In This Issue
Beautiful Conditions in Helsinki
Levi Conquers 2018 Melges 20 World League in Lerici
UBS 20th Jersey Regatta
HYS FAST40+ National Championship
Maritime charity calls on people from the shipping industry to take on its Loch Ness Challenge
Ocean Safety congratulates Dongfeng Race Team
12mR Fleet Update
Stick to your last
Lagos to make its GC32 debut next week
Featured Brokerage
The Last Word: Rudi Dutschke

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

Beautiful Conditions in Helsinki
The 2018 WIM Series opened in sparkling conditions in Helsinki for the first day of racing at the Helsinki Women's Match. Thirteen flights were sailed by the thirteen teams in the beautiful sunshine.

A fairly steady southwesterly breeze made it easy for the race committee lead by French International Race Officer, Anne Mallédant, to bang off races at a quick pace throughout the long midsummer day.

Local sailor Marinella Laaksonen and her L2 Match Racing Team finished the first day undefeated with 5 wins and no losses.

Another team that caught the attention of the spectators as well as their fellow sailors today was one of the new teams on the WIM Series - NZ Match skippered by Celia Willison finishing the day with 4 wins including a win over 2017 WIM Series Champion, Pauline Courtois. Although this is the team's first time at a WIM Series event, match racing at the international level is not new to them.

The round robin racing continues Wednesday. The top eight teams from the round robin series will advance to the knockout quarter-finals on Thursday. The event will conclude on Friday with the semi-finals and finals.

Results in the 2018 Helsinki Women's Match, the first event of the 2018 WIM Series, after day 1 of the round-robin (skipper, team name, nationality, wins - losses):
1. Marinella Laaksonen, L2 Match Racing Team, FIN, 5 - 0
2. Trine Palludan, Team Kattnakken, DEN, 5 - 1
3. Johanna Bergqvist, Team Bergqvist Match Racing, SWE, 5 - 1
4. Antonia Degerlund, Team Skona Vibbisar, FIN, 5 - 2
5. Celia Willison, NZ Match, NZL, 4 - 2
6. Pauline Courtois, Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team, FRA, 4 - 3
7. Allie Blecher, Team BAAM!, USA, 3 - 3
8. Sanna Hager, Stockholm Match Racing Team, SWE, 2 - 3
9. Jassi Skogman, Team Skogman, FIN, 2 - 4
9. Margot Vennin, Matchmoiselles by Normandy Elite Team, FRA, 2 - 4
11. Margot Riou, APCC Women Sailing Team, FRA, 2 - 5
12. Sanna Mattsson, Swedish Women's Match Racing Team, SWE, 0 - 5
13. Hanna Ericksson, Peregrine Racing, SWE, 0 - 6

www.wimseries.com

Levi Conquers 2018 Melges 20 World League in Lerici
Lerici, Italy: Atop the fleet in Lerici on the final day of racing is event champion Dario Levi at the helm of FREMITO D'ARJA with crew members Enrico Fonda, Stefano Lagi and Rossella Losito.

The victory for Levi comes after five races and without racing on Sunday, due to lack of breeze. He is a class veteran and an accomplished helmsman with more experience in the Melges 20 than most. After a long, forced break from sailing, this return to the stage could not possibly be any sweeter, and further validates his approach into the World Championship set for October in Cagliari.

The results proved to be great for the Italian fleet, in particular, Andrea Ferrari's SPIRIT OF NERINA and Filippo Pacinotti's BRONTOLO rounded out the top five respectively.

In the Corinthian Division, Alexander Mikhaylik's ALEX TEAM takes home the top honors, ranking twelfth overall, surpassing Scarlino champion Marco Giannini's SIDERVAL.

The next step of the 2018 Melges 20 World League takes the fleet to the shores of Trentino on Lake Garda on July 20-22.

Top Five Results (Final - After Five Races)
1. ITA - Dario Levi, FREMITO D'ARJA; 10-4-5-1-7 = 27
2. MON - Achille Onorato, MASCALZONE LATINO, JR.; 3-14-1-11-2 = 31
3. RUS - Igor Rytov, RUSSIAN BOGATYRS; 1-2-4-17/SCP-8 = 32
4. ITA - Andrea Ferrari, SPIRIT OF NERINA; 6-1-16-7-4 = 34
5. ITA - Filippo Pacinotti, BRONTOLO; 8-7-2-4-15 = 36

Full results on YachtScoring.com

melges20.com

UBS 20th Jersey Regatta
Scheduled for 14th to 16th September and sponsored for the sixth year running by UBS AG Jersey, this year sees the 20th edition of the combined clubs' Jersey Regatta, the Island's 'flagship' sailing event.

The Regatta schedule provides racing for sportsboat, IRC and NHC cruiser/racer, Quarter Ton, dayboat, dinghy, sport catamaran and windsurfer classes, a veritable 'catch-all for both local and visiting sailors alike. In this special year, the fifth Spinlock IRC Channel Islands Regional Championships for IRC-rated Classes 1 & 2 cruiser/racers will be a major feature of the programme.

The event opens on the Thursday evening with a welcoming reception followed by a distance race for the sportsboat and cruiser/racer classes on Friday morning. Saturday and Sunday sees these classes racing in and off St Aubin's Bay over round-the-cans and Olympic-type courses. The 'small boat' classes race over Olympic-type courses entirely within this beautiful Bay.

As ever, Jersey Marinas will be providing complimentary berthing for competitors during the lead-up to the Regatta whilst Condor Ferries is offering discounted fares for those competitors wishing to ship their boats to the Island to join in the event.

The Regatta is an open event to which visiting boats are assured of a very warm welcome.

The Notice of Race is available on the website, www.jerseyregatta.com. Enticingly low entry fees are made even more attractive with an 'early bird' fee for those entering no later than 6th August. The definitive closing date is 7th September.

For further information, e-mail .

HYS FAST40+ National Championship
The FAST40+ Class is back in action 29 June - 01 July, for Round 3 of the 2018 FAST40+ Circuit. The head turning carbon-flyers will be competing for the HYS FAST40+ National Championship, organised by the Royal Thames Yacht Club. Hamble Yacht Services continues their support of the FAST40+ Class announcing a partnership set for the next three years.

FAST40+ Race Director Stuart Childerley has confirmed the schedule for the event. Eight races are scheduled over three days of red hot sailing in the Solent with Windward Leeward and Round the Buoys racing in the mix. The overall winner will be presented with the FAST40+ National Trophy and the Royal Thames "Staples" trophy at the glamorous Royal Thames Prize-Winners Dinner held at their London Clubhouse this November.

Niklas Zennstrom's Carkeek designed Ran has won the first two rounds of the FAST40+ Race Circuit, and will be the boat to beat. Stewart Whitehead's Carkeek MkIII Rebellion and Peter Morton's CF40+ Girls on Film have been two of the top performing teams for the first two rounds of the season. Mike Bartholomew's South African flagged Tokoloshe II was in fine form winning Class Zero at the 2018 RORC IRC European Championships. Tony Dickin's Farr designed Jubilee finished Round 2 of the FAST40+ Class Circuit in style with a bullet, and will be looking to take that win to springboard into the HYS FAST40+ Nationals.

www.fast40class.com

Maritime charity calls on people from the shipping industry to take on its Loch Ness Challenge
A maritime welfare charity is calling on people from the shipping industry to get involved with its new Loch Ness challenge event on 6-10 September.

Sailors' Society, which supports seafarers and their families around the world, is looking for people to canoe almost 60 miles of the Great Glen and raise funds for its work.

The charity, which celebrated its 200th anniversary in March, transforms the lives of seafarers and their families at home, in port and at sea through initiatives such as its Wellness at Sea coaching programme and Crisis Response Network.

Its chaplains and ship visitors have a presence in 91 global ports, with wider projects and services covering 30 countries.

Rebecca Bridgen, who is running the event for Sailors' Society, has decided to take part herself.

She said: "Our chaplains provide a variety of services to seafarers; whether it's practical help like a lift to the shops, access to Wi-Fi so they can talk to loved ones or emotional support after a crisis such as piracy, abandonment or imprisonment, they do inspirational work.

"I've never stepped in a canoe before but am looking forward to the challenge!

"If I can do it, so can you."

For full information, contact Rebecca on or by calling her on 02380 515950.

www.sailors-society.org/200-year

Ocean Safety congratulates Dongfeng Race Team
Ocean Safety is delighted to congratulate Dongfeng Race Team and all of the yachts which have completed the Volvo Ocean Race at the Hague finish line on Sunday afternoon.

All seven of the yachts carried Ocean Safety's Ultralite SOLAS compact liferafts which, back in September when the yachts were starting out on their gruelling 11-leg circumnavigation, were a completely unparalleled innovation in weight saving for liferafts.

Carrying a lot less weight on the transom than ever before will have shaved off valuable time for all the yachts - and although it didn't give any one an advantage against the others - it will no doubt have enabled them to spend less time at sea!

Now used by grand prix ocean safety yachts around the world, the new Ocean Ultralite SOLAS compact space-saving liferaft uses carbon composite technology to achieve a significant 23% weight saving, a vital boost in the search for speed.

Alistair Hackett of Ocean Safety says "We are so impressed by the achievements of all seven yachts and our huge congratulations go out to all of them. Everyone at Ocean Safety is proud to have been a part of this amazing challenge.. He adds, "We will now be servicing all the liferafts and expect them to travel many more miles still."

www.oceansafety.com

12mR Fleet Update
After a winter to tune up and gear up their boats, the 12mR fleet came out firing on all cylinders at the first Road to the Worlds regatta of the 2018 season, the New York Yacht Club's 164th Annual Regatta.

New Zealand (KZ-3) lead the 9 boat fleet in the "Around the Island" race that always kicks off the NYYC Annual Regatta. Mother Nature chose to make the around the buoys racing more challenging than expected, with a weekend of light fluky breezes that only allowed the RC to get in three races.

Despite the abbreviated schedule, Lisa and Jack LeFort's Challenge XII (KA-10) served notice that they were a force to contend with, taking two bullets and the first place trophy in the Modern Division. But least KA-10 get complacent, Dennis Williams and his Team Defender(US-33) made their presence know as well, finishing only one point behind the winner.

In the Traditional Division, American Eagle (US-21) let the fleet know they were a force to be reckoned with, winning two out of the three races and the regatta. The other three boats in the division, Weatherly (US-17), Nefertiti (US-19) and Columbia (US-16) showed just how competitive this division has become with all of them finishing within two points of each other.

Our next event is the Newport Trophy Regatta in mid-July. It is being held as part of the NYYC's Race Week. This event should see Easterner (US-18) on the line for the first time in a number of years. Scott Bernard, Easterner's new owner has had her in the shed all winter getting ready to join the Tradition Division for the balance of the Road to the Worlds and the Worlds.

Also in the wings are Jack Curtin's Intrepid (US- 22) and Tim Rutter's Enterprise (US-27). Both have been going through major refits and should rejoin the Modern Division later in the season. We are anticipating between 11 and 13 Twelve Metres will compete at the North American Championship in September.

And finally, the 2019 Worlds are just over 12 months away. As of today, we have serious indications of interest from over 15 European-based boats. This combined with our growing US fleet, could mean almost 30 12 Metre Yachts on the starting line at the 2019 Worlds.

In addition, we are also extending an invitation to the non-racing 12's in the area to participate in a rendezvous of the 12 Metre Class at the same time as the Worlds. We are hoping to attract 7-8 boats in addition to the racing fleet to the rendezvous, making it one of the largest gatherings of 12 Metre Yachts ever.

The momentum is building as we get closer to 2019. The Road to the Worlds Series is heating up and World fever is building. The regatta committee is seeking volunteers and sponsors to help with the Worlds. The great entertainment opportunities both on and around the boats make this an excellent corporate appreciation and marketing opportunity. -- Peter Gerard.

12metreyachtclub.org/news/

Stick to your last
Technical footwear specialists Dubarry now offer a wide range of other garments - but they are not allowing themselves to get distracted…

'What we've found over the years has been that it's easier for a footwear manufacturer to diversify to become a clothing manufacturer than for a clothing manufacturer to start making footwear!' So says Dubarry's marketing director Michael Walsh, who has worked at the Irish technical footwear specialist for more than 20 years, and claims that designing, engineering and making a reliable and comfortable sea boot is much harder than it appears.

Dubarry started out making boots for the marine market and have since branched out into the much bigger and more lucrative markets such as equestrian and country lifestyle. Rugby is also an important target market, not on the rugby pitch but on the sidelines which in Dubarry's native Ireland can be a cold and damp place to stand for two hours. Warm, comfortable boots are a prerequisite for enjoying a Six Nations match in the depths of an Irish winter or when watching the kids from the sidelines at Saturday practice.

Whatever other markets Dubarry may have unlocked, sailing is where the brand began and it remains central to the company's DNA.

Full article in the July issue of Seahorse

Lagos to make its GC32 debut next week
Following on from May's inaugural GC32 World Championship in Riva del Garda, Italy, the 2018 GC32 Racing Tour sets sail once again next week. In another first, the European circuit for the one design flying catamarans will visit Portugal and the Algarve coast for the GC32 Lagos Cup, taking place over 27 June-1 July.

Thanks to its strategic location, Lagos has a maritime tradition dating back millennia. It was most famous as home to Henry the Navigator and, during Portugal's 'Age of Discovery' in the 15th and 16th centuries, as the favoured port from which renowned Portugese sailors such as Vasco de Gama set off to explore the African continent and beyond. Much evidence of this still exists in its historic town centre.

This will also be the first time the GC32 Racing Tour has visited a port on the Atlantic but while Lagos faces the open ocean, in fact it is protected both by Cape St Vincent, the southwesternmost tip of Europe just 10km away, and locally by Ponta da Piedade at the west end of Lagos' bay. Competitors can look forward to sea breeze conditions and flat water - perfect conditions for foiling.

In addition to Sir Ben Ainslie and INEOS TEAM UK, who confirmed their participation in the 2018 GC32 Racing Tour earlier this week, the GC32 Lagos Cup will also see the welcome return of Codigo Rojo Racing. The Argentinian team made its debut on the GC32 Racing Tour in 2017 when it took part in two events.

For the GC32 Lagos Cup, Codigo Rojo Racing also has a secret weapon in experienced Portugese multihull sailor Renato Conde who will coach them in Lagos.

2018 GC32 Racing Tour teams

Team - Owner/skipper, Nat, Helmsman
1. Argo - Jason Carroll, USA, Jason Carroll
2. Codigo - Rojo Racing, Federico Ferioli, ARG, Federico Ferioli
3. .film Racing - Simon Delzoppo, AUS, Simon Delzoppo
4. Frank Racing - Simon Hull, NZL, Simon Hull
5. INEOS TEAM UK - Ben Ainslie, GBR, Ben Ainslie
6. NORAUTO - Frank Cammas, FRA, Frank Cammas
7. Realteam - Esteban Garcia, SUI, Jerome Clerc
8. Zoulou - Erik Maris, FRA, Erik Maris

www.gc32racingtour.com

Featured Brokerage
1993 Swan 68-004 Explotadot. 1,300,000 Located in Barcelona, Spain.

Swan 68-004 Explotadot was originally launched in 1993 as ‘Solleone’ for the chairman of Nautor’s Swan. She was the first Swan 68 to feature four guest cabins with a galley forward arrangement, allowing greater separation from guests and crew.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Nautor's Swan Brokerage - Giorgio Passarella

Tel. +377 97 97 95 07
nautorswanbrokerage.com

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

2993 Swan 70-003 Blue Pearl. 1,500,000 EUR. Located in La Spezia, Italy.

Blue Pearl is the third Swan 70 and was delivered in 2003. Until 2006, the boat was stored ashore and unused while her original owners built a larger Swan yacht. Sold to her current owner in mid 2006, she was set up for a mutli-purpose program of competitive racing and comfortable cruising.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Nautor's Swan Brokerage - Jeremy Peek

Tel. +377 97 97 95 07
nautorswanbrokerage.com

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

1998 Elliot 1850 Schooner - ZINDABAR. 545,000 GBP. Located in Bay of Islands, NZ.

Greg Elliot is a legend in the Southern Hemisphere where his fast, lean and utilitarian yachts are perfect for making fast passages through the vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean. They are superb seaboats and there design and execution is simple and robust. ZINDABAR is a good example of his craft and has been substantially updated in this ownership. A big refit in 2009 has been followed by a number of smaller upgrades to ensure that she remains ocean ready.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Ben Cooper
+44 (0) 1590 679 222

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

The Last Word
We can change. We are not desperate idiots of history, unable to take their destiny in their own hands. -- Rudi Dutschke

Editorial and letter submissions to

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