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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 Sailing Round The Clock
Double 470 World Champions Lisa Westerhof and Lobke Berkhout (NED) are back in top form and are enjoying the breeze in Hyeres. The pair has built up a solid lead 13 points ahead of Japanese Ai Kondo and Wakako Tabata. Amanda Clark and Sarah Lihan (USA) are in third. The results are getting tighter in the 470 Men. The Greeks, Panagiotis Mantis and Pavlos Kagialis, are taking a narrow lead over Zandona/Zucchetti (ITA) and and the Coster brothers (NED). Australians and New Zealanders are still leading the standings in the Lasers. Only three points separate the top six with Andy Maloney and Tom Slingsby hanging on to top two places. Tom Burton (AUS), Philipp Buhl (GER), Andrew Murdoch (NZL) and Tonci Stipanovic (CRO) are getting close to the leaders after winning races today. Alison Young (GBR) conserves her lead in the Laser Radial after scoring a first and second. Only a point behind, Krystal Weir (AUS), and World #1 Evi van Acker (BEL) place second and third with identical results. Deniss Karpak (EST) increases his lead in the Finn class after adding another victory and a second place to his score. Rafa Trujillo (ESP) keeps second while a victory in the first race places Dan Slater (NZL) in third. The Polish dominate the RS:X competition in the men and women division. World #1 Piotr Myszka (POL) takes the lead from Julien Bontemps (FRA) after taking two bullets in the RS:X men races. Toni Wilhem (GER) protects his second place with Bontemps in third. Maja Dziarnowska (POL) claims the day's two races and the lead in the women's. Moana Delle (GER) is second and Olga Maslivets (UKR) third. The Women match racers had by far the longest day out. Starting at 9.30am, the teams finished at 7pm their second day of round robins which will continue for the next two days. Results are tight at the top for Tunnicliffe (USA), MacGregor (GBR), Leroy (FRA) and Barkow (USA). With a pessimistic weather forecast for tomorrow, racing will start as early as 9 am to try to secure at least a race in each class. -- Corinne Rolland-McKenzie CAMPER Steal First PUMA had clung to their lead for the first 18 hours of the 4,800-mile leg but by 1300 UTC on Monday CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand occupied the top spot due to their position to the north west of their rivals, with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing just 0.4 miles behind in second. The leading pair appeared similarly matched in the favourable downwind conditions since the start of the leg on Sunday, but competition for the number one position remained fierce with the five boats split by just 10 miles. "We've probably been in a 200-metre radius of Abu Dhabi for six hours," CAMPER skipper Chris Nicholson said. "We're dead equal speed with those guys. We've traded places about five times so it's good." The intense racing was a welcome return for the crew of Abu Dhabi, whose yacht Azzam arrived in Itajaí on a container ship just three days before the leg start. With morale high on PUMA after a win in Leg 5, skipper Ken Read said Leg 6 was all about scoring maximum points to shoot them up the overall leaderboard from their current fourth position, 32 points behind race leaders Team Telefonica. "It's important to us in the overall standings," he said. "We have a bit of momentum right now. We have to first try to get back on the podium and then try and chip away at the leaders." Around 15 miles south-east of CAMPER, Telefonica and Groupama were making their bid for the front spot in fast conditions that suit their Juan Kouyoumdjian-designed boats. Volvo Ocean Race chief meteorologist Gonzalo Infante said the next few days could prove crucial as the teams race to be the first to the trade winds, currently around three days' sailing away. "It is going to get very tricky for the teams as the wind slowly dies," he said. "The door to the trade winds has been firmly shut by a cold front blocking the path. "There are going to be a lot of transitions to make over the coming days in the race to the trades." Leg 6 is expected to take around 14 days to complete. The Hong Kong Sailing Federation (Hksf) Is Looking To Fill The Following Position The Coaching Director will thereafter assume responsibility for organising and overseeing the aforesaid programmes, including conducting inspections of Recognized Teaching Centres in Hong Kong. Applicants for this post are expected to be well experienced sailors and holders of valid and suitable qualifications (equivalent to RYA qualifications) to function effectively in the following aspects: (1) as a qualified Coach in varies disciplines which shall include, but is not limited to, and must have extensive experience in dinghy instructor training, elite athlete training and development of youth squads in varies dinghy classes. Interested applicants shall send their application with full CV details and expected salary to for consideration on or before 11 May 2012. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview. If you receive no reply by 8 June 2012, you may consider your application unsuccessful. Artemis With The Leading Pack After Stormy Night In The AG2R On Sunday afternoon on the second day of the double-handed transatlantic race, conditions deteriorated with wind speeds rising to a peak of 46 knots as the fleet continued south-west across Biscay. Overnight, Goodchild and Cherry battled the strong winds and confused sea waiting for the front to pass, This morning Nick Cherry reported: "Well last night pretty much lived up to expectations. We spent most of the afternoon planning ahead for the front and by nightfall the wind was building as expected. In the end it was kind of enjoyable once we had got our first tack in and reefed the main, the wind peaked at 46 knots for about an hour just after midnight and at that point it was all we could do to stay on the boat with walls of water washing over the boat out of nowhere in the dark. The only damage sustained was some of the glow fast stripes pealing off the main as it flogged. Otherwise all is good aboard Artemis." As part of their Transat AG2R La Mondiale race campaign, Goodchild and Cherry will be supporting British disaster relief charity, Shelterbox. Originating in Cornwall, UK. Shelterbox provide immediate post disaster relief aid, in the form of tent, stove, cooking equipment and other life essentials, all neatly packaged in a multi use plastic box. Race organiser Pen Duick are running a competition and through Sam and Nick's race, Shelterbox could be in line to win a €10,000 donation. Enough to provide over 14 complete shelter boxes for disaster hit families such as those currently suffering from the severe flooding in Fiji. Vote online for Sam, Nick and Shelterbox at facebook.com/transat.ag2rlamondiale To find out more about Shelterbox, visit www.shelterbox.org where you can make an online donation, making an immediate difference to people's lives. For daily updates on the race and Artemis 23's progress visit www.artemisoffshoreacademy.com Top ten at 0500 April 24: 1. Sepalumic, Francois Lebourdais / Frederic Duthil, 3350.1 nm To Finish Event site (French only): transat.ag2rlamondiale.fr 2016 Women's Skiff and Mixed Multihull Evaluation Skiff Sailor Feedback Appendix Multihull Sailor Feedback Appendix The reports and recommendations will now go forward to the Equipment Committee and Events Committee at the 2012 ISAF Mid-Year Meeting in Stresa, Italy from 3-6 May. The ISAF Council will make the final decision taking into consideration any recommendation from the Committees. Four Bermuda Entries To Sail In Newport Bermuda Race Lawyer Mochrie and Argo Group CEO Watson will compete in yachts chartered from a private owner in the UK and the US Merchant Marine Academy. In the last Newport Bermuda Race, Watson won the Open Division - comprised of the largest and fastest boats in the fleet - in a corrected time of 54 hours, 43 minutes and 32 seconds onboard the US Merchant Marine Academy owned Dubois 90, Genuine Risk. The entry deadline for the Newport Bermuda Race expired April 15. However, yachts can still register for an additional late fee. To date 177 yachts have either been approved or still involved in the entry process for this year's race, six fewer than the 183 yachts that participated in the last Newport Bermuda Race. Providing tracking services for the 635 mile race will be Yellowbrick Tracking Ltd. 'Spectators' at home can track the racers on the Newport Bermuda Race website: Turnover Rules
The changeability of the weather forced helmsmen and tacticians to center on their best and made difficult the work of the Race Committee, who finally succeeded in completing the whole program of six races in two days. Turnover, helmed by Marco Perazzo with Enrico "Chicco" Fonda as tactician and Vallivero as tailer, confirmed the leadership of the first day. Thanks to a first, second and third place, Vallivero, who prepared for the 2012 season raced in the United States, and has now won the first leg with thirteen points on the European champions of Audi F.lli Giacomel Out of Reach. Helmed by Guido Miani (with Gabriele Benussi and Nevio Sabadin on board), climbed over ten positions from Saturday. Miani's Audi F.lli Giacomel Out of Reach anticipated Mirko De Falco's Peccere with Guglielmo Giordano and Piero Vigo on board. Dario Levi, Andrea Casale and Stefano Lagi together formed as Fremito d'Arja ranked fourth, yet tied in points with De Falco. One point further back in third place was Maolca, led by Manfredi Vianini Tolomei and Lorenzo Bodini. 2011 Gold Cup Champion Alessandro Rombelli aboard STIG slipped from second to sixth place, while Federico Albano's 3Menda, a regular series contender came seventh. There were many smiles aboard Simone Anichini's Hanneken as they conquered the all-Corinthian division. The next event of Audi Melges 20 Sailing Series will be held in Portoferraio on June 2-3, 2012. Top Ten Results (Final, After 6 Races) 1. Renato Vallivero/Marco Perazzo/Enrico Fonda, Turnover; (5)-4-1-1-2-3 = 11 points Full results: melges20.com Timeless Design
The historic nature of the event also extends to the regatta entry list that is currently led by Argument, the Herreshoff S-boat owned by Stephan Sloan (E. Greenwich, R.I.). The oldest one-design class still actively racing, the 27-foot wooden S-boats first splashed in 1919. Roughly 100 were built and the original boats still racing, with their high ratio of sail area to wetted surface, display the vintage style that delights photographers and casual observers alike, not to mention those who race them and appreciate the boat's high performance. Fast in light wind due to the large sail area, a full lead keel keeps the craft stable in strong breeze. Requiring an experienced crew to coordinate handling spinnaker lines, halyards, running backstays and sheets simultaneously, the design - like the Annual Regatta - has stood the test of time. Sloan conservatively expects that as many as nine of the classic S-boats will participate in NYYC's Annual Regatta. The S-boats are among the yachts eligible to compete in the 19-nautical mile Around the Island Race that is the first segment of the "regatta within a regatta" format that constitutes NYYC's Annual Regatta presented by Rolex. Taking place on Friday, June 8, the Around the Island Race is scored separately, with a Rolex timepiece presented to the overall winning yacht in the IRC division during evening festivities at NYYC's Harbour Court. On Saturday and Sunday, June 9-10, the S-boats will race in the traditional two-day series as part of the Green fleet along with Classic, 12 Metre, 6 Metre and smaller one-design classes. IRC and larger one-design classes will be accommodated in the Blue and White fleets, and all three fleets will have one or two races each day, separately sailed and scored. Full article at nyyc.org/home/article_1174/ Hannah Mills Will Start The J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round The Island Race
"It's a privilege to be starting the 2012 Round the Island Race; such an exciting event with a great atmosphere and I'm really looking forward to taking part again. The aim this year is to not only make it past the Needles but to also be the first Team Volvo boat back to Cowes!" said Hannah Mills, the 23 year-old from Cardiff. Hannah's sailing career began at the age of eight in the Optimist dinghy and she is still the only British sailor to have won the Optimist Girls' World Championships, after becoming the first ever girl to win the British National title a year earlier. Since teaming up with Saskia Clark in the 470 dinghy a year ago the team have enjoyed a number of successes including a silver medal at the 2011 pre-Olympic Test Event, Weymouth and Portland. Morgan Cup Race
The Morgan Cup takes on particular significance for teams aspiring to represent their country in this year's Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup. The Morgan Cup has been confirmed as a trial event for RYA Team GBR and several teams with high hopes of selection are amongst the early entries. In IRC One two Ker 40s will go head to head for the first time offshore, Andrew Pearce's Magnum III and Jonathan Goring's Keronimo. In IRC Zero Julian Metherell's Class40, MAXVMG, skippered by Mark Denton, is looking forward to a full season of racing. "The Morgan Cup is the start of our preparation for our big goal of the season, The Round Ireland Race, in June. So we are going to be working everything up and doing some sail testing as well as getting the crew back into race mode." IRC Two is expected to be popular with production yachts of around 40 feet and early entries include Reflex 38, Visit Malta Puma, crewed by Sailing Logic. The Morgan Cup is part of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Season's Points Championship, consisting of a testing series of races, which attracts an international and varied fleet. For the serious offshore sailor, trying to win the Season's Points Championship is a real challenge. The Season's Points Championship this year includes the RORC Caribbean 600, the North Sea Race and the Round Ireland Race. For the full RORC racing programme and more information go to: www.rorc.org Featured Brokerage Fun and fast, this Sportboat is Ideal for match racing. Brokerage through XBOAT: www.yachtworld.com/xboat/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at uk.yachtworld.com The Last Word |
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