In This Issue
Setting up for an epic finish in Cardiff
Team Tilt crowned first GC32 World Champions
Never a dull moment
Quantum Racing Take First Regatta Title of the 2018 52 SUPER SERIES
Lady Mariposa wins the RORC Myth of Malham
48 Hours Into the Atlantic Cup
The World Sailing Show
151 Cetilar Trophy M32 Goes To GAC PINDAR
Royal Thames Yacht Club wins Stockholm International Team Race Regatta
Featured Brokerage
The Last Word: Alan Watts
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
Setting up for an epic finish in Cardiff
Less than a mile separated Volvo Ocean Race Leg 9 frontrunners Team Brunel and team Akzonobel on Monday as the teams prepared to enter the final 100 miles.
After almost eight days of intense racing across the Atlantic from Newport, USA, to Cardiff, Wales, the leading pair were today neck and neck.
To add to the intensity third-placed Dongfeng Race Team, desperate to avenge their Leg 8 result when they were forced off the podium into fourth in the final few hours, were just 11 miles from the front.
With winds dropping to under ten knots, an anxious, slow-motion finish is on the cards for Leg 9 as the teams try to pick out the quickest route to Cardiff, with at least four teams in play for the leg win.
While the lack of breeze isn't helping, the real challenge will be to navigate the tidal current the fleet will encounter in the Bristol Channel.
If a team is fortunate enough to arrive in the channel at the right time they could be rocketed towards the finish line. If they get unlucky they could face up to six knots of adverse current sweeping them back out to sea.
It makes for a tense time for the sailors but especially the navigators, tasked with directing their crews through the tactical minefield.
Team Tilt crowned first GC32 World Champions
On Lake Garda today, the Schneiter family's Team Tilt, managed by father Alex and steered by Olympic 49er sailor son Sebastien, was crowned first ever GC32 World Champion. Apart from a brief falter in today's final race, the Swiss team over the last three days never finished a race lower than fourth, despite tricky conditions, a variety of race courses and wind strengths that Lake Garda threw at the 13 teams.
In the same year as they finished second overall on the GC32 Racing Tour in 2016, Sebastien Schneiter competed in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and last year skippered the Swiss team in the Red Bull Youth America's Cup. The young Team Tilt crew returned to GC32 sailing here with maturity.
Team Tilt's performance was all the more remarkable following a disastrous opening day that left them lying 11th overall.
While this was Schneiter's first World title, this was far from the case with tactician/mainsheet trimmer Glenn Ashby, winning skipper of Emirates Team New Zealand's in last year's America's Cup for whom this is his 17th World Championship title, and his first in a crew larger than two. Ashby was previously part of the Team Tilt crew in 2016.
Team Tilt also claimed the ANONIMO Speed Challenge recording the highest average speed of 22.25 knots down the two reach/gybe course. This won them an Anonimo Nautilo GC32 Edition timepiece, to go with the Anonimo Nautilo Bi Color Bronze they claimed for their Championship victory.
Overall results after day 4
1. Team Tilt , 60
2. SAP Extreme Sailing Team, 68
3. Oman Air, 79
4. Alinghi, 88
5. INEOS Rebels UK, 88
6. NORAUTO, 94
7. Red Bull Sailing Team, 111
8. Realteam, 129
9. Argo, 129
10. Frank Racing, 135
11. Zoulou, 135
12. Team Mexico, 172
13. .film Racing, 179
Never a dull moment
In the boatbuilding business a good reputation is hard won and easily lost, and Baltic Yachts' reputation is as solid as every boat it's ever launched. It's not a yard that has ever resorted to trumpet-blowing PR fanfare, it's a yard that has, for 45 years, remained quietly focused on developing innovative techniques to build light, fast, impeccably finished boats from best-quality materials. The story began in Bosund, Finland, in 1973 with a C&C-designed 46ft cruiser-racer, the first of many from designers like Petersen, Judel/Vrolijk, S&S and Tripp. Today Baltic are best known for building custom superyachts like the 175ft Judel/Vrolijk sloop Pink Gin.
Baltic's finger is for ever on the pulse of the yachting market and they have identified strong demand for a fast, easily handled bluewater family cruiser that will happily sail on in light airs when others are hoisting the iron jib. To create this semi-custom boat Baltic approached the team behind Pink Gin, Judel/Vrolijk and Design Unlimited.
Full article in the June issue of Seahorse: www.seahorsemagazine.com
Quantum Racing Take First Regatta Title of the 2018 52 SUPER SERIES
Photo by Max Ranchi, www.maxranchi.com. Click on image for photo gallery.
Lead by Terry Hutchinson with Dean Barker on the helm, Quantum Racing closed out the regatta title with a seventh in an eventful final light wind race to win by five points over Platoon, the team which were second overall last year. Reigning season champions Azzurra, winners of the warm up PalmaVela regatta finished fourth.
It is the first time that Quantum Racing have won a 52 SUPER SERIES regatta since they triumphed at Quantum Key West Regatta in January 2017, the curtain-raiser to last year's six-event season.
Victory in the last race for Harm Muller-Spreer's Platoon was enough to return them to runners up overall at the expense of Takashi Okura's Sled. With the chance to secure second, which would have been their best ever regatta finish since joining the circuit in Ibiza at the end of the 2014 season, Sled fouled Paprec in the final seconds of the start sequence and had to immediately take a penalty.
They started off the line in 11th and could only recover to tenth and so Sled slid to third overall. It is the third time they have finished on the third step of a regatta podium after thirds in Miami in 2014, Valencia in 2015 and at the end of the 2016 season in Cascais.
Final Standings Sibenik 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week:
1. Quantum Racing (USA) (Doug DeVos) (4,1,8,1,4,1,3,7) 29 points
2. Platoon (GER) (Harm Muller-Spreer) (1,4,3,5,7,3,10,1) 34
3. Sled (USA) (Takashi Okura) (12,3,1,8,3,2,2,10) 41
4. Azzurra (ARG/ITA) (Alberto Roemmers) (3,10,10,4,2,7,4,6) 46
5. Onda (BRA) (Eduardo de Souza Ramos) (2,7,5,3,10,6,8,5) 46
6. Luna Rossa (ITA) (Patrizio Bertelli) (7,5,9,9,5,4,7,3) 49
7. Alegre (USA/GBR) (Andrés Soriano) (9,8,6,2,8,8,6,4) 51
8. Phoenix (RSA) (Hasso/Tina Plattner) (8,6,11,6,6,11,5,2) 55
9. Provezza (TUR) (Ergin Imre) (5,9,4,7,12,9,1,9) 56
10. Paprec Recyclage (FRA) (Jean Luc Petithuguenin) (6,12,2,12,1,10,9,12) 64
11. Gladiator (GBR) (Tony Langley) (10(+2 PEN),2,7,11,9,5,12,8) 66
12. XIO Hurakan (ITA) (Marco Serafini) (11,11,12,10,11,12,11,11) 89
Lady Mariposa wins the RORC Myth of Malham
Ker 46 Lady Mariposa, skippered by Daniel hardy, is the overall winner of the 2018 RORC Myth of Malham Race. Edward Broadway's Ker 40 Hooligan VII is second, winning IRC 1, and Nicolas Gaumont-Prat's First 40.7 Philosophie IV third winning IRC 3. Congratulations to all of the other class winners, including Christian Teichmann's Figaro II Abu 43 SH (IRC 2), Chris Blackburn & Simon Dipple's Sun Fast 3200 All Or Nothing (IRC 4), and Ian Hoddle's Sun Fast 3600 Game On (IRC Two-Handed).
The 230 nautical mile race around the Eddystone Lighthouse produced an astonishing variety of weather conditions. The Squadron Line featured a picturesque gentle spinnaker start, but as the gradient breeze veered east the wind piped up to 15 knots, 20 in the gusts. On exiting the Solent, the teams experienced fast running conditions in blazing sunlight towards the famous Eddystone Lighthouse. For the first part of the race, the majority of the teams remained offshore in positive tide but with a dying breeze. A hot and humid night resulted in a violent thunderstorm, accompanied by torrential rain. By Sunday morning, the majority of the fleet were experiencing light southerly winds, and chose to go inshore before Portland Bill, to escape the worst of the tide. Searching for sea breeze to enhance the extremely light southerly wind, those teams that went all the way into Lyme Bay reaped the rewards.
Nicolas Gaumont-Prat's First 40.7 Philosophie IV put in a stellar performance to win IRC 3, just 47 seconds ahead of Ian Hoddle's Game On after IRC time correction. Philosophie IV, Game On and Rob Craigie's Bellino, had a dog fight all the way to the Eddystone Lighthouse, and a photo-finish after 42 hours of racing.
The 2018 RORC Season's Points Championship continues with the 130 nm East Coast Race from Harwich to Oostende on Thursday 21 June. -- Louay Habib
48 Hours Into the Atlantic Cup
11 teams representing the nine countries started the 2018 Atlantic Cup at 12:00 ET Saturday in sunny skies and a southwesterly 15 knot breeze from the Charleston Maritime Center. The start cannon was fired off the Spirit of South Carolina with over 200 spectators looking on. Toothface 2 won the start which was a beat to the first and only turning mark of the course.
In the last 24-hours there's been a massive consolidation in the fleet essentially causing a restart off the coast of Maryland. The last look at the fleeted showed the boats sailing north fast and furiously, divided into three strategic camps - east, center and west. Overnight, 145- Eärendil decided to change camps and headed west across the top of the fleet, extending their lead as they settled to the center. 107- Angola Cables seemed to stretch out to the east, but the move hasn't paid dividends yet.
The leaderboard shuffled through the night as the boats sailed into lighter breeze left by converging winds from two different weather patterns giving a chance for the boats further back to consolidate their position. As morning arrived, 95- Talanta and 81- Esprit Scout moved up nicely into the top half the fleet.
With the winds forecasted to be light approaching New York Harbor, the sailing intensity will increase.
Race Tracker: www.atlanticcup.org
The World Sailing Show
We head to the Caribbean to ride aboard Peter Harrison's Maxi 72 'Sorcha' to get a full taste of the action at Les Voiles de St Barth. We talk one-to-one with Sir Ben Ainslie to hear about his new look, newly funded British America's Cup team, as well as finding out what lies behind one of the biggest deals in sailing sponsorship.
Plus, we take a look at the stress levels in the Volvo Ocean Race, both before and during an extraordinary leg from Brazil to Newport in which the new race leaders Dongfeng were looking to extend their single point advantage.
Also in this show, an unprecedented triple crown in the Moth Worlds, the eSailing World championships is officially launched and we take a look at what promises to be the biggest ever sailing world championships.
- Les Voiles de St Barth and the Maxi 72s
- Ben's big deal – We talk to Sir Ben Ainslie
- Volvo Ocean Race - More stress for Dongfeng
- The world's biggest world championships
- eSailing World Championships launch
- Moth triple crown
151 Cetilar Trophy M32 Goes To GAC PINDAR
Yesterday the weather forecast was not really promising but today the waters out of the "Porto di Pisa" offered another superb day of sailing.
In fact today has been the windier day of the event with a nice south westerly breeze picking up to 12 knots.
Seven races also today has been concluded and racing has never been so tight during the week.
Pro Mattias Dhalstrom and his team managed to adjust the course to the variation of the wind speed securing a beautiful race one after the others.
Today score reflected this tight racing with just 3 points in between the first and the last of the day with lot of ties.
The overall winner of the event has been decided at the last race of the day with Section 16, helmed by Richard Davies, just in front of GAC Pindar helmed by Peter Nicholas.
This was not enough and GAC PINDAR secured the final win with a total score of 47Pts, 3 points ahead of Section 16, in second place, with 50 points.
Third overall Vitamina Veloce, helmed by the Andrea Lacorte sailing well in his home water.
Cetilar, the title sponsor of the Sailing Series, offered a test area of its "sport range products" presented by professional physiotherapist masseurs that have been truly appreciated by the Competitors and the Guests.
Next event of the Cetilar Sailing Series will be in Norway, from 7th to the 10th of June in the beautiful Kristiansand.
M32 Europe Series Pisa
1. GAC Pindar, Peter Nicholas, 47 points
2. Section 16, Richard Davies, 50
3. Vitamina Veloce, Andrea Lacorte, 58
4. Shark, Guido Maini, 63
5. Vikings, Hakan Svensson, 81
Royal Thames Yacht Club wins Stockholm International Team Race Regatta
The Stockholm International Team Race Regatta was sailed Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 25-27 May, in the middle of central Stockholm between Djurgården and Stadsgården. There were six teams from the leading sailing clubs in the world, eight sailors in each team divided into two boats.
The format of the competition was: all teams met all the other teams teams twice in a "Round Robin series, one on Friday and one on Saturday, a total of 30 races. Then finals, petit final between 3rd and 4th in stage one and the final between 1st and 2nd.
On Friday it was perfect conditions for sailing, 4 m/s steady from east and 18 race could be completed. On Saturday the wind arrived first after 14 o'clock and only 9 races could be completed.
On sunday the wind was back and stronger 6-7 m/s. The last six races in the second round robin was sailed and the the finals.
There were very intense, close and exciting sailing as was followed by a large number of spectators on the quays around the racecourse area and from a record number of boats on Stockholm's Ström in the fantastic summer weather.
The Royal Thames Yacht Club and Royal Swedish Yacht Club won 7 races in stage one, however, RTYC had better points in the meeting between the two teams and was ranked as number one in stage 1.
After the first stage, a Petit Final was first sailed between YCCS and NYYC, where the best of three races wins. The Italians got a penalty of a half win and only had 1.5 wins and therefore a fourth race was required. The Italians won this fourth race and secured the third place in the total.
In the final was between RTYC and KSSS, and it became three incredibly exciting tight races, RTYC won the first, KSSS the second and in the third and final race RTYC won and became the winner of the 2018 Stockholm International Team Race Regatta.
The participants were enthusiastic about sailing in central Stockholm, with perfect conditions both on the water and on land. The Royal Thames Yacht Club team leader, one of the leading clubs in the world at Team Racing, thought the finals on Sunday were among the best team racing he had ever seen.
GSYS has organized yet another world-class competition.
Final results
Royal Thames Yacht Club, GBR
Royal Swedish Yacht Club, SWE
Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, ITA
New York Yacht Club, USA
Royal Yacht Squadron, GBR
Gamla Stans Yacht Club, SWE
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The Last Word
No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now. -- Alan Watts
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