In This Issue
• Class 40's dark horses
• Four standout duos tipped for IMOCA glory
• SLAM SQUAD geared up for the Transat Jacques Vabre
• Seahorse Sailor Of The Month
• The Lipton Cup
• Sailing World on Water
• Irish Ruffian 23s in Hong Kong
• Swiss continues confidence building in AC75
• Six Down, Eight to Go in OGR!
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Elan GT6 Explorer
• • Arcona 465 Carbon
• • Shogun 43
• The Last Word: Lao Tzu

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

Class 40's dark horses
Quietly, almost under the radar, British duo Alister Richardson and Brian Thompson are making a growing impression in Class40. Currently they are fifth on the 2023 Class 40 season championship on Tquila - the Manuard Mach 40.4 which is new to them this season and was previously Simon Koster's Banque de Leman.

But together with the top ranked two Italians Alberto Bona (Mach40.4 IBSA) and Ambrogio Beccarria (Musa 40 Alle Grande-Pirelli) it is international skippers rather than French which monopolise the top five. 


Eleventh on the 2021 race into Martinique on an older 'pointy bowed' Class 40, Richardson and Thomoson are this time surely the dark horse duo in the 44 strong Class 40 on the 16th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre which starts Sunday.

Since meeting up on the crew of the MOD70 Argo, Richardson, 44, and Thompson, 61, have become a quite formidable partnership. Thompson, the gentle giant of British ocean racing, has long since lost count of the number of Transatlantic passages he has done - and indeed his count up of Transat Jacques Vabre races - whilst the former Olympic 49er class racer turned America's Cup multihull sailor Richardson has racked up tens of thousands of offshore miles on the big fast MOD70s, but by comparison is relatively new to the demands of Class 40.

transatjacquesvabre.org

Four standout duos tipped for IMOCA glory
Thomas Ruyant and Morgan Lagraviere won the IMOCA class on the 2021 Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre. It remains Ruyant's biggest title win to date in the class after what, for him was a bitterly disappointing 2020-2021 Vendee Globe when he finished fifth after losing his port foil whilst he was one half of the leading duo.

Back with a new Finot Conq-Koch designed boat this time, For People, Ruyant and Lagraviere have a fighting chance of retaining their title but face a truly exceptional challenge from the cream of a record sized 40 strong IMOCA fleet which is lined up on the Paul Vatine basin in Le Havre awaiting Sunday's start.

The fight is likely to be too close to call, but most seasoned observers select four duos narrowly ahead of the pack. Charal (Jeremie Beyou and Franck Cammas), For People, MACIF Sante Prevoyance (Charlie Dalin and Pascal Bidegorry) and Paprec Arkea (Yoann Richomme and Yann Elies) widely reckoned to the top favourites for this 16th Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre.

Read more...

SLAM SQUAD geared up for the Transat Jacques Vabre
Above, from left to right: Gwenael RIOU + Axel TREHIN (Rescue Ocean), Gerald VENIARD + Arnaud BOISSIERES (La Mie Caline), Jean MARRE + Alberto RIVA (Acrobatica), Sebastien SIMON + Iker MARTINEZ (Groupe Dubreuil), Luke BERRY + Antoine JOUBERT (Le Rire Medecin-Lamotte), Erwan LE DRAOULEC + Tanguy LEGLATIN (Everial)

Six teams will fly the SLAM flag at the Transat Jacques Vabre start on Sunday 29 October, among them Sebastien Simon (FRA) and Iker Martinez (ESP) along with Arnaud Boissieres (FRA) and Gerald Veniard (FRA) in the IMOCAs, Alberto Riva (ITA) racing alongside Jean Marre (FRA) in the Class 40s, and Luke Berry (GBR/FRA) teamed with Antoine Joubert (FRA) leading the fleet away in the Ocean 50s.

"We have worked closely with all of the SLAM SQUAD members in making sure their clothing meets all their expectations and will perform as expected," said Enrico Chieffi, CEO of SLAM.

"For over 40 years we have built relationships with many sailors so we know what is needed when the going gets tough, and we have a proven track record on delivering it."

The innovative SLAM SQUAD project is a further development of SLAM's long-standing and creative relationship with international sailors, which began soon after the company's formation back in 1979 with the brand label getting early exposure on the Star Class podium at the 1980 Olympics.

Leading the group away in Sunday's staggered Transat Jacques Vabre starting sequence will be Anglo-French skipper Luke Berry and his co-skipper Antoine Joubert on the Ocean 50 Le Rire Medecin Lamotte, the multihull duo no doubt out to repeat their close class win in the recent hard Rolex Fastnet Race.

"As Antoine and I were reminded on the way to the Fastnet back in the summer, there is no substitute for great offshore sailing kit and SLAM absolutely does the business," said Berry. "As a manufacturer it has taken the time to explore what is needed - and they have brought some style along with that as a bonus - so it is great to be a member of the SLAM SQUAD."

slam.com

Seahorse Sailor Of The Month
This month's nominees:

Marta Benussi (ITA)
Maybe give one boot to dad? This talented young Italian Oppi sailor did herself proud on the helm of the family 100-footer Arca (nice!) when they took victory in the 2023 Barcolana. However you dress it up, winning overall in a fleet of 1,773 yachts - all starting off the same line at the same time - is a big deal. It often takes the big boats 20 minutes to clear the ‘swarm’ so even for a practised maxi team there is a lot more to do in this open event than the usual point and shoot

Semma Rankin (AUS)
After serving her time on the rack with other skippers Emma Rankin had learnt her stuff. In late October the young Ms Rankin started her first 18-foot skiff race in Sydney on the tiller and led her Shaw Financial Services crew to fourth place, finishing just behind John Winning’s Yandoo. Of course Rankin had done a bit before starting in the 18s: two Formula 16 national titles, another in the Hobie 16s and some good results too on the Formula 18 and match-racing circuits

Last Month's winner:
Hap Fauth (USA)
‘Well deserved, Hapster!’ - Jim Turner; ‘A gentleman’ - Sean Clarkson; ‘No better guy to vote for’ - Amy Laing; ‘Where does all that energy come from!?!’ - Andrew McIrvine; ‘A fierce competitor always looking for the gains’ - Rob Ouellette; ‘Big congrats on the Maxi title, but this is the big one!!’ - Jeff Both; ‘Hap is not going to Barcelona next year for the food…’ - Jim Rogers; ‘One in a hundred million!! An amazing leader and dearest of friends’ - Mike Sanderson.

View past winners of Sailor of the Month

Seahorse Sailor of the Month is sponsored by Harken Derm, Musto and Dubarry. Who needs silverware, our prizes are usable!

Cast your vote, submit comments, even suggest a candidate for next month at seahorsemagazine.com/sailor-of-the-month/vote-for-sailor-of-the-month

Twelve Teams Compete For Socal's Most Prestigious Trophy: The Lipton Cup
The 108th Challenge for the Sir Thomas Lipton Challenge Cup, San Diego Yacht Club's signature fall regatta, returns October 27-29, 2023. Named for the historic yachtsman and tea baron, Sir Thomas Lipton, the Lipton Cup allows yacht club teams to face off to determine who is the best of the best. It is the most prestigious trophy contested in Southern California and one of the most coveted on the West Coast since 1903.

Over the three days of racing, twelve teams from across the U.S. will compete using chartered J/105s in a round-robin format in South San Diego Bay. After each race, competitors rotate to a different boat via floating docks adjacent to the racecourse, adding a layer of excitement.

This year's Lipton Cup roster includes:
Alamitos Bay Yacht Club
American Yacht Club
Balboa Yacht Club
California Yacht Club
Coronado Yacht Club
Eastern Yacht Club
Long Beach Yacht Club
New York Yacht Club
Newport Harbor Yacht Club
San Diego Yacht Club
San Francisco Yacht Club
Southwestern Yacht Club

San Diego Yacht Club will be defending the Cup. Coming on the heels of winning the 2023 Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup in Newport, RI, the San Diego Yacht Club team will consist of skipper Tyler Sinks and some of his Invitational team members. Sailing with Sinks are: Max Hutcheson, Nick Kaschak, Lucy Wallace, Jake La Dow, Adam Roberts, and Brad Rodi.

sdyc.org/liptoncup/

Sailing World on Water
Highlights of what happened globally in the sport of sailing in the last 7 days.

Highlights of what happened globally in the sport of sailing in the last 7 days. On a day when many would have looked at the sea-state and opted for a 'maintenance day' it was all systems go at Emirates Team New Zealand who were determined to take their AC75 'Te Rehutai' out to experience conditions that the team haven't sailed before in Barcelona in an AC75. For the team it's now relocate to Auckland before the next event in Jeddah.

This is your weekly Global Sailing highlights show, the World on Water, October 27, 2023. -- Geoff Waller

boatson.tv

Irish Ruffian 23s Win Golden Jubilee International Inter-Port in Hong Kong
Close racing for Ruffian 23s in the second stage of the Golden Jubilee Inter-Port at the Royal Hong Kong YC’s Shelter Island base. A feature of the event was sponsored Golden Jubilee sails for all boats. Photo by Guy Nowell/HK Ruffian Association. Click on image to enlarge.

A highlight throughout our 2023 sailing season has been the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the much-loved Billy Brown-designed Ruffian 23, which became an almost continuous and very friendly party of shared enthusiasm, friendship, racing and cruising-in-company.

It began on Strangford Lough in June at the boat's birthplace in Portaferry, where they were built by the designer's brother Dick Brown with Weatherly Yachts from 1973 onwards.

The celebrations then continued with various events on most coastlines of Ireland until, with the season here drawing to a close, the Irish Ruffian Association sent a team of 20 for a triennial Inter-Port contest with the well-established Ruffian 23 fleet in Hong Kong at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club last weekend, a three-day event which concluded on Monday, October 23rd.

Ann Kirwan, former Commodore of Dublin Bay Sailing Club and a longtime enthusiastic Ruffian 23 sailor at both Dun Laoghaire on Dublin Bay and Schull in West Cork, captures the flavour for us with her report of this remarkable event on the other side of the world:

WM Nixon and Ann Kirwan in Afloat.ie

Cup Spy Oct 26: Swiss continues confidence building in AC75
The Swiss were the only team to sail their AC75, and completed a four hour session, in a flatter seaway of 0.7mtrs. They sailed in lighter winds and not surprisingly were able to achieve a high dry foiling percentage. They did racing exercises today, which is perhaps indicative of a rising confidence level in the Swiss team.

What happened in the Cup - October 26, 2023:

- Alinghi Red Bull Racing - sailed their AC75 for a four hour session, in a flatter seaway of 0.7mtrs. They sailed in light winds and not surprisingly were able to achieve a high dry foiling percentage. They did race practice today, which is perhaps indicative of a rising confidence level in the Swiss team.

- Emirates Team New Zealand - No report from the AC37 Joint Recon team. Emirates Team NZ have sailed their last session in Barcelona for 2023. The team now heads for Auckland, leaving the AC75, Te Rehutai, in Barcelona, and exporting an AC40 to Jeddah for next month's second Preliminary Regatta.

- Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - No report from the AC37 Joint Recon team

- INEOS Britannia - No report from the AC37 Joint Recon team. Their test boat T6 is still in the shed after the catastrophic destruction of their rudder and rudder assembly during a towing session.

- American Magic - No report from the AC37 Joint Recon team. The USA team sailed yesterday, testing wingfoils and cameras on one of the foils. They will start sailing the AC75 on November 6 according to yesterday's AC37 Joint Recon team report.

- Orient Express Racing Team - No report from the AC37 Joint Recon team

- All teams are shipping AC40s to Jeddah for the second Preliminary Events at the end of November. Organisers will obviously be monitoring the security and war situation in the surrounding territories, before giving the teams a green light to travel to the venue.

Read Richard Gladwell's full commentary in Sail-world.com

Six Down, Eight to Go in OGR!
After 45 days of sailing, the former Whitbread winner L'Esprit d'equipe FR (85) skippered by Lionel Regnier, has claimed 5th in line honours in Leg One of the McIntyre Ocean Globe. Light winds, which have dogged the crew throughout the race, slowed their progress once again as they crossed the line in Table Bay Harbour, Cape Town at 19:37 UTC, Oct 25th.

The French yacht is no stranger to these waters having first participated in the 1981 Whitbread under the name 33 Export, later going on to win the 1985 Whitbread under the name L'Esprit d'equipe then competing again in 1989 sailing as Esprit de Liberte.

Skipper Lionel Regnier is looking forward to racing much faster and harder through the Southern Ocean on Leg 2, Cape Town To Auckland.

Notice of Race states that sails cannot be removed from yachts for repair, but the OGR has given special dispensation for yachts during the Cape Town stopover if a detailed application, with a photo, is submitted for analysis. Both Maiden and Translated 9 have been granted dispensation to date.

So all eyes are now on Triana and Neptune, the battle between the two French yachts due in next - hopefully in time for the Rugby World Cup.

oceangloberace.com

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The Last Word
To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders. -- Lao Tzu

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