In This Issue
• World Match Racing Tour Final
• Mast down, no mainsail, late starters, all cross Lorient finish line today
• Ingrid Abery 2024 Sailing Calendar
• 2024 Newport to Ensenada Race is Open for Registration
• Translated 9 Take OGR Trio of Titles
• SailGP returns to Christchurch
• NSW Championship Finale
• Lessons Learned Sailing Singlehanded Transpac
• Cup Spy Dec 11: Swiss - AC75 training off Barcelona
• Featured Charter: Beneteau First 36 #42
• Featured Brokerage:
• • SY LADY 8
• • AC40
• • Shogun 43
• The Last Word: Kris Kristofferson

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

World Match Racing Tour Final
Shenzhen, China: With teams taking to the water for their official practice day, the stage is set for the 2023 World Match Racing Tour Final in Shenzhen, China.

The stakes are high as the winner of this event will be crowned 2023 Match Racing World Champion and be awarded a portion of the USD 200,000 purse. Racing will begin tomorrow morning at 1000 local time and run from December 13th to 17th. Overseen by Principal Race Officer Randy Smith from the USA and Chief Umpire Craig Mitchell from GBR and his team of ten World Sailing International Umpires, the event will see top-tier competition.

The regatta line-up is full of veteran match racers and previous world champions. New Zealand's Nick Egnot-Johnson's KNOTS Racing is defending their 2022 WMRT championship title, while USA's Chris Poole and his Riptide Racing, who is currently ranked number one in the world and on top of the WMRT leaderboard, aims for the prize with a sense of redemption after finishing second in last year's WMRT Final in Sydney, Australia.

Six-time match racing world champion Ian Williams / Chinaone.Ningbo (GBR) will eagerly look to take home his seventh world championship title at the end of this week.

Tomorrow's forecast will ease the teams into the week of racing with an easterly breeze from 6-12 knots.

Live updates will be posted as the racing unfolds across WMRT social channels, including Instagram, Facebook, X (formally Twitter), and YouTube.

Get live race results from matchracingresults.com

wmrt.com

Mast down, no mainsail, late starters, all cross Lorient finish line today
Dismasted at 10 miles from the Lorient finish line of the Retour à La Base early this morning French skipper Sebastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) still managed to cross the line under a makeshift jury rig to ensure he achieved a finish position essential for his future Vendee Globe qualification.

After setting off 28 hours after the rest of the 30 strong fleet Tanguy Le Turquais (Lazare) completed an excellent comeback to finish in 20th place.

Winner of three consecutive Transatlantic races, including this years recent Transat Jacques Vabre with Morgan Lagravière, solo victory on Retour à La Base escapes Thomas Ruyant (FOR PEOPLE) this time after his mainsail tears in half. But this morning he completes the course under headsails only in 17th place but with the new solo monohull 24 hr speed record in his pocket

Among last night's finishers are Clarisse Cremer (L'Occitane en Provence) who takes 12th place and Kiwi Conrad Colman (Mail Boxes ETC) who shows huge potential for the next Vendee Globe. He comes home second daggerboard boat, 14th overall after gaining seven places since just before the Azores. On his 2006 design he chased Benjamin Ferre's 2011 Monnoyeur Duo For A Job hard and finished less than two hours behind the first non foiling, daggerboard boat.

Japan's Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG MORI Global One) achieves his target, finishing the race in 18th which gets qualification for his third Vendee Globe back on track after having to abandon the Route du Rhum just a couple of hours in after a collision damaged his boat.

The shock of the day was the news at just after 0600hrs this morning that the Vendee based skipper Sebastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) had lost his mast at ten miles from the finish. After having to stop and repair in remote Flores in the Azores because of a complete failure, and after having had to put stitches in his own head wound just before he stopped, Simon had been pushing quite hard since he left the Azores. But his resilience was tested to the full. But after setting up a makeshift jury rig he drifted across the finish line some four hours later to secure 19th place. More importantly for the skipper who has a new sponsor and a new boat in The Ocean Race winning former 11th Hour Racing, the Vendee skipper ensured he has his qualification process well under way now.

retouralabase.org

Ingrid Abery 2024 Sailing Calendar
Looking for some colourful vitamin sea this winter? The Ingrid Abery 2024 Sailing Calendar transports you to a fresh setting each month. From Cowes to the Caribbean, Sardinia to St Tropez twenty five images capture drama, action and atmosphere. A great Christmas present the calendar can be ordered gift-wrapped and sent directly to you recipient.

Ingrid's lenses have again been at the sharp end of the international race circuit. Opening the year is the inaugural Richard Mille Cup that drew various Mediterranean regulars from their classic circuit. In the fresh to fruity conditions of this year's Rolex Fastnet race Ultim multihull winner SVR Lazartigue was captured accelerating off the start. Just days prior the same patch of the Solent offered a calmer burst of colour with the Spirit 52 Flight of Ufford leading Class 1 in the British Classic Week.

The majestic J-Class meanwhile are featured sparring in the swell off Porto Cervo as Rambler 88 slices through the spray light a knife through butter. A tour around the Caribbean takes you to the Superyacht circuit in St Barths, striking inter-island racing at the BVI Spring regatta and a mouthwatering view of the St Thomas International regatta.

Opening up to A2 each month offers two richly printed photos plus a generous box calendar in which to make notes. The price for all these images is just 20 Euros apiece plus p/p. Orders can be placed seamlessly through the website where UK, European and worldwide postage is detailed.

The calendar can be viewed and purchased at: ingridabery.com/calendar

The 2024 Newport to Ensenada Race is Open for Registration
The Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race is open for registration for the April 26 - 28, 2024 annual classic. Once again race organizer, Newport Ocean Sailing Association (NOSA), will offer two race courses to either Ensenada or San Diego. Registration and Notice of Races are available at www.nosa.org.

The Newport to Ensenada Race is one of the oldest annual sailing competitions that takes place between Newport Beach, California, in the United States, and Ensenada, Baja California, in Mexico. It has been one of the largest international yacht races in the world and still attracts participants from all around the globe.

Last year, Rich Festas' 46-foot Rogers Groundhog Day won the top three trophies in the 75th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race. One of seven in the competitive Ultra-Light A-Class, Groundhog Day, crossed the finish line at 17hr 36mn 13s, more than 2 hours and 34 minutes faster than class competitors ITS OK and Staghound that finished just one minute and eight seconds apart.

The Ensenada race covers a distance of approximately 125 nautical miles and is open to a wide range of sailboats, from small cruisers to larger racing yachts. The course to San Diego covers 90 miles. There are trophies for multi-hulls, double-handed, cruising class, all female crews as well as PHRF and ORR classes. This spring classic offers participants a challenging and exciting overnight offshore sailing experience.

nosa.org

Translated 9 Take OGR Trio of Titles
A perfect finish to the perfect Southern Ocean sailing adventure - and in true Auckland style the triumphant Translated 9 IT (09) were greeted with four seasons in one day. The stunning Italian Swan 65, skippered by Vittorio Malingri, sailed over the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron finish line at 13hrs 25m 22 seconds (NZDT) taking first in line honours, provisional IRC and Flyer Class. This will herald their second IRC win, having taken the title in the Leg One race, Southampton to Cape Town. The ten-strong crew were determined to retain the prestigious title in the Cape Town to Auckland leg and their dogged determination paid off.

Nico Malingri admitted they didn't know they were in first position until docking in Jellicoe Harbour!

"It feels so good to be here. It feels just amazing. It was a technical leg and we didn't have any big storms so we managed to push at the right time and keep cool when it was necessary. The crew performed amazingly", said Nico.

The Ocean Globe Race, a race celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Whitbread Round the World Race, means Translated 9's triumphant return to Auckland is particularly poignant. The yacht and her crew have deep historical connections to the Whitbread and Auckland. In 1977, she sailed into the city under the name ADC Accutrac, skippered by Claire Francis, the first woman to skipper a Whitbread yacht.

Arriving into Auckland is like a homecoming for the adventurers onboard the iconic Swan.

oceangloberace.com

SailGP confirms return to Christchurch for Season 4 New Zealand event
SailGP is pleased to confirm that the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix will return to Christchurch for its Season 4 iteration - keeping the same dates March 23-24, 2024. Tickets go on sale to the public Thursday December 14 (100 days to go) at 10am NZT through Ticketek NZ.

The ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Christchurch will transform Naval Point into a vibrant race stadium, hosting around 22,000 spectators across the weekend.

The Season 4 event will see the return of popular fan experiences, including an enlarged Race Stadium, grandstand seating area and the exclusive Platinum Lawn. For the first time ever in Christchurch, fans will also be able to purchase behind-the-scenes tours of SailGP's team bases and technical areas.

The ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Christchurch is delivered in partnership with host partners ChristchurchNZ and New Zealand Major Events, Title Partner ITM, and event partners Alvarium, Rodd & Gunn and Heineken.

SailGP Season 4 Schedule // 2023-2024
December 9-10 | Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas | Dubai

2024
January 13-14 | Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council
February 24-25 | KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix | Sydney
March 23-24 | ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix I Christchurch
May 5-6 | Bermuda Sail Grand Prix
June 1-2 | ROCKWOOL Canada Sail Grand Prix | Halifax
June 22-23 | Mubadala United States Sail Grand Prix | New York
July 13-14 | SailGP Season 4 Grand Final | San Francisco

SailGP.com/NewZealand

NSW Championship Finale - Yandoo & The Rag set to battle it out
Sunday's final two races of the 2023-24 NSW 18ft skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour promise to be a head-to-head battle between Yandoo and Rag & Famish Hotel as the pair strive to strike the first blow in the build up through the championship season to the Giltinan World Championship on the same course next March.

With three wins, a second placing and two thirds from the six races sailed so far, Yandoo presently leads the series with a net total of eight points, four ahead of Rag & Famish Hotel.

Although difficult to predict, with two races remaining and a final discard to be determined after the eight races have been completed, Yandoo can wrap up the championship with a win in one of Sunday's races.

Yandoo now has a 'complete' total of 11 points and one win on Sunday would give the Yandoo team a final total of 12 points from the seven races to count. 'The Rag' already has a score of net twelve points and even two wins on Sunday would put her out of possible championship victory.

The consistency of Yandoo's team (John 'Woody' Winning, Fang Warren and Lewis Brake) has been exceptional and a critical difference between it and the Rag & Famish Hotel team which has suffered from the injury problem of her skipper, Harry Price, who is still recovering from a bulging disc. -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League Ltd.

Watch the racing live on Youtube

18footers.com

Lessons Learned Sailing Singlehanded Transpac
Tune into the ninth episode of the Lessons Learned Podcast series by UK Sailmakers, featuring Brendan Huffman as he shares his journey competing in his second Singlehanded Transpacific Race aboard his Santa Cruz 33, SIREN.

In this episode, Brendan reflects on the insights gained from his nine races to Hawaii, discussing the lessons learned, and how he enhanced his performance for the second Singlehanded race, ultimately winning his division and securing 5th place overall.

reparation proves to be the cornerstone of a successful Hawaii race, and Brendan delves into his decision-making process regarding vessel choice, sail selection, and boat modifications aimed at improving comfort, safety, and overall results. Instead of opting for a return delivery, Brendan chose to contribute to the youth sailing program at the Kauai Sailing Association by donating SIREN, marking the beginning of new adventures on the horizon.

You can also read more details about Brendan's adventure in the News Section of the UK Sailmakers website here.

Cup Spy Dec 11: Swiss - AC75 training off Barcelona
Alinghi Red Bull Racing was the only team to conduct testing off Barcelona on Monday. They sailed their AC75 in the three hours session, which passed without incident.

What happened in the Cup - December 11, 2023:

Alinghi Red Bull Racing - Trained in their AC75 out of Barcelona

Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - Suffered a compression crack in the port topside of their LEQ12 on Tuesday. There is no update on the repair.

American Magic - Sailed out of Barcelona last Thursday in their AC75.

Emirates Team New Zealand - Did not sail and have returned to Auckland. Their "A" Sailing Team won the SailGP Dubai event over the weekend.

INEOS Britannia - Did not sail - No update on their situation - they had rudder/rudder box issues for the second time in mid-November.

Orient Express Racing Team - No report, however also competed in the SailGP Dubai, placing fourth.

Alinghi Red Bull Racing rolled out their AC75 at 10:00hrs. The yacht was craned in, and routine systems checks were carried out. Notably, the port foil was lifted multiple times, while the starboard foil was lifted once. Electronics technicians worked on the starboard helm, likely implementing upgrades, using parts from a "spare wheel" bag. After most crew members disembarked the yacht, further testing of mast rotation and cunningham actuators was conducted, powered by the forward left cyclor pod.

See Richard Gladwell's full commentary in Sail-World.com

Featured Charter
BENETEAU First 36 #42. From 3150 Euros/week. Located in Marina Pirovac, Adriatic Sea, Croatia.

One of the most awarded boats in history is now available for bareboat charter in Croatia. Experience the thrill of high-performance racing boats on your family holidays without sacrificing onboard comfort. She is brand new and fully equipped for cruising and racing.

See listing details in Seahorse Charters

Contact
Portuss d.o.o., Tit Plevnik
Email:
Phone: +386 31 212 432
Booking Code: Seahorse First 36

See the the Seahorse charter collection

Featured Brokerage
SY LADY 8. 3,950,000 ex VAT EUR.

2008 built CNB 95 ‘Lady 8’ is new to the market having completed a very comprehensive refit at STP shipyard during Winter 2022/23.

Every conceivable system was checked, renewed or overhauled. The finished result is spectacular and includes a New Awlgrip hull paint (May23), all new navigation systems, mast re-wire, engine room and systems overhaul, completed 5yr class surveys and so much more. Lady 8 sleeps 8 guests in 4 very good sized guest cabins making her the ideal family yacht or commercial charter yacht. Viewing is highly recommended.

See listing details in Nautor Swan Brokerage

Contact
Carrswood Yachts Limited, UK
email:
Tel: +44 (0)7476 888639

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

AC40. POA EUR.

Presenting the AC40, a scaled AC75 foiling day-racer designed by Emirates Team New Zealand and built by McConaghy.

A one-design class that brings America's Cup foiling performance to a competitive racing circuit.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact

Tel: +852 5501 6001

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

Shogun 43. POA EUR.

Developed with a focus on performance and ease of use, this yacht goes beyond conventional and traditional design, taking performance cruising to the next level. It is the yacht for you who love speed and want to sail fast without a full crew. It is for you who want to have fun on the water and maximise your sailing experience every time you go out, but still want comfort onboard. Shogun 43 gives you both.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact

Nacka Strand, Stockholm, Sweden
shogunyachts.com

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

The Last Word
Tell the truth. Sing with passion. Work with laughter. Love with heart. 'Cause that's all that matters in the end. -- Kris Kristofferson

Editorial and letter submissions to

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