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Quantum Racing Win 52 Super Series First Trophy Regatta
Photo by Xaume Olleros. Click on image to enlarge.
Barcelona, Spain: Winning the final race in Barcelona Quantum Racing, skippered by Ed Baird with Terry Hutchinson as tactician, contributed all that they could to lifting the Conde de Godo Trophy regatta for the second year in a row, but with long time event leaders Azzurra slumping to a dramatic seventh place at the same time, the American team did have a little unexpected assistance from their main rivals.
Azzurra went into Sunday's only race with a lead of two points on Quantum Racing and four on Niklas Zennstrom's Ran Racing, but the defending 2012 52 Super Series champions Azzurra had only a modest first beat and then were penalised for fouling Interlodge at the spreader mark spinnaker hoist.
Required to take a penalty turn Azzurra's hopes of winning the regatta evaporated at that point. There was no coming back for them as Quantum Racing were already half a mile down the first run, sailing securely and confidently to take the winning gun and with it the Conde de Godo Trophy and draw first blood on the 2013 52 Super Series.
Ran Racing's second place, with Azzurra seventh gives Zennstrom's world champions crew second overall in Barcelona, the city where they won their first 52 regatta as a team in 2011.
Barcelona delivered a potent mix of breezes including two memorable days when the early season winds were consistently over 20kts, complemented nicely by Sunday's 11-15kts showdown.
Trofeo Conde de Godo, standings after eight races.
1. Quantum Racing, USA, 18 points
2. Ran, SWE, 21
3. Azzurra, ITA, 22
4. Gladiator, GBR, 35
5. Interlodge, USA, 35
6. Rio, USA, 45
7. Provezza, TUR, 48
Delta Lloyd Regatta
The new format experienced in the Eurosaf Champions Sailing Cup with the emphasis put on the last medal race created the expected thrill and drama in the Delta Lloyd regatta in Medemblik.
Five of the earlier leaders lost top place during the Medal race which opened the field for the top six boats.
The Eurosaf Champions Sailing Cup heads now to Great Britain for the Sail for Gold regatta.
Top three podium positions by class (full results at results.deltalloydregatta.org )
2.4m
1. Megan Pascoe, GBR, 16 points
2. Helena Lucas, GBR, 19
3. Barend Kol, NED, 26
470 Men
1. Mathew Belcher, AUS, 3
2. Paul Snow-Hansen, NZL, 5
3. Sime Fantela Fantela, CRO, 5
470 Women
1. Jo Aleh, NZL, 2
2. Anne Haeger, USA, 6
3. Tina Mrak, SLO, 8
49er
1. Jonas Warrer, DEN, 7
2. David Evans, GBR, 10
3. Julien D'Ortoli, FRA, 10
49FX
1. Tina Lutz, GER, 5
2. Victoria Jurczok, GER, 11
3. Ida Marie Baad Nielsen, DEN, 11
Finn
1. Mark Andrews, GBR, 5
2. Pieter Jan Postma, NED, 5
3. Andrew Mills, GBR, 7
Laser
1. Rutger van Schaardenburg, NED, 5
2. Matthew Wearn, AUS, 5
3. Andy Maloney, NZL, 6
Laser Radial
1. Annalise Murphy, IRL, 4
2. Marit Bouwmeester, NED, 4
3. Alison Young, GBR, 4
Nacra
1. Moana Vaireaux, FRA, 3
2. Audrey Ogereau, FRA, 5
3. Renee Groeneveld, NED, 7
RS-X Men
1. Pawel Tarnowski, POL, 5
2. Byron Kokkalanis, GRE, 6
3. Julien Bontemps, FRA
RS-X Women
1. Flavia Tartaglini, ITA, 4
2. Maayan Davidovich, ISR, 6
3. Manchon Blanca, ESP, 7
Sonar
1. Bruno Jourdren, FRA, 21
2. Udo Hessels, NED, 24
3. John Robertson, GBR, 31
Kiwis Rule And Then Maier Takes Fifth Finn World Masters
Photo by Robert Deaves. Click on image for photo gallery.
Final days are always difficult for organisers and competitors alike but the final day of the Finn World Masters in La Rochelle was made more difficult by the strong winds and early rain showers that swept through the area. Michael Maier (CZE)) took the world Masters title after winning the the medal race in style, while Andre Budzien (GER) took silver and Erik Lidecis (USA) the bronze.
The day began with the first final colour grouping races for all but the top 10. A much reduced fleet headed out into a solid 15-16 knot very cold breeze and were met by an approaching rainstorm.
While the group races were rescheduled for the earlier start time of 10.30 to avoid the strongest of the forecast wind, the medal race was strangely rescheduled for later in the day so that it could be held in the river off the club when the tide had risen sufficiently to lay a course. This was so it could be watched by spectators. It was a gamble as the wind was forecast to rise all day and the Masters has a wind speed limit of 20 knots.
But the medal race got away at 15.30 after one general recall in well in excess of 20 knots.
Michael Maier takes a well deserved and record equalling fifth World Masters title after undoubtedly the toughest of all his five Masters titles. Budzien, the three times champion, took the silver while newcomer Erik Lidecis (USA) took the bronze after not really figuring in the medal race.
This year has featured the last ever entry at a Finn World Masters, with more and more sailors both qualifying by getting older and being attracted to the fleet by the level of competition. Next year the Finn World Masters heads to Sopot in Poland. -- Robert Deaves
Final results top 10
1. Michael Maier, CZE, 10 points
2. Andre Budzien, GER, 17
3. Erik Lidecis, USA, 20
4. Tauras Rymonis, LTU, 25
5. Karel Van Hellemond, NED, 34
6. Thomas Schmidt, GER 34
7. Allen Burrell, GBR, 38
8. Laurent Hay 38
9. Michael Staal 47
10. Adrian Brunton 59
Grand Masters: Andre Budzien (GER), Thomas Schmidt (GER), Michael Staal (DEN)
Grand Grand Masters: Henk de Jager (NED), Seppo Ajanko (FIN), Dirk Seret (AUS)
Legends: Friedrich Muller (GER), Minski Fabris (CRO), Howard Sellars (GBR)
Full results after day 5: www.srr-sailing.com/finn-world-master
Next Edition of the Transat Planned for May 2016
Founders of The Transat : Blondie Hasler , Francis Chichester and Lt. Jack Odling-Smee. Photo by Western Morning News/Ajax/DPPI. Click on image to enlarge.
The next edition of THE TRANSAT, the successor for pro-sailors to the original solo race across the North Atlantic that was born as the OSTAR, will take place in May 2016. As we wish the sailors good luck for the start of the Corinthian version for smaller boats this Bank Holiday Monday, 27th May from Plymouth, UK, this serves as a timely reminder to establish a marker for the The Transat, or La Transat Anglaise as its known in France.
The OSTAR (Observer Singlehanded Trans-Atlantic Race) was created in 1960 by a handful of pioneering sailors. The race was organised every four years by the Royal Western Yacht Club (RWYC) from 1960 through to the 2000 event, albeit with a lot of involvement from the French event organiser Pen Duick in the 90s, in order to cater for the demands of the professional campaigns that dominated the event.
After the 2000 edition with the future of the event in doubt due to the withdrawal of sponsors and consequently Pen Duick, OC Sport stepped in to save the event and acquired the rights to the professional part for boats of 50 foot and upwards.
OC Sport renamed it THE TRANSAT in 2004, and added Artemis as Title Partner in 2008, focusing in that year on the IMOCA 60 Class, the boats that compete in the Vendee Globe in the same year. This race can be relived at www.thetransat.com
The 2012 edition was deferred at the request of IMOCA due to some commercial complications for them with another event organiser who had to delay their event from 2011 to 2012.
However, the next edition of THE TRANSAT is planned for May 2016 in its traditional pre-Vendee Globe slot, although the decision on which classes will be invited has not yet been finalised. The fleet will follow its traditional tough North Atlantic course from the UK to North America.
The RWYC continues to organise a solo transatlantic race for Corinthian and non-professional sailors that is still known as the (O)STAR, and that is restricted to boats of up to 50 foot only. This race usually falls a year after the professional big boat race ie 2005, 2009 with the next edition starting on Monday with 21 entries.
IMOCA 60 Monohull record: 12 days, 11 hours and 45 minutes set by Loick Peyron (FRA) on board Gitana in 2008
Multihull 60ft record: 8 days, 8 hours, 29 minutes set by Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) on board Geant in 2004
Leopard's Fight For The Finish
Mike Slade's Maxi Yacht, ICAP Leopard is back in The Solent preparing to take on formidable opposition in the historic JP Morgan Round the Island Race. ICAP Leopard holds the monohull course record for the 50-mile race around the Isle of Wight and has taken Line Honours every year, since she first competed in 2007.
Slade's record breaking 100ft Maxi ended the 2012 season in style, scorching across the Atlantic in just over 7 days, to win The International Maxi Association's Transatlantic Race. Line Honours in a tough RORC Caribbean 600 was to follow and after sailing back across the Atlantic, ICAP Leopard is now ready for an extensive racing and charter programme in Europe, including the historic Rolex Fastnet Race, this August.
Mike Slade has had a love affair with the Round the Island Race for 25 years. "It's where it all began." smiled Mike. "The first race we ever did was on Ocean Leopard back in 1991, we broke the record then and we have held it with three different boats since, it has become something of an enigma. It is an intriguing race, no wonder it draws 1800 yachts each year. It is a wonderful sight to see all of those boats, some of them have been doing it since the 1930s. This year, we will have some fantastic yachts challenging Leopard; Alex Thompson's Hugo Boss, Brian Thompson's Artemis and Andy Budgen's Monster Project are all capable of giving Leopard a run for her money. For me that makes this fascinating race even more exciting."
ICAP Leopard will have a stellar crew for the race including Volvo Ocean Race and World Champion sailors; Hugh Agnew (GBR), Ryan Godfrey (AUS), Zane Gills (AUS), Andy Meikljohn (NZL), Nick Bonner (GBR), Phil Harmer (AUS), Mark Thomas (AUS), Ian Budgen (GBR). -- Louay Habib
Race day is this Saturday June 1: www.roundtheisland.org.uk
"Mate, What The Hell Went Wrong?"
That was all Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton needed to say kick off a heated debate with Sir Russell Coutts when the two yachting adversaries squared off in a charity dinner [earlier this month].
The evening was in aid of veteran sailors Rick Dodson and David Barnes, who both suffer from multiple sclerosis and are aiming to attend the 2016 Paralympics.
Coutts got off to a rather tame start, opening with a video detailing Oracle's struggles and triumphs over the past 12 months.
Dalton chose another tack with his introductory video, playing an interview with Larry Ellison in 2010, in which the Oracle owner made all sorts of bold promises - most of which have not eventuated. The move hit a raw nerve with Coutts, who later leapt to the defence of his boss, warning "he'll get to hear about this".
In the video Ellison claimed there would be many as 16 challengers, with "more international teams than ever before" and pegged the cost of competing at just $2m-$4m.
He also promised the design rule would be simplified and the boats would be cheap to engineer - they would not be going back to the complex wingsail technology like that which was seen in Oracle's trimaran, which won the deed of gift challenge in 2010 - a point that was met with derisive laughter from the audience.
"Mate, what the hell went wrong?" Dalton asked when the video wrapped up. -- Dana Johannsen in the New Zealand Herald
Solos Return to HISC for 55th Nationals
Photo by Gerald New, sailweb.co.uk. Click on image to enlarge.
The return of the Solo Nationals to Hayling Island SC for the first time in 30 years has stirred a lot of memories, not least for Geoff Carveth. It was at HISC in 1983 that Carveth won the second of his eight Solo titles. And in July he will return to compete again in the class that started him on his incredible sailing career.
Carveth, "Thirty years on and the championship is back at HISC, now my main club and so it seems only right to revisit the class, along with a number of other migrating helms. I believe the game has moved on with the likes of Charlie Cumberly, Matt Howard and Andy "Taxi" Davis."
Geoff will be using a new Solo hull from The Boatyard at Beer, with input from Jo Richards to modify the hull shape and tweaked rudder and centreboard profiles by Phil Morrison.
Other well known names joining in the fun at HISC will be multi-class champion Ian Pinnell, whose chandlery P&B markets the Winder solo and also the new FRP Poulson. Another returning Soloist is sailmaker Dick Batt who has a new range of Solo sails and will be back competing this year. Turning his hand to a very different type of boat from his usual choice is Nick Peters, founder of RS, who is already showing winning form in the HISC fleet.
The class is in fine health, adding around 100 boats a year, with the Boon and Winder hulls joined by the new Sailboats Speed, Poulson, SP Boats and The Boatyard hulls, plus the beautiful Gosling and Crawshaw custom wood versions. -- Gerald New, sailweb.co.uk
HISC Solo National Championship event page
www.hisc.co.uk
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Mauritius Regatta
Photo by P. Jaffredou / G. Cazade. Click on image to enlarge.
It has been 5 days of excellent sailing conditions experienced by the teams on the six boats of the Mauritius Regatta. With the first two competitors in a tie last night and the small gap between the first four boats, today's leg was key for the final win between the capital of Port Louis and Black River.
There was a radical change in the weather conditions today as the boats had to use their engine to get away from Port Louis and get some wind at half-course where the race committee gave the start to the fifth and final leg in a light breeze which, thankfully rose to 15 knots early afternoon.
There was extreme tension on the start line and all through the race as SOL'S and Champagnes Nicolas Feuillatte (Bateau 20° Sud) were in the lead with the same number of points before the start
Caught up in the game of this race new to him, Francois Gabart, winner of the Vendee Globe 2012/13 crossed the start line too early and had to do a penalty. Michel Bourgeois, replacement skipper of Michel Desjoyeaux who had to leave a day early for the Solitaire du Figaro, found himself match racing with some of the biggest names in sailing. After 20 miles upwind when the competitors flirted with the coral reef and its rollers, Romain Attanasio onboard the Balise Marina/Investec finally got his win just 12 seconds before second-placed Francois Gabart.
Today's podium was completed by Champagnes Nicolas Feuillatte (Bateau 20° Sud) followed by Fondeole, Yacht Management and MTPA.
Final Overall Ranking
1. Sol's, Francois Gabart
2. Champagnes Nicolas Feuillatte (Bateau 20° Sud), Michel Desjoyeaux
3. La Balise Marina / Investec, Romain Attanasio
4. Fondeole, Franck-Yves Escoffier
5. Yacht Management, Harry Spedding
6. MTPA, Dee Caffari
Rome 2k Keelboat Team Racing
Having had to abandon day 1 due to storm force winds and mountainous seas the teams assembled at 0800 to start racing. Impressive after a momentous dinner at the Rome clubhouse of the host Reale Circolo Canottiere Tevere Remo.
The first race featured Yacht Club Costa Smeralda against the British team Serpentine.... A start line penalty made life difficult for the Brits, who while getting back into contention lost 3-4 to a very strong opponent. Later against the home team Rome Racing, Serpentine had a similar struggle.
By the end of the day Yacht Club Costa Smeralda who will represent Italy at the European championships in Holland in June had achieved 100% win ratio...only to be matched by the Rome Racing Team. We await race 24 for the this tie breaker.
Team delle Banane from Circolo 3 V showed real team racing skill in their battle with Yacht Club Gaeta... Both clubs clearly to be watched with care.
Racing started in reasonable wind and 2 m waves... But by mid afternoon the wind had reached 25+ knots and with wild seas racing was postponed until Sunday. -- Bruce Hebbert
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