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ACWS San Francisco Day 1
The three matches of the qualifying round for the ACWS San Francisco Match Racing Championship have all concluded with scores of 2-0: Luna Rossa Swordfish defeated China Team, Luna Rossa Piranha defeated Artemis Racing Red and J.P. Morgan BAR defeated Team Korea.

The final match was easily the most entertaining of the three. It pitted Olympic gold medalists Ben Ainslie (BAR) against Nathan Outteridge (Team Korea). BAR posted a come-from-behind win in both matches to win by 13 and 29 seconds.

The winners move onto the quarterfinal round. The matches include: Luna Rossa Swordfish vs. Artemis Racing White, Luna Rossa Piranha vs. ORACLE TEAM USA SPITHILL AND J.P. Morgan BAR vs. Emirates Team New Zealand. The fourth quarterfinal match is between ORACLE TEAM USA COUTTS and Energy Team.

The first two, one race matches will be sailed tomorrow and the second two matches, also one race affairs, on Friday.

Racing resumes tomorrow with a warning signal scheduled for 2:00 pm PDT.

www.americascup.com

Zhik Nautica Moth Worlds
Campione del Garda: Only the dying breeze at the end of the afternoon could stop Scott Babbage today. The Australian sailor has now a solid grasp on the overall lead, nine points ahead of second- placed Anthony Kotoun from the British Virgin Island. Kotoun might call himself a "rookie" with "many hurdles to overcome" but he proved to be a master of the light to moderate Ora, the afternoon breeze on Lake Garda. Feeling comfortable in these conditions, Kotoun pushed Joshua McKnight down to third overall. The top-five is now completed by Bora Gulari and Joe Turner that started finding their form.

Although Thursday was initially scheduled to be a lay day, the race committee will try to hold two more qualification races starting at 2pm local time. Once again, the weather forecast is quite similar to what we have seen so far and as a result the Moths will have to fly in a light to moderate Ora breeze.

Top 10 results after 7 races (1 discard) Merged results from the two fleets (Blue and Yellow)

1. Scott Babbage (AUS), 1+1+1+1+1+1+(11)=6 points
2. Anthony Kotoun (ISV), 3+3+2+(11)+2+2+3=15
3. Joshua McKnight (AUS), 6+1+1+2+4+3+(12)=17
4. Bora Gulari (USA), 2+2+7+(14)+4+4+3=22
5. Joe Turner (AUS), (9)+9+2+3+3+5+1=23
6. Chris Rashley (GBR), 4+(7)+4+4+2+5+7=26
7. Julian Salter (AUS), 7+4+3+7+(12)+1+8=30
8. Andrew McDougall (AUS), 2+8+5+7+(21)+2+6=30
9. Rob Gough (AUS), 5+3+(17)+1+11+7+5=32
10. Jason Paul Belben (GBR), (60 DNF)+10+6+3+3+10+2=34

www.mothworlds.org

Volvo Sail For Gold Game
Sail for Gold Game Try and beat the most successful Olympic sailor ever, Ben Ainslie this summer on the RYA Volvo Sail for Gold game

Compete against top British sailing talent this summer from the comfort of your living room on the RYA Volvo Sail for Gold game.

Online sailors can test their skills by racing against some of the World's very best sailors including four times Olympic gold medallist, Ben Ainslie and silver medallists 'Team Patience Bithell', Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell and the '470 Girls', Saskia Clark and Hannah Mills.

Sailors can transfer their talent of one of Britain's most successful sports into the virtual world by using touchscreen gestures to gybe, tack and sail around a world championship course whilst collecting bonus stars to increase their scores.

Aimed at both sailors and non-sailors alike, players will gain a basic understanding in the sport whilst trying to top the global leaderboard.

www.sailforgoldgame.com Search for 'Sail for Gold game' in the App store

All-Women's Team First to Enter 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race
The Volvo Ocean Race will feature an all-female team for the first time since 2001-02 after global hygiene and forest company SCA announced they would enter a women's crew for the next edition in 2014-15.

The team, which will sail with an international crew, are the first to announce an entry for what will be the 12th edition of the race, starting from Alicante in the second half of 2014.

The all-female challengers are the first team to confirm an order for the new 65-foot one-design boat, details of which were announced by the race in June.

The new high-performance boat is being built by a consortium of boatyards in the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland and Italy and will make it significantly cheaper for teams to mount a competitive campaign.

The Volvo Ocean Race will ensure a minimum of eight boats are built, with the goal of getting between eight and 10 teams on the start line for the 12th edition of the race. The first of the boats will be finished in mid-2013.

The new design puts less of a premium on physical strength, and means all-female teams should be competitive in the race, which is one of sailing's Big Three events along with the America's Cup and the Olympics.

Under race rules, all-female teams will be able to race with two extra crewmembers.

Richard Brisius, who competed in two editions of sailing's toughest challenge, will manage the team for Atlant Ocean Racing, who have two previous Volvo Ocean Race victories behind them with EF Language in 1998 and Ericsson Racing Team in 2009.

SCA is a global hygiene and forest company that develops and produces personal care products, tissue, publication papers and solid-wood products. Sales are conducted in some 100 countries. SCA global.

Brands include TENA and Tork. The company has approximately 37,000 employees and sales in 2011 amounted to SEK 106 billion (EUR 11.7 billion). More information at www.sca.com

volvooceanrace.org

ISAF World Match Race Rankings
There is no change at the top of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings with 2011 World Champion Ian Williams (GBR) holding firm at the #1 position in the open rankings and Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) staying put at the top of the women's rankings.

Women's Rankings

There are only two events counting points towards the women's rankings, the 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition and the ISAF Grade 1 Lysekil Women's Match. Despite disappointment at not reaching the finals, Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) and Lucy MacGregor (GBR) hold on to the top two places.

Olympic bronze medallist and 2012 World Champion, Silja Lehtinen (FIN) moves up to her best ever position of #3, just 30 points behind MacGregror. Making way for Lehtinen is Claire Leroy (FRA) who slips down to #4 whilst Olympic silver medallist Olivia Price (AUS) moves up to a career best at #5.

Tamara Echegoyen (ESP), who defeated Price in a thrilling final to win the first ever women's match racing Olympic gold medal, moves up two places to #6.

Away from the Olympic Games, the Lysekil Women's Match saw nine teams battle it out in Sweden. Camilla Ulrikkeholm (SWE) took the title and with it climbs three places to #9. Second place in Lysekil went to Alexa Bezel (SUI) at her first ISAF Grade 1 event and she subsequently moves up six places to #30. Mandy Mulder (NED) who missed out on Olympic selection to Renee Groeneveld took third place in Lysekil and moves up three places to #11.

Open Rankings

The top five of the open rankings have not changed since the last rankings release with Bjorn Hansen (SWE), Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA), Phil Robertson (NZL) and Keith Swinton (AUS) occupying #2 to #4. Knocking on the door is Laurie Jury (NZL) who moves up one place to #6 following his second place finish at the ISAF Grade 1 Sopot Match Race in Poland.

Another climber is Taylor Canfield (ISV) who took the win at the CMRC Grade 2 Invitational in Chicago last week. Canfield moves up from #15 to his highest ever ranking of #11.

At the ISAF Grade 2 Polish Match Tour Act 4, Szczecin Math Race, Rafal Sawicki (POL) took the win and in doing so moves up 14 places to #26. The highest climber in the top 50 is Japan's Watura Sakamoto who continues his rapid rise, leaping 113 places to #50.

Top Ten - Open

1. Ian Williams, GBR
2. Bjorn Hansen, SWE
3. Pierre-Antoine Morvan, FRA
4. Philip Robertson, NZL
5. Keith Swinton, AUS
6. Laurie Jury, NZL
7. Johnie Berntsson, SWE
8. Torvar Mirsky, AUS
9. WIlliam Tiller, NZL
10. Mads Ebler, DEN

Top Ten - Women

1. Anna Tunnicliffe, USA
2. Lucy Macgregor, GBR
3. Silja Lehtinen, FIN
4. Claire Leroy, FRA
5. Olivia Price, AUS
6. Tamara Echegoyen, ESP
7. Sally Barkow, USA
8. Ekaterina Skudina, RUS
9. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN
10. Genevieve Tulloch, USA

www.sailing.org/mrorankings

St. Moritz Match Race
Photo by Loris von Siebenthal / St. Moritz Match Race. Click on image to enlarge.

St. Moritz Match Race Switzerland's premier professional sailing competition will be held from 28 August to 2 September 2012 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. It will bring together the world's leading match race teams, including six of the top ten and the two best teams in Switzerland, those of Eric Monnin and Jerome Clerc.

St. Moritz, 22 August 2012 - St. Moritz Match Race, the premier professional sailing event in Switzerland is the fifth stage of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour. The event will celebrate its tenth edition from August 28 to September 2, 2012 and the winner will be crowned "King of the Mountain".

Leading international sailors will take part, including Ian Williams (UK), reigning world champion, Björn Hansen (SWE) and Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA), who are currently co-leading the world rankings, and a host of specialists from the Southern Hemisphere, led by veteran Peter Gilmour. There are also four crews from New Zealand, including Phil Robertson, Laurie Jury, Keith Swinton and Josh Junior, as well as French skipper Mathieu Richard, winner in 2008 and 2010.

Switzerland's top two teams will compete against the world's best and try to shake the hierarchy. Eric Monnin's Okalys-Corum Team hasen't missed a single edition of the event yet, whilst Jerome Clerc and his "Geneva Traing Centre" qualified last weekend by winning the Swiss Championships in Romanshorn.

In recent years, the Swiss crews have struggled to compete against the world's best. Eric Monnin, the best Swiss skipper, finished tenth in the past three years, while Jerome Clerc ranked twelfth in 2010 and 2011.

www.stmoritz-matchrace.ch
www.wmrt.com

Wight Vodka RS Elite UK National Championship
The most competitive event so far for the RS Elite Class starts next week and it will be exceptional in many ways.

Hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes with the forty boat fleet moored in their harbour next to the Castle, the setting could hardly be better. This alone would make the occasion stand out for many sailors who've read in awe about the Club and the prestigious regattas they've hosted through their illustrious history.

Then add the racing expected at the RS Elite Nationals. Competition is always tight and the biggest ever fleet of these one-design keelboats will only make it closer. Five past Elite Champions have entered, a number of other Elite owners who've held National titles in other classes and virtually every RS Elite class Cowes Week, Scottish Series and Irish Nationals winner will also be on the start line! It's hard to know where to start trying to pick favourites for the 2012 title.

Jono Brown in Aeolus from Burnham is the defending champion - Simon Brien in Kin from Northern Ireland recently won the Dragon Edinburgh Cup in his other boat - Crauford McKeon in Kandoo III from Lymington dominated at the previous biggest Elite championship in 2010 - Shaun McClean in Elixir from Scotland won in 2009 and was runner-up last year.... The list goes on... It will take tactical consistency and the best boat set-up to produce what it takes to win in all conditions for this one.

And there is another factor - RS Elite sailors enjoy the craic and there is a fantastic social programme throughout the regatta. Add sponsorship by the superb Wight Vodka, inevitable rounds of wonderfully drinkable cocktails and their slogan of "tack and gybe responsibly" will be highly salient! The social side of the event means everyone will have a good time no matter what the outcomes on the water.

www.RSElite.org
www.RSsailing.com

Newport Sunshine Welcomes the 2012 Bucket Regatta Fleet
Newport, Rhode Island, USA: The Newport Shipyard is buzzing as captains and crews prepare their yachts for the tenth edition of the Newport Bucket. Classic and contemporary superyachts are gathering for a weekend of racing and socializing.

Racing begins Saturday August 25 in the beautiful waters of Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound.

Seventeen yachts ranging in size from 72 to 156 feet will compete in three classes: Les Gazelles des Mers, Les Grandes dames des Mers, and Les Mademoiselles des Mers. Daily and series class trophies will be awarded with overall honors going to the top three yachts in the combined fleet. In addition to the coveted perpetual "Bucket" trophy, the overall winners will receive beautiful custom inscribed Chelsea Clock trophies.

Racing in her first Newport Bucket is the beautiful148 foot sloop Lady B. The Vitters Shipyard built, Dubois design, captured second overall and class honors at the St Barths Bucket last March.

A Bucket hallmark is the focus on the friendly competition and fun socializing on shore. The "Spirit of the Bucket" is unique and time-honored with a storied 26 year history. The nightly parties begin at the Newport Shipyard with a welcoming party that honors The ALLY Foundation www.allyfoundation.org

To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Bucket Regattas the Bucket committee commissioned a beautiful coffee table book highlighting the Regattas' evolution. The Bucket Book is illustrated with dynamic photography photos of the various regattas in Nantucket, Newport and St Barths taken over the years. Included also are memories and anecdotes from those involved - organizers, sponsors, owners, guests, crew, and spectators. For more information and to place your order bucketregattas.com/25thbook.html

www.bucketregattas.com

Trans Tasman 'Grudge Match'
The long awaited clash to decide the fastest ocean racing yacht in the Southern Hemisphere reached an interesting stage during the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week yesterday.

New Zealand's Team Vodafone the first of the exciting ORMA 60 trimarans to sail at Hamilton Island in 2011 presently holds the title which faced a serious match race from during yesterdays 64 n/ml Club Marine trophy race.

They started almost together and raced in hotly contested sea space on the long slog into the 15-18 knot trade wind until there was a sail drama on Team Australia.

Her expensive mainsail started to delaminate during the final stages of the windward beat which forced skipper Sean Langman to nurse the speed sailing Team Australia through the fresh wind gusts.

However when spinnakers were set for the exciting run home they only had the thought of engaging their equally impressive New Zealand rivals in a boat on boat match race.

Both crews recorded a peak speed of 33 knots as they entered into a spirited match race at times sailing close to infringing the fair sailing rule.

"While we sail for the thrill of the sport there are no real prizes for coming second in match racing" Sean Langman said.

They were facing that outcome when Team Vodafone entered Dent Passage with a 100 m lead and a short sprint to the finish off the Hamilton Island Yacht Club

But the race was far from over when the Team Australia executed a relentless attack on Team Vodafone to finally edge clear on the final gybe to snatch a 21 second win.

However while Team Australia won the race on the water the result remains provisional until a rule breach protest is resolved by the international jury. -- Ian Grant

Short Tacks
Olympics and all the top sailing action and news in the August 17th episode of "World on Water"which, as always, you can watch at: www.boatson.tv:

# 1 - 2012 London Olympic Sailing Laser, 49ers, 470 Men
# 2 - 2012 Farr30 World Championships
# 3 - "Fresh to Frightening" featuring a tribute to British UIM Class One powerboat racer William Nocker who was tragically killed last month
# 4 - 2012 London Olympics Women's Match Racing Medal Race
# 5 - 2012 Kite Slalom Europeans
# 6 - 2012 Panerai British Classic Week

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Bruno Sroka has broken the Channel Crossing Record of Manu Bertin on May 17, 2012, by sailing 186 km across the English Channel in exactly 5 hours.

Here is a highlight video of the crossing for your information and entertainment.

internationalkiteboarding.org

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They days are getting closer for the biggest Student Yachting event. The Student Yachting World Cup will be hosted in La Rochelle, France from 27 of October to the 3rd of November.

More than 150 students from 15 Universities all around the world will be there to claim the title. USA, China, France, Great Britain are just some of the many countries taking part.

The SYWoC is organised by students for students to provide the best experience in very high-level student sailing. The 2012 SYWoC team is thus happy to invite you to one of the best international events in student sports for a week you will never forget!

Here you can see the promo video prepared for the event : bit.ly/O4LEIj

More info for the race can be found at the official website www.sywoc.org/content/presentation

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l'Hydroptere DCNS the fastest sailboat on the planet that made it to Californian shores back in July arrived in San Francisco last night. Deprived of a favourable weather window over the short term for her bid to break the Transpacific record (Los Angeles - Honolulu), Alain Thebault's crew left its base in Long Beach to continue its training in the legendary San Francisco Bay. An opportunity for the flying trimaran, accompanied by its title-sponsor DCNS, to cross tacks with the famous AC45s, which will be racing in the bay throughout the week, as well as presenting its technology at the heart of Silicon Valley.

l'Hydroptere DCNS will be visible to the public around the fringes of the AC World Series. The programme detailing time out on the water and events on shore will be communicated over the course of the week. The training programme and the various imperatives linked to the Transpacific record attempt remain the crew's priority however.

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Charles Schwab today announced a sponsorship of the 34th America's Cup, becoming the official investment firm for the America's Cup World Series events in San Francisco and the Louis Vuitton Cup, America's Cup Challenger Series, and America's Cup Finals in 2013.

"Investing and sailing require a similar mindset, including the need to have a strategic plan and the discipline to keep focused on the future," said Laurine Garrity, chief marketing officer with Charles Schwab. "We are excited to be part of this prestigious event in our hometown, and look forward to hosting the America's Cup competitors and fans over the next year."

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Boat International Media and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda are pleased to confirm that the third edition of the Caribbean Superyacht Regatta & Rendezvous will take place March 20 - 23, 2013 at the YCCS Virgin Gorda.

Racing conditions in the idyllic British Virgin Islands are some of the very best in the world and the event is fast becoming an important fixture on the Caribbean superyacht racing circuit, conveniently scheduled just prior to the St Barths Bucket.

A diverse fleet of sailing yachts includes the 115ft F-Class Firefly, Huisman's 156ft Hyperion, Fitzroy's 122ft Moonbird and 147ft Salperton, 125ft P2 by Perini Navi and 100ft Indio from Wally Yachts.

Motor yachts joining the Rendezvous include Feadship's 223ft Lady Christine, 130ft Resolute by Westport Yachts and Burger's 110ft Chanticleer.

www.superyachtregattaandrendezvous.com

Letters To The Editor -
Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From Chris McLaughlin: What a disaster for fairness Olympic land-based spectating was.

ISAF made a dreadful error in trying to make sailing a land-based spectator sport. The format compromised results and robbed UK of at least one and possibly two gold medals ( Star and Women's 470).

The medal race itself comprises a shrunken fleet and double points. It is a parody of a final days race, set to a TV viewing timetable, for a global TV audience that doesn't exist.

To locate it so far inshore under the tidal Nothe Hillside, added bias and uncertainty for competitors who have worked up to eight years for their chance. And for what? The few thousand picnicing spectators could have seen a better race on big screens.

Olympic racing should be offshore , on a fair course, with spectators able to view from large and small vessels in designated areas and with TV feed available to lap top , smart phone and big screen throughout. It works for the Volvo in-port races and it works for the America's Cup.

Let's make sure it works for Rio.

Featured Brokerage
Featured Brokerage Boat 1990 French Yacht Design Academy Orion 39. GBP 49,500. Located In Gibraltar.

ORION is one of a pair of very special yachts, designed by AN Michel who is famous in France and president of the French Yacht Design Academy. As far as can be ascertained, he built two of these yachts: one for himself and another for his son. Launched in 1990, ORION sailed around the world and was then used for sail training and made several transatlantic crossings before being purchased by the present owner.

Orion was lifted for cleaning in January 2009 following the oil spill in Gibraltar bay. A Lloyds surveyor (Neil Wilkinson) was again asked to check the hull under the waterline while out, and all was well. Another full report was not deemed essential at the time, but can be obtained if necessary to avoid another lift for inspection.

Brokerage through Interyachting Ltd.: www.yachtworld.com/interyachting/

Complete listing details and seller contact information at
uk.yachtworld.com

The Last Word
Life isn't black and white. It's a million gray areas, don't you find? -- Ridley Scott

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