In This Issue
Prada to supplant Louis Vuitton? | RS:X Windsurfing Worlds | St. Thomas International Regatta | International 6 Metre Class World Championship | Young Vendee2020vision Sailors Take On British Record | British Keelboat League Final | Star Sailors League | Industry News | Featured Brokerage
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
Prada to supplant Louis Vuitton?
There is set to be a new sponsor for the 2021 edition of the America's Cup.
Italian sailing website Vela is reporting that Italian fashion brand Prada - one of the key supporters of sailing team Luna Rossa - is set to take over from Louis Vuitton as a main naming rights sponsor.
According to Vela, the challenger series will be renamed as the Prada Cup, of which the winner will then race Team New Zealand in the America's Cup.
The full protocol for the New Zealand-hosted 2021 event is set to be released next weekend, but the full design rules will not be released until November 30.
However, there have been several already confirmed designs and changes for the next event.
Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton yesterday confirmed that cyclors will play no part in the next America's Cup.
The Kiwi team's radical pedal-powered innovation was one of the key factors in Team NZ's stunning win in Bermuda this year, but it appears bikes on boats are set to be consigned to a quirky footnote in the annals of America's Cup history.
In an interview with Italian publication La Stampa, Dalton indicated the rules wouldn't allow for cyclors.
When asked if it would be "goodbye to the sailing cyclists", Dalton told La Stampa "grinders are coming back".
Last week, prompted by another article in Italian media, Team NZ announced the next America's Cup would be sailed in a "high performance monohull". Some took that to mean a foiling monohull, but Dalton is yet to confirm if that will be the case.
He again dodged the question when it was posed by La Stampa, saying only: "More details will released on November 30".
RS:X Windsurfing Worlds
Enoshima, Japan: Day two of the RS:X Windsurfing World Championships in Enoshima, Japan was widely different to the first days racing - which all 168 competitors were extremely grateful for.
After the massive wind shifts and challenging rolling waves from Monday, day two of the RS:X Windsurfing World Championships in Enoshima, Japan was widely different to the first days racing - which all 168 competitors were extremely grateful for. This morning was a calm and peaceful scene of serenity as a flat calm Sagami Bay greeted the athletes to the venue of the next Olympic sailing competition.
In both the men's and women's fleet, the overnight scorecard showed that a limited number of competitors actually mastered the conditions and the variables from the opening day.
Once afloat, the conditions were perfect for racing and the race committee wasted no time in rattling off three excellent races in the stable but light wind.
Two days racing, a total of 18 separate races completed and there is nothing to separate out who could or will win the world titles. Racing resumes on Thursday with the fleets being separated into Gold and Silver flights before the top ten race it out for the medals and title.
Top five, men:
1. Louis Giard, FRA, 4 points
2. Mateo Sanz Lanz, SUI, 6
3. Pawel Tarnowski, POL, 8
4. Makoto Tomizawa, JPN, 9
5. Bing Ye, CHN, 8
Top five, women:
1. Peina Chen, CHN, 5.7
2. Zofia Noceti Klepacka, POL, 7
3. Yunxiu Lu, CHN, 10
4. Jiahui Wu, CHN, 12
5. Stefania Elfutina, RUS, 12
St. Thomas International Regatta
Organizers of the St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR) would like to thank the international sailing community for its well wishes in the wake of back-to-back Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
We are currently in an assessment stage and plan to issue a formal announcement about our 2018 regatta schedule in the next two weeks.
stthomasinternationalregatta.com
International 6 Metre Class World Championship
In the Open fleet, the Swiss boat, Phillippe Durr's Junior (2,2) takes a three point lead ahead of the CAN135 St Francis IX (4,1) of Andy Beadsworth.
In third place one point back is another Canadian entry, Ben Mumford's New Sweden (1,6).
In the Classic fleet, Spain's Bribon Gallant (3,3) of HM Don Juan Carlos de Borbon takes the lead with 11 points ahead of US81 Goose (5,6) who have 15 points.
In third place is N71 Flapper of Lars Guck (2,4) on 19 points.
Top five, Open Division:
1. Philippe Durr, SUI, 12 points
2. Andy Beadsworth, GBR, 14
3. Ben Mumford, CAN, 17
4. Russ Sylvestri, USA, 17
5. Hugo Stenbeck, SUI, 19
Top five, Classic Division:
1. HM Don Juan Carlos de Borbon, ESP, 12
2. Lars Guck, HKG, 20
3. Lars Grael, BRA, 20
4. Peter Hofmann, USA, 21
5. Erik Bentzen, USA, 22
Full results: www.rvan.ca/6mR/world.htm
Young Vendee2020vision Sailors Take On British Record
Four of Britain's young offshore sailing talent are on standby for an assault on the Length of Britain Challenge, from Land's End to John O'Groats. The current record held by British sailor Phil Sharp stands at 3 days, 11 hours, 52 minutes, 15 seconds at an average speed of 7.39 knots.
The team who will be racing onboard the Open 60 Artemis Ocean Racing are currently waiting for an optimum weather window for this iconic 620 nm British course. The team sails along the English & Welsh coastline westabout up to Pentland Firth on the north coast of Scotland, the final marker before the finish line off John O'Groats.
Launched in 2016, Vendee2020Vision is an initiative to nurture Britain's Offshore sailing talent along the path to success in yacht racing's most challenging event - the Vendee Globe, the quadrennial singlehanded non-stop round the world race. This record attempt will see the current candidates test their skills in some of the coldest and most challenging conditions off Britain's coastline.
No stranger to setting records, in 2014 Artemis Ocean Racing took the World Record for Monohulls 60 feet and less for Round Britain and Ireland in a time of 5 days, 14 hours, 00 minutes and 54 seconds.
The crew features two of the Vendee2020Vision's current candidates, Lizzy Foreman and Andrew Baker. They will be joined by Artemis Skipper and Boat Captain Mikey Ferguson and a new addition to the team for this record sail is Jack Trigger. Jack is one of Britain's up and coming offshore sailing talents, and also the youngest crew member onboard. He has sailed across a variety of classes most notably he has been part of the record-breaking crew onboard the MOD70 Concise.
British Keelboat League Final
The 2017 British Keelboat League, hosted by Royal Thames Yacht Club, will culminate in Cowes this weekend (22-24 September).
The second annual event will see 18 teams representing 16 clubs from all over the UK gather to fight it out to be crowned British Keelboat League Champions.
The league aims to bring keelboat racing to clubs and sailors around the country. Using boats supplied by the host clubs the costs remain low for competitors, while short course racing improves boat handling skills and gives every club a chance at a race win.
Since launching last year, the British Keelboat League has gone from strength to strength with clubs having qualified during events in Helensburgh, Burnham, Cowes and Hamble. The regional winners, host club and a number of wild card entries will battle for event honours.
Last year's winners from Hayling Island Sailing Club will not be defending their title leaving the field wide open. Favourites to win the coveted title include Nicole McPherson (Royal Northern and Clyde YC), Henry Arnold (Royal Thames YC), Ben Saxton (Itchenor SC) and Wouter Sonnema (Royal Ocean Racing Club).
But they will have their work cut out with other teams not wanting to settle for anything other than a podium result.
With quick umpired races lasting just 15 minutes, the short course will punish mistakes so anyone and everyone has the chance to come out on top.
Follow the racing as it happens on the British Keelboat League Facebook.
Star Sailors League
For the Star Sailors League, every Tuesday is Ranking day, when the points come in from the regattas of the previous week and the sailors' positions move up or down. The second Tuesday of every September tghe SSL Ranking 2017 freezes and the top 10 skippers are automatically invited to attend the SSL Finals 2017 - along with the first SSL Crew, the reigning Star World Champion, a young talented sailor and about ten VIPs.
Top 10 skippers invited to attend the 2017 SSL Finals are:
1. Xavier Rohart FRA
2. Diego Negri ITA
3. George Szabo USA
4. Augie Diaz USA
5. Lars Grael BRA
6. Mark Mendelblatt USA
7. Johannes Polgar GER
8. Eivind Melleby NOR
9. Hubert Merkelbach GER
10. Mateusz Kusznierewicz POL
Nine out of ten have already confirmed their attendance to the SSL Finals 2017, in Nassau, Bahamas, from December 4th to the 9th. They all are super talented sailors, among them three Olympic medalists, six Star World Champions, all of them are winner of at least an ISCYRA Silver event and two of them have already won the SSL Finals.
The fifth edition of the SSL Finals will be raced following the standard SSL Format: four days of Qualification Series after which the top 10 teams will go ahead to the final day with knock-out stages. The first qualified team gets a bye to the Final, the runner-up goes to the semi-finals and teams from 3rd to 10th have to fight on yet one more race in the quarter-finals. The first to cross the finish line will be the winner of the 2017 SSL Finals and will take home a lion's share of the $200,000 Prize Purse.
Industry News
The traditional Peters & May Caribbean Party at the Southampton Boat Show has been revised this year to support and raise relief funds for the Caribbean Island communities hit by the recent devastating hurricanes
The event, where we hope to highlight the positive spirit of the Caribbean will take place
On: Thursday the 21st Sept
At: 1700
On: Peters & May stand (C092)
In true resilient Caribbean style, the event will see a steel pan band setting the scene, accompanied with Antigua's English Harbour 5 Year Old Rum cocktails served with Fever-Tree mixers.
Complimentary drinks and entertainment are provided by:
Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority
Antigua Sailing Week
and Peters & May Group
However, donations for this important cause will be collected during the event and throughout the week on the Peters & May stand (C092).
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Spinlock, designers and manufacturers of rope holding equipment and personal safety products for leisure and commercial water users, have been presented with the Queen's Award for Enterprise: Innovation at their production facility on the Isle of Wight.
The Cowes-based business, founded in 1968, were announced as winners of the coveted award in April 2017 and the Isle of Wight's Lord-Lieutenant Major General Martin White CB CBE JP presented the award at a special ceremony on Tuesday September 12th.
Spinlock were selected as winners for the development of their Deckvest lifejacket, a revolutionary product that has changed the landscape of the market for personal safety products used by those on the water.
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Perini Navi, a world leader in the design and build of superyachts, is pleased to announce its partnership with the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda's One Ocean Forum.
One Ocean was founded to accelerate the development of innovative projects to protect the marine environment and promote realistic behavior change as it relates to the world's oceans.
Perini Navi is the only yachting brand to partner with the YCCS on this important initiative which will take place on 3-4 October in Milan at the Franco Parenti Theatre. Over the course of two days, there will be a series of round table discussions, workshops and 'best practice' sessions dedicated to finding innovative solutions to protect the world's oceans.
Research and innovation are the core of Perini Navi and the company is currently developing projects specifically design to increase onboard comfort and safety, in complete synergy with protecting the marine environment.
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Southern Spars has announced a key appointment to boost the integration of its service activity.
Southern Spars has appointed Stefano Scarpa in the new position of Director of Service with immediate effect.
He will be responsible for service at Southern Spars, Hall Spars and Future Fibres at a global level, and will be based at the Southern Spars service office in STP, Palma de Mallorca.
Stefano Scarpa served as Director of Braemar Yacht Services for Braemar plc and has an extensive 20 years of experience in superyacht technical services management and superyacht project management. Stefano holds an MEng in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, an MBA from Warwick Business School and is a UK Chartered Engineer.
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Kraken Yachts Ltd is delighted to announce that its flagship Kraken 66 has been elected the winner of the Blue Water Cruiser category in the prestigious 2017 Sailing Today Awards presented at TheYachtMarket.com Southampton Boat Show on September 15th.
The Kraken 66 was selected from a star-studded shortlist comprising models from the Najad, Amel, Hallberg-Rassy and Beneteau ranges. Kraken Yachts Ltd would like to thank Sailing Today for awarding this singular honour to the Kraken 66.
Designed by award-winning New Zealander Kevin Dibley and his team, the new Kraken range - comprising the Kraken 66, 58 and 50 - does not set out to be all things to all people. Instead it is aimed specifically at the blue water cruising market. It therefore incorporates numerous features designed to give maximum safety, comfort and easy handling under sail to owners looking for a yacht that can take them - short handed if that's their preference - on extended voyages.
To prove the point, Kraken's Chairman Dick Beaumont has already covered 10,000nm in his Kraken 66 White Dragon. He set sail from Hong Kong in February 2017 and is currently in Madagascar.
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The tenth edition of the Yacht Racing Forum, in Aarhus, Denmark (November 27-28) will once again reassemble the sport's key personalities and actors, including a strong delegation of World Sailing representatives.
Kim Andersen, World Sailing's President since November 2016, will present a keynote address whilst other members will contribute to conferences on sustainability, gender equity, racing formats and more. " Those subjects are at the heart of our work", says World Sailing CEO Andy Hunt. "The Yacht Racing Forum gives us the opportunity to explain our actions and discuss them with some of the sports' leading influencers."
Now in its 10th year, the Yacht Racing Forum 2017 will take place eight months prior to the 2018 Sailing World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, where 1,600 sailors from 100 nations will race for medals.
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On Tuesday the 19th of September 2017, teams from across the UK marine industry took part in the annual Marine Advertising Agency 5-a-side football tournament in order to help raise £1000 for the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and G4 Surgery at Southampton General Hospital.
The tournament took place during this year's TheYachtMarket.com Southampton Boat Show with 12 teams taking part. The 7th annual event saw three new teams participate: Gosport Borough Football Club U10's Dads, Moody Decking and Neuro Theatres UHS, one of three teams in the tournament from Southampton General Hospital, who competed alongside marine industry teams. For the second year running, tournament stalwarts, PSP Logistics, took home the silverware, winning the main Cup competition with a 3:1 victory over a team from Southampton FC's corporate division.
The Plate competition was won by newcomers, Moody Decking, who beat MatchTech 4:3.
The tournament raised £1,000 for PICU and G4 Surgery ward at Southampton General Hospital.
Southampton is the lead centre for paediatric intensive care in south central England with a catchment area that stretches from Dorset to Surrey to the Channel Islands. PICU provides first class care and treatment to over 900 critically ill children every year. They care for children from birth right up to the age of 18, looking after those with both medical and surgical problems.
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The Last Word
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