In This Issue
• Vendee Globe: Update On Qualification And Selection
• 18ft Skiffs NSW Championship, Races 7 and 8
• Perfect playground (magnificent toys) - Nautor Swan
• Jubilee Sailing Trust: Tall ship company goes into administration
• Cagliari, Sardinia Sailing Cup Foil International Academy Trophy
• 12 Metre Northern Europe Fleet
• Get your Portsmouth Yardstick submissions in!
• Retour a La Base awards ceremony
• Mayo Weather Forecaster Maureen Sweeney Dies Aged 100
• Featured Charter: Sunreef 50 Eco - TIRIL
• Featured Brokerage:
• • JFA 75 Alloy Custom Sloop
• • Ichi Ban 60
• • Swan 48-203 'Mia'
• The Last Word: Jim Murray

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

Vendee Globe: Update On Qualification And Selection
Although there are currently 44 official candidates for the Vendée Globe, only 40 will be lining up at the start on 10 November 2024, according to the Notice of Race, they have to meet the qualification criteria by the official close of entries on 30 June. Article 9.1 of the Notice of Race requires each skipper/boat pairing "taken the start of at least two solo races (including one in 2022 or 2023 AND one in 2024) AND have finished with a ranking in at least one of these two races. In addition, the Skipper will confirm his/her qualification if his/her racing time is shorter or equal to the winner's racing time plus 50%."

Of the 44 candidates only 5 have not yet fulfilled the first condition: having completed a race on their Vendée Globe boat in 2022 or 2023 within the allotted time. Finishing 30th in Retour a La Base, Denis Van Weynbergh (D'Ieteren Group) finished 90 minutes over the time that would have allowed him to get through the winter in peace. "It's obviously a bit frustrating," the Belgian skipper told us. "But I'm still happy to have racked up the miles." To earn his ticket, he will have to complete one of the last two qualifying races, The Transat CIC or New-York-Vendée Les Sables d'Olonne next spring, this time on time.

Three sailors, Eric Bellion, Charlie Dalin and Phil Sharp, were unable to take the start of Retour a La Base on their new boats, launched in June for the first two and in October for the last one. In the case of Stand as One, a structural problem on the Jacques Vabre that forced Éric Bellion and Martin Le Pape to retire, with the impossibility of making repairs in time to reach Martinique.

However, a derogation to article 9.1 specifies that "in the event of major damage occurring during the Transat Jacques Vabre 2023 making it impossible for the pair to enter the return race of the Transat Jacques Vabre 2023, the OA may grant a derogation and accept that the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre 2023 substitute for the start of the return race."

As Stand as One falls squarely within this framework, Eric Bellion explains to us that he "requested the derogation, which was quickly accepted"

From the Tip & Shaft newsletter

18ft Skiffs NSW Championship, Races 7 and 8
Photo by Sail Media. Click on image for photo gallery.

Andoo and Finport Finance shared the race honours, but it was the Yandoo team of John 'Woody' Winning, Fang Warren and Lewis Brake who became the 2023-24 NSW 18ft Skiff champions at the conclusion of the eight-race series on Sydney Harbour today.

The Yandoo crew's consistency throughout the series, in a wide variety of conditions, proved to be the winning factor and the victory was well-deserved.

Yandoo completed the championship with a total of 15 points, followed by Andoo (John Winning Jr, Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton) on 21, Put Your Name Here (Kirk Mitchell, Andrew Stephenson, Daniel Barnett) on 22, Finport Finance (Keagan York, Matt Stenta, Phil Marshall) 41, Rag & Famish Hotel (Harry Price, Josh McKnight, Simon Hoffman) 42 on a count back, and Balmain (Henry Larkings, Fynn Sprott, Flynn Twomey) on 42.

In today's first race (Race 7), Andoo (Seve Jarvin, Ed Powys and Josh Porebski) led from early in the race and was staging a great battle with Rag & Famish Hotel (Marcus Ashley-Jones) before The Rag's team made a huge error when they believed the race was over when there was actually still one more lap of the course to sail.

The Australian 18 Footers League's racing goes into a break over the Christmas-New Year period and will resume on Sunday, January 14 when the League will conduct Race 1 of the Australian 18ft skiff Championship. -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League Ltd.

18footers.com

Perfect playground (magnificent toys) - Nautor Swan
ClubSwan Racing has enjoyed a vintage season of racing this year, not just in its core one-design classes but in ORC handicap racing too

When Leonardo Ferragamo acquired Nautor Swan back in 1998 he did so with a clear vision of the journey he wanted the Finnish firm to embark on. Though already a long-standing Swan 51 owner, the potential contribution of the successful Italian fashion entrepreneur was not perhaps immediately apparent. It was soon to become so.

With an instinctive understanding of the critical importance of bringing branding, marketing, customer engagement and quality products together on an international platform, Ferragamo's success in rebuilding and reinvigorating the Swan brand is now self-evident.

Full article in the January issue of Seahorse

Jubilee Sailing Trust: Tall ship company goes into administration
The future of a charity offering sailing experiences to disabled people is uncertain after its associated company went into administration.

Southampton-based Jubilee Sailing Trust (JST) said it was closing Jubilee Sailing Trust (Tenacious) Limited. It said neither trip sales or fundraising could meet the tall ship Tenacious' £150,000 per month costs.

The future of the charity itself is to be decided by the Charity Commission.

The charity previously said it was facing financial difficulties due to the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. In 2019 it launched a fundraising appeal, saying it needed £1m in a week in order to survive. It decommissioned one of its two ships, STS Lord Nelson, the same year.

The statement said the JST charity, a separate entity to Jubilee Sailing Trust (Tenacious) Limited, would be reviewed by the Charity Commission as to whether it will be able to continue.

bbc.com/news/

Cagliari, Sardinia Sailing Cup Foil International Academy Trophy
On the first day of the Foil Academy International Trophy, part of the Next Generation Foil Academy project powered by Luna Rossa, the absence of wind was the defining feature. Due to this, the initial races of the Waszp discipline were not held. Tomorrow, Wednesday, December 20, as scheduled, athletes will be involved in the skipper meeting starting 9:30 AM and races for three disciplines- Waszp, Wingfoil and iQFOil - will commence at 11:00 AM, in the waters in front of of the Su Siccu promenade in the city of Cagliari.

The project is the result of collaboration between the Italian Sailing Federation and World Sailing, the international sailing federation. The event is funded and promoted by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, with the Department of Tourism, Crafts and Commerce. It is conducted in collaboration with the Municipality of Cagliari.

To keep up to date with Sardigna International Trophy 2023 , please visit sardiniasailingcup.it

12 Metre Northern Europe Fleet
Most active in the Baltic Sea, the Northern Europe fleet includes Great Britain, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

In June, nine Vintage 12mRs raced at the Robbe & Berkig Sterling Cup with podium finishes for Magnus Holmberg sailing Northern Light (US-14), followed by Christoph Avenarius' Nini Anker (N-15) and Patrick Howaldt's Vim (US-15). At the Wessel & Vett Cup, six 12mRs raced - Thomas Müller's Jenetta (K-1) prevailed followed by Christoph Avenarius' Nini Anker (N-15) with Lars Høyer sailing Vanity V (K-5) and Robert de Haer sailing Thea (D-1), tied for third place overall.

Later in the season a number of the fleet departed for the Med to participate in late season events and in preparation for the 2024 World Championship summer.

At the Annual General Meeting, S. European fleet Vice President Patrick Howaldt advised that he is looking forward to two additional 12mRs joining the Baltic fleet in the near future - Sverige (G-5) is now under new ownership and Princess Svanevit (S-2) has been newly restored and preparing for measurement and 12mR certification.

2024 Northern Euopean Fleet Schedule
June 15 - 23: Classic Week at Keil
August 16 - 18: German Classic at Laboe
September 12 - 15: Flensburger Forde Woche

12mrclass.com

Get your Portsmouth Yardstick submissions in!
The RYA is once again calling on clubs to submit their Portsmouth Yardstick data and help us ensure the numbers are as accurate as possible for 2024.

The Portsmouth Yardstick handicap system is run jointly by the RYA and its affiliated clubs to allow sailors to race different boats against each other fairly.

At the end of each year, clubs submit their results data to the RYA to be collated and analysed. The Portsmouth Yardstick (PY) numbers are then adjusted accordingly. The more data received, the more accurate the PY numbers will be.

This year's deadline for PY submissions is Sunday 31 December.

Club handicap and results officers can submit their data online.

The new Portsmouth Yardstick numbers will be released at the RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show on Saturday 24 February 2024.

More information on Portsmouth Yardstick

Retour a La Base awards ceremony
The podium prizewinners L-R , Jeremie Beyou, Yoann Richomme. and Sam Goodchild. Photo by Anne Beauge / Retour a La Base. Click on image to enlarge.

Everything about the Retour a La Base seemed to follow the script, even down to the last of the Mohicans, Jean Le Cam arriving back in Lorient to complete his solo race as the awards ceremony was taking place, an event which reflected performance, resilience and a spirit of camaraderie.

And indeed there was a certain mystical air around Lorient's pontoons. Around midnight hundreds of well wishers turned out to welcome the ever popular Le Cam back from his first solo race on his new David Raison design. There was a strange, eerie silence which hung on as Le Cam approached the dock, no one seemingly knowing quite what to shout. That was until the 64 year old skipper, with his trademark mound of jet black hair and drawn features, says, 'Ah, are you there?' and the acclamations and loud welcome goes on for minutes. Le Cam (Tout Commence en Finistère - Armor-Lux) arrived safely, after crossing the line for his Retour a La Base at 21:37hrs Monday December 18, in 32nd position.

Having started some six days after the main body of the fleet on his brand new boat which he and Bernard Stamm had delivered out to Martinique for the Retour a La Base. He was hindered all the way back across the Atlantic by bad weather, headwinds and big seas.

"At one point I thought it was never going to end, I was never going to get there. But in the end, the boat said to me: "Yes you can do it". Sometimes us human beings are screwed up like that: they see the worst all the time. But everything always turns out better than you think. And once again, it did!"

retouralabase.org

Mayo Weather Forecaster Maureen Sweeney Dies Aged 100
Mayo weather forecaster Maureen Sweeney, whose report identified a storm that could have hit the D-Day landings in the Second World War, died at the age of 100.

As The Irish Independent reports, Ms Sweeney was taking pressure and temperature readings at Blacksod lighthouse in north Mayo on June 3rd, 1944 when she reported a dramatic drop in pressure.

Her readings were passed to US General Eisenhower, who had planned D-Day for June 5th - but then delayed it based on her information.

Ms Sweeney, whose family has been closely associated with the Blacksod lighthouse, was 21 at the time.

A notice on RIP.ie says that she died "peacefully in her 101st year, surrounded by her loving family" at a nursing home in Belmullet, Co Mayo.

afloat.ie

Featured Charter
Sunreef 50 Eco - TIRIL. From 25,200 / week EUR. Located in French Polynesia.

TIRIL delivers a luxury cruising experience with its unrivalled living space, eco-friendly design and impressive performance!

See listing details in Seahorse Charters

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

See the the Seahorse charter collection

Featured Brokerage
1993 JFA 75 Alloy Custom Sloop. 440000 EUR. Located in Palma de Mallorca.

Utterly fantastic custom aluminium performance sloop from JFA in France to designs by Finot Conq & Patrick Roséo. Continually and comprehensively updated and refitted during her last ownership of 20yrs.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Lucio Pellegrini
Tel: +34 675 236 174
Email:

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ICHI BAN 60. POA. Located in Sydney, Australia

Ichi Ban is a superbly built and maintained hi-tech offshore racer.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Matt Allen at

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Swan 48-203 'Mia'. 1,300,000 EUR VAT Paid. Located in Scarlino, Italy.

The Swan 48-203 'Mia' has three full cabins. Additional windows have been added during construction which have enhanced her already light filled interior

See listing details in Nautor Swan Brokerage

Contact
Lorenzo Bortolotti

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

The Last Word
Baseball is a game where a curve is an optical illusion, a screwball can be a pitch or a person, stealing is legal, and you can spit anywhere you like except in the umpire's eye or on the ball. -- Jim Murray

Editorial and letter submissions to

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