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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
Lee Korzits Crowned Back to Back RS:X World Champion
With four race wins to his name Julien Bontemps (FRA) takes the Men's title whilst Lee Korzits (ISR) makes it back to back World Championship titles with another consistent display on the world stage. Korzits put in another consistent display of sailing in Cadiz, Spain and finished in the top three in eight of ten races sailed. Like the 2011 ISAF Worlds she finished ahead of Zofia Klepacka (POL) who had to settle for silver. Klepacka only finished out of the top three once in ten races, but Korzits won four races compared to the two picked up by the Polish sailor. Alessandra Sensini (ITA) came through in third. The Italian had a shaky start but powered through to win the final four races of the regatta. Bontemps will be happy with his first RS:X World title after he finished two points ahead of Nick Dempsey (GBR) and a seven ahead of JP Tobin (NZL). London 2012 Olympic Qualification places were also up for grabs in Cadiz. In the Men's fleet Belarus, Czech Republic, Columbia, Thailand, Bulgaria, Venezuela, Estonia, Denmark and Chinese Taipei took the remaining RS:X nations places up for grabs for London 2012. And in the Women's fleet, the Netherlands, USA, Argentina, Russia, Estonia, Thailand and Portugal took the final seven places available in the women's fleet. Top Five
Men's Fleet
Women's Fleet worldwindsurfingchampionships2012.rsxclass.com
Groupama Keep Pedal to Metal as Cape Horn Looms
With boat speeds averaging around 20 knots, the southernmost tip of South America should be less than two days sailing away for the French frontrunners, who were tonight pushing hard under a reefed mainsail, staysail and heavy gennaker. Refusing to be shaken off, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA) kept the delta between his Mar Mostro and Groupama 4 hovering around 50 nm back in second. However for overall leaders Telefonica (Iker Martínez/ESP), a more conservative approach to preserve their damaged boat saw them slip 383 nm behind. CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) continued their progress towards Puerto Montt in Chile where they will repair structural damage to their boat. Despite being almost 1,400 nm adrift of the leaders, fifth-placed Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) were working hard to reel in their rivals, hitting speeds of up to 40 knots down the Southern Ocean swells. The team is hoping for some close quarters racing with Telefonica, who will pull into the Argentine port of Ushuaia to make repairs, for a podium position in the closing stages of the race to Itajaí next week. * Roaring Forties, check. Furious Fifties, check. Screaming Sixties? Ohhhhh so close! We got as far as latitude 59, just one degree shy of 60 South, but we are finally on our way back north after making the first jibe in weeks. Our new heading takes us to the northwest towards Cape Horn, and the elusive miles until our rounding should start diminishing rapidly. No sooner, too, because it's still cold and getting colder (recurring blog theme?) It never ceases to amaze me, the acclimatization process on these boats. After spending so much time on starboard tack the body becomes comfortable living that way, 28-degrees of heel, right shoulder outboard when you sleep, right foot higher than the left when walking forward, and vice versa when walking aft. You have your memorized handholds and foot braces, and your mind and body are generally used to the boat being that way; you know where things are and you subconsciously move with confidence. But when that life changes, as it does after a tack or a gybe, it's like learning to walk all over again. Everything is suddenly the opposite as you remember it, and you find yourself reaching for things that are no longer there. It's a struggle to get your bearings, especially when blasting down waves at 32 knots, in the dark, as we are right now. Fun! Groupama is still 30-to-50 miles ahead, depending on the sched and swing of momentum, and it looks like it will be a fun drag race to the Horn, at which point things might get interesting for the approach to Brazil. But we're still here living the Southern Ocean life, one day at a time, and until we're free of the heavy weather that will remain priority numero uno. -- Amory Ross, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG
Henri Lloyd Freedom Jacket
The popular features of the typical cruiser jacket have been maintained; including the dual cargo and handwarmer pockets, but the jacket is constructed from GORE-TEX® Performance Shell fabric, thus providing an increased level of confidence to the wearer, by providing breathable comfort and durable waterproof protection. The Freedom Jacket incorporates many of Henri Lloyd's unique features including a highly-developed hood and collar system, which features the award winning OPTIVISION hood system providing unrivalled peripheral vision, while the high level fleece lined collar is ergonomically shaped and benefits from an engineered throat tab ensuring a customised fit, comfort and minimal water ingress. Available in both Red and Optical White, and is partnered with the Freedom Hi-Fits.
Colours: Red or Optical White
Synergy On Match Race Form In Portugal
Ed Baird (USA) joined the RC44 Tour at the start of the 2012 season and his presence seems to have had an immediate effect on the match racing results of Valentin Zavadnikov's Synergy Russian Sailing Team. After finishing seventh overall in the 2011 RC44 match race rankings, the team didn't lose a match today and now sit on top of this year's standing, having dropped just one match in the series so far. Local expert Patrick de Barros (POR) has taken over the helm of the French Aleph Team for the week and renamed the boat Team Cascais after the city playing host to the 15 RC44 teams. After three year's out of the class, Patrick let match racing expert and the team's tactician Mathieu Richard (FRA) take the helm and was impressed with both how the class has evolved and his newly adopted team. "The level of racing in the last three years has gone very high, it's really impressive. Today's racing was great, all the crew is excellent, they really are top class." Team Cascais finished the day with five wins from seven races, taking the team up to third on the overall match race rankings. With the strong easterly breeze set to stay for tomorrow, the fleet racing phase of the Cascais RC44 Cup 2012 begins on Thursday 29th March and concludes on 1st April. Racing kicks off at 12.00 noon daily with three races planned per day, following the racing on the live blog at
ISAF Sailing World Cup Heads To Europe
As teams begin to step up their preparations for the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition the regatta will be key for sailors preparing for the Olympic Games, as well as those still aiming to qualify their nation at their respective upcoming World Championships. With 148 sailors, the Laser fleet will be the biggest in Palma. And eight of the world's top ten sailors will be amongst the fleet aiming for vital ISAF Sailing World Cup Standings points ahead of a busy summer. The Women's Match Racing Competition will see 18 teams pitting their wits against each other. Four of the teams in Palma will be American, as each team continues to stake their claim for the sole American Match Racing spot at London 2012. The leading American teams will compete against each other in a winner takes all qualification event in Weymouth and Portland in May. Registration gets underway on 31 March before competition kicks off on 2 April, running until 7 April. ISAF Sailing World Cup: www.sailing.org/worldcup/home.php Trofeo S.A.R. Princess Sofia MAPFRE: www.trofeoprincesasofia.org
IMOCA 60 Class' Europa Race
However Olay Nautic has found itself in a deadlock after the French Government proposed a law criminalising denial of the Armenian genocide in 1915 by Turkey even through a few weeks later, the French Constitutional Council refused to ratify the bill. With the uncertainty over the event, only eight IMOCA 60s were entered rather than the 10 expected and as a result the race format were amended to three legs, two fully crewed and one solo)are amended. Despite all efforts being made all the race's partners have not yet confirmed their financial commitment. As a result with six weeks to go until the start date - 5 May in Istanbul -and too many uncertainties exist for Olay Nautic to organise the event in optimal conditions for all partners and competitors. www.thedailysail.com/offshore/ * This late update from the IMOCA class website: Barcelona has put forward the proposal to be start venue for the Europa Race on the weekend of 17-20 May 2012. The majority of those teams previously signed up for the event, have confirmed their interest in racing between the host cities on the scheduled dates. For the competitors in the IMOCA class, the opportunity to do battle with each other prior to the Vendée Globe is the priority. The contacts are involved with other partners, namely the Cascais Nautical Club (at the mouth of the Tagus River) and the City of La Rochelle, as well as the various teams involved. Already playing a role in the organisation of the Europa Race, IMOCA is relying on the vast body of work carried out in the build-up to this event by the technical teams already in place and, most notably, Race Director Jacques Caraës. The Skippers' desire to get out on the water prior to the Vendee Globe will be the force behind making this happen.
ISAF Accepting Nominations for Committee Members
The International Sailing Federation holds its quadrennial General Assembly on Saturday 10 November 2012 in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland (at the end of the ISAF Annual Conference). On this occasion the ISAF Officers (President and Vice-Presidents), members of the ISAF Council and all other ISAF Committee, Sub-Committee and Commission members automatically retire and are eligible for re-nomination or new candidates can be nominated. Nominations for ISAF Committee, Sub-Committee and Commission members must be submitted to the ISAF Secretariat through an ISAF Member National Authority (MNA). MNAs have already been sent individual correspondence regarding the nomination procedure for Committee, Sub-Committee and Commission members. The deadline for receipt of nomination forms is 12:00 UTC on 1 August 2012. Please contact your relevant MNA for details on how they select candidates or if you wish to make a recommendation for a Committee member - details of ISAF MNAs and how to get in contact with them can be found at www.sailing.org/mna Details of the Terms of Reference for all ISAF Committees can be found in ISAF Regulation 6 and for the Commissions in ISAF Regulation 8, which are available online at http://www.sailing.org/regulations A summary of the nomination procedure has been sent to each MNA and can also be found, along with the Nomination Form, at www.sailing.org/23389.php
Formula Windsurfing European Cup: 8 Events Confirmed
This series of events will showcase the best europe has to offer in windsurf racing. Already 3 new countries have committed to joining the Cup Tour in 2013.
April 28 - May 1 - Iberian Cup, Alqueva, Portugal
European Cup Rules
Quarter Tonners Get Set For Cork Week
Cork Week Racing Chairman, Anthony O'Leary says they are delighted to welcome quarter ton class to Crosshaven "Cork Week will be attracting a number of Quarter Tonners but we feel that as these yachts have been extensively optimised and other yachts racing in Class IRC 6 should be treated separately, hence there will be a prize for the best yacht in the class excluding them and another for the best Quarter Tonner." Ian Travers from Kinsale has been very much part of the revival of the Quarter Ton Class in Ireland. "I know of at least five other Irish Quarter Tonners that are going to be competing at Cork Week and I wouldn't miss it for the world. Especially as this year, I will be racing Per Una. Eamonn Rohan and I bought her and she has great pedigree, pity about the owners!" joked Ian. "I would say the local favourite Tiger will be the one to beat but all the QTs in Ireland would dearly love to see some of the UK boats come over for the craic. I can assure you they would get a good battle on the water and some lively evening entertainment!" Entries for Cork Week 2012 are gathering pace, besides a large contingent of Irish boats, many yachts travel from far and wide to come to Crosshaven for the regatta.
Champagne Sailing for the Bitter End Cup
First away was Peter Aschenbrenner's 63ft Trimaran, Paradox with round the world legend Cam Lewis on board calling tactics. The ballistic multihull was first to finish by some distance, completing the course in an elapsed time of three hours, nine minutes and six seconds, just 13 minutes shy of the course record set by Swan 82, Virago. Neil Harvey's Dufour 425, Acadia led the bareboat fleet from start to finish. In a highly competitive start, Acadia took a port flyer and crossed the entire flotilla. Once in clear air their advantage was magnified by a lift onto starboard tack and Acadia looked to have got away to a winning lead but were destined not to even make the top three. The overall winner of The Bitter End Cup was awarded to Team Trolly Car. Much to the delight of Donna Jo Petersen, who was also celebrating her birthday on board. "It has just been a fantastic day, the guys worked so hard and we had a tremendous battle with Acadia but to win on my birthday with my son, husband and old friends on board was a dream come true, it just doesn't get better than that." Racing concludes tomorrow with the Nanny Cay Cup, the first warning will sound at 1000 and a prize giving will be held at the Nanny Cay Marina in Tortola.
Engineer Invents New Buoyancy Aid for Dinghies/Classic Boats
Launched recently at the Royal Yachting Association's Dinghy Show, the buoyancy blogs don't even remotely resemble the brightly-coloured air bags that are currently on the market and mainly aimed at kayakers and canoeists. He told local news outlets that 'As an engineer I understand the importance of safety legislation. 'The work that has gone into developing these new buoyancy blocks is compliant with the Recreational Craft Directive which is the law on stability and buoyancy. 'We have created something that is solid, tucks neatly away and fits the boat properly. 'Commonly used in open canoes, this type of engineering has rarely been custom made for classic boats and we have had a lot of interest.' Beresford's Good Wood Boat Company: www.goodwoodboat.co.uk
From Sail-World Cruising:
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Complete listing details and seller contact information at
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