In This Issue
• Safe choices
• New ORC Rules and VPP ready for 2024 season
• Cup Spy Jan 26: French join the America's Cup fray
• Seahorse Sailor Of The Month
• Ep5 - Road to the 37th America's Cup
• Fantastic Interest | RORC Griffin Team Selection
• From VR sailing podiums to Olympic dreams
• Three New Venues For 44Cup: 2024 Season Announced
• Participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes
• Featured Charter: Caribbean Racing with "The Project"
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Contessa 32
• • JPK 10.30 JUZZY - Winner of Fastnet 2023 (IRC 2)
• • RM1080
• • SY LADY 8
• • L'Esprit D'equipe II
• The Last Word: Blaise Pascal

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

Safe choices
Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest skipper Thomas Coville is heading to Hobart for a technical stopover, Armel Le Cleac'h is taking a safe, northerly route ahead of a big Southern Ocean storm. Rce leader Charles Caudrelier has under 2,500 miles to Cape Horn and will pass Point Nemo in the next 24 hours whilst Anthony Marchand and Eric Peron have light winds in the Indian Ocean.

By the end of this afternoon Thomas Coville should drop the giant mainsail of his Sodebo Ultim 3 in the Derwent and make his way to Hobart to meet his technical team. A technical stopover of at least 24 hours will start which should be enough time to deal with his damage, principally his pulpit on the bow and the port trampoline net as well as his hydraulic foil lowering systems.

The weather files are evolving and dynamic so maybe Sodebo will find a window to start again quicker than expected. Meantime he told nearest rival Armel Le Cleac'h of his decision: "I needed to warn him of my intention to stop. Because in our sport, a bit like in the mountains, we have this way of thinking, this philosophy, this obligation to provide assistance to someone who might be in danger nearby. So when you're in a race, very often it's your most direct competitor who is your "angel": the person who would be likely to come to your zone."

Le Cleac'h himself said yesterday he will avoid the storm by passing north of Tasmania into the Pacific Ocean via the Bass Strait which separates Australia and Tasmania. He might also go north of New Zealand 
"Certainly, it will lengthen our journey, but it is the price to pay for not taking any risks, preserving the boat and continuing with peace of mind." Said Le Cleac'h. -- Andi Robertson

arkeaultimchallengebrest.com

New ORC Rules and VPP ready for 2024 season
The Offshore Racing Congress (ORC) is pleased to announce the new rules and regulations for this year's 2024 season of racing are now available online at orc.org/organization/rules-regulations. These rules cover a range of topics related to fair handicap racing held among a broad range of boat types, from Sportboats to Superyachts to Multihulls.

The 2024 ORC Velocity Prediction Program (VPP) is also now ready and distributed to national rating offices around the world for them to start issuing 2024 ORC International and ORC Club certificates according to their local policies.

The 2024 VPP is also loaded into the ORC's unique Sailor Services online portal for retrieving copies of any ORCi or ORC Club certificate issued in the last 15 years and using this data for running Test Certificates, generating ORC Speed Guidepolars and producing Target Speed performance data for upwind and downwind VMG racing.

A summary of the changes to the rules based on approvals from the 2023 ORC Congress Annual Meeting is available here, and include some notable improvements such as:

- Adding 24 knots to the True Wind Speed range of the ORC VPP
- Expanding allowed use of whisker poles
- Updates of depowering and force coefficients for Headsails set Flying
- Allowing Headsails set Flying to be flown in front of the forestay along with a spinnaker
- Removal of GPH from certificates in favor of APH
- Addition of a new Class 0 among the CDL limits defined for ORC Championship events

Full details and 2024 event schedule at orc.org

Cup Spy Jan 26: French join the America's Cup fray - first test sail in Barcelona
Orient Express Racing Team - AC40 - Day 22 - January 25, 2024 - Barcelona. Photo by Job Vermeulen / America's Cup. Click on image to enlarge.

Two America's Cup teams trained on the Mediterranean, a third sailed out of Auckland. All three sailed in light winds. The Kiwis used the opportunity to test their light air water-start technique.

What happened in the Cup - January 26, 2024:

- Orient Express Racing Team - Had first test sail in their AC40 converted to a LEQ12 test boat. With the breeze being light, the crew had some issues with tacks, gybes and takeoffs.

- Emirates Team New Zealand - Sailed in light winds, the Recon crew felt the Kiwis were being very secretive about allowing the Recon team to gauge take-off speeds.

- INEOS Britannia - Brits sailed their two AC40s off Barcelona, again their sail was marred by light winds. The Recon crew believed that INEOS had issues with the hydraulics controlling the mainsheet system.

- American Magic - are still on a six day break, having retired their test AC75, Patriot, on Tuesday.

- Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - no sailing reported by the Recon Team.

- Alinghi Red Bull Racing - no report.

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

Seahorse Sailor Of The Month
This month's nominees:

Marco Gradoni (ITA)
We were never not going to nominate him, were we? It's tricky to know which was the more impressive, three Opti world titles on the bounce or absolutely smashing it in Jeddah when let loose on the handlebars of an AC40 alongside equally brilliant Ruggero Tita. We no longer revere the Opti as once we might, but we have unreserved admiration for anyone who can win oneworld title in those huge fleets. So Spithill, Bruni, maybe have a think while your heads are still high!

Marco Trombetti (ITA)
It's just a great story, isn't it? 'Successful Italian whose business revolves around communication seeks international platform offering excitement, profile, opportunity to share the fun...and not harm the wildlife along the way.' As he co-skippers one Swan 65 around the world in the Ocean Globe Race a second 65 is ploughing the waters of San Francisco Bay sharing the love with clients, suppliers, employees, their families and friends. Cracking sport this, isn't it?

Last Month's winner:
Alan Warren (GBR)
Woh... big female vote for that man who burned his boat! 'The best helm I ever crewed for. And the most wonderful sense of humour' - Barry Dunning; 'Legend' - Guy Partington; 'Alan, 88, and grandson Will, weapons both!' - Lou; 'We all aspire to be Alan' - Frances; '88 and still beats us' - Margaret; 'Amazing feats, especially for such an old sailor!!!' - Angela; 'I'm not going to lie, he's my grandfather!' Emma; 'What a privilege to race against him' - Helen.

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

Ep5 - Road to the 37th America's Cup
Aside from Alinghi Red Bull Racing who had arrived in Jeddah well ahead of the other teams, few knew what to expect from the racing in the Saudi city for the second of the AC Preliminary Events. But after three days of spectacular racing and frequent shake ups on the race course there was one thing that was clear, the Jeddah event had taken the racing and teams into new territory and given everyone something to think about on their way home.

planetsail.co.uk

Fantastic Interest | RORC Griffin Team Selection
As reported in December 2023, the Royal Ocean Racing Club has big plans to promote youth sailing in 2024. Over the years, through the generosity of RORC members, the Griffin Fund has assisted in providing race boats and experienced sailors to improve young sailors' understanding of offshore racing. An exciting evolution has started with quite a bang for 2024.

Nearly three hundred sailors, 18-30 years of age, contacted the RORC with 200 attending a Griffin Zoom Webinar held on January 11th by the Griffin Project Team. The panellists were Chair Jim Driver, Charles Darbyshire from FourthCape, and RORC Commodore Deb Fish.

The plan going forward is to select 40 young sailors to join one of two 3-day selection weekends in The Solent on the new Sun Fast 30 One Designs. 20 of those sailors will be chosen to form 4 crews that will train and compete as the RORC Griffin Teams of 2024. Each team will race two RORC races, and either the Cowes - St Malo or the Drheam Cup.

Apply to join a Griffin24 Training and Selection Weekend

From VR sailing podiums to Olympic dreams
Click on image to enlarge.

Arthur Farley from Wootton, one of the World's great VR sailors has done it again, racing against 27,934 other skippers/players he managed third overall in the 2,900 mile RORC transatlantic race, which set off from Lanzarote to the Island of Grenada.

Finishing the race in 15 days, five hours and 20 minutes, gaining third position and only 11 mins and 39 seconds behind the winning boat.

Arthur first came to prominence in ESailing in 2022, as one of the world's best VR eSailors. He was Vice World Champion 2022. He won the Olympic Esport series and Esailgp World Title in 2023. He is the current and two times GBR National Champion 2021/22.

Of course E racing is just part of what he does, when he is not training hard in or racing his ILCA7 he is aiming for Olympic medals.

His successes to date:
- Part of British Sailing Olympic Squad focused for 2028 and further games.
- Full time athlete from September 2022
- ILCA 7/Laser Standard Under 19 European champion 2022
- ILCA 7 vice national Champion 2021
- ILCA 6/Laser radial Under 19/17 National champion 2020

onthewight.com/arthur-farley

Three New Venues For 44Cup: 2024 Season Announced
It's all change for the 44Cup's 16th season in 2024. While the circuit for the high performance owner-driver one designs will still comprise five events, including one World Sailing-sanctioned World Championship, this year it will visit three venues for the first time.

The first event will be on very familiar territory, the RC44 owners and crews able to enjoy some winter sun in Lanzarote, with its uniquely barren lunar-type landscape as a back-drop. The Canary Islands are renowned for their regular north-northeasterly trade winds which average around 12 knots in early March.

For its second event, the 44Cup remains in Spain but heads for the mainland and, for the first time ever, to Baiona in the country's most northwesterly autonomous region of Galicia. Located on the south side of the entrance to the Ria de Vigo, the town is open to the Atlantic. The prevailing wind is northerly, but the geography of the bay permits protection in the event of conditions getting too strong.

From Spain, the 44Cup makes its own annual pilgrimage north to Marstrand for its rendez-vous with the Swedish paradise island and its rugged terrain courtesy of Artemis Racing's Torbjorn Tornqvist. The 44Cup will be hosted here by the Marstrands Segelsällskap club with the support of the Marstrands Havshotell.

For 2024's World Championship, the 44Cup will move inland to a lake. While the RC44s had an event on Lake Lugano in 2007, this will be the first occasion the 44Cup has visited central Switzerland where they will be racing on Lake Lucerne out of the small touristic town of Brunnen.

For its final event of 2024, the 44Cup will return to the British Virgin Islands at the end of November.

44cup.org

World Sailing: participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competition
In line with the International Olympic Committee's position on the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus as independent neutral athletes (AINs), the World Sailing Board met on Friday 19 January and agreed that for athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport:

Those who meet the necessary eligibility criteria will be permitted to participate as AINs in competition for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, starting with the Last Chance Regatta qualifying event, to be held as part of the Semaine Olympique Francaise, 20-27 April, and finishing with the Olympic regatta in Marseille.

This permission will also include - for those athletes who have secured qualification - Olympic class competition between the Last Chance Regatta and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

World Sailing continues to recommend that athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport should not be permitted to compete in events or classes other than those specified above.

The recommendation that athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport should not be permitted to participate in events outside of Olympic competition will be reviewed by the World Sailing Board in their three-monthly cycle which addresses the suspension of Russian and Belarusian officials. This process has been in place since March 2022 and the next review is due to take place on or before 22 February 2024.

The process for applying for AINs status will be announced in due course. The eligibility criteria will include all the IOC conditions of neutral participation.

These decisions were made by the World Sailing Board following consultation with the World Sailing Council and as part of the federation's continued commitment to the Olympic Charter and the Olympic Movement.

World Sailing remains wholehearted in its support for the sailing community in Ukraine at what is an unimaginably difficult time.

sailing.org

Featured Charter
Caribbean Racing with "The Project"

Join us on board the beautifully-maintained Sigma 38 for the 2024 Caribbean Racing Season.

A racer-cruiser with a brand new suit of racing sails and a highly experienced racing skipper: Andy Budgen. Available for full-boat charter (max 8 ppl) and ideal for everyone from sailing enthusiasts to complete beginners.

"The Project", our Sigma 38, is a fabulously maintained Racer-Cruiser. She is kitted out with a brand new suit of race sails and safety gear as well as all the instruments you could hope for! Designed as a safe Offshore Racer, she goes extremely well in the wild seas and steady tradewinds of the Caribbean.

Our Schedule:
Barbados Sailing Week 14th - 22nd January
Grenada Sailing Week 28th January - 2nd February
St Maarten Sailing Week 29th February - 3rd March
Antigua Sailing Week 28th April - 6th May

See listing details in Seahorse Charters

Contact
Andy Budgen
Email:
Tel: +44 (0) 7866 589824

See the the Seahorse charter collection

Featured Brokerage
1980 Contessa 32. 115000 GBP Located in Lymington, UK

Utterly unique ‘zero-houred’ classic Contessa 32. Launched in 1980 and with just four owners since new. Totally upgraded and fully fitted out for cruising and competitive class racing.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Alex Grabau
Tel: +44 (0)1590 673715
Email:

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JPK 10.30 JUZZY - Winner of Fastnet 2023 (IRC 2). 245000 TVA paid EUR. Located in Lorient, France.

JUZZY: JPK 10.30 first-hand, launched in June 2019 (FRA 53162) - N° FR JPK OJ C 03 D 9 19 The boat has been gradually optimized for simplicity, lightness and performance.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Visible at the BSM of Lorient

+33(0)6 07 16 14 00

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RM1080. From 250,000 excl VAT EUR.

Dare to sail in a different way. Design a sailboat based on its ability to travel and sail fast and far. Draw inspiration directly from ocean racing to create a yacht that can be sailed by a single person. Choose the best equipment on the market, from deck layout to electrical systems. To design a beautiful, well-proportioned, high-quality, sporty, and dynamic boat. All the RM team is committed to this common goal and will make this brand-new RM 1080 a unique project

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
rm-yachts.com

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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

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L'Esprit D'equipe II. 175000 EUR. Located in Marseille.

L’ESPRIT D’EQUIPE II has completed some Atlantic crossings with the Honeywell Bull team. She is incredibly modern and has benefitted from an innovative design in the 60ft Class with a larger and flatter hull. Her lighter displacement and deeper keel make her a trailblazer in the Volvo 60 range.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Bernard Gallay
+33 (0)6 86 67 80 24

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

The Last Word
All human evil comes from a single cause, man's inability to sit still in a room. -- Blaise Pascal

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