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Continued Rumblings About Newport...
Organizers of the next America's Cup say Newport is a top contender to host the most prestigious sailing competition in 2013.

Golden Gate Yacht Club board member Tom Ehman said today that organizers are serious about holding the contest in Newport, but need assurances that Fort Adams State Park can be ready in time.

Newport is competing with San Francisco and other locations to host the competition. A venue decision is expected by Dec. 31.

Rhode Island officials say hosting the event could produce thousands of jobs in a state with about 11 percent unemployment rate. -- Associated Press in the San Jose Mercury News, www.mercurynews.com

* Rhode Island's Economic and Development Corp has announced via a media alert that their Executive Director will present an update on the State's bid to become the Venue for the 34th America's Cup after San Francisco had the status of its bid reduced.

BMW Oracle Racing's Tom Ehman, head of external affairs for the America's Cup Defender will also be present.

A letter was also given the the State on Friday to re-kindle venue negotiations, after San Francisco, originally the front-runner for the venue hosting rights, signed an agreement which was different from that in which BMW Oracle Racing had spent four month negotiating.

Sources close to BMW Oracle Racing told Sail-World that the letter given to RIEDC on Friday, was not a commitment to hold the Cup in Rhode Island, nor an offer to negotiate exclusively, but an commitment to negotiate to see if the parties could get to a final serious expression of interest which can be considered alongside other bids from Rome and San Francisco.

The letter's contents is expected to be believed to be publicly released tomorrow by RIEDC. -- Richard Gladwell in Sail-World.com, www.sail-world.com

* Nothing posted other than a release from last week on the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation site www.riedc.com

Velux 5 Oceans Announces Change to South American Stopover
Clipper Ventures, organisers of the Velux 5 Oceans solo round the world yacht race, today announced a change to the 2010/11 race route. Ocean Sprint 3, which will see the fleet of Eco 60s depart Wellington, New Zealand, on February 6, will now finish in the Uruguayan city of Punta del Este, rather than Salvador in Brazil.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures and the Velux 5 Oceans, said: "Punta del Este will provide a fantastic stopover for the Velux 5 Oceans. The Uruguayan port has hosted this classic race three times in 1990, 1994 and 1998, and provides the ideal backdrop for the skippers, teams and race partners. Whilst we were not keen to change route mid-race, Salvador was unfortunately not able to fulfil our demands with regards to the obligations to host the race. We therefore felt a change in route was in the best interests of all the race stakeholders."

The skippers will be hosted by the Punta del Este Yacht Club during the stopover, providing services and facilities to the race management and competitors. The Punta del Este Yacht Club will host the Eco 60s in their marina, which is deep enough to accommodate their substantial keels. The club will also provide office space to race management and media, as well as container space and RIBs. The club's experience in hosting stopovers and starts will be invaluable as the fleet set off for the Northern Hemisphere.

The ocean racers are expected to finish the 5,800 mile leg in early March and the start of Ocean Sprint 4 to Charleston, USA, is now set for March 27 2011. Ocean Sprint 5, the final sprint, will still depart Charleston on May 14 as the skippers return to La Rochelle, France, to complete their solo circumnavigations of the planet.

* It has been a gruelling start to the second sprint of the Velux 5 Oceans with the fleet battling strong currents, unpredictable weather and severe sleep deprivation. After starting from Cape Town on Thursday, the ocean racers have been pushing south into the Southern Ocean in search of the prevailing westerly winds that will propel their yachts towards their destination of Wellington, New Zealand.

But instead of battling against the notorious weather conditions of the Roaring Forties and Screaming Fifties latitudes, the fleet has had to face an unexpected challenge in the form of a massive area of high pressure sitting in between them and the westerly winds they are searching for. The high pressure zone has brought with it squalls, thunderstorms and south easterly winds - uncomfortable conditions for solo ocean racing.

The racers have also had to face the Agulhas Current, a strong-running warm-water river that is constantly pushing them back to Cape Town. . After four days at sea Brad Van Liew's Eco 60 yacht Le Pingouin leads the fleet having just nudged south past Derek Hatfield on Active House.

Ocean sprint two positions at 06h00 UTC:

Skipper / distance to finish (nm) / distance to leader (nm) / distance covered in last 24 hours (nm) / average speed in last 24 hours (kts)

Brad Van Liew, Le Pingouin: 6470.2/ 0/ 184.7/ 7.7
Derek Hatfield, Active House: 6471.1 / 0.9 / 151.5 / 6.3
Zbigniew Gutkowski, Operon Racing: 6503.9 / 33.8 / 177.6 / 7.4
Chris Stanmore-Major, Spartan: 6644.2 / 174 / 36 / 1.5
Christophe Bullens, Five Oceans of Smiles too: 6898.5 / 4284 / 0 / 0

www.velux5oceans.com

Latest J Class Calendar Now Available
JClass Calendar 2011 J Class Desk Calendar captures all of the the J Class magic and elegance with twelve new images, one for each month. All current projects are featured - the three original yachts, Shamrock V, Velsheda and Endeavour, along with the replica new builds currently on the water, Ranger, Hanuman and Lionheart. There are also photographs and information on Rainbow and Yankee.

Cost: Calendars: £15 inc UK/Europe postage, £17 Rest of the World
Calendars for Members of the Supporters' Club: £12 inc UK/Europe postage, £13.50 Rest of the World

Discounts are available for quantity orders and for members of the J Class Supporters' Club.

For more information see: www.jclasssupporters.com

Rolex Sydney Hobart
It might be summer in Australia but snow is causing havoc for Rolex Sydney Hobart competitors.

A major snowstorm gripping the UK has frozen the travel plans of Australia-bound competitors scheduled to leave Heathrow Airport this week.

Niklas Zennstrom's handicap favourite Ran is the worst affected with seven crew stranded in the extreme ice and snow chill.

Titania of Cowes is also facing a nervous wait, with the departure of two crew members still up in the air.

The big-freeze has brought Heathrow to a standstill, stranding thousands of passengers, with further delays and cancellations forecast for later this week.

* Brindabella is Back!

The upcoming Rolex Sydney Hobart, though, will have a whole new old Brindabella on the start line. With an enthusiastic new owner with deep enough pockets and a crew who dearly love her, she is almost as fresh and as spry as the day George Snow first steered her across the start line way back in 1993.

The new owner is engineer Jim Cooney and he's making something of a comeback to competitive sailing himself.

Early this year Cooney decided it was time to jump back in the water and Brindabella, languishing on the market for years, was an 80 foot plunge pool he could not resist.

"She is an icon," he says. "She behaves very well for a great big boat, she is not fragile like the newer yachts, and she is very elegant.

We all know that she is older and heavier than the other big boats, and we know that we aren't competing in the maxi worlds. We are realistic about how fast we can go. In the Rolex Sydney Hobart we would like to see ourselves in the top 10 to 20. It depends on the conditions. We would like some robust weather but our objective is to get her going as fast as she has ever gone, and then perhaps even faster."

* Boxing world champion Danny Green has pulled out of the crew of Sydney to Hobart supermaxi Investec LOYAL after his recovery from knee surgery was slower than he'd anticipated.

IBO cruiserweight world champion Green participated in last year's race on the same boat, alongside Wallabies Phil Waugh and Phil Kearns.

Green intended backing up this year with a crew also including seven-time women's world surfing champion Layne Beachley, swimmer Geoff Huegill and former Test cricketer Matt Hayden.

aapracing.com.au/sports/

Event site: rolexsydneyhobart.com

The 25th ARC Finishes in Fine Style
The 25th ARC finished in fine style on Saturday 18 December with a spectacular awards ceremony at the Gaiety Nightclub in Gros Islet, near Rodney Bay Marina, Saint Lucia. After a slow start, 217 yachts had finished by the prize giving, with the remainder due to arrive over the next few days.

The Spirit of the ARC Award was won by father and son Peter and Will Nelson from Time Warp (USA). Peter and Will were selected for their unfailing enthusiasm and willingness to join in all activities, from planting the ARC Forest to singing on the radio net. The Spirit of the ARC Award has been presented since the second ARC in 1997 to the individuals or crew which most embody the camaraderie of the ARC.

A range of prizes are offered in the ARC, from the usual fastest in class to prizes for the best account of life at sea, the most fish tails on display and the best wall paintings. The ARC prize giving is about celebrating the achievement of an Atlantic crossing in all its facets.

The Yachting World Trophy was awarded to Alan Brook's Oyster 56 Sulana (GBR), for line honours (no motoring) in the Cruising Division. The overall winner on handicap of the Cruising Division was Cosimo (FRA), Marco Rasimelli's Hallberg Rassy 42F, which won the Jimmy Cornell Trophy.

Line honours in the RORC Racing Division (no motoring) was won by Christof Petter's Akilaria 40 Wesailforthewhale (AUT), and the overall winner was Global Yacht Racing's Beneteau 47.7 EH01 (GBR).

Of the 233 yachts that started in Las Palmas, 223 have arrived or are expected to arrive in Saint Lucia. One yacht was dismasted on Saturday approximately 100 miles out, and is motoring to Barbados without requiring assistance. Four yachts retired to the Canaries, and five retired to the Cape Verdes and will make the crossing at a later date. Of the retirees one retired with rig problems, one with contaminated fuel, and two with mechanical problems. The others retired due to crew commitments and time considerations.

A full list of winners is on the event site: www.worldcruising.com/arc/results.aspx

RORC Crew Match 2011
Date - Friday 14th January 2011 at 1900
Venue - Royal Ocean Racing Club, 20 St James's Place, London, SW1A 1NN

Whether you are RORC members or not you will be most welcome to join us at the RORC Crew Match:

- An evening for owners/skippers to meet and recruit potentia lcrew for the season ahead
- An opportunity for crew to make contact with owners and/or skippers
- Swap experiences and compare skills with other sailors
- Crew should bring along a copy of their sailing CV to hand out including contact details
- Owners and skippers should have information on their yachts and requirements
- This event is designed for both private yacht owners and commercial projects
- There will be a small administration charge of £10 made to non RORC member crew who wish to attend
- If you are interested in attending please complete the relevant form below - these forms will be saved and sent to the RORC automatically once completed, an email will be sent confirming receipt

Crew form

Skipper form

2011 Yacht Calendar
Click on image to enlarge.

2011 Yacht Calendar Third edition of the highly acclaimed large wall calendar featuring 13 spectacular images from Juerg's recent shootings featuring the 33rd America's Cup multihulls, Louis Vuitton Trophy, Audi MedCup Luna Rossa, Extreme 40 multihull, Open 60 Mirabaud and classic Yachts like Mariquita and Mariska

Only 555 copies have been printed of this years edition.

Price is 55 CHF / 42 Euro exclusive shipment. Orders until the 24th december will shipped worldwide on the same day.

juergkaufmann.com/portfolio/publications/calendars/calendar

Nick Craig Retakes OK Dinghy World Number One Spot
The final release of the OK Dinghy World Rankings for 2010 brings a familiar face back to the top. Former world champion and long time World Number 1 Nick Craig (GBR) has retaken the number 1 spot with a scant half a point lead over current world champion Karl Purdie (NZL). The 2002 World Champion Greg Wilcox (NZL) rounds out the top three after a very successful season.

This release includes results from the Europeans in Medembik, as well as the Danish, British, Polish, German, Swedish, Belgian and French national championships.

By some incredibly involved arithmetic Purdie finds himself just half a point off retaining his number 1 spot. This is purely due to Craig sailing more events in the current season. Craig's lead will only last until Easter though, unless he intends to compete in the Interdoms in Melbourne. Terry Curtis (GBR) climbs to his highest ranking of fourth while the 2009 World champion Thomas Hansson-Mild drops to fifth after taking the summer off.

Interest in the class is certainly on a high, with subsequent world championships set for Denmark, Thailand and then Australia in coming years.

The next list will be out in April after the Australian and New Zealand Nationals and the Interdominion Championship. The Kiwis intend to send a strong team to Melbourne so it looks set to be another high scoring regatta for them, cementing many of the top 20 places. However with the 2011 World Championship being held in Largs, Scotland, many of the Europeans will be looking to up their game and make a strong challenge for the top 10.

OK Dinghy World Rankings - December 2010
(top 19 out of 403)

Pos, Name, Nation, Sail no., Points, Events
1. Nick Craig, GBR, 2134, 966.10, 7
2. Karl Purdie, NZL, 531, 965.58, 7
3. Greg Wilcox, NZL, 522, 946.94, 12
4.. Terry Curtis, GBR, 2118, 909.85, 10
5. Thomas Hanson-Mild, SWE, 100, 822.45, 7
6. Paul Rhodes, NZL, 517, 797.91, 5
7. Sonke Behrens, GER, 690, 765.19, 9
8. Jorgen Svendsen, DEN, 1385, 743.57, 8
9. Russell Wood, NZL, 526, 733.12, 5
10. Ben Morrison, NZL, 530, 729.33, 5

RS100 Announced 2011 Boat of the Year by Sailing World
Click on image to enlarge.

RS100 RS Sailing are proud to be the winners of another major international award with the RS100 announced the overall winner of Sailing World's 25th annual Boat of the Year accolade in the USA.

"Other builders have tried to design the ultimate singlehanded dinghy with an asymmetric spinnaker" said Sailing World editor and Boat of the Year director Dave Reed. "But over two years of prototype development, the engineers at RS Sailing refined every little detail of this boat, and it shows. It's an impressively technical 14-footer designed by and for avid performance sailors.

"I was wowed when I saw the boat for the first time," said Boat of the Year judge and naval architect Greg Stewart. "And when I sailed it, the boat had a very positive feel. The whole package is very well executed, has great builder support, and because of this has excellent prospects for growth as a one-design class."

Other category winners in Sailing World's 2011 Boat of the Year competition include the Beneteau First 30 (Best crossover) - J/111 (Best One-design keelboat) - Gunboat 66 (Best grand prix)

RS100s are already racing across Europe, in Australia, the USA and in the Middle East. The programme for the Class ramps up in 2011.

www.sailingworld.com
www.RSsailing.com

Short Tacks
The official Fireball iphone application is now available to download for free

The Fireball Application is your "manual in the pocket" containing all the links to information pertaining to the International Fireball sailing dinghy.

This application contains all the news feeds, tuning guides, class rules, and country web sites to help you stay abreast of the class.

Download it for free and stay connected.
itunes.apple.com/au/app/fireball/id409888444?mt=8

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

The legendary Peyron Brothers on the move
catsailingnews.blogspot.com

Maybe soon we see them on a B-Cat (Tornado) and a C-Cat? Whatever the size of the boat is. We all love to sail and fly our lifetime. If you try it once, you never can sail another boat.

Wally goes Cat. If you wanna cruise, take this one
catsailingnews.blogspot.com

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

Thierry Moth

Click on image to enlarge.

Thierry Martinez won the Mirabaud Trophy for 2010 Photo of the year at World Yacht Race Forum in Estoril Portugal.

"Delegate of 2010 World Yacht Racing Forum, which was in Estoril this year, voted one of my images as 2010 Photo of the year. Great moment for a photographer to get the MIRABAUD Trophy."

That image was made possible with the help of two masters of Moth Class, Simon Payne (GBR) 2010 World Champion, and Bora Gulari (USA) 2009 Moth World Champion.They are real top gun of sailing and always ready to promote their class! We did that photo shoot on a lay day at 2010 PUMA Moth World in Dubai.

Photos available on Sea&Co server www.seaandco.net

See also Thierry's site at www.thmartinez.com

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

New video from the Phuket King's Cup:

www.youtube.com/user/phuketkingscup

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

Besides Chiemsee, Romenia and Sweden the 2012 Olympic sailing site has shown interest in hosting the Vintage Yachting Games 2016. vintageyachtinggames.org/ITA2012/

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

Following consultation and agreement with the IRC Policy Steering Group, the IRC Technical Committee has decided that the following changes to IRC Rules for 2010 and 2011 will take effect from 00:01 on Monday 20th December 2010.

The substantive effect of the changes below is that FL and J are always measured to the permanent forestay. In addition, it is clarified that a headsail may be hoisted and tacked from outside the foretriangle.

For more information:
rorcrating.com

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

Peter Phillipps
Peter Phillipps, husband of Jeanette, father of Lach, Ben, Bea (Beach Bennett) and Christy (all with his first wife Gay Nelson of West Tisbury), and since 1962, the owner and skipper of the 50 foot, 90 year old Alden schooner Voyager, passed away from complications of pneumonia in Maine this weekend.

He and Voyager, accompanied by family and friends -- always lots of kids, their friends and other family -- sailed many thousands of ocean miles -- along our coast, to the Canadian Maritimes, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and about twenty years ago Pete embarked with Jeanette on a leisurely circumnavigation.

Over the years Voyager was rebuilt in Nova Scotia and then again in Thailand during the circumnavigation. There is particularly lovely Benjamin Mendlowitz photo of Voyager anchored off Moorea, French Polynesia during the passage through the Pacific -- a group of friends chatting in the cockpit. He and Jeanette cleared in to the United States at the WoodenBoat Show in Mystic several years ago and, having bought a piece of property near Camden, built a house overlooking Penobscot Bay -- with Voyager on a mooring nearby. Pete was by training, an architect and college professor, but his family, Voyager and sailing remained the central focus of his life. -- Ginny Jones

Featured Brokerage
Featured Brokerage Boat PUMA's "il mostro" is seriously for sale. Constantly updated and immaculately maintained.

Why is "il mostro" now seriously for sale? With the new Volvo Ocean Race rules there is no more two boat testing allowed as a cost saving measure to help teams reduce their overall budgets. PUMA Ocean Racing is in the process of building a new boat for the 2011-2012 edition of the race, so "il mostro" is now available to an up-and-coming VOR team or ambitious owner ready to break records offshore under ORR or IRC.

Click on the "il mostro" button for all the details.

www.pumavolvo70forsale.com

The Last Word
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