In This Issue
Clipper Race Makes History In Liverpool
RORC Channel Race Report: Blast to Beachy Head
Match Cup Norway: World Champions Slog it Out in Big Breeze
Harken takes in Sailing World Championships in Aarhus
Safram romps home to win the Kekszalag race on Lake Balaton in Hungary!
Perfect finish for New Moon in Travemünde to wrap up German Dutch Open
Seahorse Sailor Of The Month
Happy Customers - OmanSail
Bosham Classic Boat Revival to celebrate Ian Proctor's Centenary, 1-2 September 2018
Featured Brokerage
The Last Word: Arthur C. Clarke
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
Clipper Race Makes History In Liverpool
Wendy Tuck and the Sanya Serenity Team. Click on image to enlarge.
History has been made in Liverpool today as Australian sailor, Wendy Tuck, became the first ever woman to win a round the world yacht race after leading her Sanya Serenity Coast team to clinch overall victory in the Clipper 2017-18 Race.
Thousands of people from around the globe flocked to the banks of the River Mersey to watch the spectacular Race Finish Sprint. After an intense 18 nautical mile duel, it was Garmin, PSP Logistics and home team Liverpool 2018 that picked up the final bonus race points in front of Royal Albert Dock Liverpool.
Despite the sprint positions, it was Sanya Serenity Coast that managed to hold the overall lead and in an additional win for women's sport, second place overall went to British Sailor Skipper Nikki Henderson, 25, the Skipper of Visit Seattle.
One of the biggest cheers of the day went to home team Liverpool 2018. The bright pink team entry, which has been flying the flag for the city as it raced around the globe, returned to its home port to a hero's welcome after double podium success in Race 13, where it finished second, and the Sprint Finish, where it took third place.
The Liverpool 2018 yacht will remain in Royal Albert Dock Liverpool until Sunday 05 August and will be open to the public for free tours daily from 10:00 to 18:00.
In total, 712 people representing 41 different nationalities and from all walks of life have taken part in the 40,000 nautical mile Clipper 2017-18 Race, the event's eleventh edition.
Final Overall Clipper 2017-18 Race Positions
Sanya Serenity Coast - 143 Points
Visit Seattle - 139 Points
Qingdao - 135 Points
Garmin - 125 Points
Psp Logistics - 121 Points
Unicef - 108 Points
Dare To Lead - 106 Points
Great Britain - 90 Points
Liverpool 2018 - 79 Points
Hotelplanner.Com - 69 Points
Nasdaq - 61 Points
RORC Channel Race Report: Blast to Beachy Head
The 2018 Channel Race proved to be the windiest race of the RORC Season's Points Championship to date, with competitors reporting gusts of up to 40 knots and a short sharp sea state for the blast to Beachy Head and back to the Solent. Effectively a 150 nautical mile windward leeward course, only three yachts retired with minor gear failure and all of the teams have returned safely to shore.
After IRC time correction, Noel Racine's JPK 10.10 Foggy Dew was the overall winner by just over two minutes from Ker 46 Lady Mariposa, skippered by Nigel King. Tom Kneen's JPK 1180 Sunrise, sailed by Stuart Greenfield, was third. Yachts from IRC Four, IRC Zero, and IRC Two made up the overall podium. Congratulations to Mark Emerson's A13 Phosphorus II, winner of IRC One. Ian Hoddle's Sun Fast 3600 Game On, winner of IRC Three, and Nigel Goodhew's Sun Fast 3200 Cora, winner of IRC Two Handed.
The RORC Season's Points Championship continues with one of the toughest yacht races in the world. The 2018 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland will start from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line on Sunday 12th August, with a record entry racing 1805 miles through the English Channel, the Celtic Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean.
For Full Results: www.rorc.org/raceresults/2018/ircoverall10.html
Match Cup Norway: World Champions Slog it Out in Big Breeze
Risor, Norway: With brilliant sun and a southerly wind at times exceeding 20 knots in the gusts, Risor saved its best conditions for the Semi Final and Final stages of Match Cup Norway.
New Zealand's Phil Robertson with his China One Ningbo team dispatched his Semi Final opponent Nicklas Dackhammar 3-0 to line up against his old rival Australian Torvar Mirsky, who had beaten Mans Holmberg 3-1.
In the strong southerly breeze the race officials were forced to set up a tight start area, but, just metres off Risor pier, this provided a bird's eye view of the action for the assembled spectators.
Running short on time, the Final was shortened to a 'first to two points' affair. These were mostly decided in the pre-starts, where crews have developed some unique techniques only possible on their nimble, lightweight M32 catamarans such as controlled reversing at speed.
The most aggressive pre-start was in the decider when Robertson charged in to plant a penalty on Mirsky very close to the shoreline. This incident involved minor contact between the two boats as they clacked racks. "The rudders were a bit stalled and the boys thought we were going in through him - there was a bit of contact, but nothing too heavy," said Robertson.
Despite mixing it up, separating at each mark and some hair-raising bear aways that saw both boats disappearing behind a wall of spray and hitting 25 knot speeds on the downwind legs, their crews gybing with the grace of ballerinas, Mirsky was able to recover his loss but was unable to overtake his opponent. Robertson and his experienced crew went on to collect the winning point and ultimately the victor's prize of US$ 20,000.
The World Match Racing Tour's debut in Risor was well received by competitors, especially in this week's heat wave. At the prizegiving, Mayor Per Kristian Lunden thanked the crews and welcomed them back to his town in 2019.
Final stage result
Phil Robertson (NZL) d Torvar Mirsky (AUS) 3-1
Petite Final stage result
Mans Holmberg (SWE) d Nicklas Dackhammar (SWE) 1-0
Semi Final stage result
Phil Robertson (NZL) d Nicklas Dackhammar (SWE) 3-0
Torvar Mirsky (AUS) d Mans Holmberg (SWE) 3-1
Overall results
1. Phil Robertson (NZL) China One Ningbo
2. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team
3. Mans Holmberg (SWE) Gothenburg Match Racing Team
4. Nicklas Dackhammar (SWE) Essiq Racing
5. Ian Williams (GBR) GAC Pindar
6. Harry Price (AUS) Down Under Racing
7. Yann Guichard (FRA) Spindrift Racing
8. Jonas Warrer (DEN) Warrer Racing
9. Pieter-Jan Posma (NED) Sailing Team NL
10. Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team
11. Daniel Bjornholt (DEN) Youth Vikings Denmark
12. Petter Morland Petersen (NOR) Norsteam
Harken takes in Sailing World Championships in Aarhus
The Hempel Sailing World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, is the largest Olympic Sailing event between the 2016 Olympics and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Sailors from some 100 nations in all 10 Olympic sailing disciplines will be competing for Worlds medals and qualifying their countries for the Olympics. In addition, there will be a kitesurfing showcase for men and women.
When an estimated 1,100 sailboats converge on Aarhus, Denmark, July 30 to August 12, the Harken team will be there too. We will be speaking with some of the estimated 1,500 participating sailors about new rigging ideas and absorbing new thinking that happens only where the world's fastest sailors congregate. You can't be more "at the front" of sailing.
The team also is providing support to Columbus Marine, Harken's Denmark distributor, and will help sailors with technical support if needed. Competitors can find Harken close to the shuttleboat landing near Boat Park 2.
Will the top teams that competed in Brazil continue to be the top teams or will they be pushed off the podium by up-and-coming talent? Harken At The Front.
Safram romps home to win the Kekszalag race on Lake Balaton in Hungary!
Balatonfured, Hungary: The Swiss catamaran, Safram, helmed by Christophe Peclard and skippered by Rodolphe Gautier, won the 50th edition of the Kekszalag on Lake Balaton on Thursday after over 12 hours of racing against a 661-strong fleet, finishing 20 minutes ahead of closest rivals, PreVital Decision 35 in second and Opel Fifty-Fifty in third.
The fleet attracted every type of multihull, ranging from 28 to 45 feet, but the Ventilo M1 held its own against the D35 and the AC45 and other wing-masted catamarans!
Safram has a good record on Lake Balaton, they won the race in 2015 and finished fifth last year. This year they got a good start and sailed at the front of the fleet for the entire race. The team was neck and neck with the Decision 35 until the exit of the channel on the way out but managed to get into the breeze earlier and led the race from then on. By the midway mark at 1630, the team had put 20 minutes on the D35 and they crossed the finish line at 2140, tired but happy!
The crew will stay in Hungary for the weekend to enjoy the spectacular prize giving on Saturday night hosted at the heart of the village.
After that they will reflect on what comes next, with a fifth at the Bol d'Or Mirabaud and a first yesterday, they have had a good season so far.
Kekszalag crew :
- Christophe Peclard - helmsman
- Fabien Froesch - bowman
- Fabian Racloz - mid-bowman
- Nils Palmieri - trimmer
- Antoine Lauriot-Prevost - trimmer
- Rodolphe Gautier - skipper
2018 Kekszalag top three results :
1. Safram 21:40:31
2. PreVital 22:01:40
3. Opel Fifty-Fifty 22:27:18
www.hunsail.hu/kekszalag/eredmenyek/
Perfect finish for New Moon in Travemunde to wrap up German Dutch Open
While most of the world has been talking about a blood moon, in Travemünde, New Moon has been dominating the headlines. Just two races were needed for New Moon BAH 21 (Mark Holowesko, Christoph Burger, Peter Vlasov) to secure the overall win at the 5.5 Metre German Dutch Open. Two race wins put it beyond doubt.
Maitresse Gaat Vreemd NED 35 (Piet Van Opzeeland, Peter Parmentier, Frans Van Schellen) took second while Feng Shui NED 26 (Arend Jan Pasman, Ron Azier, Kim Chabani) was third. The German Championship was won by Prettynama GER 79 (Max Müller, Max Steigl, Martin Ekat).
The wind had shifted more towards the south-west, and, coming off the land was more shifty than the previous days. It gradually built from 6-7 knots to 14-16 by the last race, though the water remained quite flat. Severe storms were forecast for later in the day, but these didn't show up until the time of the prizegiving, which was hastily relocated inside as strong gusts bringing torrential rain tore down the Trave.
Several boats missed the change to the first start time to avoid the incoming storms, including Marie-Françoise XIX SUI 228 (Jürg Menzi, Jürgen Eiermann, Christof Wilke), which paid a heavy penalty as they already had one letter score and could no longer make the top three.
New Moon then put the overall win beyond doubt in the second race leading from start to finish.
The 2018 World Championship runs from 18-24 August, and is preceded by the 5.5 Metre class cups including the prestigious and historic Scandinavian Gold Cup from 14-19 August.
Results after 9 races
1 New Moon BAH 21 (Mark Holowesko, Christoph Burger, Peter Vlasov) 10
2 Maitresse Gaat Vreemd NED 35 (Piet Van Opzeeland, Peter Parmentier, Frans Van Schellen) 29
3 Feng Shui NED 26 (Arend Jan Pasman, Ron Azier, Kim Chabani) 29
4 Marie-Françoise XIX SUI 228 (Jürg Menzi, Jürgen Eiermann, Christof Wilke) 33
5 Duchess of B NED 31 (Victorine Bredero, Wiebe De Witte, Nick Spaans) 40
6 Prettynama GER 79 (Max Müller, Max Steigl, Martin Ekat) 45
7 Ali Baba GER 84 (Wolf-Eberhard Richter, Ingo Meißner, Guido Rattemeyer) 57
8 Silverfox GER 83 (Michael Schulz, Joerg Gruenwald, Jens-Magnus Bothe) 58
9 Odyssee SWE 65 (Bernhard Rost, Ergo Kosk, Niklas Jansson) 64
10 Alpha Crucis AUS 61 (Martin Cross, Joachim Fluhrer, Johny Fluhrer 71
Seahorse Sailor Of The Month
Last month's winner:
Chen 'Horace' Jinhao (CHN)
'Horace!' - Fabien Delahaye; 'Horace!!' - Marie Riou; 'Horace!!!' - Andy Tourell; 'Horace!!!!' - Neil Graham (Albert); 'Horace!!!!!' - Stu Bannatyne; 'Horace!!!!!!' - Bruno Dubois; 'Sailing's future, he shares his passion with the sailing school for kids he created in Shenzhen and still has time to promote good waste management at home!' - Guillaume Semblat; 'The nicest and hardest-working sailor I have ever met' - Cyrille Douillet; 'What Horace, Wolf and Black did is incredible, never been offshore to winning the Volvo!' - Sally Monkman; 'I was training Horace on the Figaro and he is a very good sailor' - Gildas Morvan.
This month's nominees:
Carolijn Brouwer (NED)
For pedants: Olympian Carolijn Brouwer sailed all but one leg, more than any other of the talented and fast women sailors on Dongfeng and so becomes the first female racer to win the Volvo Race. An incredible achievement and it should only be an embarrassment for those in a position to act if the women who raced so hard through the Southern Ocean do not soon get some emails inviting them to try out for a good grand prix programme
Richard Brisius & Johan Salen (SWE)
In doing a deal with Imoca you could say that Brisius (pictured) and Salen, multiple Volvo winners as managers, have pulled off in a few months what should have been done more than 10 years ago when the Volvo 60s passed their shelf life. More than that, they have already grabbed the race by the scruff of the neck and are delivering the confidence needed for people to start putting programmes together for 2021
Seahorse Sailor of the Month is sponsored by Henri Lloyd, Harken McLube & Dubarry. Who needs silverware, our prizes are usable!
Cast your vote, submit comments, even suggest a candidate for next month at seahorsemagazine.com/sailor-of-the-month/vote-for-sailor-of-the-month
View past winners of Sailor of the Month
Happy Customers - OmanSail
Then again who wouldn't want to be blasting round the warm waters of Oman on a fast and twitchy Diam 24 tri at an ultra-simple turn-up and race regatta attracting a highly competitive field?
A few months after the event it's clear that the overwhelming consensus on the first new-look EFG Sailing Arabia - The Tour is of a job well done.
The eighth edition of EFG SATT this year saw a complete revamp with Farr 30s and a route around the southern Gulf replaced by Diam 24 trimarans and an Oman-based itinerary of stadium racing and coastal raids, both changes an intentional nod to the Tour de France à la Voile. Late call though it was, Oman Sail proved more than equal to the organisational challenge, delivering an event that provided perfect winter sailing conditions with warm weather and - mostly - reliable winds.
The opportunity to steal a march on the competition ahead of the European season was not lost on any of the eight teams keen to get their Tour Voile campaigns off to an ideal early start.
Perhaps less obvious was the impact the new course had on those participating. Oman Sail have never made a secret of the fact that, alongside their mission to reignite the country's maritime heritage and develop homegrown sailing talent, it is also about promoting the Sultanate's credentials as a high-end, sports tourism destination - combining the pleasure of exciting racing with a chance to explore Oman's beauty and culture. Starting EFG SATT in the largely untouched south and then taking the fleet along Oman's striking coastline clearly made a great impression on all those taking part this year.
Full article in the August issue of Seahorse
Bosham Classic Boat Revival to celebrate Ian Proctor's Centenary, 1-2 September 2018
Ian Proctor's Typhoon. Click on image to enlarge.
Bosham Sailing Club is to host the Ian Proctor Centenary Rally during its annual Classic Boat Revival, 1-2 September 2018.
The Bosham Classic Boat Revival is now recognised as the premier annual event for classic dinghies so it is a fitting event at which to celebrate one of the undisputed greats of sailing dinghy design. Many of Proctor's designs are expected to attend including the Osprey, Kestrel, National Twelves, National Eighteens, Merlin-Rockets, Minisail, Wanderer and Wayfarer, and Topper..
The Classic Boat Revival is now in its 8th year and we are expecting a good number of classic racing dinghies, many of whom attend every year, from all over the UK and abroad, plus a significant number of the most iconic Proctor-designed boats still afloat to gather as a fitting tribute to this remarkable designer.
Over the weekend we are planning a series of five races, starting from two committee boats, with entrants split into three fleets.
Subject to interest, there will also be a series of low key harbour races for a fourth fleet dedicated to Proctor designs who do not wish to compete in the classic boat fast, medium and slow fleets.
Prizes will be awarded for racing and there will also be two prestigious Concours d'Elegance awards - one for the classic boat fleet and one for a Proctor-designed boat.
There is a full social programme with a Gala Dinner at the clubhouse to celebrate Ian Proctor's remarkable career on Friday 31 August and on Saturday 1 September there will be a casual club supper with live music for all to enjoy.
We are very grateful to our sponsors Hartley Boats, Topper International, Michael Cover ADR, MPI, Verisona Law, Haines Boatyard and Pussars Rum.
Full details of the event including entry forms, NOR and SIs can be found on the website: classicboatrevival.co.uk/official-documents/
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The Last Word
I'm sure the universe is full of intelligent life. It's just been too intelligent to come here. -- Arthur C. Clarke
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