Scuttlebutt Europe #2376 - 27 June
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Brought to you by Boats.com Europe, Scuttlebutt Europe 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 The Tough Get Going
Skippered by Rives Potts, Jr. (Essex, Conn.), local favorite Carina, a 48' sloop, got away to a great start, hugging the coast to escape a knot of foul current. Onboard are four fathers and five sons, as well as the youngest crew member in the race, Dirk Johnson, Jr. (Middletown, R.I.). At just 16 years of age Johnson has been sailing since he was a baby and has always wanted to sail across an ocean. The Army Sailing Association's British Soldier currently leads the fleet on the water and her skipper, Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Bate(Falmouth, Cornwall, U.K.), was relishing the challenges that lay ahead, as he commented just before the start. "The first goal for us is to get around Nantucket Shoals and then we'll head into the Atlantic proper. I love the open ocean and the big rolling waves. After a day or so the crew will settle into a routine. For me, the most marvelous thing about this race is enjoying the fun and banter with the crew, you just cannot get that anywhere else. There will be difficult times ahead, but we will battle through. We know that we will get some pretty foul weather, but we know that it will improve. The crew of British Soldier are not all highly experienced offshore sailors, but they are all good characters who can keep each other entertained when the going gets tough and I think that is priceless." The next start is on Wednesday June 29 at 1350. Sponsors of the TR 2011 are Rolex, Thomson Reuters, Newport Shipyard, Perini Navi, and Peters & May, with additional support by apparel sponsor Atlantis Weathergear. Williams Victory at 2011 Portimao Portugal Match Cup Williams' victory over Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing in Portugal means there has been a different winner in each of the four completed stages of the 2011 Tour which is shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested seasons in recent years. Williams took down current Tour leader Bruni with two back-to-back wins in a wet and wild Final. The win shoots Team GAC Pindar up the World Match Racing Tour standings from tenth to third place, which at the halfway stage of the Tour is a huge boost for the 2007 and 2008 World Champion. Results from 2011 Portimao Portugal Match Cup: 2011 ISAF World Match Racing Tour Standings (after 4 stages):
The All New Anakena Sailing Shorts The Anakena shorts are handcrafted in San Diego, California to help reduce our carbon footprint. Buy some today! J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round The Island Race
Some 16,000 sailors faced wind speeds of up to 28 knots and there were huge swells to contend with off the Needles and at St. Catherine's as the record-breaking fleet of 1,900 yachts undertook this most famous 50 nautical mile westabout Island circumnavigation on Saturday. A number of incidents were reported to the Coastguard, including 'Man Overboard' reports and capsizes as well as dismastings. There was a lot of sail damage across the fleet that ranged from high tech racers through to many smaller boats competing. However, a spokesman for the Race Management team at the Island Sailing Club, stressed that some of these incident reports were not attributable to the Race and were involving spectator boats rather than competitors. Line Honours went to French skipper Lionel Lemonchois and his 50ft multihull Prince de Bretagne who were first to cross the finish line in 3hrs 49m and 58s. Nick Rogers, who usually sails a 470 double-handed keelboat with partner Chris Grube, helmed Contessa 26 Sundowner to victory. Rogers mastered difficult conditions to win the Gold Roman Bowl, awarded to the best corrected time around the 50-nautical mile course, after handicaps are calculated. Winning the trophy has become something of a family affair in recent years, with uncle Jeremy Rogers claiming the coveted prize in 2002, 2003 and 2006. "I've been trying for a while, it's a bit of a family tradition and I don't dare think how many times I've been round the Isle of Wight, so to have won is really pleasing," said Rogers. Meanwhile, Ben Ainslie will also refocus sights on his London 2012 campaign after a 'fun' sail around the Solent in 30 knots of wind and 20 foot waves. Ainslie helmed 40 foot yacht Keronimo with a crew that included Rugby World Cup winner Will Greenwood. He may have three Olympic golds but the 80-year old Gold Roman Bowl still remains elusive from his impressive resume. He was hopeful of his chances of winning the top prize, won a record four times by former British prime minister Ted Heath, but the conditions, which weren't aided by a startline tussle with his one-time colleagues on Team Origin, who he skippered to last year's ISAF match racing world title, conspired against best-laid plans. Enfant Terrible and Low Noise New ORCi World Champions
"This was a really difficult regatta," said Rossi, who is based in Ancona, Italy, "and I think our racing in the Farr 40 Class has really helped us. Our boat is stock - no modifications except for 200 kg in ballast - and our crew weight was just 20 kg different than the class limit. Even our sail inventory is the same." This is Rossiʼs first championship win in ORC racing. Rossiʼs overall success was due in part to the huge points acquired by several of his rivals in yesterdayʼs plague of black flag penalties, rig failures and other accidents and mistakes. Todayʼs highly shifty Bura conditions, however, prevented race managers from finishing more than one race, even with a 2-hour early start time on the day, leaving the scorecard two short of the necessary 7 races needed for a discard. Unlike Enfant Terrible, Low Noise is no stranger to the ORC podium, having earned their 2009 ORCi World Championship title in Brindisi. But like the Class A winner, Low Noise is only slightly-modified from the stock production M37 design. Designer Maurizio Cossutti reports that Low Noise has only a modified keel made for owner Giuffre, who hails from Milan. The Silver medalists in Class A and B were, respectively, Richard Vojtaʼs Grand Soleil 42R05 Bohemia Express, whose mixed Czech, Portuguese and Brazilian team were happy to be back on the podium after narrowly missing out in last yearʼs Worlds in Flensburg, and Gianfranco Ciocceʼs Vallicelli-designed Comet 38S Scricca Indeco from Italy. Bronze medalists Class A and B were, respectively, Ricardo di Bartolomeoʼs GS42R05 Man (a sistership to Bohemia Express, but with a different keel), the reigning European Champion from Italy, and InnaVaclavovaʼs M37 Escandalo from the Czech Republic. Corinthian Trophy winners were Peter Mosnyʼs Quebramar, a Judel/Vrloijk 42 from Slovakia, who finished 4th overall in Class A, and Escandalo in Class B. Owner-driver Award winners were Enfant Terrible in Class A, and Scricca Endeco in Class B. Winners of the most inshore races was the Croatian GS56 Marina Kastela in Class A, and Iacoppo Lacerraʼs NM 38S Rewind Energy Resources from Italy in Class B. Winners of the offshore races were Man in Class A and Claudio Semagiottoʼs Grand Soleil 40R Despeinada from Italy in Class B. Complete results: www.scor.hr/regate/2011e/orcwc.htm Running the Rhumblines Skipper Galloway and crew well known for their ability to sail smart and fast in all wind and sea conditions clearly dominated when they claimed both the corrected time and line honours double. Queensland Marine Services is always rated among the top contenders to feature in the handicap places and her crew rarely pilot the comfortable cruiser racer to win line honours over the larger and faster Questionalble Logic, Another Fiasco and Reignition. But that changed in the tricky wind system when both skipper John Galloway and crew sailed every wind variation on merit to win the line honours by 1 minute 59 seconds ahead of the Terry Archer steered AC 40 Questionable Logic while the former Rolex Sydney Hobart Performance handicap champion the Scott Jutson designed Another Fiasco finished third another 3 minutes18 seconds off the pace. Selecting the best tactical options with the wind that blows over the deck has allowed the Queensland Marine Services crew to firm a strong grip on the five race Maurice Drent Boating Services trophy with their impressive 1-4-2-1 score. Their consistency in all the sprint type races in recent months suggests that Queensland Marine Services providing they are not 'slugged' with an impossible handicap could be a front runner for a major place in the Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week regatta in August. But meanwhile her crew buoyed with the result of outpacing the pacesetters Questionable Logic, Another Fiasco and Reignition to claim a rare line and handicap double last week will purposely focus their attention on maintaining a tidy tactical strategy. Both skipper and crew will no doubt become a target for tactical attention when the sails are tensioned for the final race of the series. However based on the result from last week the only challenge facing John Galloway is for the relatively modest skipper to prepare a speech when Club Commodore and rival skipper Kevin Fogarty presents him with the Maurice Drent Boating Services trophy. This is a fitting reward for the skipper and crew who understand the value from outsailing the fleet by a commanding 4 minute 59 seconds to firm a vice type grip on the trophy. But that result is now history and they will need to again sail tactically smart to protect their reputation as the fastest sailing team on Pioneer Bay this week. -- Ian Grant Seahorse July 2011 Original! Fork in the road Seahorse build table - Kid sister Sailor of the Month If you haven't subscribed to Seahorse already we're keen to help you attend to that! - Please use the following promotional link and enjoy the hefty Scuttlebutt Europe discount... and it gets even better for 2 and 3 year subscriptions... Azores and Back Race, Leg One
La Promesse has taken line honours no less than four times on this classic 1200 mile sprint from Falmouth to Ponte Delgada in the Azores, but this was her fastest time yet helped by some strong north westerlies and a new secret weapon as Jan Kees describes, " I sailed the entire leg down to the island on a starboard tack with full main and during the first one and a half days, my Code Zero of 80sqm. On the second day I made 287nm in 24 hours. But I have to admit that I had this tennis ball in my stomach for most of the time. When the wind had picked up to a level I thought was to much for the Code Zero I had a terrible fight with the thing to get it furled. Even after I had bought a brand new Karver furler with a larger diameter, I heard myself shouting to the sail; "Who's the boss here? You can play tricks on me but you'll lose in the end!" The Royal Cornwall Yacht Club attracted a very experienced International field of ocean racers to this tenth edition of the Azores and Back race, second boat home was Frenchman Pierre-Yves Chatelain in his new 45 footer Destination Calais, closely followed by another Dutch Ostar veteran Nico Budel in his Class 40 Hayai, both boats are Marc Lombard designs. Rob Craigie also an Ostar class winner, sailing the J122 Jbellino took second in class 4 and second overall on IRC racing two handed with Charles Allen. Weather guru Chris Tibbs sailed a near perfect great circle in his J105 Taika to win Class 3. Conditions were very favourable for the front runners with a north westerly breeze over the first four days until a cold front turned the fetch into a beat, a stiff test for the bulk of the fleet with gusts over 35 knots and big seas. The torment was extended as calms around the volcanic island trapped many of the crews, especially those who had been eagerly anticipating a cold beer in the marina that evening only to be rewarded with a late breakfast or even lunch. Their pain was eased by the hospitality of the very friendly hosts at the Clube Naval de Ponte Delgarda. -- Jerry Freeman Result, first leg Class 4 IRC; 1 La Promesse, 2 Jbellino, 3 Jammy Dodger, 4 Destination Calais, 5 Ding Dong. Result, first leg Class 3 IRC; 1 Taika , 2 Elixir, 3 Truant , 4 Comedy of Errors, 5 Fan Fan. Result, first leg Class 2 IRC; 1 Tamarind, 2 Vela Fresca, 3 Growler, 4 Slippery K, 5 Whistledown III Result, first leg Class 1 IRC; 1 Franglais, 2 Strategem Fireball Worlds: Another Frenzied Day on the Water! The role call of leaders at the first mark of each race was expanded today when Simon McGrotty & Tony Fitzgerald (IRL 14981), and Joerg Nolle & Roger Leeman (GER 14508) took the honours in Races 1 & 2 respectively. The other races were lead around the weather mark by the "usual suspects". The Provisional Results for the regatta have just been posted and the 1-2-3 reads as follows; 1. Matt Burge & Richard Wagstaff, 16 points Everyone will sleep well tonight after their physical exertions. Best of the Irish, in 10th overall is Noel Butler & Stephen Oram, followed by Kenny Rumball & Seamus Moore in 12th and Simon McGrotty & Tony Fitzgerald in 13th. Leading lady is Derian Scott in 14th overall. Zwitserleven Round Texel Race 2011 With the Bouscholte brothers in their wake Mitch and Taylor Booth finished first this afternoon. Both teams sailed on a similar Nacra carbon 20. A proud father and current skipper of Team China in the America's Cup, Mitch Booth, reports of his race around the island. 'It is great to do this with my son. We really have fun together. This is back to the roots of sailing catamarans. The Round Texel Race is the pinnacle of the cat sport. It has been five years since we sailed this kind of boats. To be this successful at the first attempt makes me happy." They didn't get line honours for nothing. 'It was rather chaotic at the start, because the wind was strong and the course was dead down wind. After that the fleet spread and we could sail away from the smaller cats. It was exiting till the VC buoy on the Wadden Sea. Unfortunately the two teams in the lead, Xander Pols and Peter Vink, hit the ground pretty hard. We too, but we came off better than them. That was the decisive moment in the race. After that we kept the rest behind us." Carolijn Brouwer and Jeroen van Leeuwen (NED) were very unfortunate to drop out before the start already with significant damage to their 16-foot Viper. They were serious podium candidates for the mixed multihull class and for a top result on handicap, but were unluckily hit by a Prindle 16. The same happened to the Britons William Sunnucks and Oliver Egan with their M20 Vampire. These favorites for line honours had to return to the Texel beach as well. Olympic sailor Renee Groeneveld survived her debut to beach cat sailing, but nosedived almost exactly at the gun and at the start line. 'It was a bit too much for a first time. But I have a new hobby', she laughs. -- Diana Bogaards Top three line honours: Top three on handicap: Complete results at www.roundtexel.com Marion Bermuda Race Course Record Set
Two formidable competitors came in behind Lilla, all of the top three boats hailing from Mattapoisett, MA. Pescatore, a Hinckley SW 59, with Skipper George Tougas, arrived in Bermuda with an elapsed time of 86:50:57 and corrected time of 78:20:17. In 3rd place arrived Margalo, a DP 48, with Skipper Chip Johns, who is also the Commodore of the Beverly Yacht Club, one of the three sponsoring clubs of the Marion Bermuda Race. Margalo arrived with an elapsed time of 87:43:42 and corrected time of 78:46:48. Race Results may be found here: www.marionbermuda.com Featured Brokerage This boat is one of the Auckland "Platu" racing fleet of 10 boats based at Royal Akarana Yacht Club in Okahu Bay. Be part of a competitive one design class that are a challenge to sail providing exciting sailing to the racing sailor. Very fast in light airs with a lightweight hull and overpowered rig. Raced most Tuesdays during the summer. Now for sale due to other commitments. Brokerage through All Boat Brokerage Ltd.: www.yachtworld.com/allboat/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at uk.yachtworld.com The Last Word |
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