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Alinghi Dominate As Land Rover Reveals Extreme 40 Livery
Photo by Mark Lloyd, www.lloydimages.com. Click on image to enlarge.
China's International Sailing Centre came alive on the opening day of the Extreme Sailing Series in Qingdao, where Land Rover's three-year sponsorship as Series Main Partner of the original stadium sailing series was officially signed before the unveiling and naming ceremony of the Land Rover-branded Extreme 40.
On the open water racecourse, the Swiss teams Alinghi and Realteam dominated in testing light winds, edging ahead on the leaderboard at the end of day one as the teams prepare to move into stadium mode over the next three days.
Morgan Larson has taken the tiller from regular helm Ernesto Bertarelli on Alinghi for this Act and after winning three of today's five races and as the fastest boat on the water (average speed of 8.03 knots) according to the SAP analytics, the Swiss team is deservedly the top of the leaderboard after day one.
Testing and shifty light winds, which eventually resulted in the final race being abandoned
For the next three days the fleet moves into stadium mode with thousands of locals expected to descend on the Olympic village to watch the stadium racing staged inside the breakwater of Fushan Bay. For the first time, the racing will be available to watch live online in China from 1400-1700 local time on www.zhibome.com and international fans can watch a replay of the day's action on the official event website.
Standings after Day 1, 5 races
1. Alinghi (SUI) Morgan Larson, Stuart Pollard, Pierre Yves Jorand, Nils Frei, Yves Detrey 47 points
2. Realteam (SUI) Jerome Clerc, Bryan Mettraux, Arnaud Psarofaghis, Cédric Schmidt, Thiery Wassem, 36
3. The Wave, Muscat (OMA) Leigh McMillan, Ed Smyth, Pete Greenhalgh, Musab Al Hadi, Hilal Al Zadjali, 33
4. SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN) Jes Gram-Hansen, Rasmus Kostner, Pete Cumming, Mikkel Rossberg, Nicolai Sehested, 32
5. Team Korea (KOR) Peter Burling, Matt Vincent, Mark Bulkeley, Tom Johnson, Sungwok Kim, 31
6. GAC Pindar (NZL) Will Tiller, Shaun Mason, Stewart Dodson, Harry Thurston, Matt Steven, 31
7. China Team (CHN) Mitch Booth, Wen Zijin, Yingkit Cheng, Liu Xue, Zhang Yiran, 28
8. Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) Roman Hagara, Hans Peter Steinacher, Matthew Adams, Simon Cook, Graeme Spence, 22
EUROSAF Champions Sailing Cup
Wednesday 8th May sees the first races taking place in the EUROSAF Champions Sailing Cup, the new European series for Olympic and Paralympic Classes.
Riva del Garda in Italy is the venue for the Garda Trentino Olympic Week, the first in a series of five regattas, for Olympic and Paralympic classes, being held in Europe this year. This series is designed to complement the ISAF Sailing World Cup series, which finished recently in Hyères, France.
Organised by the European Sailing Federation (EUROSAF), in association with five of the major regatta organisers in Europe, the new series offers Olympic, aspiring Olympic and Paralympic sailors, an opportunity to compete against the best sailors from around the world. Entries have been brisk for a new series, in a post-Olympic year, and include several Olympic medallists and a good number of world champions.
So far nearly 1,000 sailors have entered across the first four regattas, including some famous names, so the standard of competition will be high.
As with the ISAF SWC events, the format for each of the regattas will test some new ideas, which are described below. A single format has been adopted for each of the five regattas, to introduce consistency and a thorough evaluation. Sailor feedback and comment will be sought and welcomed.
Regatta Format
- Each regatta will consist of a Qualifying Series (two days with 3 or 4 races per day), a Fleet Racing Series (two days with 3 or 4 races per day) and a Final Race or Races.
- If an event has a large number of entries, the Qualifying Series fleet and the Fleet Racing Series fleet may be divided into groups.
- There will be ONE race on the final day in ALL events except for Men's Skiff and Women's Skiff for which there will be THREE final races.
For Paralympic events, the regatta will consist of a single series.
More: eurosaf.org
Big Fleet For Cervantes Trophy
104 boats are lining up for the opening race of the RORC domestic offshore racing season, the Cervantes Trophy. Organised by RORC in association with the Societe des Regates du Havre and the Royal Yacht Squadron, the Cervantes Trophy race kicks off on Saturday 4th May from the RYS line taking the fleet across the channel to finish in Le Havre.
The weather conditions leading up to the race look uncertain with a complex pressure system over northern Europe which will make it a good test for the international fleet from Belgium, Britain, France, The Netherlands and Russia.
In IRC One Piet Vroon's Dutch Ker 46, Tonnerre de Breskens, is back racing and will relish the opportunity of taking on Laurent Gouy's French Ker 39, Inis Mor, the reigning Season's Points Champion.
The Army Sailing Association's brand new J/111, British Soldier, is the scratch boat in IRC Two. Reigning IRC Two champion, Puma Logic sailed by race charter company Sailing Logic, returns to defend their title and last year's runner up, La Reponse skippered by RORC Admiral Andrew McIrvine, will renew the battle they enjoyed last season.
IRC Three has a fleet of 31 yachts ranging from Ben Morris' vintage Swan 55 Yawl, Lulotte, to Noel Racine's proven French pocket-rocket, JPK10.10, Foggy Dew. Last year's IRC Three winner and RORC Yacht of the Year, Diablo-J skippered by Nick Martin, drops a division to race in IRC Four.
IRC Four is the biggest class with 37 entries including the IRC Four 2012 champion, Harry Heijst's S&S 41, Winsome. Harry Heijst has done a big re-fit to his classic yacht and is looking to repeat his class win and determined to win the overall season's points championship.
Four Class40s will be racing under class rules; Al Bucq, Concise 2, Fortissimo and Swish will be using the race as a warm up for their Rolex Fastnet Race campaigns.
Two handed sailing continues to grow with 18 yachts racing, confirming the attractiveness of this discipline. Diablo-J (Nick Martin) will be defending the IRC Two-Handed title won last year. -- Louay Habib
Seahorse May 2013
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
50 shades of spray
Guillaume Verdier puts a strong case for the Multi50 class to Jocelyn Bleriot
A rare breed - Part I
Designer Mark Mills has been busy, below the radar but busy. And a new maxi racer is the result
Lift-off
Nathan Outteridge is finding that the America's Cup is a very different proposition from his previous Olympic and skiff racing experience
Commodore's letter Mike Greville
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Summer Of Racing
This weekend the countdown clock will mark two months to the start of the "Summer of Racing" in San Francisco. An Opening Ceremony is planned for July 4 and will be followed on July 5 by a special fleet race for all teams.
Racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup, the America's Cup Challenger Series, officially begins on July 7 with a match between Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Challenge of Italy. It continues on July 9 with Sweden's Artemis Racing taking on the New Zealanders, and July 10 with Luna Rossa against Artemis Racing.
The top team at the end of the round robins gets to choose whether it advances directly to the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals or races in the semi finals. With a break of 12 days in the offing, presumably the winner would choose to go to the final and let the other two teams continue slugging it out in the semis.
Throughout the Louis Vuitton Cup the defender, ORACLE TEAM USA, will also have access to the race course four days per week, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, sometimes sandwiched around the challengers' racing.
The America's Cup Finals are scheduled Sept. 7-21, with racing set for Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The match is a best-of-17 series. Two races are planned each day, lasting approximately 30 minutes, and beginning at 1:10 pm PT and 2:10 pm PT. A break of approximately 30 minutes between races is mandated by the Protocol.
Spirit Of Bermuda Facing Tough Test
Spirit of Bermuda will face stern competition during next month's Marion to Bermuda Race.
The triple masted schooner will go up against the 90-foot ketch, Belle Aventure, which is the only other entry in the new Classic Yacht Division.
Spirit of Bermuda was the sole entry in the experimental 'Spirit of Tradition Division' during last year's Newport Bermuda Race, completing the ocean crossing in a corrected time of 73 hours, 20 minutes and 17 seconds.
The 118 foot sloop has been chartered by businessman Preston Hutchings who has assembled an experienced crew that includes professional captain Karen McDonald, navigator Larry Rosenfeld and Sailing Master Alan Burland who is also a past Olympian sailor. The Royal Gazette senior sports reporter Colin Thompson is among the well blended crew.
Helmsman Hutchings is no stranger to the Marion to Bermuda Race. In 2007 his NYYC 42 yacht, Morgan's Ghost, was the first boat across the finish line in a corrected time of three days, 22 hours, 47 minutes and 56 seconds.
The biennial 645-mile ocean race from Buzzards Bay, Marion, Massachusetts to St David's Head, Bermuda starts on June 14. -- Colin Thompson in Bermuda's Royal Gazette
Heroes For Irish Sailing
The passing last week of Somers Payne and the farewell tributes in Crosshaven at the Royal Cork YC spoke of the loss of a legendary figure from the foundation of the sport of sailing in Ireland.
One question posed last weekend was that of comparison: who are the legends in the making of the current era that will be as well regarded in decades to come? There is a sense that something vital is missing from the present-day mix.
It was Payne's generation that represents the much larger cohort of both the sport and pastime of sailing that can be seen in the following that Irish clubs hold; the so-called grassroots of the sport. If new legends are to emerge from this section of the sport similar opportunities to meet, sail with and against such "stars" in the making are needed.
But gone are the two-tonners and 40-footers, racing offshore for days at a time with crews of 10 or 20 people each on a panel that dominated the 1970s and '80s in Ireland. Modern sailing hinges on more technical boats and equipment, smaller in size with reduced crew requirements competing on short courses in races of an hour's duration or thereabouts.
ISAF Mid-Year Meeting
From 9-12 May 2013 the ISAF Mid-Year Meeting will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Meetings will take place for the ISAF Executive Committee, ISAF Audit Committee, ISAF Events Committee, ISAF Council and the ISAF Committee Chairmen.
Eight submissions have been deemed urgent by the Executive Committee and will be discussed in Copenhagen. Amendments to ISAF Regulations are the main topics with two relating to ISAF events and the Olympic Sailing Competition Qualification System.
ISAF Council meet on Saturday 11 May from 09:30 to 17:00 (local time) with a dedicated live stream available online for the first time. Simultaneous translation services will be available for delegates in French and Spanish.
The ISAF Council meeting on Saturday 11 May will be covered by live streaming on the web by sportsXsteam A/S.
The live stream will be available from 07:00-15:00 (UTC) (09:00-17:00 local time) on Saturday 11 May on: www.sportsxstream.com/isafmeeting2013
The 2013 ISAF Mid-Year Meetings will take place in the Scandic Copenhagen Hotel.
For more information on the schedule and submission deadlines: www.sailing.org/meetings/mid-year-2013.php
ICRA / WIORA 2013
With only 6 weeks remaining, it is all systems go for the Irish Cruiser Racing Association's National Championships in Tralee Bay (starting June 13th), held in conjunction with the West of Ireland Offshore Racing Association's own championships, starting on June 12th, 2013.
A super Class 1 Fleet is building. In fact, Class 1 is now emerging as a cracking class for the ICRA Nationals. Entry includes four J109's, including defending champion Ian Nagle's "Jelly Baby" from RCYC, former Champion Pat Kelly from Rush SC and HYC in "Storm" and from the Royal Irish both Declan Hayes in "Indecision" and John Maybury in "Joker 2". These will be joined by Paul O'Higgin's competitive Corby 33 "Rockabilly" RIYC/ NYC, along with Denis Hewitt and gang in "Raptor" RIYC and the likes of Derry Good's X362 sport "Exhale II" from RCYC to name but a few.
The West Coast will be represented by Dan Counihan's First 36.7 "Galileo" from TBSC and Barry Heskin from GBSC in "Now What". The Galway Bay Dubois 33 of Barry Heskin, featuring many of the stalwarts from the Joggernaut days in a now toned down version.
Colin Byrne from Royal Irish will be bringing his new X33, rumoured to be a flyer and yet to be even named.
The discount entry date has been extended for more than 2 weeks to 15th May, so get your entries and payment in now to take advantage of this very generous offer.
See www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gdb9iIrFhI&feature=youtu.be
Jersey Regatta
Sailors considering or intending to participate in the combined clubs' 15th Jersey Regatta, 13th to 15th September, will be interested to know that the Notice of Race has recently been published on the Regatta website www.jerseyregatta.com
This 'flagship' event in the Island's packed sailing programme is sponsored by global financial services company UBS AG.
Reporting on last year's event, Regatta Chairman Bill Harris said that the organising committee's aim is to at least match the excitement of last September's record turnout when spectators were treated to the sight of well over a hundred boats racing off the south coast of the Island and in the picturesque confines of St Aubin's Bay.
Whilst the absolute cut-off date for entries is 10th
The Regatta is kindly supported by Jersey Marinas who will, again, be providing complimentary berthing for entrants and Jersey Tourism whose website, http://www.jersey.com, provides a wealth of information about where to stay and what to do on the Island.
The Regatta is organised jointly by the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club, St Helier Yacht Club and St Catherine's Sailing Club.
Portmore Insurance Spring Series
Lymington, UK: After a short postponement to allow the wind to build to around 9-11 knots, the final 2 races of the Portmore Insurance Spring Series got underway. All classes had windward-leeward courses along the mainland shore and with a spring flood tide fortune smiled on those who hugged the shore.
In IRC Class 1, the short keel of the Cork 1720 enabled Rick Otten's J.A.R. to post a second in the first race while Zarafa, No Chance and Jitterbug carried on with their usual battle for the top place. With a 4th and a 2nd, Zarafa secured the top place overall with No Chance 2nd, and Jitterbug 3rd with only 3 points separating the top 4 boats.
In the RS Elite class Kiss noted down the wrong 1st course and then rounding a leeward mark had to watch the rest of the fleet sail straight past it en route to the correct one! Shortly afterwards the new leader, Easy Does It, followed by Flying A missed the correct gate, leaving Freebie in a commanding lead. When Freebie dropped their kite into the tide at the last mark and allowed Kiss back through it seemed the Gods truly were smiling on team Kiss in this series. Meanwhile E'Tu had started the day just a point ahead of Wombat, in second and third overall - but E'Tu threw away their chances of holding that result when they followed Kiss around the first wrong mark.
Crackerjack resumed her dominance of the Folkboat fleet and set a blistering pace to win both races.
www.rlymyc.org.uk/Racing/Results/results.shtml
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The Last Word
I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismograph. -- Tom Wolfe
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