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Risk Management Until The End
Photo by Nico Martinez, www.nicomartinez.com. Click on image for photo gallery.

Audi Medcup The shimmering waters of the Gulf of Cagliari were the scene of just one of the Kiwi team's four successive regatta wins last year, en route to winning the 2009 Audi MedCup, but as they plot their course towards what they hope will be their second in a row, little will change in the team's approach.

Even with a lead of 46.5 points over second placed Quantum Racing and up to 11 races left to complete the Audi MedCup season Dean Barker and the Emirates Team New Zealand crew know there is no room for complacency.

As they seek to execute with the same ruthless efficiency that they did last year, against a fleet which has never set a higher standard, the defending champions will stick to the same gameplan, consistency and conservation are as keynote now as they have been in Cascais, Marseille, Barcelona and Cartagena.

The waters off the Region of Sardinia's capital also hold fond memories for the Quantum Racing team under skipper-helm Terry Hutchinson (USA). This was where they won their first regatta together as a team in 2008, going on to secure the series title in Portimao, Portugal. And here, today, they have confirmed that they will campaign a new build Botin Carkeek design in 2011.

Even today's practice race, contested in 6-11kts of sea breeze and flat waters - proved there will be surprises all the way until the finish. Although Britain's TeamOrigin seemed to have done enough to win, Jose Cusi's Bribon (ESP) - renowned as a light winds, flat water performer - stole victory when they found extra wind pressure down the right side of the final run.

Racing for the 52 Series at the Region of Sardinia Trophy starts tomorrow with the start sequence at 1300hrs and up to three races scheduled.

With more of today's light to moderate sea breezes expected over the coming days the 42 Series Official Practice Race may prove which boat is best optimised for these conditions. Series leader Madrid-Caser Seguros (ESP) has a seven points margin to work from but racing has proven incredibly tight all season. Racing for the 42 Series starts on Wednesday.

52 Series
Official Practice Race
1. Bribon (ESP)
2. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), +00:04
3. Audi A1 powered by ALL4ONE (FRA/GER), +00:14
4. Artemis (SWE), +00:17
5. Matador (ARG), +00:49
6. Quantum Racing (USA), +00:52
7. Luna Rossa (ITA), +01:01
8. Cristabella (GBR), +01:20
TeamOrigin (GBR), DNF
Synergy (RUS), DNF

TV footage available daily on www.medcup.org/tv
Audi MedCup Circuit standings after 4 events available on www.medcup.org

Rolex Big Boat Series
Photo by Erik Simonson, www.h2oshots.com. Click on image for photo gallery.

Rolex Big Boat Series d Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge as iconic backdrops and a downwind finish set directly in front of St. Francis Yacht Club, which allowed a parade of spinnakers to pass within shouting distance of the seawall. This was the fourth and final day of the event, which has become a hallmark of racing excellence and awarded perpetual trophies as well as Rolex Oyster Perpetual Stainless Steel Submariners to winners in six of the nine classes competing.

A tech-savvy audience followed the regatta through the event website http://www.rolexbigboatseries.com . Live video, social media updates, streaming blogs, race results direct from the race course, and GPS-based boat tracking kept the action at the fingertips of those ashore during the day, while recap videos by T2p.tv put the on-water play-by-plays in perspective each evening.

Event website: www.rolexbigboatseries.com
Twitter: twitter.com/bigboatseries
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-Francis-Yacht-Club-Racing/
RSS: www.regattanews.com/RSS_new.asp
Mobile phone for scores: www.yachtscoring.com

Day 4 (after seven races)

Melges 32 (One Design - 27 Boats)
1. B-lin sailing, Melges 32, Luca Lalli, ITA, 35
2. Bliksem, Melges 32, Pieter Taselaar, USA, 41
3. Red, Melges 32, Joe Woods, UK, 50

J 120 (One Design - 8 Boats)
1. Dayenu, J 120, Donald Payan, USA, 15
2. Mr. Magoo, J 120, Stephen Madeira, USA, 21
3. Desdemona, J 120, John S. Wimer, USA, 24

Express 37 (One Design - 8 Boats)
1. Golden Moon, Express 37, Kame Richards / Bill Bridge, USA, 11
2. Eclipse, Express 37, Mark Dowdy, USA, 19
3. Elan, Express 37, Bill Riess, USA, 24

J 105 (One Design - 24 Boats)
1. Arbitrage, J 105, Bruce J. Stone, USA, 27
2. Blackhawk, J 105, Scooter Simmons, USA, 33
3. Mojo, J 105, Jeff Littfin / John Case, USA, 41

IRC A (IRC - 5 Boats)
1. Vincitore, RP 52, James Mitchell, SUI, 16
2. Patches, TP 52, Jorge Ripstein, MEX, 17
3. Flash, TP 52, Mick Shelns / Mark Jones, USA, 19

IRC B (IRC - 7 Boats)
1. Soozal, King 40, Daniel Woolery, USA, 14
2. Kokopelli2, Santa Cruz 52, Lani Spund, USA, 23
3. Flyer, Reichel-Pugh 47, Rob Sjostedt, USA, 24

IRC C (IRC - 6 Boats)
1. Wasabi, Kernan 44, Dale Williams, USA, 7
2. Double Trouble, J 125, Andy Costello / Peter Kreuger, USA, 18
3. August Ice, J 125, Richard Ferris, USA, 18.5

IRC D (IRC - 7 Boats)
1. Electra, J 109, Thomas Brott, USA, 19
2. Tupelo Honey, Elan 40, Gerard Sheridan, USA, 20
3. Hawkeye, IMX-38, Frank Morrow, USA, 21

One Design 35 (One Design - 6 Boats)
1. Dark and Stormy, 1D35, Jonathan Hunt, USA, 8
2. Ebb Tide, 1D35, Masakazu Toyama, Bunkyo-ku, JPN, 24
3. Zsa Zsa, 1D35, Stanley Glaros, USA, 24

Cap Istanbul
Photo by Christophe Launay, www.sealaunay.com. Click on image for photo gallery.

Cap Istanbul The start was given on 14 September at 12.00 for the sailing race Cap Istanbul with thirty competitors including two women and two overseas entries, five stages and a 1,660 mile course. Sponsored by Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency this year, the race will stretch from Nice in the Alpes Maritimes region of France to Istanbul in Turkey via Cagliari in Sardinia, Marzamemi in Sicily, Aghios Nikolaos in Crete and finally Bozcaada in Turkey.

It is a colorful course for the only west to east Trans-Mediterranean race for thirty sailors at the start of this Trans-Mediterranean which has already made a name for itself as a fully fledged event in the Figaro circuit including the two winners of the 2007 edition, Thierry Chabagny and Nicolas Berenger.

The first night of WOW Cap Istanbul was relatively calm for the sailors. They opened their spinnakers after passing the western tip of Porquerolles islands and had a comfortable and fast run up til northwest of Sardinia. At 04:20, the moonlight that accompanied the sailors all night left in its place a pitch black night. The skippers had a difficult time surfing in the dark waves until sunrise.

Top five, leg 1, Hyeres to Ragusa ata 1800 GMT 20 September

1. Francisco Lobato, ROFF / Tempo Team, 394 nm to finish
2. Gildas Morvan, Cercle Vert, .2 nm to leader
3. Eric Drouglazet, LUISINA, 1.4
4. Nicolas Lunven, Generali, 1.7
5. Fabien Delahaye, Port de Caen Ouistreham, 1.8

www.capistanbul.com (English, French and Turkish)

Outstanding Senior Structural Engineer?
Blade Dynamics Blade Dynamics are looking for a brilliant senior structural composites engineer to work on the cutting edge of wind turbine technology.

The successful candidate will lead a team and be responsible for delivering structural design projects from conceptual design, prototyping and testing through to workshop documentation and certification.

A demonstrable ability to make astute and sound technical judgements based on first principles understanding, whilst working within a fast paced, highly challenging and highly stimulating team would be a distinct advantage.

Limited information is at www.bladedynamics.com

Please send a resume and covering letter to

Dubai Will Host Finale of Louis Vuitton Series
With Hong Kong cancelled out as the host of the fifth round of the Louis Vuitton Trophy, Dubai will be the last and final race for mono hull sailing in the highly-competitive series.

Racing is scheduled to start on 14th November on the waters off the Dubai International Marine Club - Mina Seyahi, concluding two weeks later on the 27th November.

The teams will have two official practice days ahead of racing, on the 12th and 13th November.

Earlier, the World Sailing Teams Association (WSTA), together with Louis Vuitton and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, announced the cancellation of the fifth and final round of the series scheduled to be held in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong race was scheduled to be held inside the Victoria Harbour in January 2011, but with most of the teams focusing on their preparations for the 34th America's Cup a cancellation was seen as the best options by all concerned.

Trouble, who was Louis Vuitton's organiser and spokesperson for the series, was among the main champions to keep the sailors afloat at a time when the America's Cup battle was being fought in a New York court.

"No doubt, the court fight in New York took away a lot from our sport. Now all that is from the past. We had a responsibility to keep these sailors engaged in competition on the water and also ensure the sport survived in between the two America's Cup. And the Louis Vuitton Trophy Series has done exactly that," Trouble added.

"The series has achieved its goal to an extent and now we have to think of something that is faster in keeping with the exciting times ahead," Trouble said.

gulfnews.com/sport/sailing/

Farr 30 Class Heads to Hyeres for World Championship
Renowned in sailing circles for its annual Olympic Sailing Week, Hyeres, France, is also popular among grand prix classes who revel in the outstanding sailing conditions found on the Bay of Toulon. In just five weeks time, competitors in the Farr 30 class will experience the famous conditions firsthand when they compete for the Farr 30 World Championship title from October 23-31, 2010. Organized by the class and C.O.Y.C.H., the Pre-Worlds will take place October 25-26, with racing for the world title taking place October 28-31. To date, teams from France, Germany Sweden, The Netherlands and the U.S.A. have entered.

"Hyeres is a beautiful place to sail where the wind gods are usually smiling. In October you can either have a Mistral or a very strong easterly bringing big seas with it," said Deneen Demourkas (Santa Barbara, Calif.), the Farr 30 International Class President. "I am really looking forward to this world championship and the extremely talented field of competitors racing in the Farr 30. C.O.Y.C.H. have an excellent reputation for putting on top notch events, the bay can be a very challenging place to sail and it will most certainly be a test worthy of a world champion title."

In addition to Demourkas, who will race Groovederci, Erik Maris (Paris, France) will sail Twins in a bid to become the first skipper to repeat as Farr 30 world champion. In 12 editions, only Alina has been victorious at the world championship more than once - in 2001 and 2002 - although with different skippers (respectively, Maurizio Abba/Luca Valerio, and Guiseppe Abba). With a world championship not held in 2009 due to a fire at the host club, Guy Stenning (AUS) stands as the reigning world champion after winning the 2008 event aboard Optimum when it was contested in Newport, R.I.

The Notice of Race for the 2010 Farr 30 World Championship, and additional event details can be found online at www.farr30.org

Entries close on October 10, 2010

The End Of Paper Charts?
Could the high use by leisure sailors of electronic charts eventually spell the end of paper charts as we know them? In a move that has alarmed and disappointed the UK's Royal Yachting Association(RYA), the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has announced the discontinuation of some Admiralty charts, citing expense as the reason.

According to Steen Ingerslev, the RYA Publications Manager, the increase in use of digital charts, and a rise in print costs have made it a lot harder for companies to produce cost effective paper charts; if there are not sufficient sales then it becomes harder to sustain profit margins and production levels. 'This is not an issue confined to the maritime sector,' he said, 'The production and sales of paper books is being squeezed by the rise in sales of digital books. The profit margins for book sellers are so small that it's a fight for survival; one which Borders lost last year'.

The plans are to restructure the Admiralty Leisure product range, and this will involve phasing out the following charts from 4th November 2010.
1. Admiralty Leisure Editions (Excluding SC2036, SC2045, SC2656, SC2669, SC808 which will withdrawn from Summer 2011)
2. Non-UK & Ireland Admiralty Leisure Folios (These typically cover the Aegean and Caribbean seas)
3. Admiralty Leisure Tough Charts.
4. RYA Chart Plotter

The UKHO will focus its attention on the Admiralty Leisure Folios for UK & Ireland and Admiralty Easy Tide website, which, it believes, are most valued by its customers.

The RYA says on its website, 'Whilst the RYA realise that Admiralty Leisure has been in something of a turmoil over the past couple of years, we believe it produces some of the best charts and publications essential for safe navigation. It is therefore all the more regrettable that they have taken this decision rather than exploiting their world class reputation of offering yachtsmen a fully comprehensive range of charts and publications to ensure that their planning and undertaking of voyages is carried out safely and easily.'

www.sail-world.com

Sail Faster And Smarter!
Speed and Smarts Speed & Smarts is a bi-monthly newsletter packed with tips to improve your racing performance. It's written by winning AC tactician David Dellenbaugh, and each issue has 16 pages full of instructional advice on tactics, strategy, speed, boathandling and rules (plus there's no advertising!).

Whether you race a one-design or big boat, at the top or bottom of your fleet, you'll find lots of valuable ideas in Speed & Smarts. In fact, when you consider the cost of other go-fast items you can buy, this newsletter gives you extremely good "bang for your buck."

View a sample issue at www.speedandsmarts.com/BackIssues/SampleIssue

Subscribe at www.speedandsmarts.com

Cecil Fumbler
Just north of Hamble lies the village of Bursledon, birthplace of the holder of one of ocean racings longest records. It was here that Cecil "The Goose" Fumbler grew up, staring out over the muddy estuary towards Lower Swanwick.

As a teenager in 1972, something happened that was to change Cecil's life. In the newspaper wrappings of his fish and chip dinner, he read of the plans for the forthcoming inaugural Whitbread Round the World yacht race. In that greasy, deep-fried moment, Cecil vowed that one day he would breathe the pungent odour of Southern Ocean thermal underwear. Following the completion of the most recent Volvo Ocean Race in 2009, Cecil holds the unbroken record of being rejected by every team, in every race.

'Well I suppose I was a bit naive in the first one in '73-74, as I only got the courage to ask the skippers if they needed crew just before closing time in the Dog and Duck. By then they were a bit cross-eyed and probably forgot my phone number. I was better prepared for the 1977 race, when I handed my resume to Connie van Rietschoten, who used it to write the barmaid's phone number down in the King and Queen.

1981 was looking good until Connie got a nuisance order out on me, banning me from the race village. The '85 race was becoming more professional - with bigger security guards for me to avoid, and t was just prior to this race I first met Grant Dalton and Ross Field. I reckon being told to '"get stuffed" by two of the top guys in the sailing world was pretty awesome - and my biggest highlight thus far.

In 1989 I got really close when the Russians on Fazisi looked like they needed a hand. I thought I was in for sure, when I let half the crew sleep on my lounge floor for a month - and I bear no grudge at all after they emptied my fridge, drank all my beer and dismantled my garden shed to make floorboards and pipe-cots for the boat. With the Whitbread '60s coming in for the '93 race I thought I was a definite, after changing my nationality to Russian, hoping for Fazisi 2, and, possibly the return of my shed.

Most people would have lost hope, but I plugged away after some heartwarming advice and support from yachting legend Magnus Olsson, as he threw my girlfriend over his shoulder and ran off into the night.

In '97 my involvement with the EF team looked promising - until they discovered I wasn't a girl, forcing skipper Christine Guillou to send her boyfriend round to bang my head against a coffee table for wasting their time. The 2001-2002 race was pretty much a holding pattern for me, with Gordon Maguire saying he would try and put in a good word after I lent him my last twenty quid in the beer tent.

"Disappointing" I suppose is the word I would use, missing out on selection to the ABN team for the 2005-06 event and being overlooked by the Ericsson winners in the 2008-09 race, but I think fate plays quite a big role these days.

I have never been a quitter - and though some people may think I am not race material, (my parents, everyone at the yacht club, my old girlfriend, the guys at work, my sisters and, historically quite a few Whitbread/Volvo campaign managers) - I still believe it's important to show your face on the circuit, so I am looking forward to the challenge of 2011."

Blue Robinson - with no disrespect meant to those very fine sailors mentioned above...

Letters To The Editor -
Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From Gavin Howe: re: Rolex Swan Cup article "Monsoon Jaguar won the Island Long Race in the 2008 Rolex Swan Cup, but this is the first time they've won their class overall."

Monsoon won the long island race in 2006. she did not compete in 2008.

* From Manfred C. Schreiber: re: Euan Ross' refreshing letter in #2181 about the wing-sail in the AC34: That made my day. Thank you. I can see the sky-hook and I also see the stalls close to the shoreline. A great spectacle.

* From Tyler Carder: Your recent report on the 12s racing in Newport had a small geographical error. You write "The NAs took place out on Long Island Sound..." but it would be a very long tow out of Newport to race on Long Island Sound- Newport is close to Long Island Sound, but not THAT close!

Surely you mean they raced on Block Island Sound or Rhode Island Sound, which are the proper names of the bodies of (Atlantic Ocean) water directly south of the State of Rhode Island (Block Island Sound) and of Newport (Rhode Island Sound.)

Block Island Sound lies between the entrance to Long Island Sound to the west, and the mouth of Narragansett Bay to the east, while Rhode Island Sound lies due south of the mouth of Narragansett Bay and Newport, and east of Block Island Sound, and extends to the east to the entrance to Buzzard's Bay and Vineyard Sound.)

Featured Brokerage
Featured Brokerage Boat 2004 Farr TP52, 350,000 Euros. Located in Plymouth, United Kingdom.

APOLLO is built using carbon fibre pre-preg epoxy construction vacuum-bagged over Nomex core with high-density PVC foam coring in the slamming areas. The construction was focused around the goal of racing offshore in the toughest environments. The construction of this boat meets or exceeds the ABS standards.

Completely and professionally refitted in the winter of 2009, APOLLO features new non-slip and a full re-spray in silver.

Brokerage through Key Yachting Ltd.: www.yachtworld.com/keyyachting/

Complete listing details and seller contact information at
uk.yachtworld.com

The Last Word
Leadership does not depend on being right. -- Ivan Illich

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