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Charles Stanley Cowes Classics Week
Racing For Tempest Worlds And A Dozen Other Classes Gets Underway
Today's (Tuesday's) racing in Charles Stanley Cowes Classics Week got off to a cracking start on the Solent as all classes competed to be the overall winner of the Winkworth Cup. Every type of weather presented itself through the day from sunshine to severe rain, and windless holes to the 35 knot gust witnessed in the Daring fleet.
Today was the opening of four days of racing for the Tempest class who are using Cowes Classics as their 2016 World Championship. Competitors came from Switzerland, Germany, France and Austria as well as Ullswater in the UK.
Sharing a start were the majestic 6 metre and 8 metre classes, a truly classic representation of yachts built between 1926 and 1947, who were first away in their flights. Following behind came the 14 Darings, the majority of which were built in the 1960s and 70s, and who are well used to sailing as a tight fleet.
Four Vintage Dragons, entered as a class for the first time in the event, shared a start and course with the Flying Fifteens, who indeed flew around the course - and the National Swallows.
Cruiser classes which included the S&S Swans, Old Gaffers and SCODs raced over a longer Solent course.
The Classic Cruisers use the KLR Formula handicapping system which originated in Germany in 1994, and is favoured by traditional cruising yachts.
The plan is to get a series of eight races in between now and Friday when the event finishes.
Transatlantic Quebec-St Malo Expressway
Fresh from setting a new Round Ireland record in June, Musandam-Oman Sail have set their sights on another milestone record in the Transat Quebec-St Malo (TQSM) with a match against the world's largest trimaran Spindrift 2 expected to push them to the limit.
The Omani MOD70 - which at 70 foot (21m) is almost half the size of Spindrift 2 (130ft/40m) and will be crewed by seven fewer sailors - will leave Quebec in Canada on Wednesday at 1500 local time and head out on the 2,897 nm (5365 km) course across the North Atlantic to St Malo in France with the aim of breaking the existing record of 7 days 20 hours and 24 minutes set in 1996 by Loïck Peyron.
The forecast for the passage looks favourable for a new record and the prospect of a battle against Spindrift 2 was creating a real buzz among French skipper, Sidney Gavignet's crew of Damian Foxall, Fahad Al Hasni, Alex Pella and new crewmember Mayeul Riffet, as they prepared for the off.
"Spindrift 2 is wider than we are long!" commented Gavignet who has completed three TQSM races in his career.
"We have beaten them in the past during the Round Britain and Ireland where there are lots of corners, but an Atlantic crossing is more like an Autobahn and with a speed difference of up to 5 knots, they will be very hard to beat.
"They should beat Loïck Peyron's record and Musandam-Oman Sail also has a chance to finish ahead of 7 days, 20 hours and 24 minutes."
Before the David and Goliath match begins on the open seas, the team will have to navigate the spectacular St Lawrence River which is dotted with sand banks, logs and various whales and is regarded as a navigator's challenge.
The Transat Quebec-St Malo 'Ultime Class' start is at 1500 local time on Wednesday 13 July.
Extreme Latitudes Only: Alioth's 5-Year Plan
In late 2015, childhood friends Vincent Moeyersoms, Olivier Moeyersoms, and Marc Vander Stricht bought the 53' aluminum, French-designed exploration sailboat, Alioth.
With a new set of North Sails Paneled Laminate (NPL) heavy-duty cruising sails, the crew have set off on a five-year expedition that will take them from the Lofoten islands to the Northwest Passage and back to Europe again.
"The purpose that we all share is to access places where one cannot normally go by boat, no charters available, those that are less explored and, coincidentally and fantastically, at extreme latitudes."
Follow the journey with North Sails Waterlogs: www.northsails.com/water-logs
Top South Coast Sailors Line Up For 2016 Royal Lymington Cup
This weekend (July 16/17) some of the best sailors on the South coast will be racing to win the 2016 Royal Lymington Cup, a two-boat team, IRC team inter-club championship (for an IRC rating band of 0.95 to 1.10 TC) hosted by the Royal Lymington Yacht Club (RLymYC) in the open waters of Christchurch Bay. Ten boats, five high profile teams with top class competitive crews will battle it out to win the Cup for their Club.
Teams
Peter Morton owner of JND35 "Salvo" and winner of both the IRC National Championships and Cowes Week Class 3 2015 and David Franks, owner of JPK 10.10 "Strait Dealer", winner of Class 4 at Cowes Week will compete for the Royal Thames Yacht Club.
Adam Gosling, owner of "Yes!" a JPK1080 will race alongside RORC Admiral Andrew McIrvine in his First 40, "La Response" for the Royal Yacht Squadron.
Representing Poole Yacht Club is skipper Ian Millard helming Jim McGregor's chartered "Premier Flair" (Elan 410) and yacht designer, Steve Thompson racing "Eluga II" (Elan 333).
Challenging for Royal Lymington Yacht Club will be Stuart Duffin in Grand Surprise, "Flying Boat" racing along with "Ding Dong" a Stewart 37 owned and skippered by Chris Rustom. RlymYC's second team is Martyn Kemp with "JAK" (J105) and David McGough in "Just So" (J109).
rlymyc.org.uk/RoyalLymingtonCup.aspx
A Unique Opportunity To Experience Sailing On An Ac45 In A Special Charity Event!
On Thursday 21st July, ahead of the America's Cup World Series Portsmouth, all six America's Cup teams will be holding a Pro-Am event on the Solent in aid of the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation (ASSF).
This ultimate sailing experience will allow 12 lucky individuals to join the best sailors in the world, on board one of the foiling AC45s as a Guest Racer. Those eligible will be able to bid for this once in a lifetime opportunity to 'fly' around the Solent at incredible speeds of up to 30 knots, passing within feet of the other teams in this special, one-off race event.
Visit www.assf-proam.com to find out more and start bidding. There are 11 places available and you have until Monday 18th July at 12:00 BST. There's one place on board ASSF Trustee Sir Ben Ainslie's Land Rover BAR boat which will end on Wednesday 20th July which you can bid on at www.assf-charityauction.com taking the total to 12 places.
To date, a number of A-list celebrities have been on board as the guest racers, including actors Liam Hemsworth, Alfie Allen and Mark Ruffalo, singer Wyclef Jean and Virgin founder, Richard Branson.
All proceeds from the event will go to the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation to help it improve the lives of young people through sailing, both in the UK and around the world.
To date the ASSF have supported numerous charitable sailing activities internationally, including the Portsmouth Sailing Project, now in its second year. This inspiring project, run in partnership with the 1851 Trust, enables 1,000 children from Portsmouth, who would not normally have access to sailing, to experience the benefits of sailing throughout the summer.
RORC Cowes-Dinard-St.Malo Race
French teams dominated the 2016 RORC Cowes Dinard St Malo Race, with seven classes and the overall win going to French teams. Ironically it was the multihull class, for many years dominated by the French, that Great Britain had its only victory.Tony Lawson's British MOD70 Concise 10, skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield took multihull line honours in an elapsed time of 10 hours 32 minutes 50 seconds and was the winner after time correction.
Lionel Pean's Volvo 70, Sfs II took monohull line honours, in an elapsed time of 14 hours 33 minutes 03 seconds and after time correction was declared the overall winner. Although he grew up in La Rochelle, St Malo was home when Pean skippered L'Esprit d'Equipe to victory in the 1985 Whitbread Round the World Race.
In IRC One, Jacques Pelletier's Milon 41 L'Ange De Milon was the winner, ahead of former RORC Commodore, Mike Greville, racing Ker 39, Erivale III.
In IRC Two, Gilles Fournier's J/133 Pintia, enjoyed their fourth class win of the season.
In IRC Three, Marc Alperovitch's JPK 10.80 Timeline, which will be representing France in the Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup, was the victor.
In IRC Four, Noel Racine JPK 10.10 Foggy Dew was the runaway winner, taking line honours for the class and the corrected time win by several hours.
Halvard Mabire's Class 40 Campagne De France completed the rout for France winning the Class 40 division.
The RORC Season's Points Championship continues with the Channel Race starting on the 30th July from Cowes around marks with a Solent finish, the race will be between 100-140 miles.
Onorato's 'mascalzone Latino' Wins 2016 Melges 32 Europeans
Riva del Garda, Italy - In down-to-the-wire classic Lake Garda, competitive, Melges 32 racing style, the final day of the final act of the 2016 Sailing Series presented an epic challenge. In the end, it was Vincenzo Onorato's Mascalzone Latino that rose to the occasion, winning his second ever Melges 32 European Championship title!
Onorato's team included multiple Melges 32 World Champion tactician Cameron Appleton, and crew Flavio Favini, Stefano Ciampalini, Lorenzo de Felice, Daniele Fiaschi, Filippo La Mantia and Matteo Savelli.
For overnight leader Matteo Balestrero sailing Giogi, it was a hard fought battle from the start to finish as runner-up. Balestrero, new to the fleet in 2016, ends the European sailing season on a very high-note with tactician Andrea Casale, Daniele Cassinari, Francesco di Caprio, Elio Borio, Davide di Maio, Cristiano Gianetti and Leone Taddei.
Finishing third overall, Richard Goransson's Inga From Sweden has won his first ever major Melges 32 Series title. Goransson, along with tactician Vasco Vascotto and crew Giovanni Cassinari, Federico Michetti, Cesare Bozzetti, Marco Carpinello, Gosse de Boer and Alex Sinclair are the 2016 Melges 32 Sailing Series® Champions.
The 2016 U.S. National Championship is up next. Taking place in Newport, RI on August 19-21, the Nationals is one of the best and stacking up to be one of the most fun Melges 32 events of the year. This is a great warm-up event to the forthcoming World Championship hosted by Sail Newport on September 29 - October 2.
Top Five European Championship Results (Final - After Ten Races, One Discard)
1. Vincenzo Onorato/Cameron Appleton, Mascalzone Latino, 38
2. Matteo Balestrero/Andrea Casale, Giogi. 39
3. Richard Goransson/Vasco Vascotto, Inga From Sweden, 41
4. Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio/Branko Brcin, G-SPOT, 49
5. Andrea LaCorte/Carlo Fracassoli, Vitamina, 50
Top Five Results Sailing Series Results (Final - After Four Events, 34 Races)
1. Richard Goransson, Inga From Sweden, 110
2. Matteo Balestrero, Giogi, 115
3. Vincenzo Onorato, Mascalzone Latino, 118
4. Lasse Petterson, Pippa, 136
5. Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio, G-SPOT, 139
Volvo Cork Week Race Report Day Two
Irish Defence Forces Wins Beaufort Cup Fastnet Race
The Irish Defence Forces Team racing J/109 Joker 2, and skippered by Cmdt Barry Byrne, has won the inaugural Beaufort Cup's 140-mile Fastnet Race, held as part of Volvo Cork Week.
Racing continues for the Beaufort Cup with three days of inshore racing but the offshore win has put the team in the driving seat for the new trophy and 10,000 Euros for their nominated charity.
Racing at Volvo Cork Week continues tomorrow with the Beaufort Cup teams joining the faster IRC boats on the Olympic Course southeast of Roches Point. IRC 3&4 and the Sportsboats will tackle the Slalom Course south of Roches Point, whilst all other classes will race in Cork Harbour.
Royal Cork's Paul Gibbons, racing Quarter Tonner Anchor Challenge, scored an impressive victory in The Coastal Race winning by nearly an hour. Anchor Challenge now leads IRC Four, which is proving to be extremely competitive
Royal Cork's Paul Tingle was smiling like a Cheshire Cat after today's Coastal Race, as was his wife Deirdre at the helm of X-34 Alpaca. After a race lasting six hours, Alpaca was the top boat in IRC 3 by under three minutes from John Swan's Half Tonner Harmony from Howth Y
Racing at Volvo Cork Week continues tomorrow with the Beaufort Cup teams joining the faster IRC boats on the Olympic Course southeast of Roches Point. IRC 3&4 and the Sportsboats will tackle the Slalom Course south of Roches Point, whilst all other classes will race in Cork Harbour.
The First America's Cup Aerial Video
Sir Thomas Lipton came closest to winning the America's Cup in 1920 when Shamrock IV won the first two races. In Race 1, defender Resolute retired after a halyard failed and the jaws of the mainsail gaff broke. At 15 seconds into this video you can see Resolute's mainsail flapping. After losing the first two races, Resolute won three in a row to defend the Cup. Resolute's win marked the sixth time a yacht designed by N.G. Herreshoff and built by Herreshoff Manufacturing defended the America's Cup. -- with a tip of the hat to Jack Griffin
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