Brought to you by Boats.com Europe, Yachtworld.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 Star Worlds Marazzi/DeMaria and Alexander Schlonski and Frithjof Kleen (GER) made their gains during the second beat and Marazzi/DeMaria stepped into the lead. They extended during the remaining windward-leeward while Schlonski/Kleen mixed it up with Alan Adler and Guiherme Almeida (BRA), Andrew Campbell and Brad Nichol (USA) and Jojo Polgar and Markus Koy (GER). Schlonski/Kleen edged out Campbell/Nichol on the finish line to take second and third place, respectively. With today's eighth place finish, Johannes Babenderede and Timo Jacobs (GER) remain low point in the regatta. Two points back are Adler/Guiherme, who have shown consistency during the first two days of sailing. They followed yesterday's sixth place finish with a fifth today. Olympic Gold Medalists, Iain Percy and Andrew Bart Simpson (GBR) are two points behind Adler/de Almedia and are in third place overall with 13 points. Andrew Campbell and Brad Nichol (USA) moved into fourth place overall by passing boats on the final beat and pulling into third at the finish line. On a sad note, Marcoa Lagoa (BRA) was taken to the hospital after a shackle on a lifting bridle failed and the boat fell off of the hoist. Logoa's toes were injured and the boat was damaged. -- Lynn Fitzpatrick, www.worldregattas.com Results following Race 2 of the 2010 Star World Championship in Rio de Janeiro. 1. Johannes Babendererde /Timo Jacobs, GER, 9 points Complete results on the event site: Cork's Fate Decided The surveyors and salvage experts advise that the boat is now so weakened by the pounding she has taken on the reef, the collective view is that she would not survive being dragged off the shelf, made buoyant and then complete the 450 mile tow to Singapore. Even if this were possible, the extent of the damage means that she would be beyond economic repair. As such, Sir Robin said, "It is with very great sadness that we have to accept that Cork Clipper will remain on the reef as we lose her to the sea. This is the first loss Clipper has experienced in seven races and since the first race in 1996, more than two million miles of racing has been safely and successfully completed. Clipper accepts the surveyors' practical opinion and I'd like to thank all of those who have assisted in our rescue efforts over the last couple of days." Clipper Ventures has made racing berths available for the Cork crew when the nine boat fleet departs to Qingdao and then on to California. The company is also looking at options on providing a replacement boat so that the Cork colours can once again take to the sea in the later legs of the 09-10 race. Further announcements on this will be made in due course. Yachtworld Magazine Available in two formats: - Digital. Providing an electronic/digital version of the magazine that gives you additional powerful interactive features such as video clips, archiving, highlight notes etc - Print. For those of us who love and cherish the experience of a quality printed magazine, Yachtworld Magazine, delivered free of charge to your door, will be a magazine you will find essential for your buying or selling needs. Say You're Sorry Not so fast, said GGYC: I am formally asking your yacht club to retract immediately the comments made by representatives of your America's Cup defender Alinghi. My yacht club, BMW ORACLE Racing and our partners are owed an unreserved apology for the falsehoods set out by Brad Butterworth about the attempts to negotiate a mutual agreement in Singapore. Our side did not withdraw the offer to settle. The opposite was true. The final document was signed by Tom Ehman and Richard Slater on behalf of GGYC /BMW ORACLE Racing. The other signature belongs to David Kellett of the International Sailing Federation, acting as witness. Not withstanding the false statements made by Alinghi to the press, GGYC remains committed to resuming talks so that all the outstanding issues are cleared up before racing starts for the 33rd Match starts. From SNG: This responds to your letter dated January 15, 2009. None of us were in Singapore and we both have to rely on the reports we received from our teams. Your accusation against a highly respected sailor is without grounds and very unfair. GGYC's representatives clearly bear the substantial responsibility of the negotiations' failure. While Alinghi representatives were acting in good faith in Singapore, GGYC lawyers filed a factually and legally baseless motion with the New York Supreme Court on a topic (Constructed in Country) that was a subject of those negotiations. This GGYC court filing was the cause of the failure of the negotiation and is further evidence of GGYC's bad faith conduct. It is not the first time that your representatives show a lack of good faith. On November 9, 2009, your representatives took the opportunity of settlement talks at your lawyers' offices to serve the new breach of trustees law suit! SNG acknowledges your statement that GGYC would like to negotiate further, and we confirm that SNG would be prepared to do so provided that GGYC withdraws its baseless Constructed in Country motion. The America's Cup should be decided on the water not in the courts. And the final reparte tonight from GGYC: To set the record straight, of the three parties that drew-up the Singapore Agreement only SNG/Alinghi did not sign it. Since then, David Tillett, chairmain of the International Jury for the 33rd America's Cup and present at the meeting, has confirmed publicly that one side "balked" at signing the Singapore Agreement at the "11th hour." Your negotiators knew that we had delayed serving the "constructed-in-country" legal paperwork for a week pending the Singapore meeting. Moreover, after SNG/Alinghi refused to sign the deal that had been negotiated in Singapore on Tuesday, your representatives were advised Tuesday night that we would proceed with the CIC motion at 1000 Wednesday morning if SNG/Alinghi had not agreed by then to the deal negotiated on Tuesday, or something substantially similar. When SNG/Alinghi made no such agreement by 1000 Wednesday morning, we proceeded with the CIC motion. Thereafter, we note the talks continued with renewed vigor, and that soon your negotiators did agree a deal similar to Tuesday's. No doubt there were and are fully aware of the "constructed in country" problem your team faces. You will be aware that the Singapore Agreement included a provision that all legal actions by both sides - including Wednesday's CIC motion - would be droped. Be advised we will not rescind that motion unless and until your Club signs the Singapore Agreement. We hereby renew our commitment to Draft 8 of the Singapore Agreement, but this offer ends at 1900 CET tomorrow, Monday, January 17. * Editor: These two accounts are not reconcilable. One wonders if Brad Butterworth actually wrote that first letter slamming GGYC or if it was done in his name. Dubai to Host Louis Vuitton Trophy in November Four IACC Class yachts will be the focal point of the event which will firmly establish Dubai on the sport's map. It will be held at Mina Seyahi, the home of Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) next to the Palm Jumeirah, while Emirates Airline - a leading sponsor - will be flying in many of teams and their armies of support staff, as well as race officials and spectators from around the globe. As well as Emirates Team New Zealand - featuring sailing great Dean Barker and Artemis (Sweden) with the legendary Paul Cayard pulling the strings, the line-up is also expected to include: BMW ORACLE Racing (USA); Azzurra (Italy), TEAMORIGIN (Great Britain), Mascalzone Latino (Italy); Synergy (Russia); All4One (France/Germany) and Aleph Sailing Team (France). The Louis Vuitton Trophy - which is split into two five-day rounds, followed by semi-finals and the finals run over two days each - will mark the start of the Sea Dubai Watersports Festival, under the patronage of HH Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The festival - now in its third year - will feature: the Dubai Shamaal World Surf Ski Championship; Oakley Riot World Wakeboard Tournament; UAE National Day Watersports Parade; Mina Mile Swimming Competition; Open Water Swim; Jet Ski Competition; Traditional 43ft Dhow Sailing Championship; and finishes on 11th December with the final round of the Class One World and XCat Powerboat World Championships. Dee Caffari Reviews "Spanish Castle To White Night" "Rather than attempt to connect with each and every one of the Volvo Ocean Race competitors, which could have led to many disparate threads, the author selected a smaller group, which interestingly, did not include any of the skippers. The reader is taken on some varied personal journeys to live through the senses of a select few. As we follow the crews, the physical and mental stress of the race is brought to life as key issues such as tactical decisions and the repercussions of those decisions play out. As the skipper of a high-tech racing machine myself, I know only too well that maintenance, repairs and the basics of keeping these machines operating (let alone operating at their peak) is a constant battle. I was always keen to receive regular updates whilst I was racing. One leg that fascinated me at the time and had me on tenterhooks again when I read the full account of it, is the story of leg four, from Singapore to Qingdao. The decision to race hard or be prudent is difficult and can result in significant cost implications. Never is this more apparent than in the account of each boat throughout this gruelling period. You will meet remarkable crews, explore technically advanced yachts and, with barely enough time to catch breath at the description of the stopover, be prepared for the adventure of a lifetime from the comfort of your home. This story is published in the latest issue of Life At The Extreme magazine. The Official Volvo Ocean Race Book is available for order now at A First Peek Inside The Toolbox Title holder Jean-Pierre Dick will be back to defend his crown, earned alongside Damian Foxall, but aboard a new 60-footer designed by the Jacques Vabre-conquering VPLP-Verdier tandem. After an eight-year relationship with Farr, the Lorient-based, Nice-born skipper - who was the first to commission an Imoca 60 from the American design office and who thus set a trend - has decided to move on. Few details have been released about the latest Paprec-Virbac, which will hit the water in May 2010, but Guillaume Verdier offers some clues: 'While PRB (for Vincent Riou) will be an optimisation of the Safran concept, with the same hull shape but different rig and appendages, Virbac is a completely new boat, even though to the untrained eye it might not be all that obvious. Hugo Boss and Alex Thomson were the second team to confirm their Barcelona Race entry, with a radical Imoca 60 that has not been seen previously on this course. The Juan Kouyoumdjian-designed beast formerly known as Pindar seemed like a logical next move to the British competitor, as he explained to Duo, the Barcelona World Race magazine: 'Last time, there were a load of new boats and while we were building our own new Finot design no one knew what anybody else was doing until much later on. Now we know where the fleet is... The Farr contingent will be mostly under Spanish flags as things stand today, with title-holder Paprec-Virbac 2 now in the hands of Mini 6.5 star Alex Pella and sponsored by W Hotels. Pella and Volvo veteran Pepe Ribes just took a creditable fifth place in the Transat Jacques Vabre, and are now preparing for the next BWR, albeit maybe with a different title sponsor. Another recent Farr design, Estrella Damm (Loïck Peyron's former Gitana Eighty), was bought by the Spanish team last spring. As far as modifications are concerned, Pat Shaughnessy, president of Farr Yacht Design, says: 'We are in vigorous discussion to get them to the start in the most competitive state possible. Stand by!' Last time around Farr's Open 60s were notable for innovations including trim tabs and bow strakes, so will there be more development... Bow strakes, all the rage in 2008, now seem to be drifting out of favour. 'We have been continuing to develop the concept and some future developments do look pretty promising,' says Pat. -- Jocelyn Bleriot in Seahorse magazine, full article at seahorsemagazine.com/2010-February/barcelona.php Barcelona Race site: www.barcelonaworldrace.com * If you haven't subscribed to Seahorse already we're keen to help you attend to that! - Please use the following promotional link and enjoy the hefty Scuttlebutt Europe discount... and it gets even better for 2 and 3 year subscriptions... Restructuring in the IMOCA Open 60 Fnob Sailing Teams Estrella Damm will now sponsor Alex Pella and Pepe Ribes' team, not just for the New York Barcelona record, but also for the main objective in the sailors' sights; the Barcelona World Race. Also, Pachi Rivero and Javier Sanso come together again to form a new team, sponsored by W Hotels up until the conclusion of the New York-Barcelona record. Following the Transoceanic challenge the skippers will continue to pursue their Barcelona World Race 2010/11 project. Javier (Bubi) Sanso and Pachi Rivero have already competed together in the previous edition of the Barcelona World Race, aboard Mutua Madrilena and finished in fourth place. This valuable shared experience means the crew heads into the New York-Barcelona record and the second edition of the Barcelona World Race with a lot of potential ahead of them. Pepe Ribes and Alex Pella sailed an excellent Transat Jaques Vabre regatta and are now taking on the transatlantic record as a fundamental step in their preparation of the boat for the challenges ahead. The aim at the centre of their sights, after a gruelling 2010 sporting calendar, is the second edition of the Barcelona World Race, due to set off from the Catalan capital on December 31st this year. Mach 2 Moth Up For Grabs In Charity Auction The donated yacht is courtesy of McConaghy, which has signed on as a partner of Australia's largest sailing event, Audi Victoria Week. Variety is the event's official charity and proceeds from the auction will provide equipment, facilities and experiences for children with special needs. The owners of McConaghy, Mark Evans and Jono Morris, say the aim of the partnership is to support the sport of sailing and benefit the community. "We are pleased to be a part of this iconic event. The auction will result in not only a healthy donation to Variety Club, but it should help create awareness of the good work that Variety Club does for children locally and around the world." Jono Morris said. The Mach 2 will be on display at the Melbourne Docklands and Waterfront Geelong during Audi Victoria Week. Audi Victoria Week is expected to attract more than 450 competing yachts over six days of competition from 21 - 26 January, 2010. The auction will be launched on Thursday 21 January, visit www.victoriaweek.com/variety-club-auction/ for further information. Letters To The Editor - * From Paul Cayard: For the past three days I have been working on the World Sailing Teams Association (WSTA) and the Louis Vuitton Trophy regattas that will be held over the next 12 months. I represent the Artemis Racing Team and last November, during the Louis Vuitton Trophy in Nice, I was elected Chairman of this association of team owners. Friday WSTA had meetings in Paris with representatives of all the member teams to focus on marketing and commercial issues. We also held a competitors meeting to talk about the organization of the Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland which will be held in March. Then on Saturday morning we had a WSTA board meeting. Saturday afternoon, a group of us including Yves Carcelle, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, flew to Dubai where we arrived at 0100 this morning. Then today at 1000, we participated in a press conference today to announce Dubai as the Middle East venue selected to host the Louis Vuitton Trophy this coming November. HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman DIMC and Chairman & Chief Executive Emirates Airline and Group, hosted the press conference and confirmed his support for the Louis Vuitton Trophy and his enthusiasm to host sailing's elite racing teams. The Louis Vuitton Trophy regattas use four 85-foot America's Cup Class yachts in a Match Racing format. Ten Teams - sailed by world champions, America's Cup winners, Olympic medalists and round-the-world sailors - will compete in Dubai this November. The countries represented by these teams are: Sweden, France, Italy, New Zealand, Great Brittan, Russia and Germany. The event will be held at Mina Seyahi, the home of Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) next to the Palm Jumeirah, while Emirates Airline - a leading sponsor - will be flying in many of teams and their support staff, as well as race officials and spectators from around the globe. Dubai is a great venue for sailing with excellent wind and moderate temperatures in November. The hospitality here is 'gold star'. I am sure it will be a fantastic event. Tonight, I am flying back to the United States. I fly a great deal but this has been a record four days. Not quite sure what time it is. I will be back in Dubai mid-February for the next RC 44 regatta. -- cayardsailing.com Featured Brokerage RoXanne is a 55 foot performance cruiser sailing yacht of Danish quality, built by X-Yachts in Haderslev, delivered in July 2006. She is ready for ocean cruising or circumnavigation. The X-55 was voted European Yacht of the Year 2007. 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