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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 San Francisco Wins Right To Host 2013 America's Cup The world-famous San Francisco Bay will be home to the 2013 America's Cup Finals and the Challenger Selection Series for the Louis Vuitton Cup, as well as an America's Cup World Series event in 2012. This will be the first time the America's Cup has been hosted in the United States since 1995. Independent studies show that the America's Cup delivers the third largest economic impact in sport to host countries, behind the Olympic Games and soccer's World Cup. The 34th America's Cup is projected to pump an estimated $1.4 billion dollars into the San Francisco region. Racing will be held on the iconic San Francisco Cityfront and be visible from world-renown tourist destinations such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands, Crissy Field, the Embarcadero and Fisherman's Wharf. An influx of millions of tourists is expected for the Challenger Series for the Louis Vuitton Cup and the America's Cup Finals in late 2013. The Race Village will be constructed on Piers 19 and 29, with the team bases at and around Pier 30/32. As part of the plan, the America's Cup Event Authority will redevelop these piers as well as the surrounding infrastructure to support the racing, while rehabilitating the piers for the enjoyment of generations of San Franciscans to come. With a goal of creating the most dynamic America's Cup in history for fans and participants, changes have been introduced to the 34th edition. Enhancements include the introduction of groundbreaking new 72' wing-sailed catamarans capable of speeds in excess of 40 miles per hour, new race formats and rules, and a transformed media and online broadcasting approach to enable an interactive viewer experience. In the summer of 2011, America's Cup teams will commence racing in the new America's Cup World Series in the new wing-sailed AC45 catamaran. The America's Cup World Series calendar of events will be published in early 2011. * Emirates Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton said the team was pleased to finally know where the 34th America's Cup will be held. 'We have always said we favoured San Francisco in 2013 and that's what we've got. 'Now all the pieces of the America's Cup puzzle are in place - protocol, venue, year, yacht and design rule. Prospective challengers can start working on funding their campaigns.' Dalton said Emirates Team New Zealand had spent months examining the design, build and crewing demands of a multi-hull campaign and had found nothing that would deter the team from challenging given a sufficient level of funding. 'We have consulted some of the top international multi-hull designers and engineers and sailors. We have a way forward. 'Now I must start a round of meetings with current and potential sponsors to secure the funding a credible challenge will require.' -- Warren Douglas in Sail-World.com, www.sail-world.com Last Boats Home For Year's End
However, the real -- and perhaps more important story -- is about the smaller, majority of boats with crews consisting of good friends, and even family members. Their boats may be small, not so high-tech, but their sense of adventure is big and their courage is huge. To take on the 628-nautical mile course, including 50-knot winds, monstrous seas and the Bass Strait would make most "normal" sailors reef in the mainsail and turn their boats around. The challenge these smaller boats undertook is no less important and no less dramatic than the high end, 30-meter carbon fiber boats that came in first. Roger Hickman, 34-time veteran of the race sailed this year with a mixed Russian and Australian crew onboard the Corby 49, Vamp. The former CYCA Rear Commodore pointed out, "This race isn't about just winning. It's more about just getting to Hobart." Asked what makes him keep participating in the race year after year, Hickman said, "I think it's the camaraderie. Once you've gone through a race together, you're friends for life. It's almost like being war buddies who went to battle together. You form life-long relationships because of this race." Also sailing in this year's race was legendary yachtsman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, onboard the British entry, Titania of Cowes. Midway through the race, the Swan 68 was forced back to Eden to drop off crew because of a mishap with one of their life rafts. Knox-Johnston explained, "That was unfortunate. We lost a life raft. They won't let you cross the Bass Strait unless you've got the proper safety equipment, which we didn't; it got washed off the ship. We called the race organisers and asked 'what's the deal?' They told us we couldn't go on. They told us to find another life raft, but it was getting late. So, the only way we could carry on was drop five people off, which left 14 people on board and met the required safety regulations." This was the 71-year old Knox-Johnston's first Rolex Sydney Hobart. Reflecting on the race dockside in Hobart he said, "Well, I think it ran the whole gamut of experience didn't it? We had a reasonable start, then it blew up - it was up to at least force eight. Then we had to go into Eden and drop five crew off and came right back out. Crossing the Bass Strait really wasn't that difficult and then it went light, which doesn't suit us, and it blew up lightly as we came in last night. So, I think we had the whole spread of weather conditions." Line Honours IRC Overall Division Leaders * While Chris Bull was still in Hobart today, Jazz is already on its way to Melbourne from where it will be shipped to USA and the start of a major program of racing in the Northern Hemisphere this coming summer. "We are off to contest the RORC's new race, the Caribbean 600, followed by a race up the US East Coast to Newport, Rhode Island where we will contest the TransAtlantic Race, followed by the 2011 Fastnet Race," Bull said. "Then there's a race from the UK to Spain, the Biscay Race. These races, seven in all, between late February and September, are part of the Atlantic Ocean Racing Series organised by three clubs, RORC, the New York Yacht Club and the Storm Trisail Club." Bull said he would make a choice on contesting the Middle Sea Race, which was also part of the series, or bring Jazz back to Australia for the 2011 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. -- Peter Campbell Seahorse February 2011 First light Technical Soapbox If you haven't subscribed to Seahorse already we're keen to help you attend to that! - Please use the following promotional link and enjoy the hefty Scuttlebutt Europe discount... and it gets even better for 2 and 3 year subscriptions... An Alboran Obstacle
After passing offshore of Cabo de Gata, this afternoon the leaders were taking a more southerly slant as they cross the east of the Alboran Sea, heading down towards the African coast where the breezes are expected to be light SE'lies. Lead by Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA) and Loick Peyron (FRA) on Virbac-Paprec 3, less than a mile ahead of Michel Desjoyeaux and Francois Gabart on Foncia, the lead group are trying to pick their way around a problematic transition zone of very light, shifty and locally even calm winds which is effectively barring their departure from the Med. But as this area of very light winds expands it is threatening to close the door on those who are further back in the fleet, requiring them to find a way along the Spanish coast, possibly costing them more miles against the leaders. Virbac-Paprec 3 this afternoon became the fourth leader of this Barcelona World Race but after those skippers who were called today reflected on the pleasures of double figures boat speeds, warm temperatures and some sunshine, but by afternoon they had already slowed back again to 5-6 knots and were expecting to go considerably slower. Overall the average VMG speeds for the previous 24 hours have been as low was a positively pedestrian 6.5 knots. Positions at 1400hrs GMT * Jean-Pierre Dick sent the following mail to lodge a protest, specifying Groupe Bel, Foncia and Hugo Boss as boats he believes to have missed the November, which was a mark off the entrance to Barcelona Harbour specified in a rider to Article 10.8 of the Sailing Instructions. " This email is to protest against Groupe Bel, Foncia and Hugo Boss that have not passed November Mark to starboard as stated in the Rider 1 of the sailing instruction." " At least 1 other boat has not respected the mark but we have not been able to recognise it." Jean Pierre Dick, skipper of Paprec Virbac 3 "We have informed the commitee trough channel 72 and P 1 as soon as we have seen this situation" Opti Worlds With 15 knots of breeze coming down the course from the north, the RC had set a start line with ample room and little bias to start the day. The I flag was being flown again and now seems to be a standard feature on the RC boat. The fleet split working up the first beat, with a number of the leaders opting to play the right hand side which has been paying dividends for much of the series to date. The second and third sets of starts of the day played out much the same although the wind did lighten up slightly, and always seemed to be softer at the top of the course. As the racing concluded for the day, Thailand had continued their dominance of the event, but lost a little ground on the day, now holding positions 1,2,10 and 12. Bart Lambriex was the days winner posting scores of 1,4,3 to move to 7th place overall, and has now had 4 top 5 finishes in a row. Top five after 8 races, 1 discard (251 competitors!): 1. Noppakao Poonpat, THA, 36 points optiworld.org/MiniSite/index.php Latest J Class Calendar Now Available Cost: Calendars: £15 inc UK/Europe postage, £17 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 Sailjuice Global Warm-Up 2011 After weeks of snowy weather which led to large areas of the reservoir near Huntingdon to freeze over, the thaw has arrived just in time for the Grafham Grand Prix to go ahead. Competitors raced in four different divisions - Fast Asymmetrics / Fast Cats, Medium Handicap / Slow Cats, Slow Handicap and Singlehanders - with two back-to-back races, the first starting at 11 AM on Sunday morning. The Grafham Grand Prix is the first of four events in this year's SailJuice Global Warm-up, with competitors counting their best three results from the following events: Grafham Grand Prix, Grafham Water Sailing Club Bloody Mary, Queen Mary Sailing Club Steve Nicholson Trophy, Northampton Sailing Club John Merricks Tiger Trophy, Rutland Sailing Club Top ten after the Grafham Grand Prix: 1. Phantom, Nick Craig, Frencham Pond, 1 point www.sailracer.org/globalwarmup Pittwater To Coffs Yacht Race There is a trophy awarded to the Navigator who gets the closest finish time to their final reported ETA with Marine Recue Coffs Harbour. It is held with high regard by the Navigators' of the fleet. There will be a welcoming party of Coffs media, locals and tourists waiting for both yachts as they cross the finish line and make their way into the inner harbour. The yacht Club, volunteers and finish line are preparing themselves for the finish. As reported earlier, the Cavalier 35 Colin Watson's 'Infinity' has retired into Forster Tuncurry. The crewman reported to have bumped his head when they ran into some difficulty at around 3am this morning is RPAYC member Bob Mander, who will spend the night in Manning Base Hospital under observation with a gash in his eye that required stitches. He is reported to be OK and all other crew are safe and well. Richard Hudson, skipper of the Farr 45 'Pretty Woman' reported a short while ago that they were sailing in 20 knots of breeze just south of South West Rocks doing 11 knots. He told us they were "all a bit weary, after an interesting night where the wind at times peaked at 30 knots. We blew a spinnaker when we hit the back of a wave which kept us on our toes. It's been a great race so far and I'm looking forward to getting into Coffs Harbour for a cool mineral water. We'll see you in a few hours." 'Pretty Woman' should be some time after 1400hrs. -- Damian Devine Featured Brokerage EXPERIENCE is now for sale. Built by the world famous Eric Goetz in 1996 as NUMBERS, she had unparralled success over the years racing under the IMS rule. She is now for sale by her present owner and is open to offers. Plenty of spare gear, carbon fiber mast, and in very good condition, EXPERIENCE is a fun fast racing boat that will do very well for years to come. Brokerage through Thoroughbred Yacht Sales: www.yachtworld.com/thoroughbred/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at uk.yachtworld.com The Last Word |
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