Scuttlebutt Europe #3627 - 11 July
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
Robertson Is Crowned The Million Dollar World Champion
Phil Robertson has been crowned World Match Racing Champion after beating Taylor Canfield in an epic, high-wind duel today in the Final of the World Match Racing Tour.
The 29-year-old and his Robertson Racing crew also banked US $33,000 for winning in Marstrand, Sweden, plus a World Champion's bonus of $1,000,000. It's the largest prize money ever awarded in the sport of sailing, but Robertson's whoops of joy and celebration were more about winning the title of Match Racing World Champion. "It's a dream come true and the goal we've been striving for since 2009," he told the crowd that he just done his best to drench with champagne. " To do it here in Marstrand, I couldn't think of a better place. Thank you all for watching, I hope it was entertaining because we sure had fun."
There were so many twists and turns to the Final. Robertson was fast out of the blocks in the gusty wind which was bulleting through the fjord at up to 25 knots, with a nasty lumpy chop making it very difficult to maintain the speed on the light, 500kg M32 catamarans through the tacks. Canfield was handicapped by losing his tactician and mainsheet man, Chris Main, who took himself off the boat this morning due to a long-term shoulder injury flaring up.
With reigning World Champion Williams knocked out in the Quarter Finals, Canfield was able to bring in GAC Pindar crewman Garth Ellingham as Main's stand-in. Able replacement though Ellingham was, getting the coordination and teamwork right on the M32 at this level requires split-second timing and telepathy between the crew, and US One looked vulnerable on the upwind manoeuvres.
Marstrand Results Day 6 - Finals
1. Phil Robertson (NZL), Phill Robertsson Racing - 2 pts
2. Taylor Canfield (ISV), US One - 1 pts
Petit Finals
1. Matt Jerwood (AUS), Redline Racing - 2 pts
2. Chris Steele (NZL), 36 Below Racing - 0 pts
Duvetica Grey Goose and Scugnizza are 2016 ORC European Champions
Photo by Nikos Pantis. Click on image to enlarge.
Another perfect day of Aegean sailing and two inshore races confirms the series leaders as the new 2016 European ORC champions - but not without a fight
After a slow start in the series with a 7th place earned in the first offshore race, Giampiero Vagliano's modified Arya 415 Duvetica Grey Groose then came on strong to take and hold the series lead by winning only one race but never getting worse than sixth in any other. Their competition was strong among 37 teams from 12 countries, with several teams in the top ranks always keeping the pressure on these new champions.
Vincenzo de Blasio's NM 38S Scugnizza-Total Lubmarine dominated the series early on, but late challenges from Aivar Tuulberg's Arcona 340 Katariina II from Estonia and Ott Kikkas's Italia 9.98 Sugar also from Estonia closed the gap today to be a final day's fight for the crown.
Top five final results after nine races:
Class A/B
1. Duvetica Grey Goose (ITA) - Arya 415 mod - Giampiero Vagliano
2. Meliti IV-Musto (GRE) - GS 42R - George Andreadis
3. Blue Sky (ITA) - GS 43 BC - Claudio Terrieri
4. Bullet-Encode (GRE) - TP 52 - Sinouris Nikolaos
5. My Way (GRE) - Rodman 42 - Faedon Kydoniatis
Class C
1. Scugnizza-Total Lubmarine (ITA) - NM 38S - Vincenzo de Blasio
2. Katariina II (EST) - Arcona 340 - Aivar Tuulberg
3. Sugar (EST) - Italia 9.98 - Ott Kikkas
4. Baximus (GRE) - X-35 OD - Thanasis Baxevanis
5. Northern Light (ITA) - Dufour 34 mod - Fabio Bignolini
This Game Has Changed
Following the switch from ponderous monohulls to M32 cats the rules of engagement on the World Match Racing Tour have certainly changed... and almost certainly for the better, says Andy Rice
At the beginning of the season the newlook World Match Racing Tour was billing itself as a #gamechanger on social media. However, when reigning world champion Ian Williams came out and won the first event held in M32 catamarans back in March in Fremantle, you had to wonder whether things had changed that much after all.
Since then, however, we've seen plenty of evidence that things really have shifted in a number of significant ways. At the WMRT event in Copenhagen in May the number of lead changes and the degree of uncertainty in the matches were unprecedented. In the keelboat days of the World Match Racing Tour the start was everything - or certainly an absolutely critical part of the contest. Approximately 85 per cent of the time the boat that led around the first windward mark would go on to win the match. That percentage is nowhere near as high in the new style of racing.
In the strong winds of Fremantle it was the first time we got to see the M32s and the first time we saw the use of high-speed reaching starts on the Tour.
Andy's full article in Seahorse:
www.seahorsemagazine.com
Collision Stops Malcesine Cup: Carlo's Ok
Photo by Max Ranchi, www.maxranchi.com. Click on image for photo gallery.
After two very successful opening days of competition on Lake Garda, no racing was held on the final day of the GC32 Malcesine Cup. Following the collision of Malizia - Yacht Club de Monaco and a photographer's RIB on Friday, the Fraglia Vela Malcesine and the GC32 International Class Association did not reach an agreement over the liability for the final day of racing.
In the four years that the GC32 Racing Tour has existed, safety has always been of paramount importance. Steps the GC32 Racing Tour has taken this year include employing its own Safety Officer in Henrik Norberg - a former America's Cup and multihull sailor, whose regular job for the last 25 years has also as a fireman and paramedic in his native Sweden. At the GC32 Malcesine Cup additional steps have been taken to increase the exclusion zone around the race area.
Christian Scherrer, GC32 Racing Tour Manager, said: "Fortunately there was no injury during Friday's incident. We are continually taking steps to improve safety and have made considerable progress and will continue to do so this season."
The photographer in question is one of Scuttlebutt Europe's favourites, famed Italian photographer Carlo Borlenghi.
The GC32 Malcesine Cup had a close conclusion with Switzerland's Team Tilt finishing just one point ahead of the Franck Cammas-steered NORAUTO. These results are the opposite of those scored at May's GC32 Riva Cup. With the two teams now tied on points at the top of the overall leaderboard, Team Tilt is nominally overall leader of the 2016 GC32 Racing Tour due to her winning the latest regatta.
The GC32 Racing Tour now moves on to the 35th Copa del Rey MAPFRE, to be held over 3-6 August in Palma de Mallorca.
Overall results (subject to jury hearings)
1. Team Tilt, 18
2. NORAUTO, 19
3. Gunvor Sailing, 32
4. Argo, 40
5. Malizia - Yacht Club de Monaco, 46
6. ARMIN STROM Sailing Team, 60
7. Mamma Aiuto!, 64
8. Team ENGIE, 67
9. Realteam, 76
10. Orange Racing, 79
Monaco Solar Boat Challenge
Click on image to enlarge.
The flames of a real passion never go out, those linking the Principality to preservation of our environment being perfect examples. It is why the Yacht Club de Monaco continues on this path in organising the Monaco Solar Boat Challenge, taking place from 14th to 16th July 2016.
Organised with the support of the UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique) which is based in the Principality, this competition is special as it is only for boats powered by the sun, designed and driven by students from international universities.
15 teams have already confirmed their registration, 10 from the Netherlands, the others from Belgium, Hungary, Germany, Poland and Monaco. It's an international field, proof of how widespread interest is in new energy sources among the new generation.
In 2015 during the first 'International YCM Speed Record', the power of these prototypes was much in evidence with a record speed of 44.4km/h over a distance of one eighth of a nautical mile (231.5m) being set by Gerard van der Schaar of the Clafis Private Energy Solar Team.
Alongside the main event is the Vripack Grand Prix, when the word 'challenge' will live up to its name as never before: teams which do not have a solar-powered machine will have the opportunity to assemble one from scratch (supplied in kit form by Vripack) before the event to compete in the different races. A "first" and big challenge which 5 students from the high school (Lycee Technique et Hotelier) in Monaco are taking up - to build a boat in just five days!
Looking ahead already to 2017 with the YCM OFFSHORE SOLAR CLASS, the Yacht Club de Monaco will host several teams composed of international university students who will join forces with shipyards to design and build solar boats capable of accommodating three people to take part in an offshore race.
Rendezvous 14th to 16th July 2016 to discover the future of solar navigation.
Roepers, Plenty Capture Farr 40 European Championship
Ancona, Italy: Alberto Rossi invited the Farr 40 Class Association to his hometown for the first time and delivered an experience that was positively splendid. This seaport in the Marche region of central Italy proved an ideal venue for the Farr 40 European Championship.
Skipper Alex Roepers and the Plenty team clicked on all cylinders in leading the four-day regatta from start to finish and capturing the Ancona Farr 40 European Championship by a comfortable margin. World-renowned professional Terry Hutchinson called tactics for Roepers, who steered Plenty to victory in five of 11 races.
Now the New York owner-driver has a European Championship to go along with the Rolex Farr 40 World Championships he captured off San Francisco in 2014 and Sydney earlier this year.
Plenty's low score of 21 points was 22 better than runner-up Enfant Terrible, the Italian entry skippered by Rossi. Enfant Terrible was without regular tactician Vasco Vascotto while Flash Gordon 6 and Struntje Light, the other stalwart professional entries on the International Circuit, both had some new sailors aboard.
Next stop on the International Circuit is Croatia for the Zadar Farr 40 Regatta, being held Sept. 21-24.
Pascoe Wins 24m Europeans
Megan Pascoe has added European Championship gold to her 2.4mR Open World Championship title on a successful weekend of Europeans action for the British Sailing Team.
Pascoe fended off a tough challenge from 2015 World Champion and 2004 Paralympic Champion Damien Seguin at the 2.4mR Open Europeans in Bordeaux, while rising windsurfing star Kieran Martin claimed silver at the RS:X Europeans in Helsinki which concluded on Saturday (9 July).
Pascoe sailed a consistent regatta amid challenging and shifty conditions at the French venue to post all scores inside the top four across the nine-race series, beating Seguin by a single point to retain her European title.
British Sailing Team Podium Potential talents Carol Dugdale and Will Street also sailed an impressive series to finish as the third and fourth-ranked disabled sailors, fifth and seventh in the overall Open standings.
For full results from the 2.4mR European Championships
Lawrie Smith Wins 2016 Dragon Edinburgh Cup
Abersoch, UK - The Dragon Edinburgh Cup 2016 Supported by Gwynedd Council 'Wales 2016 Year of Adventure - Snowdonia Mountains & Coast' came to a spectacular conclusion off Abersoch as the 35 strong fleet enjoyed one finalrace in glorious sunshine, big waves and a brisk west-south-westerly of 18-22 knots. Going into the day the only way that second placed Grant Gordon, Kasper Harsberg and Ruihrihd Scott sailing GBR780 Louise could overtake leader Lawrie Smith sailing GBR801 Alfie with Joost Houweling and Adam Bowers was to finish first and hope that Smith finished seventh or worse. Meanwhile Mike Budd, Jeremy Entwistle and Mark Greeves in GBR793 Harry needed to win the race and have Gordon finish seventh or worse to enable them to move up into second.
Smith kept Gordon right where he wanted him on the first run and having ensured he had neutralised the threat Smith let loose and began to make places up through the fleet, leaving Gordon trailing in his wake.
With the final points calculated Lawrie Smith, Joost Houweling and Adam Bowers were declared the Edinburgh Cup 2016 Champions by an eight-point margin - the second time that Lawrie has won this historic trophy. The fight for second went to countback with Gordon and Budd counting 17 points apiece and Gordon just pipping Budd for the second step on the podium.
*|YOUTUBE:[$vid=DWlOreaxpRA, $max_width=500, $title=N, $border=N, $trim_border=N, $ratings=N, $views=N]|*
Round The Rock Race, Sponsored By Virgin Media Business
There was no respite at the end of this tough race as the leaders approached the finish line off Plymouth just after dawn this morning. With the fleet tightly packed together in a light following wind, almost every boat had to repeatedly gybe spinnakers on the final approach.
Some of the closest battles on the water raged between the three largest groups of almost identical boats - the Sunfast 3200s, JPK10.10s and the Sunfast 3600s. Despite the range of ratings between these boats, it counted for little on the water.
Although carrying a much lower rating than sole Class 40 that was still in the race, it was Rob Craigie's Sunfast 3600 Bellino that took line honours at 0719. He was followed shortly afterwards by another SF3600, Ian Hoddle's GameOn.
The leading Class 2 boat, Louis-Marie Dussere's JPK10.10 Raging Bee, was third on the water, finishing at 0836. As well as winning his class by a margin on corrected time ahead of another French competitor - Pierrick Penvan (Sunfast 3200, Zephyrin). Dusserre is also in strong contention to win overall. -- Rupert Holmes
Rolex Presents New York Yacht Club Race Week
The splendor and power of racing sailboats will be on display during New York Yacht Club Race Week Presented by Rolex.
The New York Yacht Club Race Week Presented by Rolex and the Rolex Big Boat Series, hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco (Sept. 15-20), are the two key regattas in the U.S. this summer, supported by Rolex.
Racing began this weekend on Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay. After a break on Monday and Tuesday, racing resumes with one-design and IRC-rated classes Wednesday, July 13, through Saturday, July 16.
Waterfront Brewery To Host 30th Anniversary Quantum Key West Race Week 2017
The 30th anniversary Quantum Key West Race Week has reached an agreement with the Waterfront Brewery to host all shoreside activities for the celebratory regatta, scheduled January 15-20, 2017.
Located in the Key West Historic Seaport and Bight, the Waterfront Brewery opened in 2015 and has a spacious area that will host the nightly awards ceremony and morning weather briefings. Formerly used as a market space, the venue has undergone a complete transformation and is now equipped with four big screen televisions and two projector screens to broadcast the daily video of racing
The new venue in Old Town brings the nightly action back to the waterfront and near where many boats berth during the regatta. Quantum Sails, the international sail making company based in Traverse City, Michigan, is back as title sponsor and entries are building with the regatta still six months away.
Quantum's return is testament to the growth of Key West Race Week in the first year of management by the Storm Trysail Club. Total entries in the 2016 race week grew by 15 percent from the previous year.
The Notice of Race has been posted on YachtScoring.com
Christopher Kelly
Capt. Christopher Kelly, an award-winning multimedia producer and publisher, magazine editor and co-founder of BoatTest.com, died July 5 of lung cancer in Norwalk, Conn. He was 57.
Born May 1, 1959, to Michael and Barbara Kelly, Kelly spent most of his childhood in Rye, N.Y., where his passion for boating was nurtured at the Durland Scout Center. He left Rye to attend Allegheny College, earning a Bachelor of Science degree.
He left magazine publishing in 1999 to create BoatTest.com, one of the first video-based boating websites. His work at BoatTest.com earned him the Innovation Award from the National Marine Manufacturer's Association in 2005 for outstanding contribution to the boating industry.
In the years following, his knowledge of the digital space landed him positions at major publishing companies, including Bonnier and Active Interest Media, serving as vice president/digital for AIM's Marine Group.
At the time of his death, he was founder and managing director of VehiclesTest.com, a video-based site for car shoppers. In his spare time, he taught seamanship in Norwalk.
Kelly is survived by Craig, his wife of 18 years, and their children, Kyle and Lauren Kelly, all of Rowayton.
A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at St. John Church in Darien, Conn.
Featured Brokerage
 |
 |
 |
2008 Satellite 44. 275,000 EUR. Located in Lelystad Salesharbour.
The 'Tyfoon' is a cruiser / racer designed by Satellite Yacht Design / Kees van de Stadt and professional built in epoxy and fiberglass. The result is a very stiff and light body, which gives her excellent sailing characteristics. The yacht has a retractable keel (hydraulic) with variable depth of 2.84 to 1.64 meters.
----------------------------------------------
HH42 - NEW BOAT
Paul Hakes has teamed up with Hudson Yachts to deliver this thoroughly foxy-looking new flush-deck 42-footer. ORCi and HPR versions are now available with different-length keel fins.
Contact
Hakes Marine
Paul Hakes
----------------------------------------------
IRC 52 - NEW BOAT
Utilising Vrolijk's latest TP52 hull but much lighter (7,290kg) without internal ballast, the VPP shows a big performance gain compared to existing TP52 designs - with an upwind improvement of 2% and offwind gains between 3 and 5%...
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas. -- George Bernard Shaw
Editorial and letter submissions to
Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: or see www.scuttlebutteurope.com/advertise.html
Search the Archives
SEARCH
Search
[{{{type}}}] {{{reason}}}
{{/data.error.root_cause}}{{texts.summary}} {{#options.result.rssIcon}} RSS {{/options.result.rssIcon}}
{{/texts.summary}} {{#data.hits.hits}}
{{{_source.title}}} {{#_source.showPrice}} {{{_source.displayPrice}}} {{/_source.showPrice}}
{{#_source.showLink}} {{/_source.showLink}} {{#_source.showDate}}{{{_source.displayDate}}}
{{/_source.showDate}}{{{_source.description}}}
{{#_source.additionalInfo}}{{#_source.additionalFields}} {{#title}} {{{label}}}: {{{title}}} {{/title}} {{/_source.additionalFields}}
{{/_source.additionalInfo}}
