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 editor@scuttlebutteurope.com
Bertelli's Demands
Photo by Luna Rossa / Carlo Borlenghi 
A series of demands which would radically alter the upcoming America's Cup have been made by Patrizio Bertelli, boss of the luxury goods house Prada, which is backing the Italian challenger Luna Rossa.
Most important are changes to the race rules which lay down wind strength limits and additional safety provisions following the death last week of British Olympic gold medallist Andrew 'Bart' Simpson.
Present rules call for a wind limit of 25 knots during the early stages, starting 5 July, of the Louis Vuitton Cup elimination races to find which of the three current challengers, the third is Emirates Team New Zealand, goes forward to race against the locally-based American defender Oracle in America's Cup 34.
This rises to 28 knots in the LVC final and then up to 33 knots in the best of 17 cup matches which start on 7 September. Bertelli wants the limit to be reduced to 20 knots for the whole of the LVC and 25 knots for the cup match
Luna Rossa also wants to see the protective helmets made stronger - there have been rumours that Simpson's helmet suffered significant damage - and for the crews to wear body armour. He wants an enhanced plan for emergencies, including a water ambulance close to the race track and a helicopter standing by in addition to medics on support boats and divers fully equipped to join any rescue operations.
He is apprehensive that a review committee led by the boss of America's Cup Race Management, Iain Murray, can only make recommendations and has no power to impose changes to the protocol that governs the whole event or to the class rules which govern the boats. -- Stuart Alexander in The Independent:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/sailing/
* Italian America's Cup syndicate Luna Rossa defied recommendations not to sail on San Francisco Bay as they debuted their AC72 there today.
They put in three hours of training in 3-12 knots and were satisfied "to carry out an extensive number of manoeuvres".
Skipper Max Sirena said the weather had been ideal as they tested loads, safety measures and manoeuvres.
It was also important for the team to get out on the bay from a psychological point of view. They planned to continue sailing as scheduled.
Yesterday the America's Cup Review Committee set up to investigate the fatal training incident involving Artemis Racing's AC72, recommended that teams shouldn't sail their AC72's or AC45's for another week. -- Stuff.co.nz
www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/8691262/
Day Of Two Halves
Adam Minoprio shouts for an umpire call. Photo by Brian Carlin / AWMRT. Click on image to enlarge.
Langenargen, Germany: Light winds, strong winds, shifty winds, stable winds, rain, shine - Lake Constance is throwing up all imaginable conditions to test the skippers at Match Race Germany, the opening event of the 2013 Alpari World Match Racing Tour. Today it was the turn of 25 knot winds, sharp seas and driving rain in the morning only for these to peter out leading to a long delay before the Semi Finals could start.
The Quarter Finals comprised three first-to-three point matches. The day started with Karol Jablonski level at 1-1 against Mathieu Richard's GEFCO Match Racing Team, Adam Minoprio's Team Alpari FX on the same score with Bjorn Hansen's Mekonomen Sailing Team and Johnie Berntsson's Stena Sailing Team looking strong 2-0 up against Taylor Canfield and USone.
Having the easiest ride through the Semi Finals was France's Mathieu Richard who won both his matches today against the Polish former America's Cup helm and ISAF Match Racing World Champion.
Jablonski was pleased to have got so far into the event considering that he only sails one or two match racing events each year. Despite their experience his crew, that included Polish Olympic Star sailor Dominik Zycki, was lacking the fluidity of their competitors.
Adam Minoprio once again did his 'comeback kid' routine. Like Richard, Minoprio put his success today down to superior boat handling by his crew.
Racing will conclude tomorrow at Match Race Germany with the remaining races of the Semi Finals going into the first-to-three Finals.
Final Semi Final Results After Flight 2
Mathieu Richard (FRA) GEFCO Match Racing Team vs Adam Minoprio (NZL) Team Alpari FX 1-1
Ian Williams (GBR) GAC Pindar v Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Stena Sailing Team 1-1
Final Quarter Final Results
Mathieu Richard (FRA) GEFCO Match Racing Team vs Karol Jablonski (GER) Jablonski Sailing Team 3-1
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Stena Sailing Team vs Taylor Canfield (ISV) USone Sailing Team 3-2
Bjorn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team vs Adam Minoprio (NZL) Team Alpari FX 2-3
Women's International Match Racing Series
In the finals of the women's match racing event in Saint Quay, local sailor Julie Bossard gave the French crowd at the pier some hope after beating former Olympian Lucy Macgregor in the first match. But then the supreme sailor from Great Britain fought back, winning three consecutive matches to secure the title in this first event of the inaugural 2013 Women's International Match Racing Series.
She has undoubtedly been the sovereign of the event, winning not less than 24 of her 29 matches during the ISAF Grade 1 Saint Quay Women's Match Racing. On the last day of racing she also lost one match in the semi-final, against Dutch veteran Klaartje Zuiderbaan, but apart from that it was all a victorious Sunday for the British crew.
In the round-robin for deciding 5th to 8th place Caroline Sylvan of Sweden excelled, winning all her three matches while all the others just had one win each. In her matches against Kiwi Claudia Pierce and Milly Bennett from Australia, Sylvan & Co managed to take the start, then strengthening their advantage when the opponent was penalized.
Results in ISAF Grade 1 Saint Quay Women's Match Racing, the first event of the inaugural 2013 Women's International Match Racing Series.
1. Lucy Macgregor, Saskia Clark, Claire Lasko, Maria Stanley, GBR
2. Julie Bossard, Pauline Courtois, Nadege Douroux, Clara Scheiwiller, FRA
3. Stephanie Roble, Maggie Shea, Meg Six, Janel Zarkowsky, USA
4. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, Morgane Gautier, Lena Koter, Sarah Hornby, NED
5. Caroline Sylvan, Louise Kruuse af Verchou, Sofia Engström, Frida Langenius, SWE
6. Anna Kjellberg, Johanna Larsson, Karin Almquist, Therese Antman, SWE
7. Claudia Pierce, Aimee Famularo, Marie Kent, Janelle Peat, NZL
8. Milly Bennett, Kajsa Doyle, Alice Tarnawski, Seldon Coventry, AUS
9. Alexa Bezel, Corinne Meyer, Romy Hasler, Laurane Mettraux, SUI
10. Morgane Dreau, Pauline Bryere, Violette Lemercier, Tifanie Leon, FRA
Farr 40 Us East Coast Championship
Enfant Terrible was sailing in fifth place of the final race at the Farr 40 East Coast Championship when tactician Vasco Vascotto made a bold move. Vascotto decided to split from the leaders and head toward the left side of the course, a risky move because it could have cost skipper Alberto Rossi the regatta.
Instead, the move paid off handsomely. Enfant Terrible picked up a favorable shift and wound up passing four boats - rounding the final windward mark in first and maintaining that lead to the finish.
It was indicative of how things went all week for the Italian team, which figured out the tricky conditions on the Chesapeake Bay better than the rest of the fleet. Vascotto was on his game tactically while Rossi did a splendid job of steering as Enfant Terrible finished first or second in seven of 10 races during the four-day series.
Annapolis can be a challenging venue since the Chesapeake Bay is famous for its wild wind shifts, dramatic pressure changes and strong current. Four boats had tacticians who have lived in Annapolis and have extensive experience on the bay, but it was Vascotto who got things right most often.
The Farr 40 class will reconvene in Newport from June 13-16 for the New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta.
2013 Farr 40 East Coast Championship (eight entries)
1. Enfant Terrible, Alberto Rossi, ITA, 26 points
2. Groovederci, John Demourkas, USA, 32
3. Barking Mad, Jim Richardson, USA, 34
4. Plenty, Alex Roepers, USA, 42
5. Ramrod, Rod Jabin, USA, 56
6. Asterisk-UNO, Hasip Gencer, USA, 56
7. Nightshift, Kevin McNeil, USA, 56
8. Struntje Light, Wolfgang Schaefer, GER, 58
Seahorse June 2013
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
The driving force
Ken Read and Bruno Dubois talk to Dobbs Davis about the philosophy and the execution of a radical VO65 sail programme
Taking stock
Rob Weiland broadens his analysis with a look at relative modernity among rating systems
As good as it gets
Tim Smyth and the Oracle build team at Core Boatbuilders are finding success with an innovative new fabric
RORC news
Eddie Warden Owen
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Delta Lloyd North Sea Regatta
Soulmate overcomes mainsail challenge and overtakes lead. Photo by Sander van der Borch / Artemis, www.sandervanderborch.com. Click on image to enlarge.
Scheveningen/Netherlands: The third day of the Delta Lloyd North Sea Regatta showed in some classes an exciting fight at the top, resulting in new leaders. Front-runners in other classes consolidated their first position. It was a good sailing day with sunshine an a little more wind than predicted. This morning, the breeze came from the Northeast with some ten knots. In the course of the day and according to the weather forecast, it turned to the North and picked up.
Rescue boats had a busy day on the catamaran and One Design courses. A few Javelins and Contenders capsized and one cat sailor fell overboard. He was quickly rescued and brought back to his boat. The chilly easterly winds in combination with the cold water made the tiring conditions for competitors. At the end of the day, however, the sailors returned tired but satisfied to the harbour. Tomorrow is the last racing day. The IRC and ORC classes will sail a long course, that counts for the overall results. Fleet races are scheduled for the other classes.
ORC1: Stressful day for new leader
The Soulmate of Leon Westhoeve took over the lead from the Skarp in the ORC1, but things did not go smoothly today. 'It was a stressful day', says Westhoeve. 'Just before the first gun, our mainsail ripped from the front to the back. Normally we have our car with all spare sails parked on the quay, but because my wife is heavily pregnant, she has the car at home. We therefore acted very quickly. I called and asked her to bring the mainsail and in the meantime we rushed to the harbour. Possible speeding tickets did not matter me. Dressed in our sailing gear we ran to the entrance of the regatta village, got her in and threw the sail on board. Off we went. It looked like a Le Mans start. We were just in time for the second race. Because we had missed the first one, we had no discard anymore, so it was make or break for the rest of the day. Luckily we sailed two bullets again.' -- Diana Bogaards
For the results in all classes, please go to www.nsr.nl/results-all.asp
The 2013 Atlantic Cup
This cloudy, drizzly morning finds us beating up the South shore of Long Island Sound with all of our six competitors within visual contact. It was a long night of changing sails and shifting gears as we worked hard to keep the boat going optimally. We have manged to work our way to the front of the pack and are sailing about even with BoDream and slightly ahead of 40 Degrees and Le Rooster.
The big decision will be which side of Block Island to approach Newport from. Too early to say at the moment, as the time of arrival on the tides will drive the decision.
On board Tristan and I have been trading off watches and catching a few hours of rest each, while cameraman Will caught a spectacular sunrise and amazing rainbow at dawn. What a treat. It will be tempting to drop in on our new friends (and race sponsor) Block Island Organics and get some sunscreen and perhaps a massage at their spa. Perhaps another day... but soon.
So happy Sunday to all and please send your positive vibrations to GS2 for a strong finish. -- Joe Harris
atlanticcup.org
www.gryphonsolo2.com
Tornado European Championships
Photo by Martina Barnetova. Click on image to enlarge.
The forecast was always due to be bad for the third day of racing and the sailors awoke to a fresh force 4 wind with heavy cloud cover.
When it was time to hit the water the wind was building with choppy water and big waves. The race officer got the fleet off to a quick start for the first race, another clean start. It was Iordanis Paschalidis and Kostas Trigonis who led the fleet all the way round the race course to take victory. They were followed by the Gaeblers in 2nd and Nikos and Alex (GRE 11) in 3rd position.
The second race was started in the same conditions with only 15 boats starting the race and 11 finishing. Again the strong wind specialists Iordanis and Kostas took the victory followed by Roland and Nahid, then the Swiss pairing of Marcel and Jorg Steiner. A consistent series puts them into 6th place moving into the last day of racing.
The fleet were then sent back into shore to wait and see what the wind did. The race officer decided to delay for 1 hour 30 minutes, after that period at 2pm the wind had died off to nothing with the sailors left waiting.
At 5pm the race officer took the postponement flag down and the fleet were back out onto the water for more racing. It was like another location from the mornings sailing, beautiful sunshine and around 6 knots of breeze.
The boats were then drifting back to shore less than 30 minutes later because the wind had disappeared. An interesting and varied day of racing for the competitors of the European Championships.
The race for 1st place is currently lead by The Gaeblers who lead the Greek Red Bull team by 3 points. Roland and Nahid will be hoping for a light wind day to knock the Greeks off the podium they've held since 2008.
Top 10 Results
1. Roland and Nahid Gaebler
2. Iordanis Paschalidis & Kostas Trigonis
3. Nikolaos Mavros & Alexandros Tagaropoulos
4. Veit Hemmeter & Nico Lutz
5. Martin and Julia Rusterholz
6. Marcel and Jorg Steiner
7. Jean-Marc Cuanillon & Gregor Schmucki
8. Jurgen Jentsch & Manuel Sciarra
9. Michael Schonleitner & Philipp Rukuschan
10. Wilfried Jodorf & Michael Hinz
Marwin Sailing Team GC32 Takes Line Honors in Iconic Swiss Regatta
With Flavio Marazzi at the helm, Marwin Sailing Team's high-tech GC32 catamaran dominated a fleet of more than 120 boats in one of Switzerland's iconic and traditional races, after spectacular boat christening with former Miss Switzerland Jenny Ann Gerber. Thanks to a combination of clever tactics and remarkable boat speed, it took 3 hours and 22 minutes for the spectacular catamaran to sail from Zurich to Rapperswil despite the extremely light and challenging conditions.
Organized by the Zurcher Segel Club, the lake race from Zurich to Rapperswil, or Zuri-Rappi as the locals call it, is more than a simple regatta. It's one of Switzerland's most popular long-distance races.
The start of the race was given under a complete lull and the fleet struggled to find even the smallest puff. Crews were constantly on the hunt for that elusive dark patch on the lake's surface. Marwin Sailing Team got the upper hand by sticking close to the shore as dozens of boats got stuck in the dying breeze in the middle of the lake. In the final stretch to the finish line, the GC32 reached its top speed of 19 knots, more than twice the true wind speed.
The next challenge for Marwin Sailing Team is coming up shortly, from May 30th to June 2nd in Lindau, Germany. Flavio Marazzi and his team will compete at the Rund um Bodensee on Lake Constance and Marwin Sailing Team will aim at taking line honors once again and, if conditions are favorable, breaking the current race record.
British Classic Yacht Regatta
2012 proved to be a fantastic year with a record 83 boats taking part and, with entries from Europe and Canada, it truly was an international regatta.
The 2013 regatta will be taking place from the 6th to 13th July, with the Panerai Classic Around the Island Race on Sunday 7th following the original clockwise course of the first America's Cup and a six-race series racing starting on Monday 8th July - racing will be demanding and competitive but will still retain that Corinthian spirit synonymous with classic boat racing. In addition to the exciting racing, there will be whole host of social events held in the sailing clubs of Cowes, including the prestigious Royal Yacht Squadron.
The regatta, which is part of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge, has been held every year since the America's Cup Jubilee was held in Cowes in 2001.
Entries are now open and the Entry Form and Notice of Regatta are available for download.
www.britishclassicyachtclub.org/regatta/index.html
Letters To The Editor - editor@scuttlebutteurope.com
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* From Owen Sharpe: I vividly remember being aboard Krisis when she first entered competitive racing on Auckland Harbour in 1975. A 40 foot Lock Crowther trimaran, handbuilt by Malcolm Davy for whom speed was the point, she was the fastest sailboat on Auckland harbour. She was a fabulous advance. We derided the poor saps in the "leadbottoms". Why were people still persisting with them?
I agree with Ratty that there is nothing like messing about in boats and almost any boat will do me to mess about in. But I have loved to see and be thrilled by Team NZ and Prada in their big foiling AC cats screaming around Auckland harbour, spectacularly extending what I thought was possible.
Sir Russell Coutts himself, speaking of sailing cognoscenti, earlier expressed some doubts about whether he had gone a step too far with them. But have courage Russell, these boats you has conceived and led us to are truly wonderful. Andrew "Bart" Simpson's untimely death does not make them less so. A man died in our fleet when a keeler dismasted off Waiheke in 1975; we mourned but we didn't give up sailing, or trying to go faster.
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