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 Testing Conditions St.Tropez, France / San Remo, Italy: A second day of inshore racing took place today in Saint-Tropez as the 2012 Giraglia Rolex Cup continues to catch the eye. A 30.3-nautical mile course was set for most of the fleet, a 25.4-nm course reserved for the smaller classes. Conditions were again boisterous, with winds reaching speeds of 30 knots. Today's winners were: Jethou (GBR) in Group 0 IRC, Near Miss (SUI) in Group A IRC, Ondine (ITA) in Group B IRC, Paul & Shark Competition (ITA) in Group A ORC and Symfony (RUS) in Group B ORC. A final day of inshore racing is scheduled for tomorrow before Wednesday's start to the week's main event - the circa 242-nm offshore race from Saint-Tropez to Sanremo. In the region of two hundred yachts from 20 countries are expected to participate. Jochen Schumann is skipper onboard the event's largest and fastest boat - the 100-foot Maxi Esimit Europa 2 (SLO). Owner Igor Simcic and his pan-European crew are widely expected to claim a third straight line honours title. Esimit Europa 2 is hoping to break the race record set in 2008 by the same boat under its guise as Neville Crichton's Alfa Romeo 2 (NZL). Schumann believes a shot at the record - standing at 18 hours, 3 minutes and 15 seconds - is a realistic prospect. "It will be much faster than last year when there was almost no wind. If the weather forecast stays as it is with a strong breeze around the Giraglia Rock then we have a great chance of beating the race record." America's Cup legend Brad Butterworth - calling tactics on the in-form 62-ft Mini Maxi Jethou (GBR) - also believes an interesting offshore race is ahead. "It looks very windy and we would prefer slightly lighter conditions than forecast. However, the recent Rolex Volcano Race (which Jethou won) was a good experience as the middle section of the race was very testing. We're looking forward to the Giraglia, and it will be great to finish in Sanremo." Results: Global Ocean Race Finishes In flat water and strong following wind after the passage of a front, the South African duo sped towards the finish line at good pace hitting speeds of 15 knots as Phesheya-Racing completed Leg 5 from Charleston, USA, to Les Sables d'Olonne, France. With 100% cloud cover, the grey-black, moonless and starless canopy over the finish line was broken only by a ragged band of light from the loom of the French town's street lights as Hutton-Squire and Leggatt made landfall at the end of an epic circumnavigation. While Nick Leggatt has completed three circumnavigations, the GOR's route around the planet was a first for Hutton-Squire: "Three years ago I never thought I'd sail around the world," she admits. "I'd think we'd both do it again, but going a little bit faster would be good." For both Hutton-Squire and Leggatt, sharing the entire 30,000 miles is an immense achievement: "Something we're most proud of is being the only team in the race to have done it the whole way together," says Leggatt. "While all the other teams swapped co-skippers, we stuck together," he adds. "Not only are we still talking, but we're talking about maybe doing the next GOR in 2013," he confirms. * At 21:54:44 GMT (23:54:44 local) on Sunday, the fourth and final double-handed, Global Ocean Race (GOR) Class40, Sec. Hayai, crossed the finish line off Les Sables d'Olonne, France, with the Dutch father-and-son duo of Nico and Frans Budel taking fourth place in Leg 5 and fourth place overall. Arriving off Les Sables d'Olonne after 22 days 08 hours 24 minutes and 44 seconds of racing from Charleston, USA, the Dutch duo were quick to light an orange smoke flare in celebration as they passed between the GOR's Committee Boat and the Nouch Sud buoy, swiftly snuffed their spinnaker and turned into the channel leading to Port Olona and a large and happy rece While the four double-handed teams relax and recover with family, friends and sponsors, the next official engagement is the GOR Prize Giving on Saturday 16 June at the Club House de Port Olona hosted by La Ville des Sables d'Olonne. Overall GOR 2011-12 ranking and points: 1. Cessna Citation 17d 22h 50m 14s (162 points) Mar Mostro Is On The Market... PUMA's Mar Mostro, the Volvo Open 70 skippered by Ken Read for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, is now on the market. Mar Mostro was designed by Juan K and built at New England Boatworks. For boat specs and details, visit: pumavolvo70forsale.com "Mar Mostro is an amazing yacht, whether sailing around the world or on an IRC race track. We were very pleasantly surprised when we won the only two IRC events we sailed in! Around the buoys and in the Transatlantic Race, both against very stiff IRC competition, Mar Mostro was fast and reliable in all conditions. This boat can win at any level as well as break records with ease. Whomever buys this boat will share the wild ride PUMA Ocean Racing has been on during our epic and exciting around-the-world race!" -- Mar Mostro Skipper Ken Read Brouwer/Samama Win Zwitserleven Round Texel Race Texel, Netherlands: On Sunday June 10 2012, female helmsman Carolijn Brouwer (BEL) with crew Wouter Samama (NED) won the 35rd Zwitserleven Round Texel Race. This is a historical victory, because Brouwer is the first female helmsman to claim the overall trophy on corrected time. Dutchmen Xander Pols and Stefan Dubbeldam took line honours and finished second overall. They crossed the line after 2 hours 50 minutes and 21 seconds with a big lead. The race had a thrilling conclusion with close racing. Also it was the first time in history that world's biggest catamaran race took place on Sunday. Exactly at noon on Sunday June 10, 250 cats started in the prestigious catamaran race round the Wadden island Texel. Nobody crossed the line too early, which is a great performance. Current and wind from behind pushed the professional sailors and amateurs to the line. John de Vries and Diederik Pauli (Nacra F20 carbon) were in the lead on the first leg on the North Sea to the lighthouse, but had to give that up just before the first gate to William Sunnucks and Oliver Egan (GBR). Dutchmen Xander Pols and Stefan Dubbeldam, sailing the Boskalis Nacra carbon 20, had a fierce battle with their biggest rivals under sail, William Sunnucks and Oliver Egan on the M20. Until the VC-buoy on the Wadden Sea, the Britons were leading the fleet, but from there the Dutchmen took over. To finish with a big lead after 2 hours and 50 minutes of intense racing. 'Great', said Pols enthusiastically after returning to the beach. 'On the Wadden Sea heading to Oudeschild we noticed that we could point higher and we were faster than the English. Therefore we made fewer meters and sailed at better angles.' It was the third time that Pols took line honours of the Zwitserleven Round Texel Race, but according to the winner he never gets used to it. 'I think overall we also do good business,' said Pols. He never won on handicap, so there he puts his mind to now. 'At the beginning there was more wind than forecasted, about force four. From the ferry haven it continuously dropped. That could be our luck, so we can keep F18's behind us. I really want to win overall once.' In the end he did not succeed completely. Brouwer/Samama won by just a few seconds. A Weekend of Team Racing Championships in September In a celebration of Team Racing, EUROSAF has arranged a weekend in September when two different versions of this sailing discipline will hold their European Championship. The weekend in question is Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd September, and the venues are in Great Britain and The Netherlands. West Kirby Sailing Club, based on the Wirral, in Cheshire, host what might best be described as 'traditional team racing', with three sailing dinghies in each team. This championship, the EUROSAF Team Racing, European Championship, is a bi-annual event, alternating with the ISAF World Team Racing Championship. West Kirby is the foremost team-racing club in England and host the Wilson Trophy, the largest team racing event in the world, attracting entries from across Europe, the United States and further afield. Up to forty international teams compete in this event. The Match and Team Sailing Centre, Holland, located at Bataviahaven, Lelystad, The Netherlands, is to host the EUROSAF Team Racing, '2K' Keelboat European Championship. This form of team racing uses two keelboats in each team. '2K' keelboat team racing is a relatively new discipline within sailing and has proved particularly popular and successful in The Netherlands, but is now quite widely practised around Europe, with teams expected from The Netherlands, Great Britain, Italy, France and Spain, amongst others. Competitors in this version of team racing do not need to be quite so agile as those in the three boat dinghy version, but never-the-less it is equally exciting to watch. The racing in both versions of the sport is close and very competitive, with on-water umpiring resulting in instant decisions concerning any infringement of the rules. In team racing it is usual to see men and women racing together, on an equal basis, which is another unusual and positive aspect of the sport. The opportunity for spectators at both venues is excellent: it will be possible to watch all the racing from the shore, and even for the non-sailor it is easy to follow the progress of the racing. The Notice of Race for the EUROSAF Team Racing, '2K' Keelboat European Championship is published on the EUROSAF website and the Notice of Race for the EUROSAF Team Racing, European Championship will be published by the end of June. Realstone Dominates the Geneve-Rolle-Geneve Race The Kids of Realstone Sailing did a faultless performance on the course of the Geneve-Rolle-Geneve race taking the lead at the start of the race and never letting it go. Behind, the fight for the second and third place was close, but Dona Bertarelli on Ladycat finished in second position followed by Philippe Cardis on de Rham Sotheby's. From the start, Realstone Sailing showed a well thought out strategy, with a departure rather to leeward of the D35 fleet, sliding quickly towards the Swiss coast, smoothly "crushing" his opponents downwind. The race had two different rhythms: the first part was hard on the nerves. In light airs, it was important to observe the water and take advantage of every puff, while in the second half of the race, especially from Nyon, when the Joran wind built up and blew to over 15 knots, the race became more difficult physically. It was noted many sail changes on the leading boats. Behind Realstone, the battle was intense. De Rham Sotheby's held the second position throughout the race, closely followed by Zen Too helmed by Fred Le Peutrec. From Nyon, the situation got even more intense, with Veltigroup and Ladycat joining the leading group from the back. After a strong fight, Ladycat cut the line in second position, closely followed by de Rham Sotheby's, Zen Too and Veltigroup. As for Artemis and Alinghi, they did some match racing in the end. Nickel came just after. Okalys-Corum, who made a great start, unfortunately made a tactical mistake choosing the "French side" on the way to Rolle. There they remained glued and could no longer come back in the race. On the return to Geneva, they dismasted, but deplore no wounded or breakage on the boat, except for the mast. Nicolas Grange's boat should be on the starting line of the second day of the Open de Versoix tomorrow. Ranking Geneve-Rolle-Geneve: The complete results on www.vulcaintrophy.com Running The Rhumblines Bobby D presently holds fourth place behind Wobbly Boot (Craig Piccinelli), Queensland Marine Services (John Galloway) and Twister (Kevin Fogarty) but was the star performer on Pioneer Bay last week winning race 22 by a commanding margin. Both her skipper and crew who simply race for the fun of the experience handed their rivals a sailing lesson in surprisingly soft winds. As expected Bobby D racing with the lowest .815 handicap rating finished at the back end of the fleet but always maintained the required all angle sailing speed to firm a strong grip on the best overall corrected handicap time. Their margin at the finish calculated on their 1 hours 23 minute 44 second elapsed time was a commanding 2 minutes 58 seconds which was a reward for the dedicated team who wear the Bobby D crew shirts. However while this was an impressive result skipper Craig Piccinelli and his experienced crew still remain as the overall series leader with Wobbly Boot. In spite of being handed a light wind lesson when the Bobby D crew recorded her 3 minute 33 second faster handicap course time, third placed Wobbly Boot appears set to add the Sprint Race title to her impressive trophy cabinet. Consistent results from the past 12 races has paved the way for the Wobbly Boot crew on 86 pts to build a 25 point (25 place) lead over Queensland Marine Services (111 pts) and Kevin Fogarty's improving new Beneteau 40.7 Twister (116pts). Bobby D with 122 points and following on from her impressive last race win presents an interesting tactical challenge for Wobbly Boot, Queensland Marine Services and Twister as the countdown begins to win the best local boat award when the sails are tensioned for the Telcoinabox sponsored Airlie Beach Race Week on August 10-16. -- Ian Grant The Phoenicians: The Greatest Ancient Sailors Exhibition Phoenicia is positioned alongside Starbucks (rotunda) and will be open to the public from 10am - 6pm every day of the week. The exhibition offers the chance to learn why the Phoenicians were the greatest ancient sailors and the secret of their success, understand their unique ship construction, view authentic artefatcs including rare Phoenician gold coins, experience the circumnavigation of Africa, 2008-2010, and the challenges of sailing a vessel designed in 600BC, watch film clips from Phoenicia's expedition, learn about modern day pirates and the threat they posed to Phoenicia on her voyage and take part in the Phoenicia Children's Quiz! Phoenicia is also available for private hire as a static venue for corporate events, children's parties, meetings or as a photo shoot location. For bookings and enquiries about this please email Lauren Simpson or call 0845 869 8441. For more information www.phoenicia.org.uk Strong Line Up for the IP Office SB20 UK National Championships Just days after completing the 2012 Sail for Gold Regatta, WPNSA will welcome forty two, SB20's who will take to the Olympic waters on Thursday 14th June to compete for the IP Office SB20 UK National Championship title. Eleven races are scheduled over four days for what will be a hotly contested competition. With entries from Belgium, The Netherlands and Russia the UK fleet will have to work hard to defend their home trophy. The SB20 class have not raced at WPNSA since the European Championships in 2007. 2011 National Champions, Joe Llewellyn and Nigel Wakefield welcome the return of Jerry 'Pasty' Vigus who was unable to compete at last year's event due to a shoulder injury sustained at the 2011 World Championships in Torbay. They have put in strong performances to date in 2012 and will be battling to defend their title. Great things are expected of Team Russia owned by Oleg Zherebtsov and skippered by Rodion Luka. Team Russia won the SB20 class at the Vice Admirals Cup but they are yet to take the title at a major class event. The team have certainly suffered more than their fair share of bad luck over the years they have sailed in the fleet and no doubt they will be looking to put that behind them and win in Weymouth. A great addition to the event will be Hugh Styles and his star Laser Radial pupil, Alison Young, who won gold at the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta on Saturday. Young will represent Team GB at the Olympics in just a few weeks time. Completing the crew Styles/Young crew is Finn class Champion Giles Scott. Scott also won gold at Skandia Sail for Gold but loses out on Olympic selection to Ben Ainslie. Maximum Competition, Maximum Spectacle Previous years have seen the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup attract corporate titans such as Niklas Zennström, Larry Ellison, Leonardo Ferragamo, Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones and Marco Tronchetti Provera. All keen to race alongside or against the cream of professional sailing talent such as Rolex Ambassadors Paul Cayard, the seasoned America's Cup campaigner and round-the-world race winner, and Robert Scheidt, four-time Olympic medallist and two-time ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year. The highly demanding competition takes place on the waters off northeastern Sardinia, and frequently uses the challenging Maddalena Archipelago for the racecourse area. Racing commences on Monday 3 September and concludes on Saturday 8 September. Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the International Maxi Association and title sponsor Rolex will ensure a first-class social programme, including the final Prize Giving Ceremony, where Maxi Yacht Rolex Cups and Rolex timepieces will be presented to the winners. Further information on the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup can be found at www.yccs.it Featured Brokerage Built in 2011 in aluminium by the Dutch shipyard Jacht Ontwikkelings Maatschappij. Annagine has been designed by the renowned Dykstra & Partners Naval Architects. Her length of 33.9m comfortably accommodates eight guests in a master and two twin staterooms plus two Pullman berths. Cabins for three crew. Brokerage through De Valk Yacht Brokers: www.yachtworld.com/devalkyb/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at The Last Word |
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