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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 Singapore's Kimberly Lim Is Optimist World Champion
It didn't take the 210 sailors long at all to get out onto the water. The wind was very mild, around 10 knots, but the sun came back out again. Protests from yesterday's racing had been processed and when the updated provisional results were published, there was a change on the leadership board. Ryan Lo had to give up his third position to Javier Arribas who was previously fourth. The first fleet started the race at 1208, but all reaces were abandoned at 1308. The wind was too light for the strong current and sailors were not able to make progress around the course. At 1350 the Race Committee decided to start race 12 again, but at 1427 the very hard call was made to abandon all races for the day which means that the World Championships are over. The 2011 World Champion Optimist Dinghy Sailing is Kimberly Lim from Singapore. The provisional leader board (for the individual racing) after 11 races shows: Full provisional results: www.optiworldsnz.org.nz/results Event site: www.optiworldsnz.org.nz World ARC 2012-13: Circumnavigation Rally Starts In 15-20 knots of classic Caribbean sailing conditions, Karsten and Sheila Witt's X-55 Gunvør XL (CAN) was the first boat away, followed by John O'Connor's Discovery 67 Sapphire II (USA) and Dmitry Maslov's Jeanneau 57 Piligrim. The boats have 1100 miles ahead of them before exploring the San Blas islands of Panama, where another five boats will join World ARC. The 31-strong fleet will then transit the Panama Canal before setting off across the Pacific for Australia, stopping at some of the most idyllic Pacific islands en route, including Galapagos, Hiva Oa, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Niue, Vava'u, Fiji and Vanuatu. Some boats will leave the rally in Australia, with more joining for the restart of the second half of the adventure from Darwin in September 2012. Avoiding the troubled areas of the Indian Ocean, the World ARC route takes in Bali, Cocos Keeling, Mauritius and Reunion before enjoying Christmas and New Year in South Africa. From Cape Town the boats will visit St Helena, before enjoying carnival in Brazil and then heading back into the Caribbean via Grenada to finish in Saint Lucia in April 2013. In total 39 boats and over 200 people will take part in World ARC 2012-13; some sailing the full 26,000 miles, others joining for a stage. The largest boat is 20.8m Discovery 67 Sapphire II (USA), and the smallest is 11.96m Beneteau Oceanis 393 Glamorous Galah (AUS). The fleet includes five catamarans, three of which started in Saint Lucia. www.worldcruising.com/worldarc2012/index.aspx Groupama 4 Back in the Water
"We made some changes as well on the rig, some stuff inside and we're ready to go" - Groupama skipper Franck Cammas The Groupama skipper and his shore crew were given a big shock during Leg 2 from Cape Town when they spotted the fissure before the final sprint into Sharjah last Wednesday (January 4). A repair was hastily carried out. "The cause of the crack? I think it's many things. I think there was an issue with the construction of this area, the glue with the core. We found a problem when we took off the core. "Otherwise the problem was made bigger because of the sea state in the area where he suffered this crack. We were downwind, full speed, at 20 knots maybe, and we jumped the swell in front of us and in terms of slamming it's the worst case that we could imagine. "The shore crew had to work even in the night but we will work in the night too during the next leg so it's part of the job." Cammas and his experienced Groupama crew were one of the pre-race favourites but a third place finish in the opening leg and then fourth in Leg 2 Stage 1 clearly sapped some of their confidence before the triumph in the sprint from Sharjah restored their belief in eventual victory. "For sure it's the beginning of the Volvo Ocean Race, just two legs (raced) and there are still seven legs. There will be a lot of points". "Telefonica had two very good legs, sailed very properly at a very good level so we have to improve to come back. We are confident about the speed of Groupama 4 in such conditions, important conditions (between Sharjah and Abu Dhabi) because it was reaching and windy so I hope that we will have these conditions in the next leg. All five boats in Abu Dhabi are now back in the water following spot repairs in preparation for a pro-am race on Thursday and then the points-scoring in-port race on Saturday. Give up the 9-to-5 and Sail Away Dare to dream the impossible. In the sailing book Sail Away, Nicola Rodriguez draws on her own personal experience and offers practical guidance for the would-be adventurer. Featuring invaluable advice on choosing a boat, planning a round-the-world route, as well as a realistic look at the pros and cons of living on a boat. With information on safety, communications, children, insurance, and budgeting, this helpful guide will show anyone how to start their once in a lifetime journey. Read the first chapter for free and discover how to turn your dream into reality: www.wileynautical.com/view/0/sailaway.html 18ft Skiffs Cordukes Clubhouse Trophy With the wind up around 18-20 knots the fleet was split on the decision whether to go with the bigger #1 rig or the #2. The Rag & Famish Hotel team of Jack Macartney, Peter Harris and Mark Kennedy elected to go with the #2 rig and the decision proved a winner as they scored an easy win after leading for most of the race. The NSW champion Thurlow Fisher Lawyers team of Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Trent Barnabas finished 3m47s behind Rag & Famish with Lumix (Jonathan Whitty, James Hozack and Greg Dixon) a further 3m8s back in third place. Asko Appliances (Marcus Ashley-Jones) and Rag & Famish Hotel won the start but Rag & Famish was soon in the lead on the first windward beat to the 3-buoys marks at Beashel Buoy. There was no competitor able to match the speed of Rag & Famish Hotel which went to a 2m lead at the second set of windward marks. From there her victory was never in doubt as the team sailed brilliantly in the testing wind to go further ahead at each rounding mark. A special mention must also go to Nick Press (skipper of Smeg), who returned to Australia just before the race after winning his third successive 12ft Skiff Interdominion Championship in New Zealand yesterday. Next Sunday is Race 1 of the Australian 18ft Skiff Championship. -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League www.18footers.com.au 18ft Skiffs Mark Foy Trophy C-Tech lead out from the start followed by CST with a tight group of DeLonghi-Rabbitohs, Yamaha, The Kitchen Maker close behind. Maersk Line was recalled at the start and trailed the front group at the first mark. C-Tech and CST battled for the lead and the Maersk Line caught the second group to join a very close race for third place. On the last upwind CST tacked inside C-Tech and with a slight left hand shift lifted over C-Tech to round the final upwind mark slightly ahead and held on to finish 1st. Maersk Line got through Yamaha and DeLongi Rabbitohs to take 3rd place. 2nd place for C-Tech was good enough to win the overall Mark Foy 2012 championship and CST's win in the heat with DeLonghi-Rabbitohs in 4th place in the heat moved CST up to 2nd place overall. C-Tech's overall win in the regatta is a great outcome for the NZ fleet and augurs well for NZ's participation in the JJ Giltinan championship in Sydney next month. Final top five: Full results: Interdominion 12ft Skiff Championship Final top five: Full results: Solo Sailor Round Cape Horn
Did I forget to mention that he is sailing a 27 foot Albin Vega? Small boat sailors like Sven Yrvind and Roger Taylor take what boats they have and enjoy the simplicity of the adventure. So does Matt Rutherford. He started his adventure in June 2011 in Annapolis heading north. The voyage took him through the Northwest passage and down the west coast of USA, South-America and right after we saw 2012 in our calendar he sailed around Cape Horn. "It's taken me 208 days and 18,341 miles to get to Cape Horn, but finally I'm here. It's an honor to be here. I think all blue water sailors dream of rounding the Horn. It's a special place and it's a privilege to sail these waters. 208 days is a long time to be cooped up on a 27 foot boat, I can't even stand up without hitting my head. It's been a long trip from the top of the planet down to the bottom. Heck, it was a long trip just to get to the place north of Alaska (Point Barrow) where I could finally turn south. I think I had grand tour of the open Pacific. Originally when I left Annapolis I estimated that I would round the Horn on January 16th so I'm 11 days ahead of schedule," he writes on his home page". Does the man dream of stopping? Not. He is thinking about doing a detour to honour Shackleton. "I'm also only 1,000 miles from South Georgia (Island). How tempting is that? In 10 days from now I could be on South Georgia, standing next to Shackletons grave toasting "the boss" with my last glass of whiskey. It's a nice idea but I've come too far to stop now. Now I can start thinking about my ultimate destination, the finish line at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and my first landfall in Annapolis." -- Jon Amtrup in TheSailNews.com: thesailnews.com/?p=1250 Rutherford's site: www.solotheamericas.org ISA Mitsubishi Youth National Championships 2012 Not only will the ISA Mitsubishi Youth Nationals be an important event for youth sailors, it is also a major milestone for the organisers of the ISAF Youth Worlds 2012 as it offers them the opportunity to finalise the logistics of managing such a large event incorporating three clubs, three race courses and hundreds of volunteers. 'We are in the final planning stage for the ISAF Youth Worlds so it is a great opportunity for the organising committee and the hundreds of committed volunteers to test drive systems during the ISA Mitsubishi Youth Nationals just three months in advance of the Youth Worlds which is the considered the youth Olympics in the sailing world' stated Event Chairman Brian Craig. In excess of 350 sailors and windsurfing champions from over 60 nations will participate in July 2012. The granting of this prestigious sailing event to Ireland is a major boost to the sport and secures Ireland's position as an ideal location for hosting world class sailing events. It also establishes Dun Laoghaire as one of the prime major racing locations in the world, capable of running multiple classes and courses to the highest international standard. Four hundred sailors from around the country are expected to compete for national youth and junior pathway titles and the Mitsubishi coaching grant during the event. As this will be a test event for the ISAF Youth Worlds, teams from other countries such as Great Britain, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan and Canada have expressed an interest in participating. It is recommended that sailors register early for this event at www.dublinbay2012.com and avail of a discounted online entry. Prince Philip Cup Rogers led all the way to win the opening race of the seven-race Prince Philip Cup on Hobart's River Derwent, scoring a comfortable win from British yachtsman Robert Campbell, skippering Indulgence, and fellow Tasmanian Steven Shield, helming Ridgeway. The winner of nine Prince Philip Cups as a helmsman and one as crew, Rogers was at his best today after mediocre results in the lead-up series last week. Today, it was down to the serious one-design yacht racing, with Rogers going for the pin end of the start line and, favoured by a significant wind shift, quickly tacking on to port tack and crossing the fleet. Rogers and his crew, Leigh Behrens and Simon Burrows won race one of the Prince Philip Cup by a comfortable 1 minute 19 seconds from Indulgence, skippered by outgoing president of the International Dragon Class president Robert Campbell and his crew of Rene Nel and Simon Cash, who normally race at Burnham-on-Crouch, east of London. -- Peter Campbell Race two is scheduled to be sailed tomorrow, starting at 2pm. Complete results: www.ryct.org.au Changes Afloat at the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series 2012 This year's Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series will take place over the Queen's Jubilee weekend from Friday 1 June to Monday 4 June in Tarbert, Loch Fyne, on Scotland's stunning West Coast, a week later than usual. The focus is on quality racing with three race areas on the broad waters of the Loch providing racing for IRC classes, One Design classes and CYCA (Scottish) Handicap classes (with and without spinnakers). Those taking part can also expect to see: - New courses for all classes providing variety and alternatives to standard windward/ leeward courses In addition, the RS Elite Class Association is hosting the Scottish leg and first of their four Grand Slam Events at the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series, while the Laser SB3 Class Association will hold their Scottish National Championship during the event. Further details will be posted regarding the forthcoming Scottish Series at: Letters To The Editor - * From Jim Champ: re: article last issue that stated that the [Americas Cup] team has never been named after the backer before. I don't recall what DCs team in 88 was officially called, but Google throws up an awful lot of references to "Team Dennis Conner". Featured Brokerage STARCHASER is a highly comfortable classic style cruising Swan but also with a successfull racing record. She is exceptionally well equipped for all types of sailing. She recently had a major refit, including electrical systems, reconditioned teak deck, new rigging, new sails and much more. Sleeps up to eleven in four cabins and saloon (9 is more comfortable!). British flag. Brokerage through Nautor's Swan Spain & Portugal: www.yachtworld.com/swan-spain/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at www.yachtworld.co.uk/ The Last Word |
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