie, USA (Steve Benjamin USA) (2,1) 3 points
2. Quantum Racing, USA (Doug DeVos USA) (3,3) 6
3. Vesper USA (Jim Swartz USA) (1,6) 7
4. Azzurra, ITA (Pablo/Alberto Roemmers ARG) (5,2) 7
5. Platoon, GER (Harm Müller-Spreer GER) (4,5) 9
6. Provezza, TUR (Ergin Imre TUR) (9,4) 13
7. Bronenosec, RUS (Vladimir Liubomirov RUS) (6,9) 15
8. Gladiator, GBR (Tony Langley GBR) (8,7) 15
9. Sled, USA (Takashi Okura USA) (7,8) 15
10. Paprec FRA (Jean-Luc Petithuguenin FRA) (10,11) 21
11. Alegre, GBR (Andres Soriano USA) (12,10) 22
12. Xio/Hurakan, ITA (Guiseppe Parodi ITA) (11,12) 23
Ready To Play The Long Game In Long Beach
An international fleet of 17 yachts is set to take part in the 18th edition of the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, hosted from 24-27 September by the Long Beach Yacht Club. The event is the pinnacle of the Farr 40 racing season.
It's rare for one boat to dominate the Worlds, but last year Alex Roepers' Plenty (USA) was the exception, winning four of the seven races in San Francisco to finish 10 points clear of Martin Hill's Estate Master (AUS).
Competition will be provided by some recent World Champions including Helmut Jahn's Flash Gordon 6 (2012, Chicago) and Alberto Rossi's Enfant Terrible (2013, Newport) in addition to last year's runner-up from Australia. Martin Hill will be flying in from down under with the aim and expectation of being able to beat the Americans on home waters.
The 2015 event will mark the end of the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship's four-year tour of the United States with the 2016 event due to be held in Sydney, Australia.
*|YOUTUBE:[$vid=Mwp-uygPNkE, $max_width=500, $title=N, $border=N, $trim_border=N, $ratings=N, $views=N]|*
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
Ostling Undefeated At The Top In Sheboygan
On her comeback to the match racing scene, Renee Groeneveld of the Netherlands surprised with six wins and just one loss on the first day of the Buddy Melges Challenge, the penultimate event of the 2015 WIM Series. World #2 Anna Ostling scored one win less on Lake Michigan, USA, but still sits alone on the very top of the leader board, rewarded for her perfect 5 - 0 score.
In Wednesday's seven matches the Dutch team was only defeated once. Despite a red flag penalty in the match against Anna Ostling, for taking room she wasn't entitled to at the top mark, Groeneveld continued her fierce fight. All the way to the finish line she and Ostling raced on in their head-to-head battle, narrowly won by the Swedish boat at the end
Standings in the 2015 Buddy Melges Challenge, the third stage of the 2015 WIM Series, after the first day of round-robin (skipper name, nationality, wins - losses):
1. Anna Ostling, SWE, 5 - 0
2. Renee Groeneveld, NED, 6 - 1
3. Stephanie Roble, USA, 4 - 2
3. Anne-Claire Le Berre, FRA, 4 - 2
3. Pauline Courtois, FRA, 4 - 2
6. Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby, DEN, 3 - 2
7. Juliana Senfft, BRA, 2 - 3
8. Diana Kissane, IRL, 2 - 5
9. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 1 - 3
10. Johanna Bergqvist, SWE, 0 - 5
11. Morgan Wilson, USA, 0 - 6
Mariquita V. Eleonora Match Race Raises &Pound;67,000 For Wetwheels Disabled Powerboat
The owners of the 104 year old year old Mariquita, the immaculate 38m gaff cutter which has been turning heads all summer in the Solent, were behind an initiative which has raised a staggering £67,000 for the disabled sailing charity Wetwheels. The three-man syndicate arranged a match race with another iconic classic yacht, the 49.5m Eleonora, auctioning places on board to 25 highest bidders to take part.
The date was set for 24th July in the Solent, an extremely windy day. Despite this the guests were still able to get some sailing in. The day was a lot of fun", said Mariquita's co-owner John Caulcutt. "At the same time it was for a great cause."
The amount raised was added to a fund totalling some £155,000, enough to start the construction of a new Wetwheels powerboat for the Hamble based charity. Championed by Disability Sports Ambassador and sailor Geoff Holt MBE, who uses a wheelchair himself, Wetwheels provides disabled and disadvantaged people access to the sea through fully accessible powerboats. Geoff has developed and pioneered the concept of powerboats designed for wheel chair access.
The new motorised catamaran, will be based at the Royal Southern Yacht Club in Hamble. Whilst sufficient funding is in place to order the vessel, Wetwheels will continue to raise funds for operating finance.
Seahorse October 2015
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
IMOCA spreads its wings
Building one-design rigs for the toughest racers on earth demands considerable concentration... Vincent Marsaudon talks with Jocelyn Bleriot
None too shabby
Karol Jablonski's racing CV is not only remarkable in volume but it is also far from typical
A lateral question - Part II
Kevin Ellway and Alan Smith develop their argument against J foils with Andy Rice
The place to be
This year's Yacht Racing Forum is set to take place beside Lake Geneva - very appropriate!
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Industry News
The organisers of the Southampton Boat Show have claimed that the first weekend saw a 3% rise in visitors when compared to last year.
The Southampton Boat Show attendance figures are even rosier when compared to 2013, which results in a 5% boost in attendance for Britain's biggest boat show over the past two years.
Highlights so far have included a guest appearance from Formula 1 presenter Suzi Perry, music from Britain's Got Talent winners Collabro, and an aerial display from RAF stunt team The Red Arrows.
And on the water, world premieres from Fairline Boats, Princess Yachts and Beneteau have further piqued the interest of boat lovers.
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LaserPerformance is pleased to announce that the new Standard Mark II Sail has just been signed off by the Laser class and ISAF for most competition. The sail will not be legal for ISAF World Cup competitions nor for the 2016 Olympics. Following the Olympic Games in Rio, the sail will be class legal for all competition. This new class approved sail is more durable due to its bi-radial construction, it is manufactured out of longer lasting 4.5 ounce Dacron cloth with optimized sail patches, tapered battens with Velcro batten pocket closures, and the new luff tube design is easier on the upper spars.
Official launch of the class approved Mark II sail is set for November 1st, 2015
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Rondar Raceboats are pleased to announce the appointment of Debbie Jarvis as commercial manager, with a primary responsibility for UK sales and customer liaison.
Rondar have had an extremely busy few years, developing their range of boats, recently adding the Squib and Sonar classes to their already extensive production range: K6, Viper 640, 505, Firefly and Enterprise, together with the Solo and Fireball.
Debbie is ideally suited to this project, with a strong background in competitive racing in the 470, representing the UK twice at the Olympics, and has raced the Fireball and 505 successfully at an international level; her wide experience will prove invaluable in assisting Rondar's customers.
In recent years, Debbie has also been class secretary for the RS Feva and other classes.
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Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image announces a world class lineup of personalities for its international jury 2015. Dawn Riley (Executive Director, Oakcliff Sailing Center and former America's Cup and Whitbread race skipper, USA), Antonio Palma (CEO, Mirabaud & Cie SA, SUI), Richard Gladwell (NZ and America's Cup Editor, Sail-World.com, NZL), Vincent Steinmann (Marketing and communication Director, Zenith Watches, SUI) and Alfred Farre (Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award winner 2014, ESP), will be selecting the world's best yacht racing photograph of the year.
The Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award has been held since 2010 to recognize the very best yacht racing image taken during the year, which best represents the essence and excitement of the sport. Open to professional photographers, it provides an opportunity for yacht racing specialists to display their work and to share their passion with a wide audience. More than one million people saw the pictures submitted for the last edition of the contest.
Two prizes will once again be awarded: The 'Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image', chosen by the international jury and the 'public prize', which will be awarded by the delegates from the Yacht Racing Forum (Geneva, December 7 - 8), based on a preselection of the top twenty photographs chosen by the public votes on Internet.
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The winners of the 2015 "Innovation in Life Jacket Design Competition" announced today at the International Boat Builders Exhibition and Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
Sponsored by the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water and the Personal Floatation Device Manufacturers Association (PFDMA), a team of five judges from the boating, paddling and life jacket manufacturing industry reviewed nearly 250 contest submissions from as far away as Mongolia and New Zealand, and also asked recreational boaters to vote for their favorite design entry.
The goal of the competition was to rethink a 100-year-old design, seek out the newest technologies and design innovations and develop interest in newer, more versatile life jackets. Design entries were judged on the following criteria: innovation, wearability, value/affordability, reliability, versatility and practicality. At stake was $15,000 in prize money.
The winners announced today are: First Place ($10,000): Michael Garman of Moseley, Virginia submitted his prototype design that uses two-part expanding foam encased in a comfortable thermal fabric that's designed to keep the wearer cool.
Second Place ($3,000): Jimi Beach of the two-year-young Aegis Safety Products in Orlando, Florida took second place with his brand new, soon-to-market, inflatable floatation "Lifeshirt" that blends affordability with comfort and performance.
Third Place ($2,000): Jessie Kate Brown of Lafayette, Louisiana submitted a theoretical design for the "Comfort Flex Life Vest," a comfortable form-fitting design that increases visibility and inspires user confidence.
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Nautor, the Finnish manufacturer of sailing boat brand Swan, has launched Nautors Swan Brokerage. The new brokerage division will be headquartered in Monaco.
Nautor has invested in creating this new corporate business for better serve Swan owners. The branch will have direct connections to the vast resources at Nautor's yard in Finland and a dedicated team of Swan agents worldwide and supported by Nautor's Swan Customer Care.
The concept of this new full service brokerage business stems from Nautor's aspiration to facilitate the technical and financial appraisal of Swan yachts, as well as to fully integrate its complete range of services including ClubSwan, and Nautor's Swan Customer Care and Authorized Service Centers.
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Tartan Yachts has teamed up with UK sailing yacht manufacturer Broadblue Catamarans.
The agreement will see Tartan serve as the US distributor for the Broadblue series, which is comprised of a 34ft, 38ft, 40ft and 55ft model.
IBI News:
https://plus.ibinews.com
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Regatta organizers are pleased to announce that the Principle Race Officer for the 36th St. Maarten Heineken Regatta will be Mr. Stuart Childerley. He is highly experienced in the sailing world and is certain to bring a wealth of knowledge with him to the event.
Childerley has competed in two Olympic games in the Finn class, finishing an impressive 4th on both occasions. This past weekend he won the Etchells Europeans in Cowes with Jeremy Thorpe from Antigua, while this past summer he competed in the Rolex Fastnet Race where he and his team mate, Kelvin Rawlings, won the two handed division, finishing 4th overall. His accomplishments read like a laundry list of the top International events, spanning over the course of more than 25 years.
Featured Brokerage
1986 Kiwi Magic 12 meter. 295,000 USD. Located in Portsmouth, RI.
KIWI MAGIC is for sale. World famous for being the last and best built of the three 'plastic fantastics" which were known as KZ 3, KZ 5 and this boat KZ 7. Updated winches, sails, deck hardware, there is not much left on this boat from her original days of blasting around in Perth Australia during the 1987 Americas Cup. Since that glorious time in sailing, she has had several loving owners that have spared no expense to keep her in a near perfect condition. In recent years she has spent much of her time stored in a heated shed in Rhode Island, but she was last sailed in the 2012 12 Meter North Americans, which she won handily. If one wants the very best and last composite built 12 meter in the world, KIWI MAGIC is seriously for sale. Call to be sent her full details and photos.
Contact
William Jenkins at 410-267-9419
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
One man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes, but for real bona fide stupidity, there ain't nothin' can beat teamwork. Edward Abbey
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