In This Issue
• Day Four At British Classic Week
• How to watch the Rolex Fastnet Race
• What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
• Admiral's Cup Pre-Notice of Race issued
• Cowes Classics Week Final Report
• Rolex Middle Sea Race 2023 : New and Old Unite
• Canada Ocean Racing - New Team Name
• Cup Spy: Luna Rossa resumes testing
• Letters to the Editor
• Featured Charter: Crusade - 64' Classic Yacht
• Featured Brokerage:
• • CN Yacht 2000 Felci FY71
• • RM 970
• • J Boats J/121
• The Last Word: George Edward Moore

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

Day Four At British Classic Week
Photo by Ingrid Abery, www.ingridabery.com. Click on image for photo gallery.

Day four of British Classic Week was packed with fast-paced racing for the classic fleet and the 6mR classes.

In the morning, the classic and modern classic fleet took on the regatta's Lady Helm Race and the replacement race that was cancelled earlier in the week.

Contributing to the overall series points, the Lady Helm Race saw the fleet set off upwind to the West on the RYS combined line to East Lepe. With the tide running East, the fleet tucked close inshore, which made for some tight racing to get out of the tide.

Having started in 11 knots from the West, the wind continued to build throughout the race with gusts of 18-19 knots. From East Lepe to port, kites were hoisted across to Gurnard and a series of windward/leeward legs followed to Williams Shipping, back to East Lepe, and a return to Gurnard before heading to the finish at the RYS line.

Laurent Giles sloop Whooper triumphed in the Lady Helm Race overall, followed by Spirit 52 Happy Forever in second, and Stella Timoa in third.

The race office set short courses for Classes 1-3, with individual class starts from the RYS inner line. Each class set off downwind against the tide in strong breeze with gusts of 20-22 knots from the west.

Classes 1 and 2 held spinnakers to East Bramble, rounding the mark to starboard and reaching across to the Isle of Wight shore to take Mother Bank to port. From the strong gusts at the start, the wind dropped right off mid-race back to 11-12 knots.

From Mother Bank, it was another reach back up to Royal Yacht Squadron off the mainland coast and a beat back with the tide in gusts of 18-20 knots to the RYS line.

Class 3 sailed a similar but shorter course downwind to Ancasta, a reach across to Peel Bank and north to East Bramble. Taking East Bramble to port it was a short beat with the tide to the RYS line.

The afternoon race was won by Crusade in Class 1, Whooper in Class 2, and the gaff cutter Eilun in Class 3.

In the 6mR classes Battlecry did the double in Open Division winning both races and Abu made it two wins from two races in the Classic Division. -- Helen Porter

britishclassicweek.co.uk

How to watch the Rolex Fastnet Race
The historic 50th edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Rolex Fastnet Race sets sail with the first start at 1300 BST this Saturday (22 July) from Cowes, Isle of Wight bound for Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France via the Fastnet Rock off southwest Ireland.

With more than 450 entries, this special anniversary race will have a record-sized fleet, up from the previous record of 388 set in pre-COVID 2019. The Rolex Fastnet Race is by far the world's largest offshore yacht race in terms of participants.

The line-up ranges in size from the world's fastest offshore race boats, the French 32m long flying Ultim trimarans, likely to cover the 695 mile course in a little over a day, down to 30ft cruiser-racers and classics, such as the Australian 9m long 1932 classic Maluka, which could take six days.

The Rolex Fastnet Race is one of the few events where regular sailors can line up on the same start line as many heroes of the sport, from Vendée Globe and Ocean Race winners to Olympic gold medallists, to the world's fastest man on the water (Paul Larsen), to the enthusiastic amateur majority, to families and individuals for whom the event represents the pinnacle of their sailing careers.

The fleet is divided into nine classes: the bulk of the fleet race under the IRC rating system for the event's overall prize – the Fastnet Challenge Cup. This group is divided into six classes from the biggest, fastest boats in IRC Super Zero (SZ), down to the smallest, slowest 30 footers racing in IRC Four. In addition are the two professional classes, the IMOCAs and Class40 and the Multihull class, which includes racing trimarans such as the Ultims and Ocean 50s, and the faster cruising multihulls. There is also a doublehanded ranking for boats being sailed within the IRC fleet by two crew.

Broadcasts on Friday and Saturday on the RORC youtube channel: youtube.com/@RORCRacing

After the start; YB Trackers

A brand new feature of the tracking introduced for this Rolex Fastnet Race are perimeter rings around key marks of the course - the Fastnet Rock, Bishop Rock and the Cherbourg finish. This will enable both more accurate and more frequent rankings to be drawn up for each class as the race progresses. Information from these rings, permits sector time analysis which will be displayed on the RORC's new upgraded results page for the race - SailraceHQ -

Website: rolexfastnetrace.com
Facebook: facebook.com/RoyalOceanRacingClub YouTube: youtube.com/@RORCRacing Instagram: instagram.com/rorcracingb Twitter: twitter.com/RORCRacing Threads: threads.net/@rorcracing TikTok: tiktok.com/@rorcracing
Linkedin: uk.linkedin.com/company/royaloceanracingclub

Seahorse August 2023
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine

Trickledown… but a capital T
Multiple Olympic medallist and America’s Cup skipper Iain Percy is flat out - but he’s looking way past more trophy collecting. Tim Jeffery

Nailing it - Part II
As of now Don Macintyre is planning to take part in his next ocean racing event himself (but he did try that once before). Dan Houston

Blink of an eye
Faster tacks, smart logic, easy operation. Diverse Performance Systems has found some intriguing new ways to improve on the standard water ballast system

Sailor of the Month
Between them these two have everything covered

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Admiral's Cup Pre-Notice of Race issued
The much coveted Admiral's Cup. Photo by Matthew Dickens/imagecomms. Click on image to enlarge.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club is delighted to announce the publication of the Pre-Notice of Race for the 2025 Admiral's Cup. On 19th July 2025, in exactly two years, racing will begin for the solid silver gilt trophy. The Pre-Notice of Race sets out the intended schedule of racing and the weighting and scoring rules for the series.

Over the past month, the RORC has received expressions of interest from all over the world for the 2025 Admiral's Cup. Significant notice has come from four nations who have won the Admiral's Cup multiple times in the past: Australia, Great Britain, Germany, and the United States of America. More expressions of interest have been received from Finland, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and Trinidad & Tobago. A total of 11 countries, some wishing to field multiple teams, are eager to race for the Admiral's Cup.

The 2025 Admiral's Cup will be held in the centenary year of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, the final race of the series will be the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race.

For more information and enquiries about The Admiral's Cup:

Pre-Notice of Race

Cowes Classics Week Final Report
Photo by Tim Jeffreys. Click on image to enlarge.

Cowes, UK: The 125 competitors registering for Cowes Classics Week on 9th July were treated to Cowes Classics Day, a celebration of classic forms of transport, with over fifty cars, buses and motor yachts and a vintage biplane fly-past outside the organising club, the Royal London Yacht Club. The following five days of competitive Corinthian racing were complemented by a full social program hosted by six local yacht clubs.

The winds were strong all week but each fleet was able to race every day. Three race tracks provided racing for the nine fleets of dayboats on the GJW Direct windward-leeward courses, while the classic yachts and old gaffers enjoyed round-the-cans racing from the RLYC club line.

With twenty-six entries, the Swallow class was won convincingly by Mike Wigmore in Gwaihir. On behalf of the Swallow class, Mike also collected the Queen Victoria Trophy in recognition of their seventy-fifth anniversary. The winner in the 6mr class was Simon Williams on Silvervingen, who, with Shirley Robertson aboard achieved a full set of race wins.

In the Daring class the racing was much closer but David Tydeman on Dynamite held on to take the overall win. John Tremlett on Astralita had to fight all the way to win the popular XOD class while Claire Locke recovered from a slow start to win the Folkboat class in The Otter. The Flying Fifteens were won convincingly by Chris Gorringe in Leap of Faith and Chris also walked away with the New Helm Trophy. Jonathan Evans won the Loch Long class aboard Tantrum. Michael Cover came good towards the end of the week to win the Dragon class in Ithaca, as did Chris Gear in Osprey in the Squib class. Rounding off the winners in the dayboat classes was Noel Dobbs in the Seaview Mermaid Mimosa.

The Concours d'Elegance was won by the beautifully presented Dorothy, owned by Ossie Stewart. Ratsey & Lapthorn sailmakers supplied a trophy for the Spirit of Cowes Classics Week and this was won by the Swallow Class when they all pulled together to save a race that was in dispute. The Classic Boat Magazine Trophy for seamanship was won by Barry Elliott, the RLYC coxswain, and William McNeill's team aboard XOD Lara won the David Gower Bowl for the youngest average age crew. The Traveller's Trophy for the furthest-travelled entry was not in dispute this year; it was won by Eve, a Swan 65 which was sailed from Sydney, Australia by Steven Capell & Fraser Welch.

Cowes Classics Week 2024 will run from 7th to 12th July, incorporating Cowes Classics Day on the 7th and racing from the 8th to the 12th.

cowesclassicsweek.org

Rolex Middle Sea Race 2023 : New and Old Unite
The 44th Rolex Middle Sea Race is just over three months away, with the start scheduled for Saturday, 21 October 2023. The Mediterranean's premier 600-mile classic is steadily building a diverse fleet of fully crewed and double-handed entries ranging in size from the 32.55 metre (107 foot) Spirit of Malouen (France) down to the 10m (33ft) Sun Fast 3300 Zephyr (United Kingdom). Other entrants are currently drawn from around Europe and North America, and represent the best of offshore sailing.

The Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC), which founded the race in 1968, remains quietly confident that another exceptional international fleet is in the cards. Entries officially close on Friday, 22 September, but the RMYC reserves the right to accept late applications up to 29 September.

Headline news since the previous release is the confirmation that the 30.5m (100ft) Australian maxi, Black Jack, owned by Peter Harburg, will be taking part. Most recently crowned as line honours winner of the 2023 Rolex Giraglia in June, the Reichel-Pugh flyer is the former Alfa Romeo II (2006 line honours winner at the Rolex Middle Sea Race) and the former Esimit Europa 2 (four times line honours between 2010 and 2014). The 2020 line honours winner at the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is real competition for Spirit of Malouen and the modified Volvo 70 Pyewacket in the battle to be first to finish.

The 44th edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race will start on Saturday, 21 October 2023.

rolexmiddlesearace.com

Canada Ocean Racing Announces New Team Name & Purpose: Be Water Positive Sailing Team
Canada Ocean Racing today unveils its new team name Be Water Positive. With their mission still to be the first Canadian team to complete the Vendée Globe, they will also be raising awareness and promoting what it is to Be Water Positive.

The team's performance goals remain the same; aiming to be the first Canadian to complete the Vendée Globe, however, they will be sailing under a new purpose, committed to building awareness of what water positivity truly means through key partnerships. By forging alliances with key organizations in the water reuse and desalination industries, and supporting the UN Water Action Decade, the team aims to educate and engage the public on the importance of responsible water usage.

Be Water Positive is thrilled to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Desalination Association (IDA), a global organization dedicated to promoting desalination, water reuse, and water technology solutions. The agreement between Be Water Positive and IDA solidifies their shared commitment to promoting sustainable water practices. Through this collaboration, the team will leverage the expertise and resources of the IDA to further their mission of promoting water positivity.

canadaoceanracing.com

Cup Spy July 18: Luna Rossa resumes testing in a hot and grey Cagliari
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - LEQ12 - Day 76 - July 18, 2023 - Barcelona. Photo by Alex Carabi / America's Cup. Click on image to enlarge.

The Italian team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli resumed training out of Cagliari in their LEQ12, after a three week break.

It was a hot 38°C in Cagliari with grey fog-like conditions with a 6-10kt breeze - a complete contrast to Barcelona, where it was a little cooler, but bright sunshine and a 15-18kt breeze which peaked mid-afternoon. The Barcelona Backslop was minimal - making for perfect foiling conditions - and everyone came off the water looking like heroes.

- Alinghi Red Bull Racing sailed their AC75 in a long session which lasted over eight hours. Out of 57 tacks and gybes in the day, they kept the hull dry on all but two maneuvers - and those were in the "touch and go" category for a 97% dry foil tack/gybe percentage.

- American Magic - sailed their AC40 One Design and their AC40/LEQ12 test boat. After a stutter-start to the week the US team had what the AC37 Joint Recon Team described as a "glamour day" - which would have come as a welcome relief and put a spring back in everyone's step. There is no indication as to when their AC75 will start sailing.

- Luna Rossa - had an impressive day in Cagliari, in a lighter breeze than Barcelona. On the video it looked as if the breeze died at the end of the session. On the available video there were no water starts - which has been a weakness with this LEQ12, particularly sailing six-up. However the Italian team looked impressive, and of course, training out of the sight of other teams gives a psychological advantage. When sailing their AC40-One Design in Cagliari, the Italians are quite entitled to cruise past the other teams sailing and gauge the accuracy of the AC37 Joint Recon observations, as well as coming to their own conclusions. However the other Challengers and Defenders can't return the compliment in Cagliari, as on the water observation is prohibited under the Rules.

- Emirates Team New Zealand gave a foiling masterclass, with low flying straight line runs, performing 72 tacks and 63 gybes, with just two resulting in water contact - of the "touch and go" category for a 98.5% dry tack/gybe percentage. The Kiwis are expected to stop sailing for a few days due to SailGP Los Angeles obligations for all of the AC75 sailing crew. There is quite a marked difference in the salinity of water in the Mediterranean, and that of the Hauraki Gulf, which thanks to several cyclonic events contains more fresh water than usual. The air temperature in Barcelona today (34°C) is 10°-15° more than Auckland - even in the summer, and today with steady winds and flat water would have provided some excellent performance data to cross-reference with their Auckland results and the different densities of wind and water.

- INEOS Britannia will not be sailing until August 1, and are transiting to Barcelona from their pre-Cup base in Mallorca.

- No further news from the Orient Express Team (formerly K-Challenge).

Richard Gladwell's full report in Sail-World.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 Chris Griffiths: Crew wanted for the Ocean Globe Race a celebration of the 50th anniversary of 1st Whitbread race starting 10th September 2023. Join a highly experienced crew - leg one and full circumnavigation slots available. Information on the boat and team and an application form are at spirit-of-adelaide.com . We look forward to sailing with you.

Featured Charter
CRUSADE - 64' Classic Yacht

Charter 64' Classic Yacht CRUSADE and race at Cowes Week 2023

CRUSADE is one of the largest, most beautiful and most famous yachts available for charter at Cowes Week 2023.

Built in cold moulded wood on the Isle of Wight in 1969, her victory in that year’s Sydney Hobart race ensured her legendary status, and to this day she continues to be a head-turning talking point where-ever she goes.

With a brand new carbon rig and a suit of equally new North race sails, CRUSADE is enjoying a new, high performance lease of life.

See listing details in Seahorse Charters

Contact
Nick on + 44 (0) 7860 152703

See the the Seahorse charter collection

Featured Brokerage
2006 CN Yacht 2000 Felci FY71. 1,480,000 EUR. Located in Preveza, Greece.

Umberto Felci designed performance bluewater cruising yacht configured for effortless push-button sailing. Hull No.2 of four FY71’s built by CN Yacht 2000.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Michele Antonini - Grabau International (Italia)
Tel: +39 333 74 89 281
Email:

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RM 970. From 162,750 ex VAT EUR.

Hugely inspired by offshore racers, she inherits from their sporty lines, but also their dynamic benefits:

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
RM Yachts
Zone Industrielle des 4 chevaliers, Rond-Point de la République, 17180 Perigny, France

+33 5 46 44 73 00

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2020 J Boats J/121. 425,000 USD. Located in Mamaroneck, New York.

Fully equipped Racer/Cruiser in pristine condition. Meticulously maintained and boasts exceptional race record.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact

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

The Last Word
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