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Azzurra Joins Unbeaten at Louis Vuitton Trophy Nice Cote D'Azur
Photo by Chris Cameron/ETNZ, www.chriscameron.co.nz. Click on image for photo gallery.

Louis Vuitton Trophy Nice Italy's Azzurra of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda won today its first match of the Louis Vuitton Trophy Nice Cote d'Azur while Emirates Team New Zealand survived a hair-raising finish to keep its record perfect.

Azzurra scored the victory it was denied on Saturday when it defeated BMW ORACLE Racing of the U.S. Two days ago the Italian crew, led by skipper Francesco Bruni, was 200 metres from the finish line when the 20-minute leg time limit expired.

Today, the Italians scored an emphatic win of 2 minutes and 56 seconds to the pleasure of YCCS Commodore Riccardo Bonadero, who rode with his team as 18th man, and displeasure of BMW Oracle founder Larry Ellison, who was among his team's afterguard.

"They got the first good shift and we were behind from there," said BMW Oracle strategist Cameron Dunn of Australia. "We were happy coming off the line where we were, but the conditions were changing very quickly. When we came back at them the wind shifted right and they were wound up to layline. From there it was a soldier's course, marching along. They sailed very well, so good on them."

Emirates Team New Zealand entered its match against Russia's Synergy Team with a perfect 2-0 mark while Synergy was 0-1. For a while it appeared that each team's zero would be wiped from its scoreline. In the end this turned out to be the most exciting match of the regatta still in its early days.

Synergy led Team New Zealand by four to five boatlengths within 10 lengths of the finish line in very light and shifty winds. Then the Kiwis found a private puff and rolled over the top of the Russian team, which was dead in the water, and won by 22 seconds.

The Kiwis kept their record perfect at 3-0 and Synergy dropped to 0-2.

Tuesday's schedule

Flight 3
M1: TFS - Pages Jaunes vs. TeamOrigin
M2: ALL4ONE vs. Artemis
Flight 4
M1: ALL4ONE vs. BMW ORACLE Racing
M2: Artemis vs. Azzurra
Flight 5
M1: Azzurra vs. Emirates Team New Zealand
M2: BMW ORACLE Racing vs. TFS - Pages Jaunes
Flight 6
M1: Artemis vs. Synergy
M2: ALL4ONE vs. TeamOrigin

www.louisvuittontrophy.com

A Future For Multi's in the America's Cup?
Seahorse: What could a multihull America's Cup do for the discipline?

Alan Gautier: When we started the Orma 60s we had small budgets and we had to design a boat for offshore and inshore races, for singlehanded and crewed races. It was a compromise. Here the focus is to have the best boat for the course. We have the human talent; the design team is incredible. If you compare what we have at Alinghi with our job 10 years ago, it's another world. I remember, when we wanted to test something in the early days of Orma, we needed to ask the sponsors for money and one or two months later you got an answer, then three months later you could test... Here you discuss the concept and, if it gets the go-ahead, it's a matter of days before you have the answers.

Loick Peyron: The Cup is not the only place where people are thinking about how to make things evolve, but it is one of the rare places where you have such financial and intellectual means at your disposal.

Seahorse: Which areas of development will benefit the most?

Alan Gautier: I am sure the next record-breaking boats will carry elements of Alinghi 5. This is a really innovative boat. And there will be a lot of trickle-through to the wider industry. The S-foil, for example, could be a great development for offshore boats.

Loick Peyron: No previous multihull programme has ever seen development at this scale, there will be wide technical benefits, for sure.

Seahorse: So a multihull Cup leaves more room for design innovation?

Loick Peyron: The last Version 5.0 ACC generation were very complete, with 15 years of research and 100 boats built. Today, there are only two boats that fit the rules of the next Cup. They are, of course, very different from one another. That's normal, the pages, initially blank, are filled with concepts many of which see the light of day later on. There are so many variables right now that only a lack of time to validate choices can slow down innovation.

Seahorse: Were there to be another Cup in multihulls, how big should the boats be to achieve even racing in a sensible timeframe?

Alan Gautier: 75ft would be nice, although 60ft is a really good size. Cost and logistics are not simple with big boats.

From the December issue of Seahorse magazine, the entire interview online at
seahorsemagazine.com/2009-December/alinghi.php

The Perfect Nautical Gift For All Occasions
Click on image to enlarge the map of the Isle of Wight.

Latitude Kinsale Looking for that special gift that is nautical and unique? The 3D chart has to be the perfect Christmas gift that is appreciated for a lifetime! It ticks all of the boxes: it's personal, bespoke, it's art with a difference and truly unique. As a shared gift amongst a group/crew, everyone is a winner! Or simply a treat for yourself!

Any chart any where in the world ! Recent commissions include Singapore, Hong Kong, IOW, Newport, Santorini....

Other ideas include Light charts, 3D chart tables & Storyboards. Check out the website today and talk to Bobby Nash about your commission.

www.latitudekinsale.com

BMW Oracle Unveils Its Wing
Photo Gilles Martin-Raget / BMW ORACLE Racing. Click on image to enlarge.

BMW wingsail The latest development by the BMW ORACLE Racing team was unveiled today when an enormous wing was prepared to be wheeled out of the tent at the team base in San Diego.

The wing will be tested as an option to increase performance compared with a traditional soft sail rig as previously sea-trialed on the BOR 90, the 90-foot trimaran the team has built for the 33rd America's Cup.

The construction of the wing took place at Core Builders, the team's boatbuilding facility in Anacortes, Washington, with finishing work completed at the team base in San Diego.

A wing of this scale has never been built for a race boat. In terms of size, the wing on BOR 90 dwarfs those on modern aircraft. Towering nearly 190 ft (57 m) above the deck, it is 80 percent bigger than a wing on a 747 airplane (102 ft / 31 m).

Full-scale, on-the-water testing of the wing will begin later this week as the team resumes sea trials in preparation for the 33rd America's Cup Match in February.

www.bmworacleracing.com

Extreme Sailing Series Asia
Hong Kong: Hong Kong will cement its reputation as a centre for international sailing events when it plays host to the first round of the Extreme Sailing Series Asia next week.

The Extreme Sailing Series Asia is being brought to the region by organisers OC Events for the first time to demonstrate to VIPs and the media the potential of what a full scale public event could bring in future years.

2009 Formula One Grand Prix winners led by Brawn F1 boss, Nick Fry, commented: "This is very similar to Formula 1, in that it combines high technology, great team work and accessible entertainment for the fans. This type of sailing also provides a great commercial platform for companies who like to participate in high quality sport and want to encourage people from all backgrounds to see the benefit that sport provides."

Six teams will the race in the heart of Victoria Harbour just metres from the shoreline, bringing a vast array of sailing talent to the city including four Olympic gold medallists and numerous world champions.

Supported by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, the five day event will run from 20-24 November 2009 and include a media day, youth sailing programme and four days of high-octane racing on these 40-ft catamarans. The event is scheduled to coincide with the Yacht Club's annual 'Around the Island Race' on the 22 November when the six Extreme 40s will compete alongside hundreds of other sailboats in the prestigious annual regatta.

After Hong Kong, the boats will be shipped straight down to Singapore (11-15 December) with the Extreme Sailing Series Asia Champions being decided in Muscat, Oman (1-5 February).

www.extremesailingseriesasia.com

The Gift Of Time To Make Ready
Photo of Actual capsized by Thierry Martinez, www.thmartinez.com. Click on image for photo gallery.

Actual Capsize The first full day of racing in this ninth edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre, sees the fleet into the Atlantic with a pause for reflection, a chance to regroup before the first big weather systems descend on the fleet and, in time, the first telling strategic moves need to be made.

While Michel Desjoyeaux and Jeremie Beyou have lost little time in falling in line with their billing as pre-race favourites, leading out of the inky black of the first night at sea, quickly into a rhythm which can be established more readily thanks to the miles that both have sailed on the Farr design Foncia, which won this race in 2007, and more recently triumphed in the Istanbul Europa Race with co-skipper Beyou on board.

Foncia was leading the pack out of a ridge of high pressure early this afternoon, in close company with Groupe Bel - which has remained resolutely south since the start yesterday - Akena Verandas, which on board has Arnaud Boissières partnered by past Vendee Globe winner Vincent Riou, and record breaking British double-circumnavigator Dee Caffari with Brian Thompson well placed on Aviva in fifth.

Ahead for them is the first nasty weather system of a sequence of depressions which are forecast to bring them 40-45 knots and big seas on Wednesday. Such weather is standard fare for this time of the year in the Atlantic, but by Friday - the 13th - they should be through the worst of it and negotiating the Azores archipelago.

Foncia's lead was 3.1 miles over Kito de Pavant and Francois Gabart on Groupe Bel on the 1700hrs (1600hrs GMT) standings, making just over 12 knots.

While Crepes Whaou leads away in the Multi 50 class, earning a cushion of 86 miles after just over 24 hours of racing, Yves Le Blevec and Jean Le Cam were back on dry land in Cherbourg this afternoon, recovering from the capsize of their Actual last night.

Le Blevec told a live radio session with the PC Course in Paris today that the capsize was 'brutal and sudden'. There was nothing they could do when the bow stopped in a wave.

He refused to speculate if they had hit something more solid that water, but the damage to the bow of the new boat, which was only officially launched in Le Havre at the end of last week, is quite considerable.

Positive support from Samual Tual, managing director of the Actual Group, in Cherbourg indicated that the plans for the tri Actual will be unaffected and the boat will be made ready for next year's Route du Rhum as soon as possible.

After cracks were discovered this morning in their crossbeam Alain Maignan confirmed that they will pit-stop with FenetreA-Cardinal in Port La Foret for further investigations.

www.transatjacquesvabre.com

Yours Tropically
All fifteen boats remaining in the fleet of the Solidaire du Chocolat are getting a true taste of the extremes of sailing in tropical latitudes, where the only thing you can be certain of is uncertainty. Out in the lead, Initiatives-Novedia (De Lamotte-Hardy) are riding high in a fifteen knot north-east flow. Off her stern, Telecom Italia (Soldini-D'Ali) and Cheminees Poujoulat (Jourdren-Stamm) are match racing within a mile within a mile of each other - after three weeks at sea! Further astern, from the Caribbean Sea to the open ocean, the teams are facing up to very changeable conditions, dishing up squalls of zones of little or no air at all.

When the going is good, the rich get richer. As each day passes, those further downfield lose a little more ground. Since the first boats entered into the Caribbean, the fleet has been divided into three groups : the three leaders, the fours chasers and the eight who are still out in the open ocean.

Out in the lead, the there who have made a breakaway may well be take the first three places. But in which order? There are still 1000 miles to go in what are uncertain conditions in view of the tropical low by the name of Ida on its way. It is currently leaving the Yucatan peninsula via the north-west but is likely to generate pockets of wind on the course these three are steering.

In the Atlantic crews four, five, six and seven in the rankings have now arrived in the Caribbean. Cargill MTTM (Seguin-Tripon), Palanad II (Wright-Brennan), Desafio Cabo de Hornos (Cubillos-Bravo Silva) and 40 Degrees (Harding-Merron). Although a little behind the first three boats, something around 300 to 500 miles, their speed is in keeping with their ranking. Proof that conditions favour the leaders at the moment. Conditions are hollowing out up front, whereas the north-east flow filling out the spinnakers and increasing the number of gybes, is increasing in strength from the west.

The Finnish team Tieto Passion (Rompannen-Ohman) retired from the race to Gustavia when they discovered a crack in the keel housing of their boat.

First five boats in the 17h00 rankings (Fr time)

1. Initiatives - Novedia, Tanguy De Lamotte / Adrien Hardy, 909.98 miles
2. Cheminees Poujoulat, Bruno Jourdren / Bernard Stamm, 107.22 miles to leader
3. Telecom Italia, Giovanni Soldini / Pietro D'Ali, 114.35
4. Cargill-MTTM, Damien Seguin / Armel Tripon, 293.45
5. Palanad 2, Tim Wright / Nicko Brennan, 383.8

Full rankings and maps on lasolidaireduchocolat.geovoile.com
Event site: www.lasolidaireduchocolat.com

Partners In Traditon - Classic And Modern Yachts In Saint-Tropez
Partners In Traditon - Classic And Modern Yachts In Saint-Tropez Yachting photographers, Juerg Kaufmann and Daniel Forster, and sailing writer, Lynn Fitzpatrick, have teamed up to produce a coffee table book of Les de Saint-Tropez entitled "Partners In Traditon - Classic And Modern Yachts In Saint-Tropez". The book will be packed will stunning images and highlights of the yachts, people and atmosphere the event.

The 10th anniversary of the event was exceptional. This year, Les Voiles celebrated the 100th year anniversary of Tuiga and her sistership, Mariska. Many of the world’s most beautiful traditional yachts such as Elenora, Cambria, Shamrock and Moonbeam plied the same waters as the stylish Wallys. Additionally, all five of Eric Tabarly’s Pen Duick yachts were assembled in the marina and raced during the day.

Kaufmann, Forster and Fitzpatrick have eyes unlike others in the business. When joined, their talents and professionalism produce an outcome that is the perfect souvenir or gift for sailors and all who have ever dreamed about sailing along the French Riviera.

A superb gift for any sailor, purchase at www.RegattaBook.com

Kuwait Welcomes Tour Of Arabia, Majan Departs Tuesday
Oman Sail's A100 trimaran, Majan, will depart Kuwait City on Tuesday, 10th November, on the first leg of the new Tour of Arabia race. Kuwait is the start of the five-leg Tour of Arabia which will link together the GCC countries. As the tour travel southwards it will stop in Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and finally, home to Muscat and the Oman Sail project.

Majan is berthed in The Yacht Club Kuwait run by the government-owned Touristic Enterprises Company that offers berthing for 390 boats. As this is a public marina, Majan has enjoyed many visitors dropping by to talk to the crew and have a tour. Further along the coast is Al Kout that is home to the annual Kuwait Boat Show.

Majan will be crewed by seven in total including skipper Paul Standbridge, and Oman Sail's Mohsin Al Busaidi who become the first ever Arab to sail non-stop around the world in March this year. Two other Oman Sail trainees will join Paul and Mohsin alongside two professional crew and Mark Covell, a highly accomplished offshore sailing reporter as an onboard media crew member.

Kuwait is developing its modern sailing programme but it was Kuwait's pearl industry that laid the foundation of its rich maritime history. Dhows, large wooden ships made from teak wood imported from India, became a distinct part of Kuwait's maritime fleet and dhow building is still practiced in the state. Sailing is in its infancy in the country but the warm sea and flat waters are conducive to its development. Tour of Arabia:

Kuwait City, Kuwait
In port 7th-9th November
Depart 10th November

Manama, Bahrain
In port 12th-14th November
Depart 15th November

Doha, Qatar
In port 16th-17th November
Depart 18th November

Abu Dhabi & Dubai, United Arab Emirates
In port Abu Dhabi, 19th-20th November
Depart 21st November

In port Dubai, 21st-26th November
Depart 27th November

Muscat, Oman
Arrival end of November, 2009

www.oceventsasia.com
www.tourofarabia.com
www.A100class.com

Qualifying Eight
Click on image for photo gallery.

TEXT Eight boats qualified convincingly today from two separate races, in a light westerly breeze to go through to the first round of the Dubai International Marine Club Match Racing Series in the Traditional 22 ft Dhow Sailing Class. Shamardel, Dahees,

Eight boats will now go forward to the first series of matches to be held later in the season. Back on shore there was an interesting mix as the Traditional 22ft Sailing Dhows and sailors mingled with the RC44 Class sailing boats, which have arrived at DIMC for the Sea Dubai RC44 Gold Cup starting on the 25th November. Many of the Dhow skippers were vying for an onboard place during the match racing which will run for the first two days of the RC44 Championship Tour regatta.

Dubai International Marine Club: www.MinaSeyahiDubai.com

Shipwrecked Mariner Rewarded 30 Years Late
An annual award for heroism at sea was presented earlier this month for a feat of seamanship performed more than 30 years ago.

The Lady Swathling Award, for an outstanding feat of seamanship and navigation, was presented to Gordon Cook from Gloucestershire in recognition of his outstanding seamanship and navigation when he successfully sailed and navigated a severely damaged 30 ton yacht to safety saving the lives of all six people onboard.

Rear Admiral Sir Jeremy de Halpert KCVO CB Ex-officio Vice President of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society presented Gordon with 'The Lady Swathling Trophy' at the Annual Awards for Skill and Gallantry ceremony in Fishmongers Hall, London on 14th October 2009.

Gordon received his award over 30 years after the incident in 1977 following many years living and sailing overseas. Following his return to the UK Gordon was oblivious to the fact that he had been awarded 'The Lady Swathling Trophy'. The Shipwrecked Mariners' Society has been searching for him to receive this award for his outstanding seamanship and navigation which saved the lives of his family and crew.

Chief Executive of the Shipwrecked Mariners Society, Commodore Malcolm Williams CBE RN said: We had some exceptional award winners this year. Gordon's determination, outstanding seamanship and navigation skills were incredible, especially considering this occurred before the use of satellite navigation. The survival of his family and crew is a testament to Gordon's ability - he truly deserves this award"

A full account of the full voyage from England to Australia can be found in Gordon Cook's book, 'Schooner to the Southern Oceans: The Captain James Cook Bicentenary Voyage 1776 - 1976'.to be published in February 2010 and available from www.ibuk.com

Read the details of this astounding feat of seamanship at Practical Boat Owner:
www.pbo.co.uk

Featured Brokerage
Featured Brokerage Boat 1906 56' William Fife III Gaff Cutter, EUR 440,000. Located in Spain.

William Fife III designed Eva to the requirements of the second linear rating rule, she has the same dimensions as an international 8 metre. Sympathetically restored for her re-launch in 2003; she is well known on the Mediterranean classic yacht circuit and adored by lovers of classic yachts. Eva is flawless - an exquisite example of a vintage yacht.

Brokerage through Sandeman Yacht Company Ltd.: www.yachtworld.com/sandemanyachtcompany/

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

The Last Word
The voice of passion is better than the voice of reason. The passionless cannot change history. -- Czeslaw Milosz

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