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

Mendelblatt / Liljedahl Win The Bacardi Cup
Miami, Florida: The breeze build up shortly before 1:00pm today with 7 knots from NNE and the RC got the boats on the starting line with the black flag up. Unfortunately too many boats were over and PRO was forced to call a general recall that caused an automatic abandon as per SI rule 6.1 that stated no racing after 13:00.

Mark Mendelblatt / Magnus Liljedahl (USA 8481) won the 90th Bacardi Cup Regatta! The dynamic duo automatically became the winners ahead of Xavier Rohart / Pierre Alexis PONSOT (FRA8237) and of George Szabo / Eduardo Natucci (USA 8320) who were today's light air favorite.

Second place winners Xavier Rohart (FRA) and Pierre Alexis Ponsot (FRA) are now leading the SSL Ranking followed by George Szabo (skipper) and Sergio Lambertenghi (crew) in second and by Diego Negri (skipper) and Bruno Prada (Crew) in third. Details can be found at http://www.starsailors.com, the SSL Ranking will be updated as usual on Tuesday.

Third place for George Szabo (USA) and Edoardo Natucci (ITA) (USA 8320), they would have had a great chance to bring the Cup home on a light day like today. For everyone there is still the chance to compete and win the Cup in 2018 that is scheduled for March 4th to the 11th, 2018. -- Rachele Vitello

Top 5 Overall:
1. Mark Mendelblatt and Magnus Liljedahl, USA, 13 points
2. Xavier Rohart and Pierre Alexis Ponsot, FRA, 15
3. George Szabo and Eduardo Natucci , USA, 18
4. Lars Grael and Samuel Goncalves, BRA, 20
5. Augie Diaz / Bruno Prada, USA, 23

Full results are available at www.starsailors.com

www.MiamiSailingWeek.com
www.BacardiCup.com

124 Days Of Being Alone
It was obvious for anyone following this race that for Sebastien Destremau, the solo round the world voyage was anything but easy. Technical problems, calms, storms, being alone... Last night after finishing the race fifty days after the winner, Armel Le Cleac'h, the skipper of TechnoFirst-faceOcean gave us his first impressions. Then this afternoon, after a good night's rest, he entered the harbour in Les Sables d'Olonne marking the conclusion to this eighth edition of the Vendee Globe.

The crowds were there to welcome him home on this sunny afternoon as for every skipper completing the race. Destremau looking thinner after rationing his food for the last fortnight answered questions from the waiting journalists on the pontoon before climbing on the podium and holding a press conference. Here is what the skipper has been saying.

"The Vendee Globe is something for people with mental problems! There is the enormous pressure on you to finish that you feel day and night. Because it can come to an end at any moment. Then, there are the occasional difficulties, which are extremely difficult, but that you can deal with. There is the fact that you're alone. That can cause you to feel certain emotions. Things that you don't feel elsewhere, maybe because you don't allow yourself to feel. When you're alone on a boat, you can do what you want. You can sing if you want or cry if you feel like it. I cried every day between the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn. However long the race lasts, you have to deal with everything with what you have with you. You don't have the choice. You have to find the solution. The starter, the alternator belt... You make do with what you have on board. If not, you have to turn back.

Consequently, you find an inner strength to do things. I'm not a good mechanic. I'm not good at much. But I managed to repair things when I had to. I don't know how I managed to do it. I'm not someone who likes being alone. I never really wanted to do any solo sailing. But it was the difficulty of the Vendee Globe that was my motivation. This is a huge victory for me. The Vendee Globe is something you win or you finish and finishing is for me a victory. Armel finished fifty days before me. I didn't sail that well, I suppose... (laughs) But I did do better than those that didn't finish. The race itself is only a small part of the adventure. The Vendee Globe for us is not four months, but four years of everything that has to be done before. So today, I am extremely proud."

"I made a key to close the door behind me in the Pacific and now I have another one to close the harbour entrance, as I'm the last one here in Les Sables d'Olonne. When you're out there alone, you know that there are four men there watching you around the clock (the Race Directors - editor). When something happened in the Pacific, ten minutes later the phone was ringing. They kept ringing me. I had an e-mail saying "we're not worried but... Can you confirm that everything is fine?" They deserve to be applauded, because when you think you're completely alone in the Pacific, they're there."

vendeeglobe.org

A+T Instruments At St. Barth's Bucket
A+T Instruments A+T both repair and make replacement displays for the many existing B&G systems for which parts are no longer available including H2000 and H3000. Current display replacements include; an MFD which can be swapped out, a replacement for an FFD/GFD and a pilot head version of this, a 3020 display which fits into the space of a 20/20 with much larger digits and a range of traditional Analogue displays.

Hugh Agnew is travelling out to Antigua and then St Barth's (sailing on Adela) on 13th March and will have demonstration systems with him as well as some B&G spare parts. Do get in contact if you what any help with existing instrument systems or would like to place any orders.

Please contact Hugh directly on his mobile +44 (0)7860 181277 or email

For enquiries prior to the regatta, please email us at and see www.aandtinstruments.com

SAP Extreme Sailing Team Clinch Opening Win Of 2017 Extreme Sailing Series
Muscat delivered classic conditions in an electrifying finale to the opening Act of the Extreme Sailing Series that saw SAP Extreme Sailing Team become the first winners of 2017.

Clear blue skies combined with a blustery north-easterly breeze gusting 25 knots as nine international crews hit the uncharacteristically choppy waters of Oman's capital city.

After 26 races over four days three teams - SAP Extreme Sailing Team, Oman Air and Alinghi - went into the final race, worth double points, capable of taking the overall win.

But after a fast and furious race SAP Extreme Sailing Team, helmed by Kiwi Adam Minoprio, clinched Act 1 victory with a second-place finish, crossing the line behind young wildcard crew Team Tilt.

It is the first Act win for SAP Extreme Sailing Team since May 2015 when they took the top spot in Qingdao, China.

The final race also saw 2016 Extreme Sailing Series champions Alinghi snatch second place overall from Oman Air right on the finish line.

Alinghi needed to beat Oman Air with a boat in between them to leapfrog them on the scoreboard and they did just that, as Tawera Racing overtook Phil Robertson's home team at the last minute.

The four days of thrilling racing were the perfect start to the 11th year of the Extreme Sailing Series that sees eight Acts held in three continents culminating in a season finale in Los Cabos, Mexico, in December. The Extreme Sailing Series excitement will resume with Act 2 in Qingdao, China, from April 28 to May 1.

Muscat standings after Day 4, 27 races (11.3.17)

1. SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) Adam Minoprio, Rasmus Køstner, Mads Emil Stephensen, Herve Cunnigham, Richard Mason 286 points
2. Alinghi (SUI) Arnaud Psarofaghis, Nicolas Charbonnier, Timothe Lapauw, Nils Frei, Yves Detrey, 270
3. Oman Air (OMA) Phil Robertson, Pete Greenhalgh, James Wierzbowski, Ed Smyth, Nasser Al Mashari, 270
4. Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) Roman Hagara, Hans Peter Steinacher, Stewart Dodson, Adam Piggott, Will Tiller, 247
5. Team Tilt (SUI) Sebastien Schneiter, Jeremy Bachelin, Nils Theuninck, Arthur Cevey, Jocelyn Keller, 235
6. Team ENGIE (FRA) Sebastien Rogues, Gurvan Bontemps, Jules Bidegaray, Antoine Joubert, Benjamin Amiot, 199
7. Tawera Racing (NZL) Chris Steele, Graeme Sutherland, Shane Diviney, Leonard Takahashi Fry, Josh Salthouse, 195
8. Land Rover BAR Academy (GBR) Rob Bunce, Owen Bowerman, Will Alloway, Adam Kay, Oli Greber, 173
9. NZL Sailing Team (NZL) Logan Dunning Beck, Harry Hull, Isaac McHardie, Matthew Kempkers, Luca Brown, 142

Extreme Sailing Series 2017 overall standings
1. SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) 12 points
2. Alinghi (SUI) 11
3. Oman Air (OMA) 10
4. Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) 9
5. Tawera Racing (NZL) 8
6. Land Rover BAR Academy (GBR) 7

extremesailingseries.com

Olympic Performance Manager
RYA Jobs The RYA has a mission to be the world's most successful nation in boating competition, in order to inspire future champions. Having won 58 medals since 1900 with more Golds than any other sailing nation, The British Sailing Team's pedigree is unrivalled. The goal is clear - to be medal competitive in all 10 Olympic classes, and to convert at least half of these opportunities into medals at Tokyo 2020 and beyond.

The RYA is looking for an accomplished Performance Manager who will be integral to the senior management of the Racing Team. Their remit will be to drive the ambition to deliver annual inspirational successes across all Olympic disciplines including medal targets at Tokyo 2020 and play a critical role in the overall ambition of the RYA to be the world's most successful nation in boating competition to inspire future champions.

This will include translating the Tokyo 2020 strategy and working with the Director of Racing to create and deliver a strategic performance plan. As the individual tasked with implementing the performance strategy, the post holder will work with Coaches, Head of Science and Medicine and Head of Research and Innovation to drive the ambition to deliver against milestones and targets in the next four years.

The successful candidate will have a track record in Olympic or Paralympic Sailing with international experience as a competitor or professional. They will have experience of managing and developing a multi-disciplinary team of coaches, support staff and athletes. Above all, they will demonstrate the ability to influence and inspire within a high-performance system. Based in Hamble, the role involves significant international travel and attendance at events outside normal office hours for which time off in lieu is allowed.

Attractive salary and benefits package including pension scheme, free life insurance, 25 days annual leave plus public holidays and discretionary Christmas holiday

Closing date for applications: 12 noon on Wednesday 22nd March 2017 Interviews to be held in Southampton 4th or 5th April 2017

For a more detailed job description please visit www.rya.org.uk/go/jobs

To apply please review the job description, complete an application form and equal opportunities monitoring form.

Applications, or requests for an initial confidential conversation, should be sent to Dawn Brown:

The RYA is committed to equality of opportunity. We would encourage applications from women, candidates with disabilities and ethnic minority groups who are currently under-represented at this level of post.

Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta And Rendezvous
The second day of racing at the seventh annual Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta & Rendezvous saw the fleet of 17 superyachts circumnavigate the picturesque island of Virgin Gorda.

Although today's course was vastly different from yesterday's the song was very similar in each class. The well refined Nilaya (Reichel/Pugh design from Baltic Yachts) won Class A, Ganesha (Dubois design from Vitters Shipyard) yelled "touche" at P2 (Briand design from Perini Navi) after turning the table in Class B, Freya (Swan 90) showed its pedigree by winning Class C and Perseus 3 (60 metre Perini Navi) captured Class D.

After racing for two years with nary a sniff of victory Perseus 3 has pulled off back-to-back wins. Today's victory was all the sweeter because she was also the first boat over the finish line.

Although Perseus 3 was first across the line she was not the elapsed-time winner. That honour went to the very well refined Freya. The German Frers design nipped Perseus 3 by more than 2 minutes on elapsed time.

In Class B, Ganesha and P2 can't stop stopping each other. P2 won yesterday's race by 22 seconds but Ganesha won today's race by 1 minute and 27 seconds. P2 held the upper hand early in today's race, leading by about 2 minutes at the top of Virgin Gorda.

The two yachts were similar speed down the eastern side of the island, but Ganesha was able to take a slight bit of time out of P2's lead. According to Humphries, Ganesha was able to overtake P2 by sailing through their lee side after rounding Round Rock at the bottom of the racecourse.

www.boatinternational.com

Estate Master Crowned Farr 40 Australian Champion
A practiced team with many seasons behind them mixed with fierce ambition, and a quick recovery from what could have cost them the main trophy, delivered Martin Hill's Estate Master the Farr 40 John Calvert-Jones National Championship on Sydney Harbour by three points.

"We had a six point lead going into the last race and on form we thought that was a comfortable margin to have, but on the very first beat we heard a clunk and someone said 'the genoa's coming down'," Hill described. "It was the worst case scenario; we moved into last. The guys were excellent; they changed the halyard and we were sixth around the final top mark and ended up fourth in that race.

"We showed today why we are national champions. We won all three regattas beforehand and we had the form. It wasn't easy, Angophora was right on our tail, they had similar speed and great tactics and we were both mixed up in tacking duels and gybing duels all series.

"The broken halyard was our test. The final result is usually determined on the last leg in Farr 40 racing and that's how it ended today. We are happy. I've been in the class 10 years and have two state titles but never a nationals. It's very pleasing to get our name on the trophy," the emotional and relieved skipper added.

Following a fortnight of southerlies in Sydney, the eight-boat Farr 40 fleet and all the other classes and recreational boaties out on the harbour enjoyed a welcome late blast of summer - warm temperatures and a classic north to nor'easter up to 19 knots by mid-afternoon. -- Lisa Ratcliff

Final results John Calvert-Jones National Trophy 2017

1. Estate Master, Martin Hill, 25 points
2. Angophora, Guido Belgiorno-Nettis, 28
3. Kokomo, Lang Walker, 39
4. Edake, Jeff Carter, 46
5. Double Black, Rob Pitts, 52
6. Zen, Gordon Ketelbey, 63
7. Nutcracker, Rob Davis / Andy Baker, 68
8. Exile, Rob Reynolds, 75

www.farr40.asn.au

Letters To The Editor -
Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From Ali Meller: With respect to Jonty Sherwill's interesting suggestion of reviving the Great Tea Race of 1866, surely the clipper ships were luxurious compared to earlier vessels and their crews softer! Why not a race honoring the much earlier Viking exploration and settlement? Raced in authentic Viking longships (completely open except for optional fabric covering over part of the open boat), with period navigation instruments and optional communication via notes in bottles, setting out from a Scandinavian Port with stops in Iceland, Greenland and Newfoundland, before a non-stop trans-Atlantic leg back to the starting point.

All boats would be fitted with GPS trackers, 24x7 video and audio, overhead drones for spectacular action shots, etc. as per Mr. Sherwill's suggestion, though none of this would be available to the crews.

A celebration of wooden ships and iron men (some armed with steel) ....

* From Richard Power: Re the ongoing correspondence on Sustenance at Sea, I recall having ice creams on a well known Swan during a Swan European Regatta in the Solent some years ago (during which, as an aside, the navigator was down below watching the test match on the telly.) This leads me on to another story about TV at sea:

- Scene: Crossing Brighton bay while delivering an Oyster from the Solent up to Ipswich
- Time: About 2015
- Persons on board: 2, of which one was watching Coronation Street at the time

South Easterly breeze increasing, time to take in a reef. On calling for assistance, the crew on deck was asked by his colleague "Can we just wait for the adverts?"

Featured Brokerage
Raceboats Only 2009 JUDel Vrolijk 62 - Chinese Whisper. 2000000 AU. Located in Sydney, Australia

'Chinese Whisper' is for sale for a limited time only and it gives us great pleasure to have the green light to sell her. If you want to win the trophies at blistering speeds, this is the yacht to buy.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Micah Lane +61414307766

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Raceboats Only Mills Design C&C 30Anema & Core. 175,000 USD LOCATION

Join the fun the C&C 30 Class is having at their one design events. Anema & Core is ready to race and stored indoors in a climate controlled facility.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Tink Chambers

+1 410 268 1001

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Raceboats Only 2008 68' A Custom Mills Maxi 72 Class. 1,375,000 USD. Located in Olbia, Italy.

We are proud to announce another central listing in the form of the Mark Mills designed 68 foot CAOL ILA. One of the most consistent mini maxi's in the world, she is now for sale. She is a no expense spared custom mini maxi that has proven to be very fast on all points of sail and in all wind ranges for both her past and current owner. She has been the dominate mini maxi for many years from Cowes to Sardinia and all points in between. New North sails in 2014, new custom spar package in 2012, new updated keel and bulb, she has always been kept on the leading edge of the design spectrum. When the other mini maxis went into the shed for modifications , she just stayed on the race course and kept on winning.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Please contact William Jenkins at 410-267-9419 or
Greg "Twister" Tawaststjerna at +1.540.687.0700

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

The Last Word
High moral character is not a precondition for great moral accomplishments. -- Christopher Hitchens

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