In This Issue
• Poole Undefeated Champion of Congressional Cup
• Charleston Race Week Concludes
• Confluence of excellence - ORC Worlds 2023
• AON 2023 Etchells Worlds
• Itajai In-Port Race
• The Ocean Race Leg Four Start
• Gentle Breezes and Fierce Competition
• Nick Cousins Memorial Spring Regatta
• RORC Cervantes Trophy Race
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Cookson 50 - "Furiosa"
• • Balance 526
• • Seaquest SQ46
• The Last Word: Oscar Ameringer

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

Invincible! Chris Poole Undefeated Champion of 58th Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup
Chris Poole (USA) and Riptide Racing have swept the Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup, sailing undefeated in five days of thrilling competition. Jeppe Borch (DEN) finished second, Nick Egnot-Johnson (NZL) third.

The Congressional Cup - a Grade One match race and World Match Racing Tour event, hosted annually by Long Beach Yacht Club since 1965 - wrapped up today in the waters off the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier. Five days of picture-postcard weather; over one hundred rousing, exacting matches; 10 of the world's top ranked match racing skippers; one victor. The final score: 24-0.

For decades the most talented sailors from around the globe have convened to compete in this prestigious one-design match race regatta. And no-one can recall a time in history that any skipper has won every single match. Until now.

Sailing with Poole, under the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club burgee, were Matt Cornwell, Luke Payne, Malcolm Parker, Bernardo Freitas, and tactician Joachim Aschenbrenner.

Overall placings
1. USA - Chris Poole, Matt Cornwell, Luke Payne, Malcolm Parker, Bernardo Freitas, Joachim Aschenbrenner
2. DEN - Jeppe Borch, Sebastian Pieters, Gustav Wantzin, August La Cour, Matias Rossing, Thor Malthe Andersen
3. NZL - Nick Egnot-Johnson, Alex Higby, Bradley Mclaughlin, Sam Barnett, Alastair Gifford, Zak Merton
4. GBR - Ian Williams, Paul Willcox, Jon Gundersen, Richard Sydenham, Matthew Cassidy, Craig Monk
5. SUI - Eric Monnin, Ute Monnin-Wagner, Simon Brugger, Julien Falxa, Lukas Gerig, Nick Zeltner, Mathieu Renault
6. AUS - Harry Price, Niall Morrow, Harry Hall, Connor Mashlan, Joshua Wijohn, Taylor Balogh
7. NZL - Megan Thomson, Daniel Pegg, Steve Flam, Max Mayol, Collin Mulry, Max Brennan
8. SWE - Johnie Berntsson, Robert Skarp, Anders Dahlsjo, Herman Andersson, Patrik Sturesson, Martin Berntsson
9. USA - Christopher Weis, Richard Van der Weyde, Alex Burrow, Sidney Gathrid, Dylan Finestone, Roberto Stevens, Haydon Stapleton
10. USA - Dave Hood, Chris Main, Garth Ellingham, Steve Natvig, Samuel Gilmour, Harrison West

thecongressionalcup.com

Charleston Race Week Concludes with Full Complement of Racing Across All 15 Classes
At the end of the day, a regatta is all about the breeze and when the wind generously gave its all for the last race of Charleston Race Week 2023, it brought smiles to many faces and success across all fifteen fleets racing. Weather guru Shea Gibson, assisting Quantum with weather forecasting this week, commented, "The wind cooperated a couple of knots better than most modeled data. I had a good feeling about the small surge to get us towards the 10-knot mark as winds veered, so I was glad that verified. The current also cooperated by slowing down a bit over half a knot as well. All-in-all a pretty good finish for a great event."

The tightest racing of the regatta and today, possibly the most exciting race of the regatta was in the J/88 fleet, where three boats finished the race with seventeen points. The winner was Albondigas skippered by Justin Scagnelli (New Rochelle, NY) whose crew worked so hard to win the final race taking the overall win in class.

In the Inshore PHRF J/22 division, Allegra, the Morris M-42 skippered by Gary Vogel (New Canaan, CT) took first place with 11.5 points, just beating out the Clemson J/22 #1 team who scored twelve points.

This was the National Championship for the Hobie 33 fleet, which was easily won by Hoof Heated, owned by Craig and Deborah Wilusz (Fort Walton, FL), with all bullets. Second place went to Hi Tech, skippered by Scott Maust (Pigeon, MI), and in third was Bruce Huddleston (Sylvania, OH) on Bandit.

ORC D Sport Boat fleet was won by the Cape 31 Sitella owned and helmed by Ian Hill (Virginia Beach, VA), with a solid lead of eight points over second place Sailing Inc, also a Cape 31 skippered by Ryan Ruhlman.

Full results on YachtScoring.com

charlestonraceweek.com

Confluence of excellence - ORC Worlds 2023
Some of the greatest race management in the world and this year something (very) special to apply it to...

Two major events in Kiel this summer will vault the city forward into being once again a centre stage for high-level international sailing: the more than 140 years young and unique Kiel Week from 17-25 June and the 2023 edition of the ORC World Championship being held over 4-12 August. The first will focus on competition among a huge variety of classes, from dinghies and Olympic aspirants to big boats, and the latter will bring together on the Kiel Fjord the best of the best in big boat inshore and offshore racing in search of World Champion titles.

Being one year before the 2024 Olympic Games, Kiel Week 2023 promises to be at the top level of the sport and as such is being recognised by World Sailing as a World Cup regatta. If this was not sufficient itself to draw hundreds of entries to the event, organisers from the Kieler Yacht-Club (KYC) made a decision to fight inflation for 4,000 expected participants by reducing this year's registration fees for early bookers by up to 20 per cent.

Full article in the May issue of Seahorse

AON 2023 Etchells Worlds
John Sommi met Victor Diaz de Leon about 15 years ago.

Sommi was chairman of the youth sailing program at Shelter Island Yacht Club when Diaz de Leon was hired to serve as an instructor. He was immediately impressed with the young Argentinian who was an All-American at St. Mary’s College.

Sommi and Diaz de Leon would never have imagined at the time that they would join forces to capture one of the most prestigious championships in the entire world of sailing.

With Diaz de Leon calling tactics, Sommi skippered Veracity to overall victory in the AON 2023 Etchells World Championships. Will Ryan trimmed the jib and Beccy Anderson worked the bow as the New York entry posted a low score of 50 points —- 10 better than runner-up Steve Benjamin and the Tons of Steel (USA 1511) team.

Veracity (USA 1477) displayed remarkable consistency over the course of the four-day regatta, entering Friday’s final day with no result lower than 12th. That gave Sommi and Diaz de Leon the ability to cover Benjamin most of Race 8.

Veracity pushed Tons of Steel back to 39th, which was costly because Benjamin had previously dropped a 31st. Veracity finished 41st in the last race and used that as a drop after having set itself up with seven strong results.

Sommi steered Veracity to victory in Race 3 and also posted a runner-up result and a sixth, an impressive performance for an owner making his Etchells World Championships debut.

Top ten results:
1. Veracity - John Sommi / Victor Diaz de Leon / Will Ryan / Beccy Anderson, USA, 50.0
2. Tons Of Steel - Stephen Benjamin / Michael Buckley / Ian Liberty / Dave Hughes, USA, 60.0
3. Lifted - Jim Cunningham / Steve Hunt / Erik Shampain / Serena Vilage , USA, 62.0
4. Cruel Jane 2.0 - Luke Lawerence / Andrew Macrae / Brad Boston, CAN, 67.0
5. Skanky Gene - Jay Cross / Taylor Canfield / George Peet / Franny Schulte, USA, 74.0
6. Racer Smithy - Mark Thornburrow / Malcolm Page / Mike Huang / Duncan Gregor, HKG, 75.0
7. Oatmeal - Peter Duncan / Andrew Palfrey / Mark Mendelblatt, USA, 80.0
8. Big Dawg - Malcolm Lamphere / Greiner Hobbs / Key Becker / Sonia Lingos-Utley, USA, 81.0
9. Rebel - Scott Kaufman / Gonzalo Ribero / Carlos Robles / Hugo Rocha, USA, 90.0
10. Roulette - Jud Smith / Mark Johnson / Nic Burfoot, USA, 91.0

Full results on YachtScoring.com

2023.etchellsworlds.org

11th Hour Racing Team top of the table in Itajai In-Port Race
11th Hour Racing Team led the In-Port Race from start to finish in Itajai, Brazil on Friday. The win moved the American team to the top of the In Port Race Series leaderboard.

Light winds of 8 to 10 knots meant the IMOCA fleet was unable to get on the foils, but the two-lap square-shaped course was still challenging for these ocean-going boats which are not easily manoeuvred in tight spaces.

Charlie Enright timed his approach to the leeward end of the start line perfectly, and 11th Hour Racing Team looking strong from the moment the gun fired. Breathing down his neck was Kevin Escoffier's Team Holcim-PRB, with the Frenchman keen to see if he could overhaul the American boat before the first turning mark. Meanwhile a good start from the windward end of the line by Biotherm also saw Paul Meilhat's new crew threatening the front two boats.

In-Port Race - Itajai - Results and points
1. 11th Hour Racing Team (USA), 5 points
2. Biotherm (FRA), 4 points
3. Team Malizia (GER), 3 points
4. Team Holcim-PRB (SUI), 2 points
5. Guyot environnement - Team Europe (FRA/GER), 1 point

Overall leaderboards - theoceanrace.com/en/scoreboard

theoceanrace.com

The Ocean Race Leg Four Start
On Sunday, Leg 4 of The Ocean Race got underway, as the five-boat IMOCA fleet set out from Itajaí, on their 5,000+ nautical mile adventure towards Newport, Rhode Island, in the USA.

It was a close fought battle at the start of the two-lap inshore section of the race course, with no one wanting to concede an inch to a rival crew.

What appeared to be great starts by 11th Hour Racing Team and GUYOT Environnement-Team Europe - with the two boats right on the starting line at full speed as the starting gun fired - turned out be a little too good.

The two IMOCAs were judged to have crossed the starting line a fraction too early and were forced to turn back and restart. It was an expensive mistake which left the way clear for Biotherm to take the early lead ahead of Team Malizia and Team Holcim PRB.

With around 10 knots of breeze, there wasn't quite enough for full foiling, but the fleet was still making good progress at up to 18 knots of boatspeed.

Race Tracker

theoceanrace.com

Gentle Breezes and Fierce Competition
'Juno' 65' Nat Benjamin gaff schooner. Photo by Tobias Stoerkle - sailing-photography.com. Click on image to enlarge.

The twenty-mile long Butterfly Course was on the schedule for Race two of the 2023 Antigua Classic Regatta, a favourite course of many of the classic yacht sailors. However, with the forecast predicting light winds out of the south that were expected to diminish as the afternoon wore on, the Race Committee shortened the course and moved the start times to be an hour earlier.

"A little less wind today but it was an awesome race and a big thank you to the race committee for shortening the course" said Markus Bocks owner of the 48 foot S&S Swan sloop Montana. "A brilliant call, the shortened course saved the day" said Karl James MBE of Antigua Yacht Club who sailed on Don Ward's 47 foot sloop Freya.

"A great race today. We were very competitive and we're pleased about that." Richard West owner of the 1928, 50 foot stay-sail schooner, Charm III said after returning to the docks. Charm III took first in the Schooner class today tying them with Nat Benjamin's 65 foot gaff rigged schooner Juno for first overall in the class with one race left. Sandy Mair's 35 foot Bermuda sloop, Cricket finished first in Modern Division A and goes into the final race with a one point lead over Bernie Evan-Wong's modified Cal 40, Huey II. The Blue Peter owner, Matt Barker got a birthday present when his 1930, 65 foot cutter made two first place finishes in the Vintage and Classic class. Also making two firsts in a row were Sarah Schelbert's 35 foot Gurney sloop, Alani in Classic GRP B, Paul Deeth's 50 foot ketch, Petrana in Classic GRP A, Alexis Andrew's 42 foot Alwyn Enoe Carriacou sloop, Genesis, Robbie Ferron's Nonsuch 33, Bunglebird in Modern Division B and Donald Ward's 47 foot sloop, Freya in the Spirit of Tradition class.

Full cumulative results on YachtScoring.com

antiguaclassics.com

Nick Cousins Memorial Spring Regatta
The Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club (Jersey) is delighted to announce that entries are open for the second edition of the Nick Cousins Memorial Spring Regatta, scheduled for Friday to Sunday, 12th to 14th May.

Following a welcoming reception in the Clubhouse on Friday, competitors can anticipate two full days of fun and keen competition in the sportsboat, cruiser/racer, dayboat, dinghy, sport-catamaran and windsurfer classes; a fleet typically numbering some eighty boats, overall. With over thirty years to its credit, the Spring Regatta is an open event for local and visiting sailors, alike, young and old.

Blessed with fair weather, competitors and spectators, alike, will witness the stunning spectacle of the fleet racing both within and off the beautiful natural arena of St Aubin's Bay. The race programme provides for two to three races per day, depending on class. Two independent race committees run the programme, one with responsibility for the cruiser and F18 sport catamaran classes, operating to the south, whilst the other runs the 'small' boat programme within the confines of the Bay. The cruiser classes will be racing 'around' the cans', a combination of fixed and laid marks, whilst the dinghy, dayboat, sport catamaran and windsurfer classes will compete over course laid in the Bay.

A full social programme awaits competitors following each day's racing, the event being brought to a close with the presentation of place prizes and supper in the Clubhouse on Sunday evening.

Full details of this classic event are contained in the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions, available on rciyc.je/racing

RORC Cervantes Trophy Race
RORC fleet in Western Solent. Photo by Carlo Borlenghi, carloborlenghi.com. Click on image to enlarge.

RYS Cowes - via marks - Le Havre, France
29 April 2023 Start 08:00 BST

Offshore racing with the Royal Ocean Racing Club returns to Europe on the 29th of April with the Cervantes Trophy Race, the traditional opening domestic race of the RORC Season's Points Championship, the world's largest offshore racing series.

Starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line in Cowes, boats will race west out of the Solent then across the English Channel via marks bound for Le Havre. The final race course decision will be made close to the start with a target time of approximately 24-hours.

The imposing Cervantes Trophy will be awarded to the boat with the best corrected time under the IRC Rating Rule. A RORC fleet approaching 100 teams is expected with race crew from Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland. Spectators can watch the impressive start from the Cowes Parade and the along the shores of the Western Solent. A warm welcome awaits all competitors at the oldest yacht club in France, the Societe des Regates du Havre, established in 1838.

The Cervantes Trophy Race is part of the 2023 RORC Season's Points Championship, the ten-month series comprises of 15 testing offshore races. Over 600 international teams are expected to compete this year. Every race had its own famous prize for the overall winner after IRC time correction with more coveted trophies for class honours. -- Louay Habib

rorc.org

Featured Brokerage
Cookson 50 - "Furiosa". 375000 EUR. Located in La Spezia, Italy.

Furiosa is a great example of the evergreen Cookson 50 design, that has been turning heads on the race course since new. She is a Turbo-charged version with taller mast, deep keel and large sail wardrobe update in 2022. A fine example of these brilliant, simple, fun, offshore orientated yachts

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Sam Pearson - Ancasta Race Boats

+447759 424900
+442380 016582

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Balance 526. 1,620,000 tax not included USD.

A Yachting journalist once likened our Balance 526 to a "BMW M Series," so who are we to argue? With her foam core hulls and decks, carbon daggerboards, heavily carbon reinforced structures and full epoxy construction, she's built and sails just like a high-performance racing cat yet remains amazingly easy to operate and maintain.

The 526 was awarded "Import Boat of the Year" by Cruising World magazine in 2016 as well as Best Multihull Over 50 Feet, and she's been winning awards ever since, including first to finish in the 2023 Cape to Race. But...she is a liveaboard voyaging catamaran - we did not set out to create a racing boat, fast as she is.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
+1 484-413-2132

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Seaquest SQ46. POA USD.

Introducing the innovative SeaQuest 46 Catamaran. In a collaboration between Carkeek Design Partners and builder Eaton Marine, the SeaQuest Catamaran has arrived. Renowned racing yacht designer, Shaun Carkeek, delivers signature hull forms and sleek lines, currently proving themselves in races around the world including America‘s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, and Grand Prix Yachting.

Eaton Marine has manufactured award-winning sailing vessels for nearly three decades. This new venture is based in Dubai, UAE, the construction and manufacturing epicenter of the world where cutting-edge technology is utilized in all aspects of building and design.

The synergy between elite design, build excellence, and progressive technology achieves a completely new level of combined performance, style, and capability. Advanced hull design, semi carbon-fibre construction, and acute attention to weight throughout, deliver performance without compromising an ounce of comfort.

This listing is for a brand new catamaran, currently under construction. Launching in 12/2021. Commission, Sea Trial, Delivery 1/2023.

The images and renderings used in this listing are for representation purposes only.

For full details please go to... seaquestcatamarans.com/sq46/

Contact

UAE: +971 5 8511 3400
USA: +1 312 772 0948
seaquestcatamarans.com

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

The Last Word
Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other. -- Oscar Ameringer

Editorial and letter submissions to

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