Scuttlebutt Europe #2102 - 28 May
Brought to you by Boats.com Europe, Yachtworld.com Europe, 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 Sweden and New Zealand Are Tied at La Maddalena Emirates Team New Zealand won two races today at the Louis Vuitton Trophy La Maddalena to end the day first equal on points with Sweden's Artemis, each with 4-1 records. In other competition the Swedish boat skippered by Paul Cayard and steered by Terry Hutchinson lost today, the first time since the regatta in Sardinia started. Crews in the ten international teams spent another long day on the water with the first race starting soon after 0900 and the last not finishing until 1730. There was wind all day from the west, shifty and with big speed changes on different parts of the course. There were gusts up to 20 knots near the weather mark. The shape of the scoreboard changed in the first four races as the Kiwis, third equal yesterday with two points, deftly dispatched Azzurra and then ALEPH Sailing Team to claim second place. In the fourth race Mascalzone Latino trounced Artemis to advance Team New Zealand to first equal. Mascalzone Latino slammed the door on Artemis with a strategy the Italian team had been refining for some time. "The guys on the boat made a great call for the left side and Gavin did a beautiful job of executing that," said tactician Morgan Larson. "We spent a lot of time this morning talking about Terry Hutchinson's weaknesses in the prestart. I think Gavin exploited that weakness. It was very close. Terry was really close to getting an overlap with us that would have shifted everything. If they got an overlap they would have got the left and probably won the race." Provisional win-loss leaderboard after Thursday racing =1. Artemis, 4-1, 4 points * Penalties deducted by Jury/Umpires Vuelta A Espana A Vela From 12th to 30th June, Safran and her skipper Marc Guillemot will be taking part in the first edition of the sailing race around Spain, reserved exclusively for IMOCA 60'. This new event is raced by a crew of five, including the skipper. From Hondarribia (near Hendaye) to Barcelona, this "Vuelta a Espana a Vela" has a 1750-mile course to be completed in six legs. There are a series of short stretches lasting just a day with around a hundred miles of sailing, and longer stretches (up to 850 miles), which will require one or more nights at sea. This middle-distance race around the Iberian Peninsula is the ideal way to test the modifications made to the boat during her winter refit. Another advantage is that during the second fortnight of June, Safran will be facing Vincent Riou's brand new PRB, which was built using the same mould and by the same team of designers (VPLP-Verdier). At the end of the race, Marc Guillemot will take advantage of the return delivery trip by sailing ...solo. Once the boat has been brought out to the Atlantic coast by the crew, Marc Guillemot will be alone for the delivery back to La Trinite-sur-Mer, the boat's home port. "Once again, this will be an excellent way to take advantage of what we learn during the race around Spain and to train for the Route du Rhum." The Round Spain Race: The crews registered for this event are Vincent Riou (PRB) ; Alex Pella and Pepe Ribes (Estrella Damm) ; Pachi Rivero and Antonio Piris (W Hotels) ; Francisco Palacio and Juan Merediz (Mutua Madrinela) and Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez. www.safransixty.com Ullman Sails Welcomes New Lofts on the Gulf of Finland Invest in your performance. European Champion Gaspic Takes Only Race at Delta Lloyd Regatta After a long wait all day for the other classes to finish and then for the wind to make a reappearance, the Finn fleet at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in Medemblik got in one early evening, testing race with 6-8 knots of wind and large shifts. Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO), the European Champion, took the race win from class newcomer Vasilij Zbogar (SLO) and Gasper Vincec (SLO). The top two from yesterday, Rafa Trujillo (ESP) and Zach Railey (USA) didn't fare any better finishing one place either side of the Pole. Railey said, "There were huge shifts and major pressure differences in the race today and it did not go my way." One slightly older face at Medemblik this year is the 1996 Finn Bronze medalist Roy Heiner (NED). After jumping back into a Finn at the 2009 Dutch Open, he won the event and is now back for more. "Once a Finn sailor, always a Finn sailor!" He said, "I hadn't touched a Finn since the last race in Savannah that gave me the Bronze medal. I was not sure what to expect but it all came back to me, in fact it was still in me. The mechanism, the sensations, the feel for the boat...actually Finn sailing is far more enjoyable nowadays: no weight jacket, softer hull, the boat is more lively, easier to sail and so much fun. I enjoyed so much sailing the Finn at the Dutch Open that I couldn't resist coming and racing here. Of course the level is much higher and I have no idea if I will be competitive. I am not a fast sailor, I am tactical, I love racing but I need much more training. The downwind techniques have evolved and I am slow especially when it is light." Reflecting on his comeback to Olympic sailing, he said, "Hard to say now. I have to see how I sail against the new generation. Surely the Finn remains an amazing boat to sail. It is easy and fun." Heiner currently sits in 39th place in a fleet of 61. The Delta Lloyd Regatta continues to Sunday 30th May when the medal races will be held. Finn class results after three races 1. Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic, CRO, 10 Green Light For ICAP Leopard ICAP Leopard's weather router, the internationally renowned Roger "Clouds" Badham, yesterday informed the crew that a suitable weather window will open on Saturday and Chris Sherlock, skipper and boat captain, took the decision to pull the trigger on the record attempt. Throughout the night ICAP Leopard's berth in Newport, Rhode Island has been a hive of activity as final preparations were made, provisions taken onboard and the assembly call was fired out to ICAP Leopard's highly experienced crew of ocean record-breakers. Amongst the crew currently flying to New York are some familiar faces such as Ericsson 4 crewman Guy Salter, experienced watch leader Mark Thomas and veteran navigator Hugh Agnew, but also several new members of the ICAP Leopard team. This newer contingent includes English bowman Freddie Shanks and Aussie watch leader Anthony "Youngster" Merrington, both fresh from the Green Dragon campaign in the 2008-9 Volvo Ocean Race. Also onboard will be world-renowned ocean racing experts Justin "Juggy" Clougher, Michael Joubert and Guillermo Altadill who have amassed no fewer than 11 Whitbred / Volvo Ocean Races between them. Together they will be sure to add considerably to this already highly accomplished crew. The benchmark that ICAP Leopard will be aiming for is the outright monohull west to east transatlantic record of 6 days 17 hours and 52 minutes, set by Mari Cha IV in 2003. This means that ICAP Leopard will have to keep up a fearsome pace but navigator Hugh Agnew is confident that they have the weather for it. Edmond De Rothschild Group Leads The Way There was no observation round for the men of Gitana Team. Instead they made the most of the three races run this afternoon to power through to the top spot on the provisional podium in Sete. Tomorrow, Friday, the racing will continue and the first session will set off from near the Saint-Louis jetty shortly after 1330 hrs. -- translated by Kate Jennings Provisional ranking for the Grand Prix of Sete on 27th May (after 3 races) www.extremesailingserieseurope.com Seahorse June 2010 (Auckland) through the looking glass... No finger pointing Steel yourself Mixed messages If you haven't subscribed to Seahorse already we're keen to help you attend to that! - Please use the following promotional link and enjoy the hefty Scuttlebutt Europe discount... and it gets even better for 2 and 3 year subscriptions... From The "Not Sailing But Cool" Files... Opportunity's twin rover, Spirit, began working on Mars three weeks before Opportunity. However, Spirit has been out of communication since March 22. If it awakens from hibernation and resumes communication, that rover will attain the Martian surface longevity record. Spirit's hibernation was anticipated, based on energy forecasts, as the amount of sunshine hitting the robot's solar panels declined during autumn on Mars' southern hemisphere. Unfortunately, mobility problems prevented rover operators from positioning Spirit with a favorable tilt toward the north, as during the first three winters it experienced. The rovers' fourth winter solstice, the day of the Martian year with the least sunshine at their locations, was Wednesday, May 12 (May 13 Universal time). Unless dust interferes, which is unlikely in the coming months, the solar panels on both rovers should gradually generate more electricity. Operators hope that Spirit will recharge its batteries enough to awaken from hibernation, start communicating and resume science tasks. -- NASA, marsrover.nasa.gov/newsroom/ Industry News Exterior styling, engineering, and naval architecture for Nazenin V was completed by Sparkman & Stephens, while Redman, Whitely, Dixon of the UK created the graceful blond teak interior. Project Manager Paul Johnson, also brought years of experience and invaluable expertise to the project. The culmination of five years of design development, engineering, and construction has led to a world-class superyacht that exceeds the owner's strict requirements for comfort, safety, performance and tasteful simplicity in every way. Special congratulations to RMK Yachts for their outstanding execution.-- sparkmanandstephens.com * Audi is a new partner to Stena Match Cup Sweden, Stage 5 of the 2010 ISAF World Match Racing Tour (WMRT). With the new sponsorship, Audi strengthens its engagement in sailing also in Sweden. For several years, Audi has focused its sponsor investments in sailing internationally, for example as title sponsor in Audi MedCup and as partner in Kieler Woche. Stena Match Cup Sweden is one of the largest public sailing events in the world and a great opportunity to establish the international sponsor strategy in Sweden with the World Match Racing Tour. "Sailing is a favoured sport to many of our customers. Our engagement in Stena Match Cup Sweden gives us a possibility to strengthen Audi's presence on the west coast as well as providing a good platform to meet with our customers", said Niklas Henning, Event and Sponsor Manager, Audi Sverige. The branding concept for the Audi boat in Stena Match Cup Sweden 2010 follows the same guidelines as Audi MedCup and Kieler Woche and is part of the Audi A1-launch. -- www.wmrt.com * The Bermuda Race Organizing Committee has named West Marine as an official supplier for the 47th Newport Bermuda Race. On May 28, West Marine opens its new Newport Flagship West Marine store at 379 West Main Road in Middletown, RI. Almost three times larger than West Marine's former store on Connell Highway, the new store has a significantly larger inventory and a full-service rigging shop. The store is also home to two other West Marine operations, Port Supply and Professional Captain's Services. The new store will provide free transportation for Newport Bermuda Race sailors between the Newport waterfront and the store during the week before the race start on June 18. * Glyn Purnell, the UKLA's Masters' organizer, is delighted to announce that for the second successive year the Masters' National Championships will be sponsored by Zhik, the international performance clothing & equipment company. Following their very successful introduction at the Pevensey Bay championships in 2009 Zhik are continuing their association with the event. The Championships will be at Stokes Bay S.C. between 2nd & 4th July and with the World Masters' Championships at Hayling Island in September, when over 400 Masters' sailors from 40 + countries are expected to compete, the number of UK sailors attending Stokes Bay is also expected to be very high. All competitors not yet entered are reminded that a Late Entry Surcharge will apply to all entries received after 18th June. The Notice of Race and Entry Form can be found on the UKLA website Calendar page, www.laser.org.uk * Fourteen marine surveyor members attended the Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association (YDSA) course on LPG gas systems. The intensive one day training led by Paul Smith, an Accredited YDSA member, of Narrowboat Surveys Ltd, is designed for recently qualified surveyors as well as a refresher for those with more experience. Areas covered included an understanding of LPG systems for surveying, current regulations and standards and how they relate to gas installations. The course is one of many the YDSA is running throughout 2010. Other seminars and workshops during the year will cover topics including materials, safety regulations, wooden boat surveys, report writing and MCA coding. The association has a reputation for high training standards, a dependable code of practice along with promoting continuing professional development. There are up to 20 places on each course with Affiliate members enjoying two free events for the first three years of membership. Delegates will also be credited with up to three CDP points on selected courses. Experienced surveyor Keith Millet of Bureau Maritime in Maldon commented on the Gas course held at YDSA's head office in Petersfield: 'The course content and presentation was excellent. Many long standing ideas about gas systems were totally revised. I know I will be looking at things in a different light. Gas is potentially dangerous onboard and is a very important aspect of surveying.' For more information about all the courses running throughout the year log onto www. ydsa.co.uk, email or contact Kay Greenwood on 01730 266430 * The seizure of Flavio Briatone's 63m yacht Force Blue has sent set alarm bells ringing among superyacht owners considering Italy as a summer destination, according to a report in the Financial Times. The FT says Italy's tax police - the Guardia di Finaza - is now looking into three other cases of superyacht tax evasion. "Our advice to clients is to be very wary of Italy and check carefully with advisers before engaging in charter activity there," London lawyer, Quentin Bargate, of Bargate Murray, is quoted as saying. "The situation right now is that even a well-run and properly structured yacht business might be targeted for something as routine and normal as flying a Cayman flag." It is believed that the purge is mainly against Italian owners rather than foreigners but the danger here is that it could seriously impact on the benefit superyachts bring to Italy's economy. -- www.ibinews.com Letters To The Editor - * From Roger Johnstone: Surely "what's up with Team Origin" (Short Tacks in #2100) certainly includes the pressure of great expectations ? Nice was a lottery; LV Auckland saw some very fine sailing spoiled by admittedly unforced errors and "only mid-fleet" at Cascais was down to one really bad race in a brand new boat. This is no re-run of the White Crusader and Wight Lightning sagas, although they too suffered from excessive shoreside expectations. Team Origin's potential is so clearly there; disappointment at their story-so-far is natural - but premature. Featured Brokerage Reichel/Pugh Yacht Design and Stallion Marine are proud to announce that the first two yachts in a limited production run of this exciting new 42' semi-custom design are already turning heads and starting to score top results after their recent launch. Hull #1 Peter Harbourg's BlackJack Too was 2nd IRC Corrected Overall and 3rd Corrected in IRC Class 1 in the 2010 Queensland IRC Championships. Hull #2 Anthony Dunn's Equinox II is currently undergoing sea trials and preparing for the new racing season in Australia. The builder is now available to start receiving new orders and the design office is always available to discuss and tailor each yacht to the specific needs of each client. Price (ex GST) includes Harken deck equipment and Southern Spars rig. Please contact our office for up to date pricing and more detailed information. Brokerage through Reichel/Pugh Yachts: www.yachtworld.com/reichelpugh/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at uk.yachtworld.com The Last Word |
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