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Brought to you by Boats.com Europe, Yachtworld.com Europe, 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 Tonnerre Expected Tonight Last night Clipper 68, Hull and Humber found themselves in the teeth of gale force winds off the west coast of Ireland. As one crew member explained from on board: "Down with the 1, on with 2, on with a reef, off with 2 and on with 3, on with another reef. All the while with starboard watch on the foredeck, pitching in a steep Atlantic sea. Loads of cold water, some of it green, giving us a refreshing jacuzzi. Even Al Duns, he of Norwegian and Arctic sailing, said he had never been quite so wet before... It was a tired starboard watch that tumbled into their bunks at 2 a.m. to be relieved by port watch, to take us on to St Kilda's, then some 30 miles distant. Never a watch to do things by halves, port watch not only rounded St Kilda's, but simultaneously passed our arch-nemesis John B." Steven Anderson's First 40.7, Encore still leads IRC One by some margin but Adrian Lower's team from the Royal Burnham Yacht Club on Swan 44, Selene and Harry Heijst's Dutch S&S 41, Winsome are having a close battle, with Winsome just holding the lead on corrected time. Tonnerre de Breskens look set to claim the IRC Zero win tonight and may depose Artemis Ocean Racing at the top of the IRC leader board in the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race. Rafa Trujillo Masters San Francisco Breeze
It was always going to be a windy day with 15 knots already in place when the sailors arrived and forecasts of more for later in the day. It was bright, sunny, windy. Perfect conditions for full-on Finn sailing. The wind increased during the day to 22 knots in race two with the Oscar flag flying for free pumping throughout the day. Among the many new faces in the class this year is Matt Coutts (NZL). The championship is something of a family reunion with Matt's uncle, Rob Coutts (NZL) also sailing, with his father Grant doing some coaching and other uncle, Russell, popping in for a few days. "I haven't actually seen my dad for most of the year as I've been over in Spain but it's nice to all get together here. Russell is coming over for a couple of days, so it will be nice to see him as well." Russell Coutts has been at the venue for several days coaching his young nephew. Does his famous uncle have any influence on him or advice to offer. "Oh for sure he has. He's been a big help. When I decided to go into the Finn, you could see it was pretty exciting for him. He been giving me some general direction advice, kind of the big picture stuff, what I should be working on, a little bit of the technical aspect of it. A little bit of everything, but mainly just general direction making sure I am working on the right things and spending the time and money on the right things." Racing continues Tuesday with two more races and forecasts of slightly stronger winds coming through. Results after 2 races: 1. Rafael Trujillo, ESP, 3 points Full results at www.finngoldcup.com Testing Conditions at St. Moritz Match Race
After a light dusting of snow on the hills above the lake overnight, St. Moritz sparkled in the morning sun. However, the unseasonably cold weather meant the trademark Maloja wind was absent today, leaving sailors to contend with an erratic and chilling northerly breeze. This was light and fitful at the start of the competitors' registration and weigh-in session, but built to a useful 10-15 knots for the first practice session. With the Maloja not expected to be fully active for a few days, the challenge of making the most of the shifty winds is uppermost in the minds of many skippers. One skipper who is not so worried about the tricky conditions, however, is Eric Monnin (SUI) Swiss Match Racing Team. Switzerland's best match race helmsman, Monnin is currently ranked 26th in the world and has competed at every St. Moritz Match Race. He stepped ashore after today's practice session relaxed and smiling, saying: "We like sailing at our home event. We know the boats and we know we can do well in the shifty conditions - it's what we're used to." The WMRT is well established as a pathway to stardom for sailors. Jérome Clerc (SUI) Team CER Genève is an up and coming Swiss sailor, with the distinction of being the second amateur team in this year's Tour de France a la Voile. The St Moritz Match Race will be Clerc's first ISAF Grade WC event, having been awarded a wildcard entry after finishing second in the Qualifier Event 2010 Volvo Match Race, Zug. Tomorrow morning will see Clerc pitched straight into one-on-one battles with three of the biggest names in the sailing world, starting with double ISAF World Match Racing Champion Ian Williams (GBR), Team GAC Pindar. In his next race the young Swiss sailor will face Mathieu Richard (FRA), French Match Racing Team, who's currently at the top of the Tour rankings. Clerc will then go head-to-head against triple Olympic gold medallist and America's Cup skipper Ben Ainslie (GBR), TEAMORIGIN. You can follow the live blog at www.wmrt.com from 1 to 5 September from 11.00am until racing finishes at approximately 18.00
Jules Verne Trophy: Maxi Banque Populaire V For this attempt around the world, Pascal Bidegorry and Ronan Lucas have kept the core crew which participated in these victories: Yvan Ravussin, Emmanuel Le Borgne Jeremie Beyou and Florent Chastel, who have been sailing with Pascal for many years, along with members from the Banque Populaire Team, such as Ronan Lucas, Kevin Escoffier and Pierre-Yves Moreau. Sailors sharing other competences such as Xavier Revil, Thierry Chabagny and Erwan Tabarly were also part of these records. Three highly experienced sailors join today the existing sailing team. First, Fred Le Peutrec who benefits from a strong experience in multihull sailing and won the Jules Verne Trophy last year aboard Groupama 3. The crew will also be composed of two international sailors who have sailed around the world on the most famous races: Brian Thomson and Juan Vila. Brian is recognized as being one of the most experienced British sailors with a vast experience in offshore sailing and holds no less than twenty-five sailing records to date and won the Jules Verne Trophy aboard Cheyenne in 2004. Juan has no less than 4 participations in the Volvo Ocean Race (winner in 2001) and 5 participations in the America's Cup, including one victory in 2007 on board Alinghi. www.voile.banquepopulaire.fr/Maxi-Trimaran-Banque-Populaire-V/#17 GP42 Class To Announce 2011 Season Schedule In an effort to maximize participation and interest for next year, the class has decided to announce its 2011 season championship schedule prior to the next stage of the Audi MedCup in Cagliari. This is to both attract previous GP42 teams back to class racing, as well as to attract new teams interested in the class. An early commitment made by the GP42 owners will help event organizers in their planning, as well as to give the class a strong hand in pursuing potential sponsorship opportunities. Venues currently under consideration include: - Capri (ITA) - Palma (ESP) - Porto Cervo (ITA) - Valencia (ESP) Other venues and events are also under consideration. In addition to the season schedule options, confirmation was made of rule changes discussed at the previous class meeting in Barcelona: - bowsprit allowed Furthermore, proposals have been submitted by the Comar, Longitud Cero, and Marine Composite boatyards to offer a series-produced GP42 design to be available for lower cost than comparable custom-built designs. "These changes will help make the GP42's even higher performance while limiting costs," said GP42 Class Manager Paolo Massarini. "These changes are also made to help include boats into the class who are currently racing outside the MedCup." AC Year, Boat and Protocol Rules to be Unveiled The year in which it will be held The objective for the 34th America's Cup has been to create the fairest-ever competition, sustainable to teams and their partners with transformed racing to attract the widest possible audience for an event planned for either 2013 or 2014. Negotiations over the host city venue - the fourth cornerstone - continue, but organizers are confident of making an announcement ahead of the December 31 objective. The Protocol is now finalized and will be formally signed by the defending Golden Gate Yacht Club and the Challenger of Record, Club Nautico di Roma, in a live- streamed ceremony on the official America's Cup web site www.AmericasCup.com RSYS Host Club for 2011 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship "The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron is known for hosting top-level sailing regattas, and we couldn't be more pleased to return to Sydney for our Class' 14th World Championship," said Farr 40 Class President Jim Richardson (Boston, Mass. /Newport, R.I.), owner of three-time world champion Farr 40 Barking Mad (2009 - Porto Cervo; 2004 - San Francisco; 1998 - Miami). "The Australian Farr 40 Class has a robust fleet from which we expect 12-14 Farr 40s. Along with 8-12 non-Australian entries, we expect to see over 20 Farr 40s in February." With a long history of collaboration with the Farr 40 Class, the RSYS counts among its members Guido Belgiorno-Nettis and Transfusion, a two-time Australian National Champion and runner-up at the 2010 Rolex Farr 40 Worlds, plus 2005 Rolex Farr 40 World champion Richard Perini and Evolution. 2010 Rolex Farr 40 World Champion Nerone, owned by Massimo Mezzaroma and Antonio Sodo Migliori (Rome, ITA), is a confirmed entry as is a number of international teams all with Farr 40 class championships to their name. Helmut Jahn's (Chicago, Ill, USA) Flash Gordon 6, the 2009 Rolex North American Champion, will join Doug Douglass's (New York, N.Y.) Goombay Smash, the 2008 Rolex North American Champion; and European Class President and recent Audi Sardinia Cup champion Wolfgang & Angela Schaefer's (Luneburg, GER) on Struntje Light. Serving as Principal Race Officer will be Peter "Luigi" Reggio, while Henry Menin will chair the International Jury. Spanish Castle To White Night Extract taken from the Official Volvo Ocean Race Book. Purchase your copy at www.seahorse.co.uk/shop/volvobookEUROBUTT The first chapter is posted online and available to read here: emag.digitalpc.co.uk/vem/vorsampler09.asp Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Team Taps Farr Yacht Design With more than 25 years of experience, FYD-designed racing yachts have won more than 40 world championships and have achieved a multitude of success at international grand prix events including the Volvo Ocean Race. After a five-stage research and design process, the building of the yacht will start in late September. Shortly after announcing Ian Walker as skipper for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Team, Jason Carrington from the UK joins as Technical Manager, another knowledgeable addition to the team. Carrington is a professional offshore sailor, and is known for being one of the world's most experienced boat-builders over the last two decades, having built five Volvo Ocean Race yachts and project-managed three campaigns. Carrington has competed in more than 30 top-level international regattas, but his first round the world experience was on Fortuna in the 1993-94 Whitbread (formerly the Volvo Ocean Race). After this taste of ocean racing, he continued his sailing career joining Silk Cut for the 1997-98 Whitbread, ASSA ABLOY in the Volvo Ocean Race 2001-02 and finally sailed with Ericsson Racing Team in the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race. ADTA and Walker are also currently in the final stages of appointing the team's other crewmembers, and are committed to including a UAE national on the sailing team and another two on the shore team. An open selection process will begin next month. 2010 Snipe Western Hemisphere & Orient Championship With 40 teams representing 10 nations, the waters of Lake Erie will be teaming with anticipation when racing begins on August 31. The sailors stretched their legs during the practice race held on Lake Erie with PRO David Sprague and his team running the race course and although the conditions were light with 5-6 knots of breeze, the entire fleet was on the line. The carrot for the winning team is an automatic berth to the Snipe World Championship to be sailed in Rungsted, Denmark in 2011. The WH&O is a qualifying event - whereby each country is able to send a set number of teams plus a junior and women's team. Industry News The show, which runs from September 2-5 in Sandvika, just outside Oslo, is expected to be the largest event in its 38-year history, with some 15,000 visitors expected to attend. More than a nautical mile of docks means that 450 boats will be displayed on water, including 70 new releases. Another 60 tents will be based on land, as well as several open-air exhibits. The appeal among exhibitors proves the show's importance for the boating industry in Northern Europe and enhances the show's position as the leading in-water show in Scandinavia/Northern Europe, says Norboat. -- IBI, www.ibinews.com ----------------------------------- The 2010 edition of the Saudi International Boat Show will showcase a wider mix of products and services that cater to the growing number of marine developments that are due to be implemented in the GCC region over the coming years. According to event organiser Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), international suppliers will benefit from the recent announcement of 12 major maritime projects with a collective value of over US$35bn that are scheduled to begin within the next three years — including three in Saudi Arabia in King Abdullah Economic City, Jizan Economic City and the Kingdom City. The 2nd Saudi International Boat Show is scheduled to run from December 8-11, 2010 at the Al Furusya Marina & Yacht Club in Jeddah. The show is organised by DWTC, endorsed by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, and venue managed by Al Ahlam Marine Tourism Group. -- IBI, www.ibinews.com ----------------------------------- After a two year break Raymarine is pleased to announce it is once again supporting the RYA Yachtmaster Instructor Conference as its headline sponsor for 2011. The 2011 RYA Raymarine Yachtmaster Instructor Conference, will take place on the weekend of the 29th of January 2011 in Bournemouth and will see the marine electronics brand supporting the event, which will assist in the provision of discounted tickets to newly qualified instructors. A Raymarine spokesperson will be present at the event to provide an update on the latest developments in marine electronics. The annual conference attracts more than 250 delegates from around the world, who represent instructors and examiners who run RYA training courses leading to the Yachtmaster Certificate, which covers both on-the-water and shore based training, of which around 75,000 RYA Yachtmaster Certificates are awarded annually worldwide. Throughout the conference, Raymarine will have technical support personnel available to answer any questions about the range of products available, some of which will be on display at the conference. Raymarine will also be providing lucky door prizes for a few lucky ticket holders. ----------------------------------- With Vietnam's economy on the rise, it's the country's newly rich business people that are said to be playing a key role in helping the marine leisure sector to expand in a major way. In another move, the 2010 International Yacht Festival to be held December 8-12 at Mui Ne-Binh Thuan has been announced as a new yachting event in the country. Mai Quoc Viet, general director of the Dan Han Company, says: "The event is expected to attract 20 yachts from Russia, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Germany and Italy. Culture, Sports & Tourism Minister Hoang Anh Tuan suggests the festival would be a step towards developing an international yachting industry in Vietnam as well as promoting marine tourism both domestically and to foreign visitors. In recent months a number of new marina projects have also been announced in various locations throughout the country. -- IBI, www.ibinews.com Featured Brokerage The chance to move onto the IMOCA scene with a boat that has all been prepped, tested and proven she is geared up to start racing with minimal effort on a new owners behalf.The 2 containers providing the logistics that are needed to run a global racing campaign are also included in the price.With her Cat 2 rating with the MCA she has the coding to take 15 people out, along with 20 sets of oil skins and life jackets, perfect for corporate days as well as racing. Price is excluding VAT. Brokerage through Boatshed Performance.com: Complete listing details and seller contact information at The Last Word |
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