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 Geoff Holt Crowned YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year The other finalists for the YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year award were Edward Wright. Finn World Champion and double World Cup Winner. Edward is one of the true heavy hitters of the Finn class. This year he took first place in the Rolex Miami OCR , Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia MAPFRE, Mallorca, the North American Championship and the Finn Gold Cup in San Francisco. Lucy MacGregor and team. Ladies World Match Racing Winners. Having gained National, European and World Championship titles and rapidly risen through the ranks to lead the World rankings, Lucy MacGregor and her team are a promising prospect for the future of British sailing. The trophy was presented by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, himself a three times winner of the award. The YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year Award was initiated in 1955 by Sir Max Aitken and now bears the names of the greatest achievers in British yachting circles over the past five decades. Previous winners include Eric Hiscock, Sir Francis Chichester, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Sir Chay Blyth, Sir Edward Heath, Clare Francis, Harold Cudmore, Tracy Edwards MBE, Sir Peter Blake, Dame Ellen MacArthur and Ben Ainslie CBE. Foncia Heading to Recife after Crash Box Damage At around 1715 GMT on Sunday evening, as FONCIA was sailing downwind at full speed to the North of the Cape Verde archipelago, Michel Desjoyeaux contacted Jean-Paul Roux, the boat's safety manager, to alert him to the fact that the section of the sacrificial bow below the waterline had come away. The loss of the surface skin of the hull (layers of carbon which cover the foam slab) isn't a serious handicap right now but "it's out of the question to head into the Southern Ocean without this bumper, which has clearly already fulfilled its role", explains Michel. As such the team has decided to make a pit stop in Recife (the 5th largest city in Brazil, on the western horn of South America, in the southern hemisphere) or a neighbouring port. The choice of this destination is a lesser evil: it enables the shore crew time to organise themselves and prevents the sailors from making too much of a detour from the normal course of the Barcelona World Race. * Today Alex Thomson made the difficult decision to delay leaving the UK to join his boat HUGO BOSS in the Cape Verde Islands as originally planned. Alex's baby son Oscar who was born on 7 January has been diagnosed with a heart condition called coarctation of the aorta. Both parents will remain with their young son in Southampton General Hospital while further tests are carried out this week. A further update will be made later this week when more detailed information is available. alexthomsonracing.com Zhik Moth Worlds The first day of gold fleet racing was surreal, lining up against all the top notch guys. And it was windy again. Successful forward progress involved hiking full out in the straps and balancing the massive puffs, all of which was extremely challenging and rewarding. And then you had to choose which vmg you wanted to go - 12knots high mode (close to the wind) or 17 knots low mode (more open sail trim). Tacking was different as well. Normally I'd foil-tack/gybe to change direction, but today I had to learn new techniques again. Getting to the other side of the boat for the new tack involved sailing straight into the wind until boat slowed enough for me to control the degree of windward heel for the new tack. (It was too windy for anyone to do a foiling tack, at least not yet; needed to learn the new conditions.) I mentioned yesterday how the guys were ready to share techniques and ideas. Well, I talked to them afterwards and they told me they had no vang on; I had half, which, apparently, is way too much in 25 knots. Still you live and learn. I had heard a 'crack' in the rudder gantry a few days ago and had it looked at. We applied some carbon fiber to reinforce the area, but apparently it wasn't enough to do the job. The rudder loads downwind were excessive and extreme, and I heard another 'crack' during the second race. In between the 2nd and 3rd races, as I made my way to the water boat (to get water), the rudder gantry, that holds the rudder to boat, exploded. I'm out for the 3rd race. Mach2 boats are designed very well and strong, but the forces and leverages exerted at these speeds wears and tears any materials on this planet. Maybe someday, we will find a stronger, lighter material! Overall, I learned a lot, particularly about what angles to use when coming into a mark at Mach2 speed, and that throwing on more reinforcing carbon is one way to ensure I will be able sail another race. Lay day tomorrow and well needed. Six races left. -- Brad Funk, www.FunkSaling.com Top ten: Broo Premium Lager Musto Performance Skiff World Championships Following an abandoned start, racing commenced in a stable breeze at 180 degrees and 10knots. The breeze continued to be very settled at around 180 degrees and 10knots for Race 2. For race 3 The breeze continued to hold at 180 degrees, but dropped to around 7-8knots. The race was all about Iver Ahlmann GER 370 who dominated from start to finish. At the gun, the margin was some 200m from 2nd place Tim Hill AUS 424 with a consistant Daniel Henderson in 3rd place. Overall standings after race 3 Daniel Henderson GBR 409 - 7 points Full results New MPX RACE from Musto With five jackets and a high-fit salopette to choose from, each has been ergonomically redesigned to allow you to race the boat and feature stretch GORE-TEX® panelling to maximise freedom of movement. MPX RACE garments are engineered from the most rugged, tear and abrasion resistant fabrics and employ a 3-layer high performance GORE-TEX® Pro Shell membrane to allow unbeatable breathability. Stretch GORE-TEX® is a specially developed 3-layer bonded fabric constructed to stretch up to 33% in warp direction and is employed in strategic panels to allow a greater range of movement as is required during high intensity sport activity. Visit the Musto stand at the Tullet Prebon London International Boat Show to try on our latest technical garments. Enter our competition to go sailing on the maxi-trimaran Banque Populaire at the show or on www.musto.com Team Luna Rossa Participates in the 2011 Extreme Sailing Series The ultra-light Extreme 40' catamarans (about 12 meters long) have a crew of four and can reach 25 knots of speed; each event provides spectacular fleet racing in which duels are often won at just a few meters from the finishing line. "Luna Rossa"'s skipper will be Max Sirena, with Paul Campbell-James, current Extreme Sailing Series Champion, at the helm. Completing the crew are Alister Richardson (tactician), Manuel Modena and Giulio Giovanella. The team is coordinated by Antonio Marrai - Team Manager - , with Ben Durham in the role of coach and Gianni Tognozzi in charge of shore operations. Team Luna Rossa will be sponsored by Prada. Henri Lloyd - Experience The Shockwave Deck Armour - Putting the Shock Resistance into Shockwave. The DECK ARMOUR system revolutionises the way sailors protect their bodies from impact and injury - a shock resistant and super lightweight 3D mesh which can be integrated within Shockwave garments at critical areas whilst still guaranteeing freedom of movement for the wearer. The lattice design of the DECK ARMOUR also ensures the breathability of the Shockwave products is not compromised. Fabric Technology - Minimal Contact, Maximum Airflow. A hydrophilic laminate is applied directly to a microporous coating that further increases breathability and ensures the fast transition of internal moisture to the outside. Optivision Window Panels - See the Advantage. Following the huge success of our OPTIVISION Hood System that has received critical acclaim from racing teams and media alike, the system has been extended into watch and course map windows being engineered into Shockwave garments - aiding the perfect start and race strategies. Rolex Farr 40 Worlds Fleet Heads Down Under The event will be hosted by the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (RSYS) from 23 to 26 February. Principal Race Officer, Peter "Luigi" Reggio will lead the race committee assisted by members from the RSYS, with racing scheduled to take place on the waters outside of Sydney Heads. Immediately preceding the Worlds, the RSYS will host the Australian Championship from 18 - 20 February. The last time the Rolex Farr 40 Worlds were held in Sydney, in 2005, local sailor Richard Perini, on Evolution, won a hard-fought championship decided on the final race of the series. The racing is expected to be no less tight this time around. Several past World Champions will be on hand to contest this year's title including: Jim Richardson on three-time winner, Barking Mad (1998, 2004, 2009); Steve Phillips, Le Renard (2002), John Calvert-Jones, Southern Star (2000), and Nerone (2003, 2010). Steve and Maxine Phillips, from Annapolis, Maryland, on Le Renard, have not competed at the Worlds since Copenhagen in 2006, but prior to that they were on a roll, starting with the 2002 Worlds in Nassau, Bahamas, which they won, and then racing in the 2003, 2004, and 2006 events. The 2010 Rolex Farr 40 defending World Champion, Nerone, won in the Dominican Republic despite helmsman Antonio Sodo Migliori's absence. Sodo Migliori was involved in a helicopter crash last winter and suffered serious back injuries. He has since mostly recovered, and is back on the helm. Thus far Sodo Migliori has competed in two events, the Farr 40 European Championship in October - which Nerone won. Nerone was then shipped to Sydney to compete in the Rolex Trophy One-Design Series in December. It seems that that too was a good idea, as the Italian boat made a strong showing, winning six of the eight races, and finishing 25 points ahead of the second placed boat: a clear marker for the home-grown entries that the international crews are not coming just to make up the numbers. Marinonics Sail Paradise 2011 Abandoned While the tragedy that is unfolding just north of the Gold Coast has in itself justified the decision, many competitors have had to rush back to Brisbane and surrounding regions to protect their families and property as floodwaters continue to rise. The regatta committee announced the abandonment of the sailing series after consulting with sponsors and competitors, all of whom were 100 per cent in support of the decision. At the same time those competitors remaining on the Gold Coast were gathering at SYC this afternoon to be part of a fundraising event planned to support flood victims. Southport Yacht Club Commodore Rob Mundle said; "the magnitude of the tragedy that is occurring in the region far outweighs any desire we have to stage Sail Paradise. Apart from torrential rain, a strong wind warning for waters off the Gold Coast remains in place. The wind is gusting to 30 knots off Main Beach and the seas are in excess of 3m, making the Seaway impassable. Dubai Traditional 43ft Dhow Sailing Championships The winner of the last round, Majid Ahmed Al Muhairi on Al Shared will be busily plotting the wind and any shift patterns he can see. 'The position on the start line is important,' said the skipper, 'especially as the weather is changing and unsettled at the moment. The wind is expected to be light but it could change and whoever wins on Friday will have to be very alert as well as skillful.' Dubai International Marine Club have been organizing the dhow races since the early 1990's and have seen a steady increase in the numbers of boats on the water and a serious interest in the technical aspects of the boat. Cotton sails have been replaced with polyester although the shape has remained unchanged in order to comply with the regulations and the sleek vanished hulls are polished to slip easily through the water. The race will start at 14:30 and can be seen from the Jumeirah coastline. Featured Brokerage Designed specially for IRC, the A40RC is a winner. 9/10ème rigging, fin lead keel, she can sail very close to the wind. Very spacious, her cockpit is equipped with two wheels and is always very easy to use as well for racing or for cruising. Brokerage through Jebsen Marine: www.yachtworld.com/jebsen/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at uk.yachtworld.com The Last Word |
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