In This Issue
• Thomas Ruyant wins Route du Rhum-Destination Guadaloupe IMOCA
• Kito de Pavant and Luke Berry on Sunday's Class40 calls
• Wight Vodka Best Sailors Bar
• Move fast and break things
• Steady as she goes - 52 Super Series
• Nico Martinez, winner of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award
• ILCA 6 Championships
• Richard Pye wins the Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash
• World Sailing partners with GWA and IWSAg
• Featured Charter: J122 El Ocaso
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Super Maxi 86 - WAY OF LIFE
• • Swan 100-103 Hoppetosse
• • Arcona 435
• The Last Word: Thomas Paine

Brought to you by Seahorse magazine and YachtScoring.com EuroSail News 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

Thomas Ruyant wins Route du Rhum-Destination Guadaloupe IMOCA
Thomas Ruyant won the IMOCA class in the 12th Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe when he crossed the finish line off Pointe-a-Pitre at 06:51:25hrs UTC this Monday November 21. His elapsed time of 11 days 17hours 36minutes 25seconds beats the course record for the class which was 12d 04h 38min 55s, set in 2012 by Francois Gabart by 11hrs 02min 30secs.

The 41 year old from Dunkirk adds the highly coveted solo Route du Rhum victory to the two-handed Transat Jacques Vabre race triumph he achieved a year ago with Morgan Lagravière on a similar course racing from Le Havre to Martinique.

Ruyant was tipped as solid podium contender when this legendary 3,542 miles course left Saint-Malo on Wednesday 9th November and many had him as the solo sailor most likely to break the recent winning run of the dominant Charlie Dalin (Apivia).

Although Dalin led the race from the start, and was 90 miles ahead during the passage of a ridge of light winds after the Azores, Ruyant broke west and outmanoeuvred Dalin on Friday morning and took the lead which he held to the finish line this morning.

Winning from the biggest and most competitive IMOCA fleet ever assembled for a Route du Rhum, that included 38 boats and seven new builds starting from Saint-Malo, Ruyant extends an excellent record racing solo and two handed across the Atlantic, which started when he won the 2009 Mini Transat to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. He also won the Transat AG2R in 2018 with Adrien Hardy in the Figaro.

www.routedurhum.com/en

Kito de Pavant and Luke Berry on Sunday's Class40 calls
Luke Berry (Lamotte-Creation): "It was quite a fast night for me. I was pleased as I had among the best average speeds in my group. Everything was going well until my leeward rudder kicked up and the boat broached. It always happens when you are in your bunk. So I ran outside not knowing where I was and what was happening. Fortunately before going for a nap, I had the good idea of putting the windward rudder in the water and putting the spinnaker in its sock. The latter decided to get tangled up in the stay. I had to change the line on the rudder and we were off again, but unfortunately that meant we lost a few miles."

Kito de Pavant (HBF Reforest Action): "In the dark of the night, just as I was getting up from my 20-minute nap, a huge green fireball shot into the southern horizon. It was massive. After that, I saw some other shooting stars in the same direction, but they were much smaller.

I'm starting to see flying fish, but also a lot of seaweed, which gets caught up in the appendages and the hydro-generator, but nothing serious for the moment. There was a little water in the aft compartment which needed pumping out, but it's not easy getting in there. I've just turned up the volume and am listening to Bronski Beat with Smalltown Boy."

carto-prod.routedurhum.com/en/index.html

Wight Vodka Best Sailors Bar
Today we honor the 2018 Winner... Cloggy's of Falmouth Antigua. Famed for their specialty cocktail Cloggy's Delight, they're also famous for this superb hot-afternoon-chill-down drink: the Lime Squash

Wight Vodka
4 small or 2 medium-size limes
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) carbonated water (mineral water, club soda, etc.)

For the maximum juice, roll the limes over the counter back and forth with the palm of your hand. Cut the limes in half and juice them by hand or with a juicer. You should have 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of juice. Put the juice and honey into a bowl and mix well with a wire whisk or fork. Pour the mixture into a pitcher. Add the carbonated water and stir until all of the ingredients are well combined. Taste and adjust it for the desired sweetness. Add maturity with a shot of Wight Vodka.

Serve it over ice.

We'd like to hear from you about YOUR favorite bar and a great cocktail recipe... Send to us at eurosailnews.com/sailors-bars

Move fast and break things
America's Cup holders Emirates Team New Zealand have badly damaged the bow of their AC40 LEQ12 during a high speed nosedive wipeout during testing in strong winds out on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf

The New Zealand AC40 had recently been taken out of its one design configuration and into LEQ12 testing mode as the team stepped up in its AC75 development and data collection programme.

The crew – including helmsmen Nathan Outteridge and Peter Burling, along with trimmers Blair Tuke and Andy Maloney – were sailing downwind under manual flight control to the north of Waiheke Island in around 15-20 knots of wind speed and large waves.

The Kiwi was was estimated to be travelling at over 40 knots when the sailors lost control of the ride height causing the rudder elevator to come out of the water. The boat immediately carved into a un-controlled high-speed gybe which ended in a deep nosedive, followed by a capsize.

The impact collapsed the foredeck of the AC40 and caused severe damage to the bow section which in images appeared to be close to breaking off. -- Justin Chisholm, CupInsider.com

Subscribe to CupInsider.com

Steady as she goes - 52 Super Series
After a highly competitive 2022 season with more completed races than ever before, consolidation and consistency seem set to be the watchwords that keep the 52 Super Series rolling into a second successful decade.

One thing the first 10 years have taught us is not to overpromise or attempt to overreach. When it was conceived in late 2011, growing out of the embers of the MedCup, the 52 Super Series was built around empowering owners, ensuring they take the strategic decisions… and not taking them for granted. And so the 52 Super Series continues to deliver for them year in year out.

While teams and boats are so evenly matched, and new teams are coming in or returning to the circuit and proving competitive, it is hard to see those same owners voting to make changes to the rule to speed the boats up – or to extend the circuit to venues further afield. The prevailing mood is 'if it's not broken don't try to fix it'. Nevertheless, pretty much everyone acknowledges that changes have to come at some point, the question remains when. -- Andi Robertson

Full article in the December issue of Seahorse

Nico Martinez, winner of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award 2022
Click on image to enlarge.

Malta; Spanish photographer Nico Martinez is the winner of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award 2022 thanks to a photo taken during the TP52 World Championships in Cascais (POR).

"The TP52 fleet was sailing downwind, with a light breeze and in a very special light," recalls Martinez. "It wasn't a very productive day, not the typical Cascais day with wind and good light. Then I saw the composition of the five TP52s and told my driver to stop. We looked for the ideal frame for the shot. Later, when I loaded the photos onto my computer, I wasn't convinced, so I put it in black and white and the magic happened. As soon as I saw it, I said that's the picture."

The six members of the international jury voted unanimously for Martinez's photo, awarding it marks between 8 and 10 for the three criteria considered: the emotion evoked by the image, its technical difficulty and its originality.

Nico Martinez has been a professional yacht racing photographer since 1990. He has been the official photographer of the Spanish challengers in the 1995, 2000 and 2007 Americas' Cup, and is the official photographer of the TP52 and RC44 circuits.

MaxComm Media Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image Award:
Nico Martinez (ESP)
Eike Schurr (GER)
Patrick Blom (FIN)

Public Award:
Brigi Torok (HUN)
Felix Diemer (GER)
Tom Coehoorn

Delegates Award:
Nico Martinez (ESP)
Eike Schurr (GER)
Martina Orsini (ITA)

www.maxcomm-media.com

Howth's Rocco Wright on Target for European Gold at the ILCA 6 Championships
Irish sailor Rocco Wright leads overall going into the final day of racing at the ILCA 6 Mens European Championships in Hyeres Irish sailor Rocco Wright of Howth leads overall going into the final day of racing at the ILCA 6 Mens European Championships in Hyeres

Irish sailor Rocco Wright of Howth (1-13-5) regained full control of the fleet and leads both the overall and Under 21 European championships again with 32 points at the ILCA 6 European Championships in Hyeres France on the penultimate day.

Having won the Gold at the Youth World Championships earlier this year, Wright has his sights firmly set on the Under 21 title as he leads his 64-boat fleet by a comfortable 20-point advantage with the final day to sail.

The overnight leader Ben Elvin GBR (25-35-23), is now third overall with 66.

Georgios Yiasemides CYP (3-11-39) is second on both the overall and U21 championships with 51.

Daniel Cardona Balsa ESP (third U21 sailor) and Mario Novak CRO complete the overall Top 5 with 73 and 77 points, respectively.

afloat.ie/sail/

eurilca.org

Richard Pye wins the Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash
Richard Pye held off the faster boats in his RS Aero 7 to win Sunday's Pursuit Race and clinch overall victory in the Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash. The first event of nine in this season's Selden SailJuice Winter Series, Pye won by the smallest of margins, beating overnight leader Jonathan Swain's Solo by a single point.

The event drew a diverse gathering of 62 entries, ranging in size and speed from the Topper to the VX One sportsboat, and in age from early teens to late seventies.

Victory in the non-discardable pursuit race proved sufficient for Richard Pye to win the event outright. This is the first time a home boat has won the Draycote Dash, and for his efforts Richard was awarded with the final copy of the late Bob Fisher's history of the America's Cup, the weighty tome known as An Absorbing Interest, published by Fernhurst Books. Fun fact: Richard was also the principal race officer for the Dash the previous year, and so winning a year later was an extra reward for his commitment to the event's success.

Top Fastest boats as measured by the SailRacer trackers were the VX One skippered by former Dash winner Andy Couch and Richard Smith's Musto Skiff. For handicap-corrected speed, the winners were Val Millward's Challenger and Richard Le Mare racing his Hadron H2 singlehander.

This was the last year for Jeremy Atkins to run the Draycote Dash as event director. Next season he hands over to his Fireball crew and long-time participant in many of the events on the Selden SailJuice Winter Series, Richard Botting.

Series organisers Simon Lovesey and Andy Rice will be hosting a Facebook Live event at 7pm on Thursday 24 November, with an online wrap-up of the Draycote Dash and a look forward to the rest of this season's Selden SailJuice Winter Series.

Enter the Datchet Flyer in early December

It's less than two weeks until the Datchet Flyer near Heathrow Airport, taking place on 3 & 4 December.

Online entry for the event, and all others in the series, is open at www.sailjuiceseries.com

World Sailing partners with GWA and IWSA to support the development of wingfoiling
World Sailing has partnered with the Global Wingsports Association (GWA) and the International Wing Sports Association (IWSA) to support the development of one of the fastest growing sailing disciplines.

Under a new governance structure for the sport, World Sailing will endorse two Wingfoil world tours to cater to the fast-growing Wingfoiling community and provide the best platform for sailors across the globe.

An Expression World Tour delivered by the GWA under the name GWA Wingfoil World Tour which will crown world champions for the ‘expression’ disciplines including Wave, Freestyle, Big Air and Surf Slalom.

A Racing World Tour delivered by the IWSA which will crown world champions for the ‘racing’ disciplines, including a world champion for the Open discipline, where any Wingfoil equipment can be used providing a platform for the development of equipment in this fast-growing discipline, and a world champion for the Formula discipline, which will require the use of registered equipment from affiliated brands, providing a platform for series production equipment.

Wingfoil brands interested in partnering with World Sailing, the GWA Wingfoil World Tour or IWSA Racing World Tour are invited to contact for more information and technical specifications.

Featured Charter
J122 El Ocaso. Located in Caribbean 2023/2024.

‘El Ocaso is a 40-foot J/122, beautifully presented and one of the most successful IRC racers of her generation. Quick and responsive, powerful and stable, the J122 is easy to handle and delivers all round performance. Available for charter in the Caribbean 2023

See listing details in Seahorse Charters

Contact
Lucy Jackson - LV Yachting
Call: +44 (0) 20 3920 6261
Email:
http://lvyachting.com

See the the Seahorse charter collection

Featured Brokerage
2003 Maxi 86 - Way of Life (Ex-Morning Glory). 1,200,000 EUR. Located in Koper, Slovenia

Incredible Super Maxi 86 yacht, originally MORNING GLORY. With full CBTF technology (canting keel), she has a recent refit and standing rigging under her belt. She is ready for her next owner.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Ben Cooper
Berthon UK
Tel: 0044 (0)1590 679 222
E-Mail:

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

2006 Swan 100-103 'Hoppetosse'. 3,800,000 EUR Ex VAT Located in Palma de Mallorca.

Swan 100-103 Hoppetosse is a superyacht and masterpiece built by Nautor’s Swan and launched in 2006. She combines the performance of a racing yacht with world-class comfort and opulence. The Swan 100 FD’s deck lines give the yacht a very impressive sleek and racing-oriented look. The cockpit concept features two spacious L-shaped sofas with large cockpit tables on either side of the center-line companionway. In addition, the helmsman seats are extended aft to form another seating area on the aft deck. The coaming continues aft of the L-shaped helmsman seats awarding a sleek and elegant profile.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Lorenzo Bortolotti
Nautor's Swan Brokerage
T. +377 97 97 95 07

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

Arcona 435. POA EUR.

The Arcona 435 illustrates the evolution of design and innovation for Arcona Yachts. She is a boat that will win regattas one weekend and then take the family for a comfortable and safe sail the next.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Arcona Yachts AB
Odelbergs Vag 2
134 40 Gustavsberg
Sweden

+46 8 519 410 40

See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/

The Last Word
When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary. -- Thomas Paine

Editorial and letter submissions to

Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: or see eurosailnews.com/advertise/