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Oman Air-Musandam Wins Route Des Princes First Leg Into Lisbon
Since starting from Valencia, Spain on Sunday afternoon the crew of Oman Air-Musandam have been the most consistent race leaders, only passed twice since the first and only turning mark at Benicarlo, 30 miles north of Valencia. Each time they were overtaken it proved only very temporary and, sticking with their strategies, they drew ahead again to win into Lisbon by 44 minutes and 52 seconds ahead of Yann Guichard's crew on Spindrift.
After finishing a disappointing fourth on the six race inshore series in Valencia, Oman Air-Musandam bounced back with the perfect first offshore leg, earning maximum points - 40 for winning the leg and 2 points apiece for leading at the Benicarlo and Gibraltar marks. The Oman flagged team now lead the overall standings on 44 points, four ahead of Spindrift.
When Gavignetg and his team pushed out to the west early this morning in search of the favourable shift in wind direction on which they were pinning their hopes of securing their victory on, they ceded their long standing lead to their pursuers Spindrift but the shift came and they were able to extend away again to win.
Though they lead for most of the course, holding a margin of some 20 miles or thereabouts for the majority of the course through the Mediterranean out into the Atlantic, the race for the Multi 50 class proved to be incredibly close.
In the end it was Lalou Roucayrol's Arkema-Region Aquitaine which prevailed by just 13 minutes and 18 seconds ahead of Yves Le Blevec's Actual after 3 days 3 hours 46 minutes and 15 seconds.
Final standings Leg 1
Multi 50's
1 Arkema - Region Aquitaine, Lalou Roucayrol finish 12/06/2013 15:46:15 average 8.9kts
2 Actual, Yves Le Blevec finish 15:59:33, 8.87kts
3 FenetreA - Cardina, Erwan Le Roux, 17:14:40, 8.73
DNS Rennes Metropole - Saint Malo Agglomeration, Gilles Lamire
MOD70
1 Oman Air - Musandam, Sidney Gavignet, finish 12/06/2013 11:41:38h average 11.08kts
2 Spindrift, Yann Guichard, 12:26:30, average 10.96kts
3 Edmond de Rothschild, Sebastien Josse, 15:31:36, 10.51kts
4 Virbac - Paprec 70, Jean-Pierre Dick, 15:43:25, 10.49
Figaro Leg 3 Start
The 40 skippers competing in the 44th Solitaire du Figaro - Eric Bompard cachemire will leave Gijòn, on the northwestern coast of Spain bound to Roscoff in Brittany, Thursday at noon local time for the third leg. A leg, 436 miles across the Bay of Biscay and along the Brittany coast, that could be even more tricky and complicated than the previous two, with very light winds to further mix up the route back to France.
The second to last leg, 436 miles long, is a real classic of the Solitaire du Figaro. A typical course alternating offshore and coastal stretches along Southern and Northern Brittany. Skippers will first be confronted with the crossing of Biscay up to the Ile d'Yeu, that will act as a mark to be left to port, to continue to the raz de Sein, one of the most delicate section of the leg, with its tidal effects and strong currents. Before being able to turn right, the fleet will have to round the Brittany tip. The finish, for the first time in the long history of the Solitaire will be in Roscoff, in the bay of Morlaix. Before saying the final "adios" to the spanish town, the fleet will race on a windward/leeward coastal course of around 5,5 miles, just off the Cimavilla cape.
According to the latest forecast issued by Meteo Consult the fleet will have to take on with a pretty complicated weather situation. After the passage a weak low pressure system on Thursday, the following 48 hours the wind is expected to be very light due to the presence of a high-pressure system on the southern part of the Bay of Biscay. From Sunday on, conditions are predicted to change further on northern Biscay and the Finistère coast, that will be affected by a series of low-pressure systems causing light and very unstable winds.
New From Henri Lloyd Cobra Dinghy Range - Born From 3D Body Mapping
Striking new Cobra range of Dinghy gear is a product of the company's Intelligent Innovation programme. Having worked alongside some of the world's best dinghy sailors including Sir Ben Ainslie CBE and the RYA Youth Programme, Henri Lloyd have been well placed to develop a high performance specialist collection for the dinghy sailor with a design aesthetic aimed at the younger sailor.
Henri Lloyd has just presented the Volvo RYA British Youth Team with a full range of Cobra equipment ready for the ISAF Youth Worlds to be held in Limassol, Cyprus 13th - 20th July this year.
The Cobra Range comprises a set of fully articulated, ergonomically designed dinghy clothing to support sailing performance. Cobra Dry Suit for adults and juniors and Cobra Dinghy Smock are both fully articulated and contoured to reduce windage. Cobra Shorts are contoured for comfort and ease of movement, whilst Cobra Rash Vest incorporates smooth seaming and UV protection. The range of Cobra Buoyancy Aids include latest design features and ergonomic construction to reduce bulk and maximise freedom of movement, easy adjustment for customised fit and high cut for trapeze and hiking sailors.
Henri Lloyd Cobra Neoprene products are the result of a programme to understand the effect of clothing on muscle fatigue and enhanced comfort. A 3d image mapping programme identified core muscle mass across a wide range of subjects, which led to directly to the design and pre-articulation of the garments to enhance wearer comfort and reduce muscle fatigue.
The Cobra Neoprene Top LS, is a must have for winter dinghy sailing, engineered to generate and maintain warmth, while the 3 dimensional ergonomic style increases comfort and ease of movement.
Cobra ¾ length hiking shorts have been designed to provide support, comfort and protection, with strong non-flex battens to help hike for longer. As with all Henri Lloyd technical clothing, comfort is paramount and battens and shoulder straps are adjustable for better fit and protective knee pads provide longevity from deck abrasion.
The Cobra Neoprene Top LS and the Cobra Hiking Short are both available in sizes XXS - XXL and in black.
Marion Bermuda Departure Day - 2
Cal 39 Elusive. Photo by Wayne Gillikin. Click on image to enlarge.
Marion, Massachusetts, USA: Sailors at the Beverly Yacht Club in Marion were busy Wednesday completing their final registration process, getting their Yellow Brick trackers and setting computers up to download the latest weather files from the National Weather Service and other public web sites. The start was just 2 days away.
Elusive is a 1982 Cal 39 Mk 3 from Travers Island NY skippered by Wayne Gillikin. For the skipper and all three of his crew, this is their first Bermuda Race. They are sailing non-spinnaker in the Founders Division. When asked if he was nervous about going, Gillikin nodded, "I'm concerned."
"Getting out of Buzzards Bay will be fast & painful", he said. "But then we hope we don't get trapped in a cold eddy in the light and shifty conditions we see down near Bermuda. We may have to get s few more cans of Dinty Moore."
And all in all, this will be another interesting Marion Bermuda Race. The weather predicted for the start is wind NNW 20-25 knots maybe gusting to 30 as seen on www.passageweather.com. There is a 90% chance of precipitation Friday predicted by the National Weather Service. The racers should have a fast run out of Buzzards Bay and maybe all the way down through the Gulf Stream with strong to moderate NNW winds.
A weak spot in the center of a high-pressure system will cross the course south of the stream and the wind should lighten first from West of the direct course to Bermuda to the East later Sunday and Monday and back into the NNE. From there it should be 5-10kts to the finish. Winds later in the week should become southerly. So it is setting up to be a mostly downwind race or maybe a broad reach early, turning into a beat into Bermuda for the slower boats by mid-week.
The Gulf Stream as illustrated on Passage Weather looks like it will set up on Saturday to give the racers a southeasterly push down the course pretty close to the rhumb line, the direct course to Bermuda. -- Talbot Wilson
British Sonar and Court Of Arbitration For Sport
Response from the British Paralympic Association and RYA:
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has announced its findings in the case concerning a penalty given to the British Sonar boat during the 2012 Paralympic Games.
This case related to a four-point penalty imposed by the International Jury on the British Sonar boat in connection with a misunderstanding arising out of repairs being effected to damage sustained to the boat's keel. The penalty resulted in the British Sonar being demoted to three points behind the Norwegian Sonar boat in the regatta results, with the Norwegian team subsequently awarded the bronze medal.
The arbitrator, Michael Beloff QC, ruled that the International Jury's decision must stand, determining that the matter concerned 'sport technical rules' which, according to the International Paralympic Committee Eligibility Code, are unable to be reviewed by CAS.
We are naturally disappointed with this outcome but we respect the arbitrator's decision and will move forward in the hope that all parties involved will learn lessons from the events that took place.
Shortened America's Cup Schedule Impacts Bay Area Businesses
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is optimistic about the shortened schedule for this summer's America's Cup races, but many small businesses feel as if they have been left to take on water in choppy seas.
Since the races were cut back last week, corporate clients and even groups tied to the sailing teams have cut back.
Stephan Sowash, owner of Sausalito charter and rental company Fearless Sailing, said it's a "disappointment."
Sowash borrowed money to lease a yacht, figuring on 72 days of bookings for the same amount of days scheduled for racing; but with the scaled-back scheduling in July, he said he'll lose $500,000.
Other businesses and corporate sponsors [are] not quite as enthusiastic about Mayor Lee's forecast for a summer of smooth sailing.
"I think a lot people were counting on this being a bigger deal," he said. "It's kind of sad for the city." -- Jeffrey Schaub
ARC Baltic Rally
Click on image to enlarge.
Cruising rally specialists World Cruising Club have announced an exciting new addition to their programme, with the first ARC Baltic Rally planned for 2014. Billed as "six capitals in six weeks" the new rally will offer a different focus from the trans-ocean events, for which WCC is known. A mix of days cruising at sea, combined with an exploration of the region's fascinating culture and history, will take crews on a 1,500nm voyage of discovery through Europe's "east sea".
Starting from the German port of Kiel, the itinerary includes the Estonian capital Tallin, and the former Russian Imperial capital St. Petersburg, before cruising via Finland and Sweden to Denmark. En route, the rally sails through some of the most beautiful and interesting sights in the Baltic. Individual legs will be short, one to two days, with the focus being to experience the cultural history of the region and enjoy the stunning beauty of the Swedish and Finnish archipelagos. The rally lead boat will have experienced Baltic sailors aboard as guides and the start is planned for mid-July to finish by late August, allowing yachts to be back to their home ports by the end of the month.
More information tinyurl.com/balticrally
Etchells World Championship 3rd Day
Rosignano, Italy: Westerly wind turning to north-west up to 12/14 knots on the third day of the Etchell World Championship at Yacht Club Cala de' Medici, Italy. Two more races have been sailed in a very compact fleet: in less than ten minutes time all the yachts taking part in both races crossed the finishing line.
In the first race of the day (the fourth one of the series) the Swiss yacht skippered by Seamus McHugh (with the 2007 world champion Andy Beadsworth as tactician) took the lead from the start and kept the lead until the finish.
The second race was even tougher than the first one with crowded mark roundings resulting in lots of protests. The winner of the race was American Argyle Campbell.
After five races, one discard, the leader of the general provisional results is still the boat skippered by American Marvin Beckmann, the second team is the swiss team while European champion Ante Razmilovich is on third place.
Thursday racing starts at noon. -- Laura Jelmini
Top ten:
1. The Martian, Marvin Beckmann, USA, 10 points
2. No Dramas, Seamus McHugh , SUI, 27
3. Swedish Blue, Ante Razmilovic, HKG, 29
4. Aretas, Skip Dieball, USA, 29
5. Iris III, Peter McNeill, AUS, 30
6. USA 1375, Argyle Campbell, USA, 38
7. AUS 1382, Peter Chappell, AUS, 38
8. The Rat, Grantham Kitto, AUS, 38
9. Feng Shui, Andrew Wills, NZL, 38
10. Raging Rooster, Peter S. Duncan, USA, 39
Cowes Week Qualifying Event for EFG Pan American Sport Boat Championship
Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week has been selected as the new qualifying event for Sportsboats interested in participating in the 2014 EFG Pan American Sport Boat Championship which will be held in March in Miami.
This championship event is held in conjunction with the Bacardi Cup and Miami Sailing Week which brings together American and international sailors for a week of racing in Biscayne Bay. Sportsboats were added to the regatta four years ago when EFG International and the Viper 640 Class created the Pan American Championship as a feeder series for a final in Miami. Last year over 70 teams participated in qualifying events and over 40 came to the final event from Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda, USA, South America, Caribbean, UK, Netherlands, and Canada.
In celebration of the Championship's fifth anniversary, the Pan American organizers wanted to make it easier for international participants to qualify by adding regattas in Europe and Australia as qualifying events. The winner of the Pan American Trophy last year was the British Team, Fer De Lance skippered by Glyn Locke from Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, so it is fitting that the UK qualifying event should be hosted at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week.
There are already 15 eligible boats within the Sportsboat class signed up to race in Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. Anyone interested in taking part can enter online via the event website ( aamcw.co ) or for more information, contact the Regatta Centre on 01983 295744.
Classic Boat Revival
Being held at Bosham Sailing Club over the weekend of 6th & 7th July this unique event is now in its 3rd year.
Entry is now open and the Notice of Race for the 2013 Classic Boat Revival can be downloaded at boshamsailingclub.com/classic-boat-revival/
If you own one of the classic racing classes, with a PY of 1200 or less and over 25 years old - International 14, Merlin Rocket, National 12, National 18, Chi Harbour 18, GP14, Graduate, 505, Flying Dutchman, Albacore, Scorpion, Enterprise, Hornet, Moth, Finn, OK, Solo, Cherub, Fireball, Firefly , Osprey, Snipe, Jollyboat, Sharpie, Yachting World Dayboat - join us for some great racing.
Entry cost this year includes free entry to all the parties and to keep costs down even further club members will be offering some free accommodation for visiting crews.
NOT SAILING ... BUT VERY COOL...
The Rijksmuseum in Holland had an idea: Let's bring the art to the people and then, hopefully, they will come to see more - at the museum.
They took one painting of Rembrandt's from 1642, "Guards of the Night" and brought to life the characters in it, placed them in a busy mall and the rest you can see for yourself. www.youtube.com/embed/a6W2ZMpsxhg
* Hat tip to Peter Montgomery for sending this in.
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