In This Issue
• Pushing towards a record
• Incident Onboard 11th Hour Racing
• Ultimate glide surface - Nautix
• Scarlino, Tuscany 52 SUPER SERIES
• SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race 2024
• How The Orient Express Racing Team Challenge Is Structured
• World Sailing Show
• Golden Age of 12 Metres in the America's Cup
• Cape 31 - How Round 1 was won
• Dinghy Sailing Can Make You a Better Sailor
• Letters to the Editor
• Featured Charter: FANCY - 108ft Maxi Sailing Yacht
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Club Swan 50 - Hull #20
• • Bavaria C46
• • Balance 482
• The Last Word: Martin Amis

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

Pushing towards a record
It's going to be an interesting 24-hours in The Ocean Race as the leading trio find themselves in strong downwind reaching conditions and 'relatively' flat water - a combination that could produce a new 24-hour distance record.

There are some great 'go fast' videos and photos in the content from the boats today

11th Hour Racing Team, at the head of the fleet, is already posting a run of over 550 miles for the past 24 hours, a number that is currently going up with each hourly position report.

Team Holcim-PRB and Team Malizia, in second and third place respectively, are striving to match that pace.

This is a flat out drag race, with limited tactical opportunities.

"It's a speed course, not a strategic course, at the moment," said Yann Eliès on Team Malizia. "When we get close to Aarhus it becomes more of a coastal race with some more strategic options."

"The three first boats are sailing around the high pressure weather system in strong southerly winds, while Biotherm couldn't cross the front and is in upwind conditions," explained race meteorologist Christian Dumard. "For the leaders, the wind could still be quite strong through Friday, before the it shifts to the northwest."

He adds that the current forecast is for light winds near the finish, which could provide wholesale changes for the leaders.

theoceanrace.com

Incident Onboard 11th Hour Racing
At 1541 UTC on Thursday, May 25, while racing in Leg 5 of The Ocean Race, 11th Hour Racing Team activated its Hazard Button to alert Race Control and the wider fleet they had hit something, suspected to be a marine mammal or megafauna.

The Team was in the mid-North Atlantic Ocean at 52°N, 35°W - approximately 750 nautical miles [863 miles/1,389 km] off the coast of Newfoundland, sailing at 29 knots [33mph/54 kmph], in 28+ knots [32 mph/52 kmph] of wind speed - some of the fastest conditions yet seen in the race.

The impact was sudden, and the crew onboard were thrown forward, causing two injuries onboard. Trimmer Charlie Dalin (FRA) has a suspected mild concussion, and Media Crew Member Amory Ross (USA) has injured his shoulder. The Race's on-call Doctor - Dr. Spike Briggs - has spoken to the sailors onboard the boat by satellite phone. Dr. Briggs has prescribed painkillers, bunk rest, and plenty of water to hydrate, and is monitoring the situation closely. The two sailors are reported to be comfortable, and their next of kin have been informed.

The crew are all very shaken by the incident and will follow best practices, reporting the suspected strike to the International Whaling Commission.

After the incident, the crew slowed the boat down to conduct checks: the boat, as far as they can visually assess, has no damage.

The three other sailors onboard are all uninjured. Skipper Charlie Enright (USA), Navigator Simon Fisher (GBR), and Trimmer Justine Mettraux (SUI) - will continue to race the boat towards their final destination - Aarhus, Denmark.

11thhourracingteam.org

Ultimate glide surface - Nautix
The world's fastest offshore racers require very special and specific types of antifouling, hull and deck paint... plus about 5,000 hours of highly skilled labour to apply them correctly.

The relaunch of the Banque Populaire Ultim will be followed by offshore training including a round trip to South Africa to validate the changes made during the winter works and to compile as much data as possible about the performance of the boat. The Rolex Fastnet will see her raced in anger and then skipper Armel le Cleac'h is due to sail "false solo" (racing with two crew but only one person actually sailing the boat, often carried out for safety reasons when solo skippers are training) in the Arkea Ultim Challenge, which will set off from Brest on 7 January 2024. The equivalent of the Vendee Globe, sailed on Ultims, this is the colossal challenge ahead.

Several key parts of meeting these challenges will have been addressed before the boat leaves the base. Of these challenges, good surface glide and abrasion resistance are both absolutely critical. Pierre-Emmanuel Herisse, technical director of Banque Populaire and a major player in the ocean racing community for a quarter of a century says, 'the BP team has always collaborated with Nautix for paints and coatings. We appreciate the reliability of the company and its expertise. In addition to its proximity, Nautix is a 15-minute drive from our base in Lorient. We have always worked with them, from the Figaro to the Ultim, for underwater paints, non-slip deck paints and also lacquers.

Full article in the June issue of Seahorse

Scarlino, Tuscany 52 SUPER SERIES
For the second event of the five regatta season the 2023 52 SUPER SERIES resumes competition next week in Tuscany as the beautiful, modern, purpose-built Marina di Scarlino hosts the 52 SUPER SERIES Scarlino Sailing Week.

In September last year the Gulf of Follonica delivered some of the most spectacular action of the year with lumpy seas and strong winds through the main part of the week as Doug DeVos' US flagged Quantum Racing lifted the Royal Cup for the regatta win in style with Takashi Okura's Sled second and Harm Müller Spreer's Platoon third with Vasco Vascotto debuting with the German team.

But, as teams who raced in May 2017 when the circuit first visited Scarlino, will recall, around this time of year - the transition period from spring to summer - lighter winds do tend to prevail on what tends to be a challenging, open racing arena.

Racing starts on Tuesday 30th May after the official practice day Monday. Eleven boats will compete a again and there will be live commentary every day with 3-D tracking on the website, app and social media channels.

2023 season standings after Saint Tropez
1. Provezza (TUR), Ergin Imre, 34
2. Quantum Racing Powered By American Magic (USA), Doug DeVos, 40
3. Gladiator (GBR), Tony Langley, 40
4. Alegre (GBR), Andy Soriano, 43
5. Interlodge (USA), Austin y Gwen Fragomen, 45
6. Sled (USA), Takashi Okura, 45
7. Platoon (GER), Harm Müller Spreer, 45
8. Paprec (FRA), Jean Luc Petithuguenin, 56
9. Phoenix (RSA), Hasso y Tina Plattner, 57
10. Vayu (THA), Familia Whitcraft, 58
11. Alpha+ (HKG), Shawn y Tina Kang, 65

52superseries.com

SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race 2024
The start date for the biennial SSE Renewables Round Ireland Yacht Race has been announced and will start from Wicklow Sailing Club at 1400 hrs on Saturday 22nd June 2024.

The SSE Renewables Round Ireland Yacht Race 2024 will leave Ireland and its islands to starboard, while starting and finishing at the scenic port of Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland after racing for at least 705 nautical miles.

The 2024 edition of the race marks the 22nd running of Ireland's premier offshore sailing event and the continued title sponsorship of the race by SSE Renewables, the leading renewable energy developer, owner and operator in Ireland.

The SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race is the pinnacle of the ISORA (Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association) series and is the second longest race in the Royal Ocean Racing Club calendar while also alternating with the Rolex Fastnet Race.

The race is also a calendar event of both France's national offshore racing union (UNCL) and the Classe 40 series.

The Notice of Race for the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Yacht Race 2024 will be published on 31st July 2023 and the competition will officially open for entries 8th January 2024.

roundireland.ie

How The Orient Express Racing Team Challenge Is Structured
Three and a half months after its official launch at the Cite de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, Orient Express Racing Team is "very much on schedule" according to Stephane Kandler, who co-directs the challenger with Bruno Dubois. In the management team announced in February were the founding duo Benjamin Muyl (chief designer), Antoine Carraz, technical director, Franck Cammas (in charge of performance), Louis Viat (director of operations), Thierry Douillard (coach), Caroline Muller (communication), Stephanie Nadin (hospitality) and skipper Quentin Delapierre. Now the group has expanded.

"The big focus in recent months has been on building the team. Today there are about twenty of us we will be double that this summer when our AC40 arrives in Barcelona then we will be up to 70 in a year's time, explains Louis Viat. We have made good progress on our recruitment, as we can say that 90% of the 70 positions have been filled." The priority was to recruit engineers to support Benjamin Muyl, in particular on the simulators work which is essential to understand as best as possible the French challenge's AC40s and AC75s.

The chief designer is surrounded by his Benjamin Muyl Design team - Nedeleg Bigi, Loughlin Dudley, Timothee Fonlupt and Sebastien Nicolaidis - and also by Hugo Stubler, data scientist at SailGP, and David Gautier, in charge of the mechatronics, electronics and IT, who comes from Sodebo. On the build side, a team of about ten boat-builders will soon be settling in at Multiplast, which is building the hull-deck assembly of the AC75, while Louis Viat, in charge in particular of the set up in Barcelona, has already secured the services of Emilie Llorens, who also works for the French SailGP team (logistics and responsible for CSR strategy) and of a shore manager, Chris Reid, formerly of SailGP and the British challenge in the last America's Cup. Finally, Carlos Beltran supports the French on the protocol/regulations side.

Read more in Tip & Shaft

World Sailing Show
- Rolex World Sailors of the Year Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti look to regain their winning form
- Drama on the high seas in Leg 4 of The Ocean Race as the fleet heads north to Newport
- Semaine Olympique Française in Hyères puts all Olympic classes to the test
- New season of the 52 Super Series gets underway in St Tropez
- iQFOiL European Championships in Greece, and all the action from around the world of sailing

May's World Sailing Show focuses on Tom Slingsby's Team Australia in San Francisco as SailGP season three honours are decided. It was a close fought fight on the water between Australia, New Zealand and Team Emirates GBR, with action befitting such an iconic location and a $1 million grand prize.

Come Celebrate the Golden Age of 12 Metres in the America's Cup
The America's Cup Hall of Fame cordially invites you to join us for an evening of celebration at The Sailing Museum in honor of the Golden Age of 12 Metres in the America's Cup.

On June 8th, we will gather to relive the excitement and glamour of one of the most exhilarating periods in America's Cup history. Gary Jobson, renowned commentator and Hall of Famer, will present a retrospective of highlights from the 12 Metre era, including footage from some of the raucous press conferences that took place in the Armory (now The Sailing Museum) on Thames Street.

The celebration will take place at The Sailing Museum in Newport, and doors will open at 6:00p. The reception will include open bar and passed hors d'oeuvres.

Purchase tickets here

Cape 31 - How Round 1 was won
The Cape 31 been the talk of the town for some time here in the UK but in recent months the class has exploded. For the first event of a six round 2023 Solent season there were 25 boats entered as part of the RORC's Vice Admiral's Cup. The fleet is expected to grow even further for the second event, the National Championships in June. This is also a class that is growing internationally, so little surprise that there was so much attention for Round 1.

Matt Sheahan was on the water and reports on the action.

planetsail.co.uk

Dinghy Sailing Can Make You a Better Sailor
With the passing of Buddy Melges last week, we lost one of the great small boat sailors and one of the most ferocious racing sailors the world has ever known. Check out the full remembrance of Melges in the Dock Talk section below. If you don't know of his accomplishments, you'll be surprised and awed. Most Cruising Compass readers, like me, spend our days on cruising boats and we tend to motor sail a lot.

But losing Melges makes me think back to my young days of racing small boats competitively and all I learned about sailing, sail trim, weight distribution, tactics, boat handling and so much more from long days on the water with people like him. Racing small boats really teaches you the deep fundamentals of how sailing is supposed to work and that knowledge can really help you get the most out of your larger, heavier, more comfortable cruising boat.

Even when cruising, sail trim makes a huge difference. Not long ago, our family bought a 17-foot Thistle, which my son Si skippers and I, until recently, was middle man competing in fleet 169 in Newport, RI. We're having a blast. If you get a chance to do some dinghy sailing and fleet racing, go for it. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much fun it can be and how immersed you get in the pure, beautiful act of sailing. -- George Day

bwsailing.com

Letters To The Editor -
Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From Andrew Hurst, Seahorse magazine:

To echo what David Barrow added about Keith Musto; there is no classier man I know in the sport, nor one more supportive of sailing and sailors. A phenomenal natural helmsman and clean and fair competitor, it remains a privilege to catch up on those too rare occasions when we still meet.

On the former, as 'a teenager' I made the mistake of building myself a Flying Dutchman (1975) without thinking it through - of course when it was finished I had no money for sails... Enter Keith on a freezing Grafham Water winter weekend, who promptly gave me - not lent - a lightly used suit of his recent sails. I never forgot that.

And then...In the year's prior to London 2012 I had spent way too long restoring from firewood Rodney's (Pattisson's) own medal-winning FD of the 1976 Olympiad K-300. The RYA then took the finished item around the UK for display at various boat shows and events leading up to the 2012 Olympic Regatta.

Rodney himself donated an in-era spinnaker and Francois Richard an unused 1976 Cheret FD genoa (ok, Francois being Francois... sold me!). However in the absence of a mainsail I asked Ian Pinnell to make me something closer to a 1970s mainsail design; I then diligently swapped the P&B logo for a Cheret logo at the tack to keep it in period, and thought no more of it.

At the RYA Dinghy Exhibition the same year I saw Keith taking a look at her... before coming across: 'That's not the 1976 Cheret design, Andrew, is it?' What can a man do!?!

My thoughts and best wishes to Buddy's family and no doubt thousands of friends. What a blessing Buddy Melges chose sailing in which to invest his talents.

Featured Charter
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See listing details in Seahorse Charters

Contact
Charter Department
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Phone : +33 (0)467 66 39 93
Mail : or

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Featured Brokerage
2017 Club Swan 50 - Hull #20. 750000 EUR. Located in Tallin, Estonia.

Club Swan 50 "Kreyser" is now for sale. Hull #20 of the brilliant CS50 all-carbon design, she is one of the most lightly used boats in the entire fleet and even retains that "as new" smell below decks. Strong inventory with inshore and offshore sails. All cruising items still in plastic from new.

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The Last Word
Death helps. Death gives us something to do. Because it’s a full-time job looking the other way. -- Martin Amis

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