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

Swiss Win Opening Day In The NACRA 17
It was a game of two halves on day three of the Olympic Sailing Competition, with the inshore courses forcing the sailors to make the best of a light-wind lottery. Out to sea it couldn't have been more different, with the Niteroi and Copacabana courses offering up high winds and mountainous waves. The Sugarloaf course made for a wildly unpredictable but entertaining debut for the new Mixed Multihull event.

Mixed Multihull - Nacra 17

Matias Buhler and Nathalie Brugger (SUI) emerged top of the rankings after two opening races for the Nacra 17 on the notoriously tricky Pao de Acucar (Sugarloaf Mountain) race course. The Swiss are on equal points with Ben Saxton and Nicola Groves (GBR), with Santiago Lange and Cecilia Carranza Saroli (ARG) holding third overall.

The four-time World Champions Billy Besson and Marie Riou (FRA) had a worrying first day and sit in 17th place in the 20-boat fleet. Besson is carrying a severe long-term back injury and is struggling even to walk any distance, so one can only imagine the pain he is suffering to compete on board the athletic Nacra 17.

Men's Two Person Dinghy - 470

Through all the crazy unpredictability of the courses closer to shore, such as on the Escola Naval (Navy School) course, somehow the reigning World Champions from Croatia picked their way through the melee. Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic (CRO) have notched up a 1,2 for their opening scores, and are living up to their billing as the main threat to Australia's defence of the Olympic title from London 2012.

Women's Two Person Dinghy - 470

Ai Kondo Yoshida and Miho Yoshioka (JPN) put together a very good first day on the very fluky Escola Naval (Navy School) course, the Japanese holding a two point lead over the defending Olympic Champions, Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie (NZL). Tina Mrak and Veronika Macarol (SLO) hold third place ahead of the Brazilians.

Women's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial

Annalise Murphy (IRL) has always loved the strong breeze and big waves and the Irish sailor took full advantage with some good scores to move into the overall lead. However, Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN) had an even better day with scores of 3,1 to move to within a point of Murphy. Just a point behind the Dane is the London 2012 silver medallist, Marit Bouwmeester (NED).

It wasn't such a good outing for the reigning Olympic Champion Lijia Xu (CHN), whose scores of 8,12 have dropped the Chinese sailor down to fifth overall. An even bigger casualty was Evi van Acker (BEL), whose scores of 16,15 have dropped the 2012 bronze medallist to tenth overall. With just four races before the Medal Race, time is running out for van Acker to get back in contention.

Men's One Person Dinghy - Laser

Tonci Stipanovic (CRO) is back in charge of the leaderboard after Julio Alsogaray (ARG) tumbled down the order with a 24th followed by a UFD disqualification for crossing the start line too early. The big winner of the day was reigning World Champion Nick Thompson (GBR) who charged up the rankings with a 2,1 and now sits in second overall, two points in front of another star performer of the day, Rutger van Schaardenburg (NED). Robert Scheidt (BRA) is just four points off the podium, the Brazilian within striking distance of winning a record sixth Olympic medal.

Heavyweight Men's One Person Dinghy - Finn

Giles Scott (GBR) seized the day, revelling in the high winds and mighty waves on the Niteroi course. The four-time and reigning World Champion leapt up from tenth overall to the top of the leaderboard after a second place followed by victory in the next. -- Andy Rice - World Sailing

Podium positions after Wednesday's Racing

RS: X Men
1. Nick Dempsey, GBR, 9 points
2. Dorian Van Russelberghe, NED, 10
3. Piotr Myszka, POL, 16
Full results

RS:X Women
1. Flavia Tartaglini, ITA, 12
2. Charline Picon, FRA, 13
3. Stefaniya Elfutina, RUS, 18
Full results

Laser Men
1. Tonci Stipanovic, CRO, 26
2. Nick Thompson, GBR, 35
3. Rutger Van Schaardenburg, NED, 27
Full results

Laser Radial Women
1. Annalise Murphy, IRL, 19
2. Anne-Marie Rindom, DEN, 20
4. Marit Bouwmeester, NED, 21
Full results

Finn
1. Giles Scott, GBR, 6
2. Vasilij Zbogar, SLO, 11
3. Alican Kaynar, TUR, 3
Full results

470 Men
1. Sime Fantela / Igor Marenic, CRO, 3
2. Mathew Belcher / Will Ryan, AUS, 9
3. Paul Snow-Hansen / Daniel Willcox, NZL, 12
Full results

470 Women
1. Ai Kondo Yoshida / Miho Yoshioka, JPN, 5
2. Tina Mrak / Veronika Macarol, SLO, 8
3. Annie Haeger / Briana Provancha, USA, 10
Full results

NACRA 17
1. Matias Buhler / Nathalie Brugger, SUI, 7
2. Ben Saxton / Nicola Groves, GBR, 7
3. Santiago Lange / Cecilia Carranza Saroli, ARG, 13
Full results

Racing Thursday continues in NACRA 18, Finn, RS:X Men, RS:X Women, 470 Men, 470 Women. 49er Men and 49er Women get underway on Friday.

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 - www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016/

The Rookie Beats Worlds #1
Wednesday at lunchtime the racing at Lysekil Women's Match, the 2nd event on the 2016 WIM Series, finally got going on the Swedish west coast. Halfway into the round-robin, local hope Anna Ostling is the undefeated leader. But her fellow club member of the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club, the rookie Johanna Bergqvist, totally stole the show on the water, by beating World #1 and five time Lysekil winner, Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby of Denmark.

With her 19 years, Swede Johanna Bergqvist is the youngest skipper in Lysekil Women's Match. In her Team X, the oldest crewmember is 22. All have dinghy backgrounda, and all are beginners in match racing since just a year or so ago. They were ranked #117 in the world, participating in Lysekil Women's Match through a wildcard. This year they have indeed climbed to #30 on the world ranking, but they still needed a wildcard to sneak into the Lysekil event as the lowest ranked crew.

Halfway into the round-robin Swede Anna Ostling is leading on a 5 - 0 score, while Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby shares the runner-up position with Stephanie Roble, USA, on three wins and one loss.

The round-robin of the Lysekil Women's Match continues Thursday. The event will conclude Saturday with semis and final.

Standings in the round-robin of the Lysekil Women's Match, the 2nd event on the 2016 WIM Series (skipper, nationality, wins - losses):

1. Anna Ostling, SWE, 5 - 0
2. Camilla Ulrikkeholm Klinkby, DEN, 3 - 1
2. Stephanie Roble, USA, 3 - 1
4. Caroline Sylvan, SWE, 3 - 2
5. Lotte Meldgaard, DEN, 2 - 2
5. Johanna Bergqvist, SWE, 2 - 2
7. Pauline Courtois, FRA, 1 - 3
7. Sanna Hager, SWE, 1 - 3
7. Alexa Bezel, SUI, 1 - 3
10. Marinella Laaksonen, FIN, 0 - 4

www.wimseries.com

Seahorse September 2016
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine

The other side of the coin
Colman Colman will be racing this year's Vendee Globe but not on a mega budget. The 'other' story makes for an interesting read

Twin debuts
The arrival of the ClubSwan50 is accompanied by the launch of an accessible high-tech rigging system

Electrifying
Look at the numbers and an electrical powertrain starts to make increasingly good sense for raceboats as much as for racer-cruisers

Standalone
Expect the dramatic new Melges 40 to become a genuine market disrupter. Adolfo Carrau

Creating (and living) the dream
Soaking up lessons from the Ultim fleet the best performance cats are becoming ever more racy

Special rates for Scuttlebutt Europe subscribers:
Seahorse Print or Digital Subscription Use Discount Promo Code SB2

1yr Print Sub: €77 - £48 - $71 / Rest of the World: £65 www.seahorse.co.uk/shop/subs/

1yr Digital Sub for £30: www.seahorse.co.uk/shop/digital

Discounts shown are valid on a one year subscription to Seahorse magazine.

Future Of Sailing - It Could Involve Flying
It sounds like a typically French romantic contradiction, and it is delivered with a shrug, as if it's plainly obvious and anyone who doesn't see it is simply foolish. "The future of sailing is not floating, you know," says Sebastien Rogues. "The future of sailing is flying."

This powerfully built 30-year-old Frenchman should know.

When he was 'floating' - in his case, in Class 40 offshore single-hulled racers in which he won the Rolex Fastnet and the prestigious Transat Jacques Vabre - Rogues was proving himself one of the more gifted sailors of his generation.

But he turned his back on all that three years ago to go 'flying', setting up his own team with the support of his long-time backers, the French energy company Engie, to compete in the GC32 Racing Tour.

"My ambition with Engie is to do a beautiful season, make good progress, and then create something beyond, another project."

Rogues' dream is to combine his present with his past.

He wants to create a foiling catamaran that will claim the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe. The current record stands at 45 days 13 hours 42 minutes 53 seconds, set by another Frenchman, Loick Peyron, in a 130ft trimaran.

"Why not?" he says, with another shrug. "I miss offshore racing. I am here to learn how to fly, because it is the future. My dream is to fly around the world. I think it is possible." -- Tim Gow

www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/697776/Sebastien-Rogues-Rio-2016-Olympics-Sport-News-Brazil-Sailing-France

Vincent Riou: A New Wing Mast For PRB
The summer's been fairly quiet for Vincent Riou, his project being bang on schedule. PRB is about to benefit from a brand new wing mast and then the boat-skipper pairing will be up and running again in time for the classic Pôle France training sessions in Port-la-Forêt, Brittany, in late August.

We understand that you're having a new mast made for PRB...

"Yes, that quite right! It's not exactly a revolution, as the new mast we've had manufactured is very similar to the previous one. Originally, we had a mast that was the oldest of the fleet and we'd detected a few issues with it related to wear. We still competed in the transatlantic races with it and things went pretty well. However, it was important to set sail on the Vendée Globe with a new one. I haven't really spoken much about it, because there isn't really any competition between the teams on that score, given that the masts are now one-designs.

When will PRB's refit be complete?

"The end of the refit is scheduled for 8 August and then we'll link straight onto the class measurement on 9 and 10 August and by 15 August we'll already be in full working order. The idea is to do the calibrations and trials, particularly with regards the sails, before taking part in the first of the Pôle France Course Au Large's training sessions in Port-la-Forêt, Brittany, which is scheduled for the end of August.

Interview: www.vendeeglobe.org

New Zealand Takes The Koch Cup
Just over 80 Sea Scouts from 10 different countries set sail over Long Beach waters to compete in the William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup, which concluded on Friday. Sponsored by Oxbow Carbon LLC, the week-long biannual Sailing Regatta brought together young adults from around the world with a passion for the seafaring sport.

The 2016 winners of the Koch Cup, which took place next to the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier, were Nicholas Gardiner, 17, and Nicholas Williams, 15 from Blenheim, New Zealand, the first international team to win the regatta

Long Beach's hometown team of Peter Sangmeister, 14, and Trent Turigliatto, 17, who competed as part of the Koch Cup fleet, earned an impressive second placement.

This year's Sea Scout Cup participants ranged in age from 14 years of age to 20, with seven of the participating teams composed of siblings. Teams traveled to Long Beach from as far as Brazil, Germany, Australia, Norway, Ireland and South Africa. -- Asia Morris in the Long Beach Post

https://lbpost.com

seascoutcup.org

Focus On A Positive America's Cup Legacy
The America's Cup will ensure that 2017 will be a big year for tourism, but the Bermuda Tourism Authority is working to ensure long-term benefits for the island.

David Dodwell, BTA chairman, said that while bookings are already strong for the event and the surrounding period, it is vital to keep the momentum going.

Jessica Mello said the island is already an ideal destination for superyachts, noting not only its mid-Atlantic location but it's rich culture.

"Look at St George's," she said. "It's a World Heritage Site. It's the sort of thing you would see in a restored historic theme park environment in the US, but ours is real. You can pull your yacht up here and be here for a week in a town built in the 1600s. It's amazing. And you're safe and you can explore and no one is going to bother you, even if you are a billionaire.

"One of the things that makes it hard for us is there is a lot of red tape for a superyacht to be here, so we are working with the Government so we can reduce some of that red tape. That's one of the things that could create an amazing legacy. -- Owain Johnston-Barnes

www.royalgazette.com

Dragon Gold Cup
Hornbaek Boat Club, the Royal Danish Yacht Club and Hellerup Sailing Club have the pleasure of hosting theﾠ2016 Dragon Gold Cup in Hornbaek, Denmark from August 25 - September 2, 2016.

Hornbaek Marina, which is the venue for the event, is perched at the north-facing top of the capital island of Zealand, at the southern end of the Kattegat. Famed for its sandy beaches and ideal sailing conditions, the Hornbaek area is often dubbed Scandinavia's Riviera.

Prevailing north and northwesterlies, interesting currents and few windless days have made the area a favoured sailing location for Dragons in particular.ﾠThe venue has previously hosted the Dragon Worlds and both Danish and open Dragon championships, asﾠwell as national championships for several other classes.

NOR and other information: www.dgc2016.com

Featured Brokerage

2005 Bavaria 42 Match. 50,000 EUR. Located in Lelystad, Netherlands.

The Bavaria 42 match is a purpose-built cruiser-racer with longer lead keel, larger main sail, and a modern design and comfort. This yacht represents a perfect blend of performance and comfort.The Bavaria 42 match yacht compliments comfort requirements and racing performance. The light hull is versatile and slick with a modified keel shape with excellent handling in even the most difficult waters. The Bavaria 42 match has proven itself in racing with many victories!

Details

Contact

----------------------------------------------

McConaghy Boats MC 38. 309,000 USD.

The MC38 delivers high performance racing in a One Design Class. Designed for international, inter-state or inter-club racing, the MC38 has a removable Carbon keel-fin for ease of transport. McConaghy build and finish quality ensure strong, fast and identical boats for maximum racing, without the need for maximum crew. Strict One Design Class - No arms race

Details

Contact
Sam Pearson - Ancasta Port Hamble

----------------------------------------------

STRAVAGANZA

Super Fast Jo Richards 42' Open Racer
Super kanting keel boat ready for bulb flying
Full sail inventory for light and heavy wind condition

Details

NikyMosca
Tel: +377 97 70 31 36
Mob: +39.335.377001
Email:

See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/

The Last Word
It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small. -- Neil Armstrong

Editorial and letter submissions to

Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: or see www.scuttlebutteurope.com/advertise.html