Scuttlebutt Europe #2225 - 24 November
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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 Tell us about your favourite bar for our annual Wight Vodka Best Yachting Bar contest. Go to www.scuttlebutteurope.com/sailors-bars.html Semi-Finalists Decided At Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai
The final places were set in stone when the Synergy Russian Sailing Team and Sweden's Artemis Racing were eliminated in competition today in waters off the Dubai International Marine Club. The USA's BMW Oracle Racing and Emirates Team New Zealand, seeded first and second after ten days of round robin racing, each consolidated their positions with victories in their respective races. The New Zealanders denied Synergy a place in the semi-finals in a sharp contrast with the Louis Vuitton Trophy La Maddalena when the Russian team finished second, losing to the Kiwi team only after a closely-fought 3-2 series. The second race today saw BMW Oracle Racing, holders of the America's Cup, win against Italy's Mascalzone Latino Audi team, the challenger of record for the next America's Cup in 2013. James Spithill, skipper of the American boat, adroitly finished this race before it started, landing a penalty on Mascalzone's Gavin Brady in a tense pre-start maneuvering stand-off. The loss could have been fatal for the Italians who were trailing on the leaderboard earlier in the regatta. However two inspired performances on Monday had boosted their points and their chances. The French/German boat All4One eliminated Artemis Racing in their race today to clinch their place in the final four, a result that might have taken the sting out of a loss to Emirates Team New Zealand in the final race of the day. Tomorrow is a lay day for the sailing crews and a maintenance day for the shore crews. On Thursday, the teams will compete in a one-day fleet-race series. The semi-finals and finals will be raced on Friday and Saturday. Provisional Results after Day Four of RR2: 1. BMW ORACLE Racing, 13-2, 17 pts * A scoring penalty has been assessed by the umpires Abu Dhabi Racing Announces Crew Salter is joined by Craig Satterthwaite (NZL) as watchleader, Justin Slattery (IRL) on bow, and Simon Fisher (GBR). With skipper Ian Walker at the helm, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing will have one of the most experienced sailing teams on start line in Alicante next October. Salter returns for his third Volvo Ocean Race, after winning in 2008-09 as navigator on Ericsson 4 team and previously sailing with 2005-06 runners-up, Pirates of the Caribbean. The 42-year-old has also notched up victories in the 2010 Medcup Circuit and the 2010 Louis Vuitton regattas. Bowman Justin Slattery is another Volvo Ocean Race old hand joining the team, having competed on Green Dragon in the last race, race winners ABN AMRO ONE in 2005-06 and News Corp in 2001-02. He was bowman on the late Steve Fossett's record-breaking 2004 world circumnavigation, won the Maxi One Design Worlds in 2009 and most recently competed in the 2010 Louis Vuitton Trophy series. Aucklander Craig Satterthwaite sailed on PUMA Ocean Racing in 2008-09, with Salter on Pirates of the Caribbean in 2005-06 and was on Swedish Match in 1997-98. He won the America's Cup with Alinghi in 2007 and the Sydney-Hobart on Alfa Romeo in 2009. Finally, 32-year-old Simon 'Si Fi' Fisher's impressive Volvo Ocean Race and America's Cup expertise over the last decade rounds off a world-class line-up of sailing talent. ADTA is in the final stages of appointing the remaining members of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing's 11-strong crew, which will include at least one UAE national. The Emirati selection programme is in its latter stages with 20 candidates shortlisted. Legends & Local Champions Heading to Key West Just this week Jim found out that he and his Team it crew prevailed over a strong field in SAIL magazine's 'Best Around the Buoys' contest and as such will receive a free entry to Key West 2011, housing, dockage and use of a new, fully equipped J/111. No less than five RC44s, including BMW Oracle, Mascalzone Latino and Team Synergy, are expected to headline the racing on Division 1. The newest RC44 owner, David Murphy (Westport, CT), was 3rd in IRC 2 last year with his J/122, but the stakes go up this time around. With racing just two months away, the competition is shaping up to be world-class with entries now topping 12 foreign countries and 24 states. The racing on Division 1 will garner plenty of attention with high powered Mini Maxis joined by IRC modified TP52s, the RC 44s and a competitive IRC 2 class. Piet Vroon's Ker 46 Tonnerre de Breskens 3, recently awarded RORC Yacht of the Year, will make his first Key West trip from the Netherlands. Fellow countryman Willem Wester has entered his Grand Soleil 43 Antilope. The Melges 32s, fresh off their San Francisco World Championship, will race on the strictly one design Division 2 with the Melges 24s and J/105s. Lorenzo Bressani's UKA UKA Racing has two years of championships to defend in what will be a very competitive Melges 24 class. The first event on the official "Road to Corpus", Key West will launch the series that will culminate in the May 2011 Melges 24 World Championship in Corpus Christi, Texas. Five days of racing begins January 17, 2011. The first entry deadline is December 17. The 24th edition of this mid winter classic will feature an exciting new shoreside venue change. Kelly's Caribbean Bar, Grill & Brewery will anchor the new site and headquarters, with an expansive section of Caroline Street closed to traffic and open to partying. 
Christmas Presents You Won't Want To Give Away Learn more and win all these books www.wileynautical.com/xmas2010 No Distractions Montgomery, who has closely followed the form book throughout the 2010 World Match Racing Tour, said Minoprio's decision to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race next year would not be in the young Kiwi's mind: "Minoprio will want to retain his World Championship. Distraction is not in his dictionary." For Minoprio and the other four skippers vying to become World Champion, Montgomery knows exactly what it will take for them to win at the Ri-Yaz Heritage Marina Resort and Spa in Kuala Terengganu: "If there is a lot of rain the week prior to the regatta, then the rivers become raging torrents and turn Pulau Duyong into a very difficult area to sail. We have seen in the past red hot favourites undone by calls they misjudged in the unforgiving current. Also, there are no more regattas to make amends on this year's Tour if things go wrong. The last chance saloon can do weird things to minds. Top sport is a study of people under stress. The winner will be the skipper and crew who cope best with the two key factors. Conditions and stress." Talking about the format of the World Match Racing Championship, Montgomery believes the run-in to this year's Championship is testimony to the changes that have been made to the Tour: "This is the most exciting climax since the World Match Racing Championship format was changed to be decided by accumulative points over 9 regattas. Now consistency throughout the year is rewarded. It says a lot about the WMRT 2010 that five skippers are still in with a chance." Whilst four of the Championship contenders will be competing in the Sunseeker Australia Cup to hone their skills before the Monsoon Cup, Montgomery is unclear why Minoprio has shunned the event: "I've been thinking about this. What is Minoprio up to and why?" Barcelona World Race Skippered by Jean-Pierre Dick and Michel Desjoyeaux, the two yachts completed their Route du Rhum entries at Pointe à Pitre (Guadalupe island). From there they were sailed to Fort de France (Martinique) where they were loaded onto the cargo transporter on November 18th. Olivia is expected to dock at Barcelona on Monday 29th November. Virbac Paprec 3 and Foncia will be unloaded from the ship and taken directly to the FNOB Offshore Sailing Base, where they will undergo a comprehensive inspection and checks ahead of the Barcelona World Race. * "Everything went perfectly". We are very happy with the work we've done, also because it had been a while since Pepe and I sailed alone together". Alex Pella's satisfaction was evident following the recent offshore training and preparation sessions with co-skipper on Estrella Damm Pepe Ribes. Before taking the route back from Sanxenxo, Galicia to Barcelona to conclude the offshore training prior to the Barcelona World Race start, the Catalan skipper confirmed that they had been sailing with "big waves, seas and winds, so it was great for us to go to Galicia". In preparation for the upcoming round the world regatta Pella and Ribes have now notched up over 32,000 miles together on the yacht in just over a year. "The pair have transported the yacht, raced together in regatta and have trained extensively", said Jan Santana, the head of the Estrella Damm sailing team. On the way to Galicia from Barcelona the crew faced sustained headwinds of 35-40 knots. At Sanxenxo they took advantage of various squalls to sail with many different winds and to try out their new sails and battery charging systems, as well as the entire electronic onboard systems. * Jean Le Cam and Bruno García have launched Président, the team's Barcelona World Race entry. Although this is the first time the Breton skipper will race in a boat whose conception he wasn't a part of, Le Cam says he is very satisfied with the results. "I'm confident the boat has big potential in terms of speed", he said. Over the last few weeks, the former Mike Golding yacht has been reviewed and improved by Grégoire Metz and Michel Oliver, who have focussed their efforts on eliminating the superfluous for the round the world regatta, before she is decorated with the new sponsor colours. After the necessary safety tests and measurements, Le Cam and García will test the sails and will take the yacht out to try out the improvements for size. Then, they will be looking for a decent weather window for the transport to Barcelona, where they must arrive before the 15th of December. Sail Training Ireland To Be Launched The Tall Ships Race that visited Belfast last year is due to return to Waterford in 2011 and Dublin in 2012 is clear recognition by the race organisers of Ireland's popularity as a destination, and a credit to the host ports who are able to facilitate such a great occasion. The working group are preparing for the launch of Sail Training Ireland in a few weeks and are currently putting together a feasibility study and business plan for the organisation that may be presented to the Minister in the New Year. Sail Training International has awarded a bursary to Sail Training Ireland which will provide funding to support the participation of young people in The Tall Ships Races 2011 and 2012. Sheila Tyrrell, Chair of the steering group, who has a long history with sail training and in particular the Asgard remarks "The bursary from Sail Training International is very welcome and endorses the credibility of our plans to re-establish a national sail training programme. The steering group will be in a position to effect the launch of Sail Training Ireland this side of Christmas." Last Chance Sign Up for Regional RYA Club and Coach Conferences All reservations must be made via the RYA Racing Events Website by close of play on Wednesday 24th November. Taking place at ten different venues across the country, the RYA Club and Coach Conferences are aimed at all those with an interest or involved in delivering, planning or coordinating club training, racing and coaching for both juniors and adults. Helping committees, volunteers, instructors and coaches to develop ideas and evolve their programme for next year's season, the events are your chance to get the lowdown on issues likely to influence your club's training, racing and coaching activities in 2011. Also if you need to revalidate your Level 2 Race Coach qualification then you can do so at any of the conferences (please bring with you a valid First Aid certificate, Powerboat Level 2 certificate and your log book - G14). For more information and to book your place please visit the website at www.ryaracingevents.org.uk and click on 'Coaching Course'. Advanced Composite Manufacturing Specialists The role requires working with the development and manufacturing teams to develop, manufacture and productionise large composite structures to constraints of budget time and quality. The ideal candidate will have 5 years experience of building large composite structures in the automotive, aerospace, high performance marine or wind blade industry using primarily glass fibre/carbon fibre and epoxy based products and have thorough knowledge of either vacuum resin infusion, prepreg or similar techniques. Experience of working in and supervising teams within a project based manufacturing environment as well as an appreciation of the need for accurate documentation and materials control would be an advantage. The candidate should also be able to demonstrate supervision of a manufacturing team, taking responsibility for near term work planning and a through knowledge of safety and quality when related to these processes. Positions are available immideately at our New Orleans NASA Michoud facility. Email: Ben Austin in the Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship Following in the footsteps of the namesake Olympic sailor, Ben Austin makes his offshore racing debut during this premier yacht racing event on 27 & 28 November - crossing the same start line as yachts in the Rolex Sydney Hobart only a month later. It's no surprise the Middle Harbour Yacht Club event is dubbed the iconic ocean race's form guide. While the sailing novice will be using the race just as an opportunity to challenge himself and take the focus off his swimming for a well-deserved break, MHYC is hoping to bring able bodied and disabled athletes together again on Sydney Harbour in 2012 when they are pitted against each other for the World Access Games. The Club is looking to stage the premier sailing event as part of the Club's grass roots program which also includes a strong support of youth training and Olympic squad development. This weekend's SSORC is sure to be a thrilling race for Austin and other guests at MHYC with an outstanding pool of prizes and prestigious trophies to be won and the first chance to realize the form of the cream of the fleet for the 2010 Rolex Sydney Hobart. -- Louise Bashford Peglegs Round Tortola Race The 45-foot Triple Jack circumnavigated Tortola in 3 hours 53 minutes and 27 seconds missing her personal best, set last year in unprecedented conditions for the race, by 20 minutes exactly. Breaking the daggerboard lost them some of the precious minutes needed to beat last year's time, as did the outhaul giving way near Scrub Island. Following the same format as the last two years, classes started in the Sir Francis Drake Channel off Nanny Cay and then head anti-clockwise around Tortola. After the beat East up the Sir Francis Drake Channel, the fleet turned the corner at Great Camanoe and headed on a downwind run to West End where, after a quick wiggle through Soper's Hole, it was a beat back to the finish off Nanny Cay. Sirena 38 Pipe Dream's mainsail head gave way on the first beat along the south side of Tortola. Diva, a Modified 30 Square Meter, skippered by Dr Robin Tattersall, lost the top of her mast on the north side. Adrian Sinton of Rascal, second place in the cruising class, has never been so fast in his Cal 40, while Tim "Tennis Man" Robson, sailing his Beneteau 32, missed the time limit finishing seven and a half hours after he started. Eight boats competed in racing class and five in cruising class with four not finishing. John Hayes' Wild Fire was awarded third place for retiring and assisting Diva. While Triple Jack still holds the record for fastest circumnavigation of Tortola in the Round Tortola Race, the outright and multihull record is held by Soma, a Formula 40. Soma, a St John-based catamaran and frequent BVI visitor, smashed the Round Tortola Record on April 15th in the first, and so far only, attempt on the Nanny Cay Challenge announced in February. Soma circumnavigated Tortola and outer islands in 2 hours, 50 minutes and 15 seconds smashing Triple Jack's record set in last year's PegLegs Round Tortola Race. Nanny Cay is host and presenting sponsor of the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival and host for international cruising rallies ARC Europe, the Caribbean 1500 and the Atlantic Cup. Nanny Cay also sponsors youth swim programme, KATS Swim. -- Alastair Abrehart Letters To The Editor - * From John Reed, Secretary to the World Sailing Speed Record Council: Following the decisions at the WSSR General Meeting in September 2010, the 2011 rule changes/amendments have been put on the web site ( www.sailspeedrecords.com ) printed in red. This includes the opening page, the 500m rules, offshore rules and 24 hour rules. Featured Brokerage This cutter rigged ketch is the sister-ship to the famous Whitbread round-the-world racer Kriter, built for Baron Bich as his cruising yacht. The current owner purchased the classic yacht in Spain in 2007. She was then sailed to a shipyard in Myanmar (Burma) where she underwent a complete rebuild/refurbish over 2 years. Rebuilt to MCA Survey Specifications and finished-off to exceptional standard she is now offered for sale in "as new" condition. Burmese teak has been used throughout and teak for the decks and cabin soles is 100 year-old seasoned timber sourced from Colonial buildings as they were demolished. Apart from the Kohler Generator, Renault-Coauch engines and Seafresh water maker, all other components and systems installed in the boat are new. Many systems are custom designed and built including the revolutionary design for the 500 litre, 400kg fridge! The engines, generator and water maker have been completely overhauled and rebuilt to as-new condition. All above deck hardware and rigging was serviced, tested and replaced as required. The yacht?s power systems are designed around an exceptionally low-power DC electrical configuration with DC fridge and freezer compressors and LED lighting used exclusively throughout, including all interior and navigation lights. The latest B&G and computerised high-tech navigation and control systems round out an incomparable refit of a classic yacht with a great performance and an enviable pedigree. Brokerage through Lee Marine Co.,Ltd.: www.yachtworld.com/leemarine/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at The Last Word |
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