Scuttlebutt Europe #2685 - 26 September
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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 Gilmour Back To Business In France
Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing sits on top of the standings in Marseille after five straight wins put his team on the brink of qualification to the knockout stages. Whilst he retained an unbeaten start to the competition, it was the elements that Gilmour felt were the toughest opposition. Gilmour attributes his team’s good start to the decision to arrive in Marseille early in order to spend some extra time in the racing area. He said: “We came out here early and managed to get in two really good days of practice with Simone Ferrarese. I think that has become a huge advantage, getting comfortable in the boats and with these conditions so I’m really pleased we spent our time doing that. After the practice was cancelled yesterday, I think the extra time on the race area has really told.” The teams will be back on the water from 1000AM local time (GMT+2) tomorrow for the second day of Qualifying at Match Race France (24 - 29 September) in Marseille, the sixth stage of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour. Match Race France - Standings after Qualifying Session 1: Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 5-0 Foncia Strengthen Their Leadership After Race for Water and FONCIA finished second and third, Spindrift racing finished fourth and Groupe Edmond de Rothshcild ffith on Leg 4 The stage from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean proved the longest yet in terms of duration, with long periods becalmed, or close to it, especially for the later arrivals. In terms of the overall standings for the MOD70 European Tour, with 79% of the maximum available points now allocated, FONCIA saw their lead over Spindrift racing increase by a net two points to 8pts. The combined effect of winning the Cascais City Race series and then Leg 4 into Marseille this morning sees Musandam-Oman Sail up to third place overall - tied on points with Steve Ravussin’s Race for Water. Spindrift racing’s skipper Yann Guichard will have his ribs checked this afternoon after hurting them during last night. Success in the Marseille City Race series Friday and Saturday is essential to Spindrift racing. Guichard concluded: “The goal here is to get back to within four points of Foncia here, then whoever wins the last leg, to Genoa, wins the MOD70 European Tour.” The schedule this week: * The meeting point, sailing capital Sailors of all backgrounds and disciplines are congregating in Marseille. The Rade sud has been and will see a variety of different boats from J80’s to the MOD70’s in action over the coming days. As well as the J80’s which are the craft of choice for Match Race France, the French round of the Alpari World Match Race circuit, and the MOD70 European Tour there have been M34’s and Figaros here racing on the final weekend of the French offshore championship where Morgan Lagraviere won the solo division and Fabien Henry won the crewed M34 class. The Roucas Blanc venue that is shared with the MOD70’s this week has also attracted 12 tour card holders who are here to compete in the Match Race France, featuring teams from the UK, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, France and the recently crowned Spanish trio which won the Olympic gold in the Women’s Match Race which is skippered by Tamara Echegoyen. There are some interesting crossovers between the disciplines. Thierry Douillard did some of the European Tour with Spindrift racing but is now racing with Peter Gilmour. But the Roucas Blanc is also one of the key French Olympic training centres and so a whole bunch of the MOD70 crews have trained here including Franck Cammas, Sidney Gavignet, Jean-Francois Cuzon and Tanguy Cariou have all trained here at various stages in the their Olympic classes careers. Autumn Breeze
Once more, the weather took central stage in Cannes during the morning hours, with huge, grey and menacing clouds hovering over the city and the race village. But, as it happened yesterday, a heavy shower gave way to a bright sun, blue skies and a variable wind that took some time to set in onto the race course. The Race Committee thus opted for a rectangular coastal course with the first mark just off the Lerins Islands, a downwind tack to Theoule, a long reaching to Mandelieu to finish upwind close to the marina entrance. Shamrock V gets the first one Eight miles to cover, all sails up, a magnificent show: the big J Class designed by Charles E. Nicholson opened the party for the hundred boats participating to the 34th edition of the Regates Royales-Trophee in a light easterly/south-easterly of ten to twelve knots. Shamrock V finished in a bit more than 1 hour and twenty minutes, before Teewa 5 and the Tofinou 9.50 Speedbird both competing in the Spirit of Tradition division. Leonore, the Q-Class formerly Cotton Blossom II, leads in the Marconi over 15 metres class followed by two Olin Stephens' designed yachts, Skylark et Manitou, while Mariquita won among the Big Boats crossing the line a mere two minutes after the gigantic J Class Cambria… Cholita finished in first with an almost 15 minutes lead on her adversaries, the marconi less than 15 metres long class. The fight was closer among the Vintage yachts where White Dolphin won, followed by Italian Navy's Stella Polare. Avel confirmed his leading role among the Gaffs, despite Kelpie's and Nan of Fife's brilliant performance. Tomorrow's racing is expected to be tricky as the weather forecast speaks of heavy rainstorms and, as a consequence, very variable and shifty airs. One boat a day... She's debuting at the Regates Royales-Trophee Panerai 2012. Skylark is an Olin Stephens's design dating back to 1937, built in the same year John F. Kennedy launched Manitou, also known as “the floating White House” that he owned until 1955. Skylark, tough, is a 53 footer (16,20 metres), 12 feet wide (3,70 metres) while the US President's yawl measured 62 feet (18,50 metres). Built by shipyard Pendleton Yard in Maine, the boat is drawing number 146 by Sparkman & Stephens and was inspired by Stormy Wheather (1934 - drawing number 27) and Manitou (1936 - number 99) that opened the way to the following series of fast cruising yawls signed by the renowned American architects like Comet (1940 - design number 522) or Argyll (1948 - number 628). Owned by Tara Getty, Skylark displacement is 20,741 kg, her sail area is 184m2 and in Cammes she will be battling against her “compatriots” Manitou et Argyll. The Rise of British Olympic Sailing Starting as a competitive sailor, he coached at the National Sailing Centre in Cowes, Isle of Wight back in 1980, and then saw what is now the most successful Olympic sailing nation of the past decade evolve into a juggernaut, which is widely perceived as the model for other aspiring nations. In this indepth interview he explains the thinking and lessons behind the rise and rise of British Olympic sailing, gives insights as to what it takes to win in the Olympic environment. Yes, talent is important but attitude even more so. Rod Carr talks about his time as RYA Olympic Manager and the changes to the programme... the video at www.yachtingworld.com Double-Handed Crew Rescued In Indian Ocean The yacht, which was sailing with the World ARC rally from Indonesia to the Australian Cocos (Keeling) Islands, struck a submerged object approximately 40nm ENE of the Cocos (Keeling) group at around midnight UT today. The collision damaged the rudder of the US flagged Sweden Yacht 45, causing significant water ingress. A PAN-PAN call was picked up by other World ARC yachts in the area, and yachts J'Sea, Spirit of Alcides and Umineko were standing by Ciao just after 0100UT. At 0430UT Srecko reported that the water inside the boat was now over the level of the floorboards and at 0445UT the tow line was dropped with Sreco and Olga still on board Ciao and the expectation that they would abandon to a dinghy or liferaft at the last moment. Sadly Ciao could not be saved and when the foredeck touched the water, Srecko and Olga evacuated from their yacht and transferred safely to Spirit of Alcides. All yachts involved in assisting Ciao are now making their way to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, where they are expected to arrive later today. World ARC rally control in Cocos Keeling were able to inform the Australian Coastguard (RCC Canberra) via the Cocos Keeling police post soon after the PAN-PAN alert was issued, passing on details of the yacht's position relayed by the Yellowbrick Iridium tracking devices carried by each rally yacht. The intra-yacht SSB radio net also enabled swift communication between all rally boats on the passage. www.worldcruising.com/WORLDARC2012/index.aspx Nord Stream Race Starting in Saint-Petersburg, Russia on Thursday 18 October, the Swan 60s will race directly to Helsinki, Finland. Helsinki will then host the fleet for three days, 19-21 October, with a Match Racing Regatta scheduled for Saturday 20 October followed by an Open Day on Sunday 21 October for the general public, media and guests to view the yachts. Monday 22 October will see the fleet depart to Gotland, Sweden and then onto Greifswald, Germany with the race scheduled to end on Saturday 27 October. The boats are made up of five teams: Team Europe, Team France, Team Germany, Team Holland and Team Russia. Participants from more than fifteen European countries will take part in the race and the International Jury is comprised with members from Great Britain, Denmark, Poland, Estonia, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Germany. With 1400 kilometres of water to navigate, equating to 750 nautical miles, teams will negotiate a radical new route through Russia, Finland, Sweden and Germany following the route of the Nord Stream pipeline across the Baltic Sea, from which it takes its name. The Yacht Club of Saint-Petersburg has called it ‘The Nord Stream Race’ in order to underline the long distance, the international character and the high level of complexity and technical challenge of the event. The Nord Stream Race will be an annual yacht race commencing this coming October 18th in Russia and finishing 10 days later in Germany on October 27th. The 2012 edition is an invitation only event with boats built by Nautor’s Swan, one of the leading brands in the luxury sailing-yacht market and based in Pietarsaari, Finland. Entries will be one design allowing for tight fleet racing with the focus remaining on the abilities of the sailors on the water rather than a race for technical development on the shore. www.facebook.com/nordstreamrace Spinnaker Tales As a youngster his personal dedication and powerful physique allowed him to break down the barriers but he still needed to gain the important time with learning the ropes afloat. More importantly he needed exposure to experience the best possible advice to develop his raw talent to become capable of fulfilling his personal ambition. His super competitive nature was focused on a career of racing at the International level a goal he achieved when he crewed with the supremely talented Colin Beashel in the Star Class at the 1988 Olympics. Sixteen years after finishing 7th at the Seoul Olympic regatta Greg Torpy played a major role when Peter McNeill beat the best in the class including American Dennis Conner to claim a deserved Gold Medal in the World Etchells championships hosted by the Mooloolaba Yacht Club. He has always been a strong believer of making the most of the opportunities which came his way. Last weekend he accepted a role to steer the Kevin Miller owned Farr 40 Keel Train in the XXXX Gold IRC class championship on Moreton Bay. The equally passionate Kevin Miller a past Commodore of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron who has the career distinction of surviving the tragic storm to finish fourth in the 1998 Sydney Hobart Race with Industrial Quest has identified the need to create opportunities for young sailors. Kevin Miller acquired the fully rigged Farr 40 One-design ocean racer in a ‘boat swap’ with prominent Sydney yachtsman Matt Allen. “I had a lovely Palm Beach motor cruiser which was surplus to our needs and Matt Allen had the Farr 40 so we came to a satisfactory transaction, he now has a nice motor cruiser while I have a competitive ocean racing yacht “. Kevin Miller said. The former Ichi Ban re-christened Keel Train racing with skipper Greg Torpy and a young crew gained valuable experience and while they were outpaced by the more experienced and older crews gained a rewarding third place in race three to finish seventh overall. Howard Lambourne’s Farr 40 Skreenkraft Lambourdini steered by his son David won the series from Black Jack Too (Vaughan Prentice) and Jessandra Too (Michael Spies). This result was an impressive performance by the Skreenkraft Lambourdini crew who showed consistent speed in the varied range of light to moderate winds to finish with the consistent best four races to count score of 2-3-1-2 for a comfortable 6 point victory over Black Jack Too 1-6-2-5 and Jessandra Too 4-6-2-3. -- Ian Grant ISAF Guide to Offshore Personal Safety for Racing and Cruising The ISAF Guide to Offshore Personal Safety for Racing and Cruising will provide essential reading for sailors undertaking the ISAF Offshore Personal Survival Course, which equips them with the knowledge to be safe at sea and prevent and deal with emergencies. The handbook provides important information to accompany the course. ISAF Technical co-ordinator Henry Thorpe said, “ISAF are fully committed to increasing safety at sea. This book is packed with valuable information and years of experience from both cruising and racing sailors alike. It offers reasoned recommended levels of safety equipment and training for oceanic and offshore sailing. ISAF see this as another step to increasing safety awareness alongside the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations.” To purchase your copy of the ISAF Guide to Offshore Personal Safety for Racing and Cruising for £13 see www.sailing.org/about/merchandise/index.php ISAF Member National Authorities are offered a discount on this price. MNAs interested in obtaining a license to produce this book should contact the ISAF Secretariat at for more information about the opportunities available to them. ISAF MNAs interested in obtaining a license to produce this book should contact the ISAF Secretariat for more information about the opportunities available to them. Other ISAF Training Publications available are the Coaching Fundamentals and Personal Logbook, more information is available at www.sailing.org/training/resources/index.php New Zealand Youth America’s Cup Team - Are You Eligible? Yachting New Zealand wants to hear from eligible sailors keen to be part of the New Zealand Team. National teams with a crew of six, who must comply with age parameters as well as a combined crew weight restriction, will sail the AC45 wing-sailed catamarans currently raced by teams competing in the Americas Cup World Series. Those teams will supply AC45 boats for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup eliminating the need for the youth teams entering to build or supply their own boat. A four day event is planned for 1st - 6th September 2013 with two short course 30 minute fleet races in the schedule. To be eligible to sail for New Zealand at the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup 2013 you must…. - Be at least 19 years of age on December 31, 2013 and under 25 years of age on December 31, 2013. Sailors who are eligible and interested should email an expression of interest to Yachting New Zealand. Please include: - Your full name and date of birth Send the above by email to by Friday 26th October 2012. Featured Brokerage Jewel is an exceptional custom built aluminum Van de Stadt 67' sloop. This vessel combines luxurious accommodations with a raised saloon, inside helm position, and Southern Spars three spreader 105' mast for high performance sailing. Jewel has just completed an exterior paint job, recaulked decks, new sails, new rod rigging, and is ready to go cruising or racing with global capability. Brokerage through Jordan Yacht and Ship Co.: www.yachtworld.com/jordanyacht/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at The Last Word |
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