Scuttlebutt Europe #3648

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

Rio Day Two
Day 2 of the Olympic Sailing Competition produced lighter winds more expected at this time of year in Rio, and the south-easterly breezes were mostly around five to seven knots with only occasional moments in double figures.

This made for a challenging opening day for the Finn sailors competing in the Heavyweight Men's One Person Dinghy, who raced two heats on the notoriously fickle Pao de Acucar (Sugar Loaf Mountain) race course.

Men's Windsurfer - RS:X

Nick Dempsey (GBR) continues to lead the Men's Windsurfer competition after another good day on the water, marred only by a 14th place in Race 6. Currently the London 2012 silver medallist leads by a point from the reigning Olympic Champion, Dorian van Rijsselberghe (NED), who has the added benefit of a fifth place as his discard, to Dempsey's 14th. That could be a critical difference later on in the regatta.

Women's Windsurfer - RS:X

It was Flavia Tartaglini's (ITA) turn to rip up the race course in the Women's Windsurfer on day two of competition, the Italian running away with a 1,1,4 scoreline and deposing yesterday's winner, Charline Picon (FRA), from the top of the leaderboard. The French sailor still had a very respectable day in difficult conditions to sit just a point behind the leader.

Women's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial

Last night Lijia Xu (CHN) was disqualified from Race 2 after a successful protest by Paige Railey (USA). But the reigning Olympic Champion bounced back even stronger on day two of competition, scoring 3,1 to retake the overall lead. The Chinese sailor is currently able to discard her disqualification from her scores, but it still means she has to be careful for the rest of the competition.

Men's One Person Dinghy - Laser

Victory for Julio Alsogaray (ARG) in Race 4 has lifted the Argentinean to the top of the leaderboard in the Laser, displacing Tonci Stipanovic (CRO) who now sits in second overall. Sam Meech (NZL) had a very solid day with scores of 5,6 to rise to third overall, just a point behind the Croatian. Best performer of Day 2, however, was Juan Ignacio Maegli (GUA), whose scores of 3,7 lift the Guatemalan to sixth overall.

Robert Scheidt (BRA) is giving his Brazilian fans something to worry about with inconsistent scores of 27,4 to put the five-time Olympic medallist in eighth overall, yet the 43-year-old veteran seems unperturbed and continues to believe he can get on to the podium.

Heavyweight Men's One Person Dinghy - Finn

Vasilij Zbogar overcame the fluky conditions on the Pão de Açucar (Sugar Loaf Mountain) race course to lead the Finn fleet after their opening day of competition. The double Olympic medallist scored 3,1 to lead Alican Kaynar (TUR) by 3 points.

Podium positions after the second day of racing:

RS: X Men
1. Nick Dempsey, GBR, 6.8 points
2. Dorian Van Russelberghe, NED, 10
3. Piotr Myszka, POL, 16
Full results: https://www.rio2016.com/en/sailing-standings-sa-rs-x-men

RS:X Women
1. Flavia Tartaglini, ITA, 12
2. Charline Picon, FRA, 13
3. Stefaniya Elfutina, RUS, 18
Full results: https://www.rio2016.com/en/sailing-standings-sa-rs-x-women

Laser Men
1. Julio Alsogaray, ARG, 7
2. Tonci Stipanovic, CRO, 13
3. Sam Meech, NZL, 14
Full results: https://www.rio2016.com/en/sailing-standings-sa-laser-men

Laser Radial Men
1. Lijia Xu, CHN, 7
2. Annalise Murphy, IRL, 12
3. Tuula Tenkanen, FIN, 13.3
Full results: https://www.rio2016.com/en/sailing-standings-sa-laser-radial-women

Finn
1. Vasilij Zbogar, SLO, 4
2. Alican Kaynar, TUR, 7
3. Facundo Olezza Bazan, ARG, 10
https://www.rio2016.com/en/sailing-standings-sa-finn-men

On Wednesday the RS:X Men's and Women's fleets have a reserve day. Racing continues for the Laser, Laser Radial and Finn; racing begins for the 470 Men, 470 Women and NACRA 17.

Scuttlebutt's Craig Leweck will be following the racing LIVE on World Sailing's Olympic Blog throughout Rio 2016. Follow LIVE here

World Sailing Olympic Website

Twin Debuts
Future Fibres' new ECthree standing rigging solution will make its first public appearance on Nautor's new 50th anniversary ClubSwan 50

Previously, if you wanted lightweight rigging without compromising on safety, Future Fibres' ECsix was your main option. No longer - buyers of a new Southern Spars rig can now opt for ECthree, chosen as the new ClubSwan 50 class rigging, bringing the benefits of multi-strand carbon rigging to yachts that don't require the ultimate performance of ECsix.

Why ECthree?
Future Fibres, Southern Spars' rigging division, has been very successful with ECsix, which has become the world's favourite carbon rigging product. The benefits of the multi-strand carbon configuration are well documented - saving up to 70 per cent of weight compared with traditional Nitronic rod while extending the longevity and durability of composite standing rigging cables. But this high performance came at a price normally not suited to smaller yachts - so Future Fibres decided to take what it knew about carbon rigging and produce a system that better suited yachts with lower performance criteria.

Full article in the September issue of Seahorse:
www.seahorsemagazine.com

Slingsby Ladies Day Trophy At Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes
Hannah Stodel, British Paralympic sailor, has been announced as the winner of the Slingsby Ladies Day Trophy at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. The trophy recognises the outstanding contribution, commitment, or achievement of women in sailing.

The annual Ladies Day returned to Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week on Tuesday 9th August with a number of celebrations culminating in the presentation of the Ladies Day Trophy to Hannah Stodel at an exclusive evening reception held at Northwood House.

The trophy was introduced for the first time in 2006 to champion the role of women in sailing and the sheer number of female competitors racing at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. There are some 8,000 competitors taking part in the regatta this year and around a third of them are female.

Hannah is a British Paralympic sailor who has represented GB three times in the summer Paralympics and, in September 2016, will compete once again with her team mates John Robertson and Steve Thomas representing GB at the Paralympics

www.aamcowesweek.co.uk

Day Four Roundup
Photo by Ingrid Abery, www.ingridabery.com. Click on image for photo gallery.

Today was one of civilised sailing in bright sun in an unstable and gusty north-northwesterly wind that produced gusts of 17 knots for the early starts, but also dropped to as little as 6-10 knots at times.

The conditions created a serious challenge for teams to judge time and distance on the fixed start lines. With the wind further into the north than yesterday the Black Group yachts starting from the Bramble line had a fast reach to East Bramble, their first mark. The boats equipped with Code 0s had an advantage over those who only had more conventional nylon spinnakers in their inventory.

White Group
There was generally less wind closer inshore on the Royal Yacht Squadron line, where the White Group dayboats also had a reaching start, albeit heading west against the tide.

Both the J/70 and SB20 classes completed their seven race mini series today. An emphatic win in his J/70 RAF Benevolent Fund Spitfire ahead of Gordon and Morten Nickel, Nils Farmer and Nick Schlomka's Just in Time sealed Ling's overall win by a single point ahead of Just in Time. Fourth place today for Claire Lasko's Elizabeth put her in third place overall, two points ahead of Ali Hall's J Curve.

A win for David Atkinson's Sweaty Betty In the SB20 Grand Slam today wasn't enough to lift him into a podium position overall. Jerry Hill's Sportsboatworld.com secured his overall win with a second place today, while third place for Carlo Brenco's Un'altra Claudia left him tied on points with John Pollard's Xcellent, with the count back for second place overall resolved in the Italian boat's favour.

The J/80 start at 1045 coincided with a lull in the wind. Wally Walters' Wild Wally was perfectly positioned, almost stemming the tide with her bow next to the outer distance mark, at the gun. She then accelerated away to take a one length lead a little to windward of Kevin Sproul and Chris Taylor's JAT. At the end of the first race JAT held a 105 second advantage on Jon Powell's Betty, with Chris Body's Mocking Jay taking third place one minute later.

www.aamcowesweek.co.uk

Tenth Edition Of The Artemis Challenge
This year's clash of the ocean racing titans will start from the Royal Yacht Squadron line at 0950hrs on Thursday 11th August.

Celebrating a decade of high-octane big boat racing in UK waters, this year marks the tenth edition of the Artemis Challenge - the jewel in the crown of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week.

For 2016 two giant trimarans, Phaedo3 and Concise 10, will take part in the 50 nautical mile sprint around the Isle of Wight in a winner takes all match race.

As well as the £10,000 prize money up for grabs for the winner's charity of choice - Concise 10 is racing for Dreams Come True, while Phaedo3 sails for Great Ormond Street Hospital - the MOD70 teams will be pushing their sails and their sailors to the max in order to beat the round the Isle of Wight World record.

Set in 2012 by French sailing legend Michel Desjoyeaux and his crew aboard the MOD70 Foncia, the current outright world record stands at two hours, 21 minutes and 25 seconds.

www.aamcowesweek.co.uk

Dubarry Crosshaven - 'Race Face' Protection
It's pitch-black. We're on the wind halfway across the Irish Sea, heading for 'The Rock' in a Force 6 - and it's building. On the rail we might look like a troop of Japanese snow monkeys on valium but we've huddled into something like comfort when skip calls the headsail change we've been dreading for the last five minutes. Three minutes later I'm clipped on with my feet on the leeward toerail with an armful of changed foresail when a wave engulfs the foredeck. The water clears and I'm still onboard thanks to the combined efforts of my tether and the stanchion lodged in my crotch. Lucky me.

Sail change over I'm back on the rail but my feet are cold and wet and my enthusiasm for this caper ebbs quickly away, unlike the sea water - the boots were still wet a week after the finish in Plymouth. It's 1989 and, though the stylishly weathered Shamrock boot is much in evidence, the Crosshaven is but a dream. Had I been wearing Crosshavens, the gaiter and drawstring would have kept my feet dry and my race face on. Funny how something so simple can be so incredibly effective.

Dubarry Crosshaven - Born at sea

dubarry.com

Half Tonners Hit The Spot For Irish Sailing
With the confirmation that Kinsale Yacht Club will be hosting the Half Ton Classic Worlds from August 14th to 18th 2017, Irish interest will intensify further in a class which already attracts much favourable attention. W M Nixon tells us more about a popular boat type which will have a defending champion from Ireland when the Worlds get under way in Falmouth in Cornwall in a week's time.

"Regardless" would be on most people's short list for the greatest Irish racing yacht ever, yet Robert Dix remembers the previous season with Swuzzlebubble with even more enthusiasm. So it's intriguing that at next week's Henri Lloyd Half Ton Classics Worlds, the new wave of Irish Classic Half Ton sailors will be taking on Swuzzlebubble for the first time.

The story of her re-birth is typical of the modern revival of the very best of the old Ton Cup boats, with the One Ton Championship itself being revived for its Golden Jubilee in New Zealand in 2015 with a classic fleet. As for Swuzzlebubble, she was discovered in a very poor way indeed in a Greek boatyard in 2012, but was brought back to life by the King of Cowes, Peter Morton, who duly won the Half Ton Classics Worlds in Brittany in 2014 with her.

However, Swuzzlebubble wasn't campaigned in the 2015 series in Belgium, when Dave Cullen took the trophy for Ireland with Checkmate XV. So there has been an air of unfinished business about these two rather special boats floating about the ocean without actually locking horns, but that's all going to be changed in Falmouth.

In fact, it has become Howth versus Falmouth, as Swuzzlebubble is now Falmouth-owned by Gregory Peck who, in a very varied sailing career, was one of the crew with Dickie Gomes aboard the 83ft catamaran Novanet when a new Round Ireland Record was established in November 1986, but that's another story altogether.

However, in Falmouth there'll be other boats involved too, as the word is they might muster as many as 30 entries, which is as big a fleet as anyone could reasonably wish for.

WM Nixon's article in Afloat:
afloat.ie/blogs/sailing-saturday-with-wm-nixon/

halftonclassicscup.com

Wild Oats XI Demolishes Her Own Race Record
In what was a remarkable display of high speed offshore sailing, the Oatley family's supercharged supermaxi, Wild Oats XI, has demolished the course record time she set in the Brisbane to Keppel race in 2011.

After covering the 348 nautical mile course at an average speed of 21 knots, the 30-metre long, recently reconfigured yacht confirmed she is still a benchmark in offshore sailing. Propelled by a solid south-easterly wind over the entire course, she covered the distance in less than 17 hours; a performance that saw her carve almost 7hrs 30mins off her previous record time.

The Keppel race was the first chance Wild Oats XI's skipper Mark Richards and his 19-man crew have had to test the yacht since her hull was dramatically modified late last year. The rig has also been refined significantly in recent months.

Launched in 2005, Wild Oats XI is the most successful yacht in the 71-year history of the Rolex Sydney-Hobart race. She has been first to finish on eight occasions, set a course record twice and won on corrected time on two occasions. In a hypothetical scenario, should Wild Oats XI achieve a similar average speed in this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart race she will demolish her current race record time by more than 12 hours.

Wild Oats XI's next challenge will come at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week starting August 20. -- Rob Mundle

www.brisbanetokeppel.com

High Winds Delay Lysekil Women's Match
Gale force winds are giving the organizers of the Lysekil Women's Match, the 2nd event on the 2016 WIM Series, a headache. Tuesday's scheduled start of the round-robin had to be postponed until Wednesday morning.

Winds as strong as during Monday and Tuesday are not very common on the Swedish west coast in early August. In Lysekil Women's Match a whole day of racing has been lost only once before, since the premiere in 2004:

Skippers in the 2016 Lysekil Women's Match (name, nationality, world ranking July 13):

Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby, DEN, 1
Anna Ostling, SWE, 2
Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 4
Pauline Courtois, FRA, 5
Stephanie Roble, USA, 6
Marinella Laaksonen, FIN, 7
Sanna Hager, SWE, 15
Lotte Meldgaard, DEN, 16
Alexa Bezel, SUI, 22
Johanna Bergqvist, SWE, 30

wimseries.com

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