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Artemis Leads and BMW Oracle Racing Leaves
Photo by Sander van der Borch / Artemis Louis Vuitton Trophy After six races in winds ranging from 15 to 20 knots the scoreboard now shows Artemis first with six points, and Emirates Team New Zealand and SYNERGY Russian Sailing Team equal second with five points. Only eight teams will qualify for the quarter finals.

With just four races remaining in the round robin, America's BMW Oracle Racing and the French ALEPH Racing Team, with ninth and tenth places respectively, are on the outside, looking in.

James Spithill and Oracle, the winners of the America's Cup, decisively won races today against Italy's Mascalzone Latino and Azzurra, but the late improvement in form still left them in ninth place. With all their races complete the Americans are effectively eliminated.

The mistral winds had eased and conditions were perfect for racing this morning under sunny skies. The first race of the day started in 15 knots of northwest wind after a short delay. The breeze continued to build but after Oracle beat Azzurra in winds that gusted over 20 knots, organizers ordered a delay until conditions eased.

Round Robin Provisional Results after Tuesday Racing

=1. Artemis, 6-2, 6 points
=2. Emirates Team New Zealand, 5-3, 5 points
=2. Synergy Russian Sailing Team, 5-4, 5 points
=4. Mascalzone Latino Audi Team, 5-2, 4 points *
=4. All4One, 4-3, 4 points
=4. Azzurra, 4-5, 4 points
=4. TEAMORIGIN, 4-3, 4 points
8. Luna Rossa, 3-6, 3 points
9. BMW Oracle Racing Team, 3-6, 3 point
=10. ALEPH Sailing Team, 2-6, -2 points *

* Penalties deducted by Jury/Umpires

www.louisvuittontrophy.com

European 18ft Skiff Championship
The Fraglia della vela di Malcesine and the European 18ft Skiff Association will conduct the European 18ft Skiff Championship, which began at Malcesine on Lake Garda, Italy on 29 May).

A fleet of 13 teams representing seven countries will contest the championship.

Heading the entry list is the current Giltinan Championship-winning team of Seve Jarvin and Gotta Love It 7 from Australia.

Jarvin, as well as being the current Giltinan champion, was also the winning skipper in 2008 and crewed with Euan Mc Nicol in a 2005 victory.

Another past Giltinan and European champion, Howie Hamlin (USA) will be one of Jarvin's strongest opponents along with two fellow Australians Grant Rollerson (SLAM) and John Winning Jr. (appliancesonline.com.au).

Entries are:
Flemming Clausen (Denmark)
Howie Hamlin (USA)
Grant Rollerson (Australia)
John Winning Jr. (Australia)
Seve Jarvin (Australia)
Friedrich Renner (Germany)
Miklos Ujhelyi-Gaspar (Hungary)
Norbert Peter (Germany)
Olivier Dumaine (France)
Andreas Pfeningberger (Hungary)
Jarrod Simpson (UK)
Jack Grogan (UK)
Christoph Hagenmeyer (Germany)

www.flying18s.com

* To date there have been 5 races in the European 18ft Skiff Championship.

Point scores are updated at the following web link:
www.fragliavela.org

The championship will be conducted over a maximum of 12 races.

Under the conditions of the event's Notice of Race, if 9 or more races are completed, there will be 2 discards. -- Frank Quealey Australian 18 Footers League

Performance Packs From Tacktick
TackTick Electronics experts Tacktick, have launched a series of Spring offers for racing yacht owners in the form of 'Performance Packs' which specify the ideal wireless electronics package for a range of different boat sizes at very competitive prices

The Performance Packs spec out the ideal electronics set up for racing yachts of 30ft, 40ft and 50ft. The comprehensive information sheets are available online at www.tacktick.com and include all the key features of the products, the individual units included in the packages as well as a number of free products being given away as part of the offer.

The Performance Pack kits are ideal for either replacing existing electronics or installation on new yachts and offer owners a complete high performance wireless racing system at a great price.

The Performance Packs are available in British £, Euro € and US$ configurations.

www.tacktick.com

ISAF Race Officials Committee Report on the 33rd America's Cup
On 15 April the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) referred to the ISAF Race Officials Committee (ROC) reports from the ISAF-appointed International Jury Chairman and the ISAF-appointed Principal Race Officer for the 33rd America's Cup.

On 27 May, ISAF sent the Findings and Report of the ISAF Race Officials Committee with regard to the 33rd America's Cup together with all attachments referred to in the Report to the Societe Nautique de Geneve and the Golden Gate Yacht Club.

The completion of Regatta Report Forms is a standard requirement of Principal Race Officers, International Jury Chairmen and Chief Umpires at international or major events.

The purpose of the report system is to provide an assessment of the ISAF appointed officials and to learn from incidents or exceptional situations that happened during an event. Several changes to The Racing Rules of Sailing and changes in the ISAF Race Official Manuals have been made as a result of situations described in Regatta Report Forms.

The report includes clear recommendations and the ISAF Executive Committee will appoint the necessary working parties to determine whether and what changes may be needed to be made to the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing and the ISAF Regulations in light of the findings of the report.

To read the report visit the ISAF website: www.sailing.org/32809.php

* Translation into non-ISAF Speak by Richard Gladwell:

The International Sailing Federation's Race Officials Committee has 'applauded' the actions of Principal Race Officer, Harold Bennett, in starting the second race of the 33rd America's Cup, against the wishes of the Defender appointed Race Committee, and in the face of a subsequent 'mutiny' from three of the members of that Committee.

In a 46 page report, the 10 strong committee led by Charley Cook (USA), did not recommend that any action be taken against the three 'mutineers' - Fred Meyer, Marcel Beauvard, and Nicolas Grange - all members of the Societe Nautique de Geneve, then Defender of the America's Cup, and organiser of the 33rd Match as required by the 19th century Deed of Gift that governs the America's Cup.

The reason for the lack of action, would seem to be the fact that none of the three are ISAF certified officials and the ISAF, under its regulations, did not have the authority to act against the three 'mutineers'. Had they been certified ISAF Officials, then their treatment could have been very different.

A LOT more to read including a separate report from David Tillett at www.sail-world.com

Wet, Cold And Uncomfortable!
Photo of Tonnerre de Breskens from RORC/Paul Wyeth. Click on image to enlarge.

Myth of Malham Race The 2010 Myth of Malham Race was a tough one. The challenging course around the Eddystone lighthouse was subject to two gale warnings and, as expected, there was a lumpy sea.

The race started in bright sunny conditions with a beat out of the Solent in a force four South Westerly breeze; but the fleet knew that it would get tough later. IRC classes Two and Three started first with Mark Tracey's J 109, Jamira, hitting the line on port right on time. However she soon had to tack because of starboard boats and John Loden's HOD 35, Psipsina, led the fleet down the Solent.

The second start saw the bigger boats fully powered up as they hit the line. With a strong tide running four boats were over the line early; thee came back quickly but Steven Anderson's Encore took a long time to return and start correctly. Jonny Vincent's TP 52, Pace, powered away taking an early lead but Piet Vroon's Ker 46 Tonnerre de Breskens 3 managed to get in front of the other TP 52s and keep them behind.

Pace took line honours completing the 230 mile course in less than 23 hours but did not do enough to stop Piet Vroon and Tonnerre wining Class Zero and IRC Overall on handicap.

Tonnerre managed to keep Apollo and John Merricks II, the two other two TPs, behind her for the first three hours of the race and crossed the finishing line fourth an hour and a half after Pace. Back in Cowes Piet joked that he was disappointed not to have finished in under 24 hours (they were 25 seconds over) as he waited for lower rated boats to finish. Piet considered that Erivale III, Mike Greville's Ker 39 was the most likely to beat him but in the event it was Marc de St Denis and Gery Trenteseaux's First 40, Courier de Coeur, which posed the threat. The Class One boat came second overall by just two and a half minutes on corrected time. "It was wet cold and uncomfortable" said Piet. "We did a long leg out to sea to avoid the adverse tide at Portland and rounded the Eddystone at 0340. It was too close for a kite so we reached back under jib top and managed 18 knots on occasions. With the wind increasing it was a rough uncomfortable and wet ride to the finish".

The overall results reflected the strength of IRC with boats from IRC Super Zero to IRC Two in the top six. Super Zero was won by Pace, Courier de Coeur took Class One, Noel Racine's JPK 10.10, Foggy Dew, triumphed in IRC Two and Class Three saw Jean Yves Chateau's Fastnet winning Nicholson 33, Iromiguy take handicap honours.

www.rorc.org

Shared Space For Rent In NYC
Click on image for photos and a floorplan.

S&S Offices Sparkman & Stephens, a well respected 80 plus year old naval architecture/yacht brokerage firm in Midtown Manhattan has shared space for rent. Private, lockable and furnished 460 square feet. Rent is $3,000/month plus $500/month for shared receptionist (phone answering/messaging), IT support (use of our printers), use of conference room. Prefer marine related business such as maritime attorney, marine supplier, marine equipment sales, etc. Prestigious location, 2 blocks from Grand Central Terminal on 44th Street and 5th Avenue. Note office space shaded in light blue in this diagram. We believe we can create synergy with shared space. You can be up and running in NYC in less than a week.

Contact: Bruce Johnson, Tel: +1 212 661 1240
www.sparkmanstephens.com

Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series
Photo by Marc Turner, www.pfmpictures.co.uk. Click on image for photo gallery.

Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series After more than three decades of trying with probably as broad a variety of different yachts that any one owner-skipper has campaigned at this key regatta with - from a slippery 37 foot ultra light Selection production race boat to a heavy Trintella 42 foot cruising boat - veteran Clyde owner-skipper John Corson and his long serving crew of the immaculately prepared Corby 33 Salamander XX lifted the Scottish Series Trophy, the top award for the annual Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series this evening.

"I am shocked and stunned." Said an emotional Corson, 80. " I don't know what to say. We have been so close so many times before that you just never know what is going to happen, or who it is going to go to. So I think most of all I just feel so relieved."

His win is a popular one. Corson has been a huge supporter of Clyde racing, and perhaps the most zealous participant over many years, competing from early season frostbite races right through until December year in year out. He has introduced many youngsters

His win, along with a crew of whom some have sailed with him for nearly 20 years, comes after many near misses. The veteran shed a tear or two before accepting the top trophy, just as his team did in 2005 when they were leading their class with a string of wins when their mast crashed down and their regatta was ended prematurely.

"This is a really, really special thing for John. He has always wanted to win this. In a sense this is his Olympics, the biggest thing in sailing for him so it is a real honour to have contributed. We have been close before, but this time things came together. After last year we had plugged the gaps which we felt we might still have in terms of optimising the boat, the crew work is really exemplary and the result of many long hours on the water over the years. So this is very special." Said John Highcock, the Clyde sailmaker who steered Salamander XX.

"It is so well deserved. Totally right." Commented double winner Anthony O'Leary

Corson and his crew won seven of their eight races in IRC Class 3, dropping an eighth as their allowable discard.

Anthony O'Leary and his Cork crew of the Ker 39 Antix conclusively won IRC Class 1 after posting a further two victories today in near perfect conditions. O'Leary, a long time supporter of the Scottish Series has won twice before in 2004 and 2006.

IRC Class 2 went right to the final race with the Clyde brothers Richard and Paul Harris triumphing after posting a third and a second on their Iain Murray designed Sydney 36.

A young Irish crew from Howth topped IRC Class 4, the biggest class which had 20 entries. Ross McDonald and the crew of the Howth based X332 Equinox strung together a first and two second places from the final three races to win the class by four points from last year's class winners on the J92 NiJinsky.

www.clyde.org/index.php/content/view/144/45/

Star Euro: 150 Boats and 300 Sailors
Click on image to enlarge.

Star European Championship The Star Class has chosen Viareggio,on Italys Tuscany coast for the 2010 European Championship. Viareggio is an important city for the international yachting. From 5 to 13 June, the best sailors from all over the world will arrive in Italy to compete in the Tuscan sea and to decree the Crew winner in one of the most loved and best known sailing environment.

The Star, sailing boat born a century ago, makes every race a spectacular and exciting event, thanks to its flexibility and its high-performance as Olympic class.

The event attracts all the major world-wide award-winning crews, consisting of 2 athletes per boat. Between crews there are big names of the sail world history: for example, just to give some names, Torben Grael, brazilian sailor that won two gold medals with Star Class at Savannah's Games in 1996 , Athens in 2004, and a bronze at Sydney in 2000 and the World Championship in 1990, in addition to winning the Louis Vuitton Cup with Luna Rossa at Auckland in 2000. Torben is the current Rolex Sailor of the Year. His brother, Lars Grael, unfortunately without a leg in an accident during a race, won 2 bronze medals at the Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988 and Atlanta in 1996, and is two times South American Champion. Lars finished 3rd & 4th is the last two Star World Championships. Robert Sheidt, current Luna Rossa's helmsman, with the Star won the World Championship in 2007, the silver one in 2008 and 2006 and the Chinese Olympics in 2008. Still, George Szabo, from Usa, four times champion in the Usa for the Snipe Class and world champion for the Star Class 2009 in Sweden with Rick Peters. other notable shippers include Roberto Benamatti World Champion 1991 , Diego Negri , Freddy Loof WC 2001 & 2004, Xavier Rohart WC 2003 & 2005 ) , Flavio Marazzi , and Andrew Campbell among many others.

Crews come from all corners of the world: 27 different nationalities of which 9 are outside Europe. The best star class crews will arrive at Viareggio from Australia, USA, Russia, Brazil, Canada, Argentina, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Croatia, Greece, Ukraine, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Poland, Serbia, Great Britain, France, Hungary, Germany and of course Italy.

www.stareuropean2010.it

Another Gold Twenty Years On?
Greg Searle took a massive step towards his dream of winning a second Olympic gold 20 years after his first, when his eight won convincingly in the season's first World Cup. The 38-year-old's crew kept their nerve under pressure to come through from fifth place to beat the fast-starting Dutch boat by more than a second on Slovenia's picturesque Lake Bled. It completed an outstanding performance from the British team, who won six gold medals to finish as top nation.

Afterwards Searle, who won Olympic gold in Barcelona 18 years ago, said: "I'm as much on target to win gold in London as I can be. I'm getting stronger and I feel, while in this system, by the time I'm 40 I could be rowing the best I ever have."

Searle decided last October to make a comeback, after a decade in retirement, during which he provided muscle as a grinder during a British challenge for the America's Cup. His Olympic gold came in 1992, when he, his brother Jonny and the famously tearful cox Garry Herbert won the coxed pairs in Barcelona. At the time, some of his current crewmates were only four years old.

"I enjoyed every minute of it", Searle said. "It's a gorgeous place here and I took confidence from the success of the rest of the team. We stuck to doing the basics well." -- Martin Cross in The Guardian, www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/may/30/greg-searle-eight-world-cup

Lifeboat Crew in the Capital to Receive RNLI Gallantry Medals
Two RNLI crewmen were presented with RNLI Bronze Medals for Gallantry for saving lives at sea. HRH Prince Michael of Kent presented the medals to Dunbar Coxswain Gary Fairbairn and Portrush Crew Member Anthony Chambers at the charity's Annual Presentation of Awards at the Barbican Centre, London on Thursday 27 May.

Lifesaving rescues leading to the Gallantry awards:
Anthony Chambers (50) Mechanic/crew member at Portrush lifeboat station, Antrim, Northern Ireland, was awarded the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) Bronze Medal for Gallantry for rescuing two 14-year-old boys trapped by the rising tide in a cliff cave near Castlerock Strand on 5 August 2009.

Gary Fairbairn Coxswain at Dunbar lifeboat station was honoured with a Bronze Medal for Gallantry by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The award is in recognition of his courage, judgement and exemplary boat handling in sea conditions that knocked the lifeboat onto her side during the rescue of a skipper and his wife from the stricken yacht Ouhm on the night of 15 May 2009.

www.rnli.org.uk

Featured Brokerage
Featured Brokerage Boat 2006 Finot Pogo 40, EUR 160,000. Located in La Grande Motte, France.

The Pogo is the leading model of the Class 40 circuit. She has been designed to sail long distances at high speed. Thanks to our very well fitted cockpit and deck, she is simple to sail single handed or with a reduced crew. She is easy to maintain, reliable and unsinkable.
With this Pogo 40 you can line up with goals of winning at the start of any one of the international offshore races, such as the Route de Rhum or the English Transat, or, you can just take you family on a long distance trip across the Atlantic during a sabbatical year.

Brokerage through Bernard Gallay Yacht Brokerage: www.yachtworld.com/bernard-gallay/

Complete listing details and seller contact information at
uk.yachtworld.com

The Last Word
I spent 90% of my money on women and drink. The rest I wasted. -- George Best

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