Scuttlebutt Europe #2613 - 15 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 Esimit Europa 2 Smashes Race Record In the process, Esimit Europa 2 smashed the course record, finishing in a time of 14 hours, 56 minutes and 16 seconds. Simcic's pan-European crew shaved just over three hours off the previous race record set by Neville Crichton's Alfa Romeo 2 (NZL) in 2008. It is Esimit Europa 2's third straight line honours win at the Giraglia Rolex Cup. Jochen Schumann - Esimit's skipper - had forecast a 15-hour race shortly before departure from Saint-Tropez. He was true to his word. "It was not an easy race as we saw a breeze of up to 40 knots so anything could happen and we sailed quite a conservative race," he admits. "We had a good start, leading at the top mark. We didn't jibe around the Giraglia rock as it was so windy, so we tacked around just to make sure we didn't break anything. We drifted in to the finish with only a few knots of wind. Overall, we had fantastic conditions so I think this record will be very hard to beat." By 10:30 CEST, another three boats had crossed the finish line in Sanremo. Sir Peter Ogden's 62-foot Mini Maxi Jethou (GBR) was second to finish the race, narrowly followed by the Volvo Open 70 E1 (AUT). Franck Noel's impressive TP52 Near Miss (SUI) was the fourth finisher and currently leads on handicap. All three crews finished just 30 minutes outside the previous race record - proof of the opportune conditions for the bigger boats. Five yachts have officially retired from the race. The conditions that the remainder of the 170-strong fleet face today on arrival into Sanremo will determine the identity of the race's overall winner. Westward Cup
Today, with all eyes on the weather forecast and watching out for today's expected low, the Race Officers at the Royal Yacht Squadron decided not to send the yachts around the Island as originally planned and instead ensured they got in two terrific races in the Eastern Solent, racing for the YCM (Yacht Club de Monaco) Trophy. The first race took the fleet of three classic Big Class yachts, Eleonora, 49.5m LOA (160ft), Mariette, 42.06m (138ft) and Mariquita, 38.1m (125ft) from the RYS line to the east to Warner, past the Forts at Seaview, back up the central Solent to South Bramble, to Gurnard and finishing on the RYS line to the delight of the mass of spectators at Princes Green and on Cowes Parade. The 28nm race was won by Mariette, followed by Mariquita with Eleonora in third place. Conditions were beginning to freshen and it was a very successful race. Thursday afternoon's racing had the yachts heading east once again to the mark at Mother Bank, thence to East Bramble followed by a long run to West Lepe, and back up the Western Solent to the finish at the RYS. Conditions were deteriorating as the wind increased from the south-east, strengthening to 20-25 knots, not damaging but perhaps a little hard on some of the older yachts and indeed Mariquita decided to call it a day and returned home to base before even starting this afternoon's race. Looking ahead to Friday, there is a deepening depression tracking north from Biscay with a pressure prediction of 982Mbs which on its present rack could produce winds in excess of Force 5-7. There is some uncertainty as to the exact track it is going to take and a decision will be taken at 0830 on Friday as to whether racing is going to be possible on Friday. Overall results after 3 races: Telefonica Hopes of Victory Dashed by Further Rudder Problem At 0300 UTC Iker Martínez's crew were limping towards Lorient in fifth place almost 50 nautical miles behind the leaders Groupama, who are on course for a triumphant return to their home port as overall race leaders. Late on Thursday, Telefonica had held a one-mile lead over Groupama after making their gybe towards France. That looked likely to seal an incredible comeback after they had successfully managed to fit a replacement after breaking their starboard rudder in winds of 25 knots. However, during that gybe they suffered damage to the port rudder as well, effectively ending their leg hopes. "The situation on board is normal," said Martínez. "But we have to take a lot of care because we only have one rudder and that is damaged." Standings at 0441 UTC Friday: 1. Groupama, 160.4 nm to leg finish Audi Closes The Gap
While Felix Riedl's TP 52 Aquila still leads Class A by one point over FYC Slovakia's J/V 42 Quebramar, it was a class win today by Jani Lahti's GS 42R Audi that closed the points gap among the leaders and made them all tied in contention for the trophy awarded to the boat that wins most races regardless of overall results. Each of these three teams has won 2 out of 6 races, so it's likely all will have a place on the podium, with the only uncertainty being who will be in which place. In conditions that would normally favored their powerful TP52 design to take the win, Aquila with Christian Bayer on helm had to take penalty turn after a port and starboard incident at the start. This was a costly mistake in the light air, yet the Austrian team was still able to climb back to take 2nd, only 10 seconds from the winning time. Quebramar made a different error, having chosen the unfavored right side of the course on their first beat, which caused them to finish in a discardable 6th place. Today's third place for Fly 4 with Tina Matulji on the helm made them progress to 4th place overall as the best Croatian boat. Unlike Class A, there is no doubt who will win the trophy as the winner of the most races in Class B. Inna Vaclavova's M37 Escandalo with Jiri Liska on helm won yet another race in this class by a substantial margin. After discarding one 2nd place earned in Race 2, the Czech team now has a perfect score of straight firsts. Looking at the trend in the results, it looks likely for them to maintain at least a 4 point advantage over Sandro Fabbro's X-332 Dieci x Dieci in second place, while the Italian team on the Dufour 40E Isla Bonita 2 continues the fight for the 3rd place with Richard Schultz's Slovakian Beneteau 40.7 Sixtynine. Three more races are planned in the next two days, with a promising weather forecast for each day. www.scor.hr/regate/2012e/orcmc.htm A Very Different Day In Dartmouth
Spaniard Jose Maria van der Ploeg is still leading the championship in NILFISK on 57 points but Rayco Tabares of the Canary Islands who won the J/80 World Championship in 2010 has pushed through to second place just 5 points behind in Hotel Princessa Yaiza. Eric Brezellec of France, who won Spi Ouest Regatta at Easter, is in third place sailing Interface Concept 1 with 71 points. The next two boats at the end of Day Three are both Brits: Kevin Sproul is fourth in J.A.T with 73 points and the Rob Larke and his team on board J2X sit in fifth with 83 points. The two final races of The MIQ Logistics 2012 J/80 World Championship Powered by SLAM are scheduled to take place on Friday 15th June. The Principal Race Officer and all of the competitors taking part are mindful of the heavy winds which have been forecast but one thing is not in question: the new J/80 World Champion will be crowned on Friday night at a Closing Ceremony and Prizegiving Dinner which will take place at the stunning and auspicious Britannia Royal Naval College. Italy Leads Audi Sardinia Cup
Alegre, with New Zealander Chris Main on tactics, therefore leads the provisional classification for the Soto 40 class - in this second leg of their European Championship - ahead of Black Pearl and Bigamist. Doug DeVos' Quantum Racing, skippered by Ed Baird, also took two bullets to dominate the fleet of TP52 and IRC52 yachts - with points also valid for the 52 Super Series - ahead of Azzurra, with Francesco Bruni on tactics, and Tony Langley's Gladiator in third. Both of today's windward-leewards were held in light breezes of approximately 6 to 8 knots which rotated from 10° at the start of race one to 085° by the early afternoon and the start of race two. Race one for the TP52s saw Quantum trailed by Gladiator and Azzurra. Meanwhile among the Soto 40s Alegre made an impressive recovery after being over early on the first start to win ahead of Bigamist and Iberdrola. Racing is scheduled to continue tomorrow, 15th June at 12 midday. Sirocco winds of approximately 8 knots are forecast. Provisional Team Results Provisional Soto 40 Results Provisional TP52 Results www.yccs.com HPR Announces Ownership by Offshore Racing Association
ORA's role becomes similar to what it does for the Offshore Rating Rule (ORR), which is used in the major offshore races in the US: act as an entity that gives rule and policy guidance through existing HPR technical committees, form a new HPR steering committee (the HPR Advisory Board), and manage relations with selected international authorities for its role as a rule administrator and licensor. Currently US Sailing and the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC) are the first rating authorities to be licensed to govern administration of the rule. For ORA the adoption of HPR means extending their reach more towards the Grand Prix level of the offshore racing fleet. Typical HPR-inspired designs include Stephen Murray Jr.'s Carkeek HPR 40 Decision, now poised to do the Newport-Bermuda Race, and its just-launched sistership based in Michigan, Bill McKinley's Denali 2. Other typical HPR designs include GP 26's, MC 38's, Farr 400's, GP 42's, TP 52's, and other high-tech modern offshore-capable designs that seek fair racing among like-type boats. These boats have seen increasing popularity in the US and abroad, and HPR scoring will soon be offered at many major US events. IRC UK National Championship
The sizeable fleet boasts close to 20 yachts that are past or present competitors for the Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup. IRC One has produced one of the most impressive fleets for many years. Piet Vroon's Ker 46, Tonnerre de Breskens, should be the fastest boat around the track but there will be four Ker 40s nipping at the Dutch flyer's heels. Nigel Passmore's Apollo will be highly motivated to take a national title back to Plymouth. Whilst Andrew Pearce's Magnum III and Harmen de Graaf's Baraka GP will be racing each other for the first time, prior to representing Benelux and Great Britain in the Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup. However, the depth of talent in this class is quite remarkable, including some notable proven winners: Anthony O'Leary's Ker 39, Antix, Michael Bartholomew's King 40, Tokoloshe, Andrew Williams' Mills 39, Dignity, and RORC Commodore, Mike Greville's Ker 39, Erivale III. In IRC Two the UNCL President, Marc de Saint Denis, will be racing MC34 Courrier Vintage in good company. Kirsty and David Apthorp's J/111 J-Dream came within a whisker of winning Spi Ouest this Easter and Nicolas Gaumont-Prat's First 40.7, Philosophie IV, and Jim Macgregor's Elan 410, Premier Flair, will both be representing Great Britain in next month's Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup. Philosophie IV was runner up in IRC Two last year and will be looking to go one better in 2012. In IRC Three, Mike Bridges' Elan 37, Elaine, is back to defend their title but the class also boasts two teams representing Britain in the Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup: Peter Morton's Corby 33, Salvo, and the British Keelboat Academy's J/109, Yeoman of Wight, will both be looking to impress. From overseas, Philippe Bourgeois' A35, Dunkerque Plaisance is in fine form, having won their class earlier this month at Normandy Sailing Week. In IRC Four, Nigel Biggs is a veteran of the championship and will be looking to come out on top with the beautifully prepared vintage Half Tonner, Checkmate XV. The small boat class also has a number of well-sailed modern bowsprit boats. ISAF World Match Race Rankings The Alpari World Match Racing Tour got underway in May with Match Race Germany starting the Tour followed by Korea Match Cup shortly after. The Petit Final and Final were cancelled due to lack of wind at Match Race Germany with the final results decided on count back. Phil Robertson (NZL) therefore took the honours to move up to World #5. Runner up, Laurie Jury (NZL) continues his climb up the rankings and moves to a person best of World #7. Less than one week later Bjorn Hansen (SWE) claimed a 3-2 victory over Ian Williams at the Korea Match Cup. The win catapults the Swede up to World #2 whilst Williams extends his advantage at the top of the tree. Women's Rankings By Anna Tunnicliffe's standards, she was off the pace at the start 2012 Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta, the sixth of seven ISAF Sailing World Cup Regattas. But after fighting hard all week she managed to salvage a third place finish thus sealing the Women's Match Racing ISAF Sailing World Cup title. The ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year has held top spot in the Women's Match Racing Rankings since September 2011 and with the Women's Match Racing Worlds in Gothenburg, Sweden on the horizon Tunnicliffe will be tough to topple ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition. Australia's Olivia Price is hitting the right note, at the right time after she defeated Claire Leroy (FRA) 2-1 in the Skandia Sail for Gold final. The Australian will be the youngest competitor in the Women's Match Racing Event at London 2012 but despite her youth she has a winning mentality. She has swiftly moved up the rankings in 2012 with a string of impressive results and has moved up to a person best of World #6. Top ten Open Rankings: 1. Ian Williams, GBR Top ten Women's Rankings: 1. Anna Tunnicliffe, USA Letters To The Editor - * From Rees Martin: After seeing these delightful little classic yachts in many countries, I have finally bought one. Tumlaren (plural; I gather...) have been enthused over by the likes of Uffa Fox and Adlard Coles. Their reputation as good sea boats seems to generate great reverence; the Australian fleet look sublime. Enough of this adulation. I am surprised that there is no current register. I think some 850 were built. I have several out of date listings but with a rallying call to owners we might generate a resurgence? Could Owners send me details; just boat name and contact email address. If there is a good response, I know a man who might set up a database. Let's include the larger Stor-Tumlaren as well. Featured Brokerage Very Nice Condition Brokerage through Parisi & Partners Srl.: www.yachtworld.com/parisibroker/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at uk.yachtworld.com The Last Word |
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