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Rolex Farr 40 Worlds Quantum Race Day One
A sparkling day of sailing for the opening day of the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship was matched by the intense competition throughout the 17-boat fleet that seems set to keep the International Jury busy for an hour or more before the final outcome is resolved. 

It had kept Race Officer Peter Reggio busy as the wind swung before adopting a south-westerly line, and he had a weather eye out for the increases in strength that kept the tacticians busy. Each of the day's races was postponed as shifts occurred shortly before each start. It resulted in what one tactician described as: "As good a day's racing as I have had all summer," and followed that with: "And hasn't the pressure increased for this championship."

With 8-10 knots of breeze, the first race started half an hour after it had been scheduled

The breeze had veered 15 degrees before the second start, and the over-eager sailors were almost all too early and a general recall was evident ten seconds before the gun. The restart was clean.

The breeze had risen to more than 15 knots before the third race was started after the course had been reset once more.

There are three races scheduled for tomorrow and the Championship continues until Sunday.

Top five after three races:

1. Flash Gordon 6, Helmut Jahn, USA, 9 points
2. Plenty, Alex Roepers, USA, 11
3. Nightshift, Kevin McNeil, USA, 12
4. Groovederci, John Demourkas, USA, 15
5. Struntje Light, GER, Wolfgang Schaefer, 16

Full results:
www.yachtscoring.com

A Special Day
Photo by James Robertson Taylor, www.jrtphoto.com. Click on image to enlarge.

WHAT Thursday, day 3 of the Regates Royales de Cannes has started with a full cacophony of horns, bells, sirens saluting Coeur Vaillant docking out. The 8MI owned by Philippe Monnet left the harbour under mainsail only, her crew standing in line for a very special tribute to Florence Arthaud, hundreds of sailors on the bows and spectators on the quai. It was a very emotional moment to say goodbye to the legendary French female sailor. The Regates Royales, launched back in 1929 to honour King Christian X of Denmark, today also welcomed a special guest: his descendant and keen racer Prince Henrik, who was invited by Prince Albert of Monaco on board Tuiga.

The second day of racing, after yesterday's forced stop, at the Regates Royales-Trophee Panerai, represented an excellent opportunity for these powerful and stunning boats to show all their potential: a south-westerly of around ten knots on a little over twenty mile long coastal race.

The gaff cutter Viola broke her mast just under the spreaders: everyone safe on board but some minor collateral damages to sort out. For the rest of the fleet, the stronger breeze meant a faster pace, especially for the most experienced crews, like Marigold's, the oldest racing gaffer (Nicholson, 1892) in the fleet who won with a nice margin.

www.regatesroyales.com

IODA Seeks Secretary General
IODA The International Optimist Class Association (IODA), the leading class in world sailing for young people, is seeking to recruit a full time Secretary General

We seek:

- a good honours graduate or an individual who has received relevant training to an equivalent level, and or
- a person with experience of managing a small or medium sized business within a team structure
- someone who would like to dedicate his/her talents and experience to the development of young people through sport, and
- has the ability to work successfully with dedicated volunteers and executives in a truly global business

The individual shall be able to:
- write and speak perfect English
- understand the sport of sailing at competitive level
- have enthusiasm for the development of young people through sport
- demonstrate exceptional organisational skills
- have a high level of numeracy
- be flexible regarding working hours. This is NOT a 9-5 position.

We offer:
- an exciting and important role in a truly exceptional organization.
- flexible working hours and location, if preferred from home
- competitive remuneration

To apply
- The full job description is available on our website: www.optiworld.org

Please email your CV and tell us why you are applying for this post to:

Application deadline 31st October 2015

Mini Transat
Several competitors have now joined the walking wounded from the first stage. Fidel Turienzo (Satanas) is getting ready to stop in to one of the ports on the Portuguese coast between Sines and Lisbon to repair his damaged mast. Guillermo Canardo (Peor Para El Sol) should also stop in Porto. Some of the other competitiors are still holed up in ports, such as Pilar Pasanau (Peter Punk) in La Coruna, Jonas Gerckens(Netwerk) in Peniche and Aymeric Blin (Le Marin des Alpes) in Sada. 

The leaders in both the one design and prototypes continue to dominate the race. Davy Beaudart (Flexirub) and Ian Lipinski (Entreprises Innovantes) had been tipped as race favourites. To date, they have not proved the predictions wrong.

Some of the competitors are doing well, Despite their lack of experience : Edouard Golbery (Les Enfants du Canal) and  Mathieu Bourdais (Tous au Large) who are racing in the Series class, both with very  little Mini Circuit racing under their belts, currently lie in 9th and 10th place respectively in the provisional standings. Many  would not have imagined they would be doing so well...

Top Five Positions on 24 th September at 18 :00 (TU+2) :

Prototypes ( Eurovia Cegelec class) :
1. Davy Beaudart, Flexirub, 353,7 miles to leg finish
2. Frederic Denis, Nautipark, 48.7 nm to leader
3. Axel Trehin, Aleph Racing, 50.0 nm
4. Ludovic Mechin, Microvitae, 54.0 nm
5. Luke Berry, Association Rêves, 54.6 nm

Series ( Ocean Bio-Actif class)
1. Ian Lipinski, Entreprises Innovantes, 439.0 milles to leg finish
2. Tanguy Le Turquais, Terreal, 19.2 nm to leader
3. Julien Pulve, Novintiss, 38.2 nm
4. Charly Fernbach, Henaff le Fauffiffon, 41.8 nm
5. Patrick Girod, Nescens, 50,.9 nm 

www.minitransat-ilesdeguadeloupe.fr

Cherry On Top As The Fleet Reach The Generali Solo Mediterranee Half Way Point
British solo sailor Nick Cherry at the helm of his Figaro 'Redshift', is now leading one of the top solo races in the French Classe Figaro calendar after following up a strong performance inshore in Sete with a podium result offshore in Nice.

Approaching the halfway point in the Generali Solo Mediterranee, which combines inshore and offshore racing over a fortnight, Cherry sits atop the overall rankings in the 22-strong fleet with four more days of inshore competition and an offshore race still to come. The first time a British skipper has led a Classe Figaro event.

Alexis Loison of France won the leg in a time of two days and 16 minutes, with second place Macaire and Cherry just seconds behind.

The race was intense from start to finish with the fleet bunched together for the full 350nm

The fleet will sail 420nm from Nice to Barcelona after two days of inshore racing.

Results of the first Generali solo offshore leg - Sete to Nice

1. Alexis Loison (Groupe Fiva) in 2 days 0h 16 '0'
2. Xavier Macaire (Skipper Herault) in 2d 0h 16mn 34sec
3. Nick Cherry (Redshift) in 2d 0h 17mn 17sec

Overall results at the half way stage

1. Nick Cherry (Redshift)
2. Alexis Loison (Groupe Fiva)
3. Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert)

www.artemisoffshoreacademy.com
www.generali-solo.com

100 Entries For Rolex Middle Sea Race
The Royal Malta Yacht Club is proud to announce that 100 yachts have now entered the 2015 Rolex Middle Sea Race. The 36th edition of the race has attracted competitors from at least 22 different countries from all over the world. The 606-mile race starts and finishes in the spectacular surroundings of Malta's capital city, Valetta.

Three of the world's fastest multihulls will be racing this year, capable of demolishing the race record. MOD 70, Musandam-Oman Sail, will be the first entry from Oman in the history of the race.

From St. Barths, West Indies, Lloyd Thornburg's MOD 70, Phaedo3, will also be making its Rolex Middle Sea Race debut.

Peter Aschenbrenner, will be racing his Nigel Irens 63' Trimaran, Paradox. After MOCRA time correction, Paradox beat both Musandam-Oman Sail and Phaedo3 in the Rolex Fastnet Race and was the Open Class winner for the 2015 Transatlantic Race.

In sharp contrast to the carbon fibre, high speed multihulls, the Rolex Middle Sea Race has attracted classic yachts and this year, one of the world's most famous.

Designed in 1929 by Olin Stephens, the 52ft yawl, Dorade, won the Fastnet Race in 1931 & 1933. Dorade maybe the oldest yacht to compete in the Rolex Middle Sea Race but she is still very competitive. In last month's Rolex Fastnet Race, Dorade was second in IRC 4 and seventh overall out of over 300 yachts racing under IRC and second in class for the 2015 Transatlantic Race.

The 2015 Rolex Middle Sea Race starts on Saturday 17th October. Deadline for entries is Friday 2nd October 2015.

www.rolexmiddlesearace.com

Seahorse November 2015
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine

Seahorse Magazine

The quest is on
The Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award, Tour Voiles' wrap up and Spindrift 2 in the blocks. Bernard Schopfer

And now the grand finale
Class manager Rob Weiland takes a stab at spotting the best (and not so best) features of this year's TP52 fleet

The Ullman magic - Part I
Dave Ullman's three-time world champion 470 crew Tom Linskey delves into the archives

A lateral question - Part III
Kevin Ellway, Alan Smith and Andy Rice bring us the story of the Vampire

Special rates for Scuttlebutt Europe subscribers:
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Launchings
Surfari 44 Jimmy Buffett's famous lifestyle, delightfully infused with copious amounts of "island escapism," pairs perfectly with the personality of the Surfari 44 that Friendship Yacht Company is presenting in a scaled-back version of its Surfari 58 announced last November. Buffett will take delivery next November on Hull #1 of the new Surfari 44 designed by naval architect Edward "Ted" Fontaine and built by Pacific Seacraft in North Carolina, and he anticipates that the new design's more compact length and personally approved adaptations – including those for short-handed handling – will "simplify" his life on the water as he uses the yacht for a home away from home.

Fontaine, best known for the romantic classic lines of his Friendship sailboats (in models ranging from 36 -79 feet), is a waterman himself and explained that his love of paddle boarding, surfing and kayaking inspired the Surfari 44's 39" high and 11 ½ foot wide "tailgate."

www.friendshipyachtcompany.com

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Sailing Yacht A

The world's largest sailing superyacht, built for Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, has been been spotted on a test voyage in Kiel, Germany.

At 468 feet in length and with three masts 300 feet high, Sailing Yacht A will feature eight floors and an underwater observation deck, Boat International, which had exclusive access to the vessel this summer, reports.

Believed to have cost more than £260 million ($400 million), it was built by German shipyard Nobiskrug and designed by Philippe Starck, the Frenchman known for his furniture designs and industrial style.

www.telegraph.co.uk

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Reichel Pugh

At the 2015 Monaco Yacht Show Design Unlimited will be presenting details of an exciting new project created in collaboration with the leading naval architects at Reichel Pugh Yacht Design.

This design for a 35-metre sailing superyacht features an interior which is inspired by a combination of natural materials with modern manufacturing techniques to create crisp, clean, sculpted architecture whilst retaining the natural beauty of the grain and texture.

Two general arrangements have been created to offer prospective clients with a choice of layouts. The first features a forward master suite with cinema snug, day head and an additional twin cabin, while the aft accommodation includes a generous VIP cabin. The galley is positioned amidships with the crew quarters further aft.                             

The second arrangement features a large, full beam master suite with walk-in wardrobe aft, VIP and twin cabins amidships and crew accommodation just forward of the galley and TV snug / 4th cabin.

www.designunlimited.net

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The latest addition to the Claasen fleet, the Truly Classic 127 Atalante, has already received rave reviews in the superyacht media. And this beautiful boat will be one of the highlights of the Monaco Yacht Show, which runs from Wednesday 23 to Saturday 26 September. 

You can admire her for yourself at stand number T32 on the T-central: jetty. And for those who can't make it to Monaco, here's the next best thing - a special movie about the making of Atalante.

*|YOUTUBE:[$vid=X7cD6RMv07o, $max_width=500, $title=N, $border=N, $trim_border=N, $ratings=N, $views=N]|*

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* From Christopher Neil Brown: I must admit that I didn't witness people "flocking" to the SBS when I visited. By 1840pm on Thursday, many stands were locked up including the entire Jeanneau yachts stand. The Friday was quiet too - overall the quietest I've seen the show. I wonder how many of the 110,000 claimed visitors were paying clients? (Just a counterbalance to the flocking froth from BMBS)

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Gamesa has some unusual IMOCA and has certain significant competitive and financial benefits over other boats currently available. As well as being one of the fastest of her the generation – the recent rule changes and grandfathering rules (now fixed until 2016) she remains one of the only MOCAs with a race proven/super strong carbon keel blade. The new 2014 rule requires all new boats and also existing boats with pre-existing steel keels to change them for the new (far heavier) IMOCA design prior to Vendee 2016. This represents a significant 400+kg weight penalty.

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The Last Word
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