In This Issue
Lendy Cowes Week Daily Round-Up Day 4
Tracy Edwards Scoops Lendy Ladies Day Trophy at Lendy Cowes Week
UBS 20TH Jersey Regatta
Melges 24 European Championship
Lysekil Women’s Match
First-Timers Eager to Take On Resolute Cup Challenge
Calves Week Will Celebrate Sailing Enchantment of West Cork
For the Record
Featured Brokerage
The Last Word: Buzz Aldrin
Brought to you by Seahorse magazine, 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 editor [AT] scuttlebutteurope [DOT] com
Lendy Cowes Week Daily Round-Up Day 4
After a relaxed morning waiting for a breeze to build, teams at Lendy Cowes Week were thoroughly tested today by a series of wild fluctuations in the wind that accompanied short showers that passed over the race area this afternoon. Lulls saw to wind drop to as low as three knots while some gusts topped 20 knots, while the direction at times swung through 90 degrees.
Today was also Lendy Ladies Day, a celebration of the many successes of women in sailing. More than 30 per cent of competitors at Lendy Cowes Week are women and around 100 women helms were racing today. Among them were class winners on board the S&S41 Winsome in IRC Class 5, the Mustang 30 GR8 Banter in IRC Class 7 and the X4.3 Baby X in Cruiser Division A.
In IRC Class 6 Amanda Marino's Half Tonner Chimp was defending the Royal Southern YC's Ariel trophy for the best placed woman helm. However, a fourth place today saw her team fall just outside the podium this year. This is a tough class to win this year, thanks to Giovanni Belgrano's extremely successful pre war classic yacht Whooper. Today she finished with a commanding margin ahead of Toby Gorman's Sigma 33 Stan the Boat and Simon Cory's Cory Yachts 290 Icom Cool Blue.
The lowest rated boat in the Sportsboat class, Boss Hog's modified Cork 1720 Spider Pig, took line honours in today's race. Malcolm Roberts' Ker 9m Sunshine crossed the line 13 seconds later and retained second place on corrected time ahead of Paul Lewis' Cork 1720 Rum n Cork.
There was a short postponement when the wind went very soft after the Sunbeam start and boats failed to make ground against the tide. When the breeze returned a whole host of boats sailed west, including Redwings, Mermaids, XODs, Flying 15s and Victorys, making a great sight. The Redwing class had returned before their one-minute signal, but many were not well placed for the start, being too far down tide and moving too slowly.
Today was also the final day of a short series for a number of classes that have been enjoyed two or three races per day over the first four days of Lendy Cowes Week. Kate and John Greenland's JDog won the J/70 short series by a nine-point margin ahead of Clive Bush's Darcey, with Ali Hall's Sceptre taking third place.
John Pollard's Xcellent won all but one race in the SB20 Grand Slam to take a commanding victory. Charles Whelan's Breaking Bod was second and the Waha Waite McLean Youth Team's Spongbob third.
Sam Laidlaw's Quarter Tonner Aguila put in a similarly impressive performance, winning every race to finish the series 12 points ahead of Julian Metherell's Bullit. J Welch's Great Bear lV took third place.
Tracy Edwards Scoops Lendy Ladies Day Trophy at Lendy Cowes Week
The annual Ladies Day returned to Lendy Cowes Week on Tuesday 7th August, this year supported by Title Sponsor Lendy, with a number of celebrations culminating in the announcement that Tracy Edwards was the winner of the Ladies Day Trophy at an exclusive evening reception held at Northwood House.
The trophy was introduced for the first time in 2006 to champion the role of women in sailing and the sheer number of female competitors racing at Lendy Cowes Week. There are some 8,000 competitors taking part in the regatta this year and around a third of them are female.
Tracy Edwards is most famously known for entering the first all-female crew in the 1989/90 Whitbread with 'Maiden' crossing the start line on 2nd Sept 1989 and sailing into the history books. 'Maiden' went on to win two of the legs and came second in class overall. The best result for a British boat since 1977 and the best result for an all-female crew ever. Tracy was awarded the MBE and became the first woman in its 34 year history to be awarded the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy. In 2016 Tracy worked tirelessly to rescue Maiden and bring her back to the UK; after the extensive refit Maiden will inspire another generation through a huge global campaign to raise awareness and fundraise for access to education for girls denied this basic human right.
Following a rigorous crew selection process, four amazing young women with many thousands of miles of sailing experience will become the permanent members of the new Maiden crew. Tracy has been here in Cowes making the announcement of their names and roles today. The new Maiden crew will then begin readying the boat for her departure from the Southampton Boat Show in September 2018 for the beginning of her three-year world tour.
Tracy was unable to attend the reception but newly announced members of her crew who were attending the reception accepted the trophy on her behalf. Commenting on the win, Amelia Ralphs said, "Unfortunately Tracy couldn't be here this evening to accept the award but we are absolutely honoured to be here accepting it on her behalf. It is just a start of our journey with the Maiden Factor and, again it is such an honour to be considered against all the other nominees this year and also to have been awarded the Ladies Day Trophy. It has been a great day for us. We launched Maiden yesterday and the rig is now in, so it is superb."
Nominees for the trophy were Dee Caffari, Libby Greenhalgh, Lucy MacGregor and Lucy Hodges, all extremely deserving nominees.
UBS 20th Jersey Regatta
Scheduled for 14th to 16th September and sponsored for the sixth year running by UBS AG Jersey, this year sees the 20th edition of the combined clubs' Jersey Regatta, the Island's 'flagship' sailing event.
The Regatta schedule provides racing for sportsboat, IRC and NHC cruiser/racer, Quarter Ton, dayboat, dinghy, sport catamaran and windsurfer classes, a veritable 'catch-all for both local and visiting sailors alike. In this special year, the fifth Spinlock IRC Channel Islands Regional Championships for IRC-rated Classes 1 & 2 cruiser/racers will be a major feature of the programme.
The event opens on the Thursday evening with a welcoming reception followed by a distance race for the sportsboat and cruiser/racer classes on Friday morning. Saturday and Sunday sees these classes racing in and off St Aubin's Bay over round-the-cans and Olympic-type courses. The 'small boat' classes race over Olympic-type courses entirely within this beautiful Bay.
As ever, Jersey Marinas will be providing complimentary berthing for competitors during the lead-up to the Regatta whilst Condor Ferries is offering discounted fares for those competitors wishing to ship their boats to the Island to join in the event.
The Regatta is an open event to which visiting boats are assured of a very warm welcome.
The Notice of Race is available on the website, www.jerseyregatta.com. Enticingly low entry fees are made even more attractive with an ‘early bird’ fee for those entering no later than 6th 14th August. The definitive closing date is 7th September.
For further information, e-mail info [AT] jerseyregatta [DOT] com.
Melges 24 European Championship
Riva del Garda, Italy - "The day has been more than positive, almost perfect for Arkanoe by Montura": this is the comment of Karlo Hmeljak, tactician on board of Arkanoe by Montura by owner and helmsman Sergio Caramel, after the second day of racing at Riva del Garda for the 2018 Melges 24 European Championship.
"We had two good starts that allowed us to play the game with all the top teams in this fleet. Taking advantage of the first downwind, which was the trickiest to interpret, we could gain a good margin over our followers, obtaining the first victory of the series and then racing more conservatively in the second race, which we closed in third place," said the two-time Olympic Slovenian athlete Karlo Hmeljak.
A great second day, then, for the team of Arkanoe by Montura (ITA809, 1-2 today), which affirms itself as best boat of the day and climbs up from the sixth to the second position in the overall standings, second only to the 2017 World Champions aboard Maidollis (ITA854, 7-4 partials of today) by Gian Luca Perego, with Carlo Fracassoli at the helm and Enrico Fonda at the tactical choices.
The third place in the general standings remains unchanged, occupied by the two times Corinthian World Champions on Taki 4 (ITA778, 9-3 today) that, with a margin of 34 points on the Estonian entry Lenny (EST790, 13-10) and of 38 over Storm Capital Sail Racing (NOR751, 23-5), also lead the ranking of the division reserved for non-professionals.
The provisional top-five, after four races, is completed by the American crew of Travis Weisleder, Lucky Dog / Gill Race Team (USA749, 12-11) and Caipirinha Junior (ITA633, 8-1) who, with Matteo Ivaldi at the helm and Gabriele Benussi calling tactics, wins the second race today and moves from ninth to fifth position in the general ranking.
"As in the first two days, tomorrow we will call the fleet on the water for the first warning signal at 1.00 pm. Today we started with almost an hour of delay but this was due to the fact that some members of our staff in the water had to activate and wait for the rescue procedures for a rock climber who had suffered from an accident on the mountains just above our race course, at an height of approximately 300 meters. The climber was eventually rescued by the men of the helicopter emergency service," commented Fausto Maroni, organizer from Fraglia Vela Riva.
The next appointment is set for tomorrow, Wednesday August 8th at 13.00. The PRO Hank Stuart will have the chance to start up to three races and the worst result will be discarded at the end of the sixth race.
Top 5 ranking after four races:
1. Maidollis, Carlo Fracassoli, ITA, 13 points
2. Arkanoe By Montura, Sergio Caramel, ITA, 20
3. Taki 4, Cor Niccolo Bertola, ITA, 26
4. Lucky Dog / Gill Race Team, Travis Weisleder, USA, 27
5. Caipirinha Jr, Matteo Ivaldi, ITA, 34
Full results after 4 races
Lysekil Women’s Match
Last year’s WIM Series winner Pauline Courtois and her crew maintain a perfect track record having won all of her matches during the first day here in Lysekil and is at the top of the score board. But it is a close race behind her with four teams tied for second place behind the French team.
Today was the 1st day of Lysekil Women’s Match 2018 and the sailing arena has treated us to spectacular conditions with sunshine and light but stable south westerly winds, near perfect weather conditions for match racing. All crews will initially face off against each other in a round-robin to determine who will proceed to the quarter finals. During the day we managed to get through half of the racing in this initial stage and in the lead we find the French team Match in Pink by Normandiy Elite Team, skippered by Pauline Courtois, the only team that remains undefeated in the competition.
On Wednesday, the round-robin continues with good weather conditions and good winds. The competition starts at 9.30am.
Standings in Lysekil Women’s Match after the first day of the round-robin (skipper, team, nationality, wins - losses):
1. Pauline Courtois, Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team, FRA, 5-0
2. Anna Ostling, Team Anna, SWE, 4-1
2. Johanna Bergqvist, Team Bergqvist Match Racing, SWE, 4-1
2. Claire Leroy, New Sweden Match Racing Team, FRA, 4-1
2. Henriette Koch, Women On Water / Team Kattnakken, DEN, 4-1
6. Marinella Laaksonen , L2 Match Racing Team, FIN, 3-2
7. Alexa Bezel, Swiss Women Match Racing Team, SUI, 2-3
7. Margot Vennin, Matchmoiselles by Normandy Elite Team, FRA, 2-3
9. Antonia Degerlund, Team Sköna Vibbisar, FIN, 1-4
9. Ekaterina Kochkina, ProKaTeam Sailing Team, RUS, 1-4
11. Octavia Owen, Athena Racing, GBR, 0-5
11. Sanna Mattsson, Swedish Women’s Match Racing Team, SWE, 0-5
First-Timers Eager to Take On Resolute Cup Challenge
Newport, R.I.: The entry list for the fifth edition of the Resolute Cup, the premier national interclub keelboat competition, will expand beyond the boundaries of the contiguous United States for the first time this September. Shouldering the pride of a Caribbean island with a rich sailing heritage will be the crew representing the Club Nautico de San Juan from Puerto Rico.
"Although well known for its International Billfish Tournament, Club Nautico de San Juan has, since its founding in 1930, a long sailing tradition," says Jose Cartagena, Commodore of the CNSJ (above). "In addition to several Olympic sailors, the Junior Sailing Program has produced several one-design world champions and outstanding college sailors. We think that our sailors can compete well with sailors from other yacht clubs around the nation. The Resolute Cup is the one venue where we can certainly test ourselves."
The Resolute Cup, which was previously known as the U.S. Qualifying Series for the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, was first run in 2010 and is held every other September at the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court in Newport, R.I. The regatta pulls together some of the best amateur sailors from around the United States, each representing their home yacht club. The provided-boat format ensures as level a playing field as exists in the sport of sailing with the skill and preparation of each team determining the final outcome. In 2018, 28 teams from all three major U.S. coastlines, plus the inland lakes, will converge on Newport for four days of intense one-design racing in the Club's fleet of identical Sonar keelboats (right). The winning team will earn its club an invitation to sailing's premier amateur big-boat competition, the 2019 Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup. The 2018 Resolute Cup is sponsored by AIG Private Client Group and Helly Hansen.
The Club Nautico de San Juan is one of a handful of yacht clubs that will be sailing in the Resolute Cup for the first time. Also on that list are Kollegewidgwok Yacht Club from Blue Hill, Maine; Houston Yacht Club from La Porte, Texas; and Sachem's Head Yacht Club from Guilford, Conn.
Historically, the Resolute Cup hasn't been kind to first-time competitors. Sandra Baldridge, from Houston Yacht Club in La Porte, Texas, said her team is aiming for the top of the leaderboard, but is also well aware of the work it will take just to be in contention for a top finish.
In just over a month's time, it will be apparent whether Houston Yacht Club's preparation, and that of the other three rookie clubs, will measure up to what was put in by the 24 teams from clubs with prior Resolute Cup experience. -- Stuart Steuli
Calves Week Will Celebrate Sailing Enchantment of West Cork
West Cork, Ireland's own Lotus Land, should be designated a licensed substance writes W M Nixon. A licensed substance with a proper scientific code, to be administered only by highly-trained professionals. People in white coats. In a clinical setting. For West Cork is as much an induced state of mind as it is a place.
Geographically, it may be defined as somewhere down the road beyond Bandon or thought of as the coastline westward of the Old Head of Kinsale. Others insist it only really begins at Galley Head or even at the Stags. But either way, that's only West Cork as seen on maps or charts. Once you've inhaled it and lived it, it's in the mind and stays there - it's with you wherever you go.
It's a narcotic. A place beyond reality. An other-worldly coastline where the Fastnet Rock might be just another item of the furniture were it an ordinary rock, but that's to underestimate the mythos of the Fastnet Rock. Even when the Fastnet is seen every day, you don't take it for granted. Every time, it's as sacred and as special and as startling as Skellig Michael.
As for the coastline off which it is set, it's just glorious in its scenery and variety and selection of hospitable harbours. And they've crazy names to go with it. After all, when you think of it, who would knowingly select "Skibbereen" for the name of the main town? Crookhaven? No comment. And who, other than an author of works of absurd Paddywhackery, would choose "Ballydehob" as the name for a classic boat-building, culinary and cultural hotspot, yet it seems normal in West Cork.
As for one of the trendiest places on the entire seaboard, it's called Schull. But in times past, careless cartographers have now and again rendered it as Skull. No matter. As of yesterday evening, Schull's population was in the process of trebling as the August holidays arrived upon us. And if at times its ever-so-clever summer re-titling as Dublin 32 tries to take hold, rest assured that with the full West Cork treatment, everyone is a Schull sailor as the annual four-day GAS Calves Week gets underway next Tuesday.
WM Nixon's beautiful longform journalism on display again in Afloat: afloat.ie/blogs/sailing-saturday-with-wm-nixon
For the Record
The WSSR Council announces the following new World Records achieved at the Speed Sailing Event at La Palme France held from the 25th June to the 23rd July 2018.
World Record Ratifications
Heidi Ulrich. SUI. World Women’s Nautical Mile. Record: 35.91 kts on 16/07/18 Previous record: Zara Davis GBR 34.74 kts in 2006
Marine Tlattla. FRA. World Women’s Kite Nautical Mile. Record: 33.60 kts on 16/07/18. Previous record: Aurelia Harpin FRA. 29.83 in 2005
Vincent Valkenaers. BEL. World Men’s Windsurf Nautical Mile. Record: 42.23 on 21/07/18. Previous record: Bjorn Dunkerbeck. 41.14 kts in 2006
Christophe Ballois. FRA. World Men’s Kite Nautical Mile. Record: 35.78 kts on 21/07/18. Previous record: Rob Munro GBR. 35.65 kts in 2006
Zara Davis. GBR. World Women’s Nautical Mile. Record: 37.29 kts on 21/07/18 Previous record: Heidi Ulrich. SUI. 35.91 kts on 16/07/18
John Reed
Secretary, World Sailing Speed Record Council
sailspeedrecords.com
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The Last Word
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