In This Issue
• Upsetting the Leaderboard: Solitaire URGO Le Figaro
• First points on the scoreboard at 2019 D-Marin ORC World Championship
• Robline in a nutshell…may we introduce the brand
• Hempel World Cup Series Final
• Great British Sailing Challenge
• Island Water World Grenada Sailing Week 2020 Online Registration Open
• First Danish Finn World Masters set to open in Skovshoved
• Record 40 entries for Australian Women's Keelboat Regatta
• Remembering Lowell North
• Featured Charter: 2011 Reichel Pugh 45 - Katsu
• Featured Brokerage:
• • 1937 Tore Holm 53ft bermudan cutter
• • 1992 Baltic Yachts 40
• • 1982 Pocock One Tonner
• The Last Word: Gary Snyder
Brought to you by Seahorse magazine and YachtScoring.com EuroSail News 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] eurosailnews [DOT] com
Upsetting the Leaderboard: Solitaire URGO Le Figaro
Four successive islands on France's northwest coast have in turn upset the leaderboard of the 553 nautical mile first stage of La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro from Nantes to Kinsale. Each of the Iles de Yeu, Belle-Ile, Sein and this evening Ushant and the TSS has brought new surprises.
Thomas Ruyant, (ADvens Fondation de la Mer), was thought by many to have lost badly for boldly striking out to the west on his own yesterday as the fleet tried to escape the clutches of the light wind, high pressure ridge. But when the main fleet tacked this afternoon to head west and avoid the western edge of the TSS at Ushant, Ruyant held the lead momentarily.
In essence that means that since this leg started on Sunday afternoon there have been different leaders at each of the four islands. At Ile de Yeu it was Michel Desjoyeaux (Lumibird) who sprang the first big surprise of the race. At Belle Ile that surprise was trumped by the amateur rookie Henri Lemenicier (Eureka) who squeezed out a 20 mile lead on the fleet. Then, at the Ile de Sein Yann Eliès (Saint Michel) made the day's most pronounced gain to lead, and at Ushant it is Thomas Ruyant (ADvens-The foundation of the sea).
Most have opted for the west but Lemencier has led a posse to the east which includes Desjoyeaux, Arthur Le Vaillant (Leyton) Briton Alan Roberts (Seacat Services), Kiwi Conrad Colman (Ethical Power), and Martin Le Pape (Skipper Macif 2017). They are credited with the top five places on the evening ranking.
The winds are due to hold from the WNW initially but who will profit on the passage across the Channel and out through the Celtic Sea to the Fastnet? The forecast suggests it will be light at the Fastnet and with lots of tidal current, this leg will not be settled to the finish line.
Top ten update: 05/06/2019 04:58:00
1. Alain Gautier, Merci Pour Ces 30 Ans, 225.5 nm to leg 1 finish
2. Alan Roberts, Seacat Services, 3.12nm to leader
3. Martin Le Pape, Skipper Macif 2017, 3.71
4, Michel Desjoyeaux, Lumibird, 4.34
5. Conrad Colman, Ethical Power, 4.96
6. Pierre Leboucher, Guyot Environnement, 5.06
7. Robin Marais, Ma Chance Moi Aussi, 5.69
8. Armel Le Cleac'h, Banque Populaire, 6.04
9. Yoann Richomme, Hellowork - Groupe Telegramme, 6.56
10. Eric Peron, French Touch
First points on the scoreboard at 2019 D-Marin ORC World Championship
Sibenik, Croatia: In elapsed times that ranged from 14 hours 45 Minutes to well over 25 hours, the 110-boat fleet at the 2019 D-Marin ORC World Championship has completed the 126-mile long offshore race today, earning their crews their first points on the event scoreboard. Two offshore and six inshore races are planned through Saturday 8 June, with ORC World Champion titles awarded in each of three classes.
In Class A, two Italian teams led throughout the race: Roberto Monti's 2008 Judel/Vrolik-designed TP 52 Air is Blue and Marco Serafini's newer and faster 2011 Botin-designed TP 52 XIO. Their rated difference in speed was not much using the Offshore scoring model - an average of 6.6 seconds/mile, or only 2 boatlengths per mile of course length - so the two seemed destined to be match race sailing.
At about 11 PM, XIO rounded the final mark at Visovac with Air is Blue not far astern, a narrow margin they managed to keep until they both drifted to the finish line at Zlarin island at about 1:45 AM. Air is Blue's winning margin in corrected time was 9:13 after almost 15 hours of racing.
The largest winning margin in corrected time was 34:38 after almost 20 hours of racing in Class B, with Massimo De Campo's Swan 42 Selene-Alifax from Italy defeating another Italian Swan 42, Alberto Franchi's Digital Bravo. The next two boats in the rankings, Michalis Belegris's GS 42R Code Zero Mastihashop from Greece and Diego Zanco's X 41 Nube from Croatia skippered by Mate Arapov, were within another 5 minutes of corrected time from Digital Bravo.
In Class C the racing results were too close to call for most of the race, with Ott Kikkas's mixed Estonian-Italian team on his new Italia 11.98 Sugar 3 winning by only an astounding 30 seconds after the Czech runner-up - Zdenek Jakoubek's M 37 Hebe - sailed for over 23 hours. In third place 9 minutes back was Jose Maria Vila Valero's GS 37 BC Tanit 4 - Medilevel from Spain.
Inshore racing starts Wednesday at 11:00 with Classes A and C sailing windward-leeward courses on the Bravo area west of Sibenik, while Class B will race on the Alpha area to the south. Principal Race Officer Ariane Mainmarie says the current forecast looks promising for 10-15 knots of southerly wind, suitable for two races.
Robline in a nutshell…may we introduce the brand:
R...like Rebellious
Breaking out of used habits. Breaking ground with innovative, pioneering Robline ropes. The colours of the new Robline logo illustrate and emphasise this spirit. We wanted to break out of the "Blue" in sailing and in general the watersports industry. We wanted to make a statement using cucuum and monsungrey as our new colours - Standing out of the mass with both our products and our spirit.
Read more soon!
Hempel World Cup Series Final
In a variable 7-12 knot south easterly breeze, the competitors from 41 nations, racing across the ten Olympic events and an Open Kiteboarding fleet completed every scheduled race on the opening day. In some fleets, there were some exceptional individual performances whilst in others, consistency was scarce at the early stage of the event.
Spain's Jordi Xammar and Nicolás Rodriguez got off to a flying start at the Hempel World Cup Series Final in Marseille, France, winning both of their races in the Men's 470.
At the end of day one, the Spanish team lead Belcher and Ryan and Italy's Ferrari and Calabrò by three points.
Consistency was at a premium in the Women's 470 with no team able to replicate the Spanish teams complete performance.
Germany's Frerike Loewe and Anna Markfort finished third in both races and hold the lead. Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre (GBR) took the first race win of the week and are second and the second race winners, Afrodite Zegers and Lobke Berkhout (NED), are fifth.
Italy's Mattia Camboni was as impressive as the Spanish 470 team in the Men's RS:X after he clinched two race wins and a second, which he discards.
Four-time World Champions and French SailGP team members, Billy Besson and Marie Riou (FRA) lead the Nacra 17 fleet after Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti (ITA) were disqualified from the first race of the day.
After three races, Tita and Banti were level with the French but ashore after racing Vittorio Bissaro and Maelle Frascari (ITA) protested their compatriots for a port-starboard incident which they ultimately won. As a result, Tita and Banti dropped to fourth on equal points with their compatriots.
French sailors dominated the opening day of the Open Kiteboarding event. Nico Parlier won three of four races and holds the lead. Theo de Ramecourt and Axel Mazella follow in second and third.
The 49er and 49erFX fleets both completed three of 12 races they have scheduled ahead of the Medal Race on Saturday 8 June.
Racing resumes at 11:00 local time on Wednesday 5 June.
Medal Races on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 June will be live streamed on World Sailing's YouTube Channel here - http://youtube.com/worldsailingtv -- Daniel Smith - World Sailing Editors' notes:
Great British Sailing Challenge
Local Musto Skiff sailor Graeme Oliver charged to victory in the Wilsonian River Challenge, the latest event in the Great British Sailing Challenge.
Warm southerly winds delivered idyllic sailing conditions for the inaugural Wilsonian River Challenge, and for Graeme Oliver's Musto Skiff in particular. With 44 boats competing in a mixed fleet handicap, the regatta took place over the weekend of 1&2 June on the challenging waters of the Medway Estuary.
Saturday's non-discardable, double-points Pursuit Race took place in a Force 2 to 3, just enough to get Oliver and the Musto Skiffs flat-wire trapezing upwind and planing fast downwind.
In the Slow fleet, Brian Lamb and Sam Pygall sailed their Wayfarer to the Pursuit Race win ahead of another Wayfarer sailed by John Goudie and Sam Boniface. Behind Oliver in the Fast handicap, a good mix of boats did well on the Saturday opener. Mick Greenland and David Downs were second in an Osprey, in third was Timothy Kift and Jo Wicken's AltO followed by the best of the Blazes sailed by Ben Harden.
With the breeze blowing a good Force 4 on Sunday and the racing taking place on a square course, former SailJuice Winter Series champion Andy Peake raced his RS600 impeccably to score 3,1,1 across the three races. Unfortunately for him the lighter breeze and adverse current on the Saturday hadn't played to the windier strengths of the RS600 and his 13th place non-discardable score from the Pursuit Race pushed Peake out of contention for overall victory.
Oliver won the fast handicap and the event overall, with Lamb and Pygall's Wayfarer winning the slow fleet. First lady helm in the Fast fleet was Jayne Thorpe in an RS200. First lady helm in the Slow fleet was Steph Wicken in a Laser Radial, Steph also being the daughter of Jo Wicken in the second-placed AltO. At the prizegiving, club Commodore Bernard Smith declared himself delighted with the inaugural Wilsonian River Challenge and a date of 20/21 June is already in place for next year.
Meanwhile the summer of handicap competition rolls on with another exciting venue coming up at the end of the month, the Bala Long Distance, at Bala Sailing Club in the beautiful, mountainous setting of North Wales on 22 & 23 June 2019.
Remaining events:
Bala Long Distance, Bala Sailing Club, 22 & 23 June 2019
Mountbatten Centre, Plymouth, 8 to 10 August 2019
Ullswater Ultimate, Ullswater Yacht Club, 17 & 18 August 2019
Grand Finals, Rutland Water Sailing Club, 28 & 29 September 2019
Island Water World Grenada Sailing Week 2020 Online Registration Open
Online registration is now open for the highly anticipated Island Water world Grenada sailing Week taking place 26 - 31 January 2020. The event will start at the prestigious Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina nestled at the bottom of Grenada's colourful capital, St George's. Racers can warm up and hone their skills on the protected beautiful blue waters on the west coast where tactical racing is called for in the shifting winds. The fleet move with the transition race to the stunning Secret Harbour Marina in Mount Hartman bay on the more challenging south coast, where racers can battle the currents and winds of the unhindered Atlantic ocean.
This year we have CSA classes, J24's, Classic class and Carricou Sloops. Consideration will be given to PHRF or other classes, such as Bareboat depending upon sufficient entries (minimum of five boats).
Grenada Sailing Week is known for its great camaraderie between skippers and crews, many returning year after year to join the tradition of a West Indies regatta.
With two host venues, four days of competitive racing and six nights of parties, why not start the regatta season with a bang, shake out those sails and come 'spice it up' in Grenada.
Register and pay now for the reduced fee:
NoR is posted on our website www.grenadasailingweek.com. Sign up for our newsletter online, Email: info [AT] grenadasailingweek [DOT] com, Facebook: GrenadaSailingWeek, or Twitter @grenadasailweek
First Danish Finn World Masters set to open in Skovshoved
Denmark is the host country for the 49th Finn World Masters, which starts next week at Skovshoved, just north of Copenhagen. Almost 270 Finn Masters have registered to take part in what will be the first ever Finn World Masters in Denmark. Organised by the Royal Danish Yacht Club, it will be the largest ever Finn World Masters in northern Europe.
Finn sailors from 28 countries are taking part, with the largest numbers coming from Germany - more than twice the numbers of any other country. In addition, The Netherlands, Denmark, Britain, Sweden and Switzerland are fielding large teams, but there are also entries from far afield including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, North America and for the first time ever, a competitor from Iceland.
While none of the winners from 2018 are defending their Masters titles, there are still several former champions in the fleet including six times winner, Michael Maier, three times winner, André Budzien and two times winner, John Greenwood. The fleet though is boosted by several first time Masters who will surely be making headlines at the front of the fleet.
Former Olympic campaigner Anthony Nossiter will be sailing his first Finn World Masters as will one of Finland's top Finn sailors from the 1990s, Ville Aalto-Setälä. There is an interesting mix of sailors of all ages taking part from Masters (40-49), Grand Masters (50-59), Grand Grand Masters (60-69), Legends (70+) and Super Legends (80+), with again lots of new names appearing.
Skovshoved Havn is one of the three facilities operated by the Royal Danish Yacht Club. It is around 4km north of Hellerup, and is the fourth largest harbour in Denmark, with more than 600 berths. The RDYC has had facilities at the harbour since 1942, but it recently underwent a huge expansion. The area in which the harbour is located is reputed to be the richest part of Denmark, and with the sandy is beaches is an area popular for outdoor activities and sports. The Finn World Masters is taking over almost the whole area next week with camping, race village and boat and trailer storage. It is a massive operation.
www.finnworldmaster.com/events/skovshoved
Record 40 entries for Australian Women's Keelboat Regatta
A record 40 entries will take part in the 2019 Australian Women's Keelboat Regatta (AWKR), hosted by Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron (RMYS) over this long weekend; the 40th entry coming from Ocean Respect Racing and to be headed by well-known sailing identity, Katie Spithill.
Numbers far exceed last year's record haul of 27, thanks to the hard work of the Club and in particular Kristen Buckland, the AWKR Committee chair and competitor on Monica Jones' Adams 10, Salamander III.
Spithill says there are five from Ocean Respect Racing's 2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart crew (including herself), who finished the 628 nautical mile race second overall in 2018: "It's a very strong team and I'm pretty excited about having five from the original program and to continuing its message."
The other four are: Carolijn Brouwer (multiple Olympian and Volvo Ocean Race sailor who won the 2017-2018 edition. She has twice been named World Female Sailor of the Year, including 2018 as one of two of the first women to win the VOR; on Dongfeng); Sophie Ciszek (bow woman on numerous elite Sydney Hobart boats and two VOR's, the latest on Mapfre in 2017/2018 and a guest speaker for the AWKR lecture series); Sarah Crawford and Jade Cole.
"We also have Nina Curtis (Australia's match racing 2012 Olympic silver medallist who made her VOR debut on Brunel Sailing in the last edition) and Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club Youth Match Racing sailors, Rachel Bower and Alice Tarnawski."
"We were lucky to be offered a choice of two boats by the organisers, but then Jade (Cole), who lives in Melbourne, said we could use her father's M.A.T. 1010. It's a great opportunity for us to get back on the water together to race and keep the message going about Ocean Respect," Spithill ended.
The Ocean Respect message is one RMYS members are also across, conveying to competitors; "We're trying to cut down on single use plastic this year, so please bring along reusable water bottles."
Apart from the overall winners of the two Open division and the S80 Division in AMS (which decides the winners), IRC and EHC, the event offers trophies for Novice Helm - The person must not have helmed regularly for more than 12 months and their first time helming at the regatta; Most Improved; Sportsmanship; the Rohan Brownlee Leadership and Endeavour Award and Best Performed Owner/Skipper.
To be held over the long weekend, from 8-10 June, two races per day will be sailed starting from 10am. The fleet represents every Australian state, the Northern Territory and New Zealand.
Prospective entrants have until 1700 hours on Friday 31 May, 2019, to enter. However, late entries may be accepted at the discretion of the event's Race Committee. -- Di Pearson/AWKR media
Remembering Lowell North
Lowell North, founder of North Sails, has passed away. Nicknamed "The Pope" by his peers, Lowell began his sailmaking career at the age of 14 when his father purchased a Star with cotton sails. The father and son team came in last in every race, motivating the young Lowell to recut the mainsail. The rest, as they say, is history.
As an aeronautic/aerospace engineer, Lowell knew he could build a better sail through rigorous testing and incremental improvement. His methodical and scientific approach to sailmaking changed the industry forever, and it also helped him win five Star World Championship titles and a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics. The foundation laid by Lowell in 1957 has permanently shaped the North Sails culture.
"Lowell's philosophy when building North Sails was simple," explains North Technology Group CEO Tom Whidden. "Get the best people, who he called Tigers, and commit yourself to the science and technology of making the best product. He pioneered new ways to make and shape sails. His clear purpose, creativity, and competitive spirit continue to drive North Sails today - even as the company explores territories he never could have imagined."
Lowell sold North Sails in 1984 and retired from sailmaking. He continued to sail, racing his boat Sleeper for many years, as well as cruising the Pacific. He passed away in San Diego at the age of 89, with his wife Bea by his side. He will be greatly missed.
Featured Charter
2011 Reichel Pugh 45 - Katsu
Available for:
Copa del Rey
Palermo to Monte Carlo
Les Voiles de St Tropez
Rolex Middle Sea Race
Katsu is a Reichel Pugh 45 that in 2011 was named Sailing World’s ‘Boat Of The Year’ and has all it takes to win a regatta. This boat offers a great opportunity to any team that are looking to charter a Grand Prix racing yacht in the Mediterranean this summer.
In 2018 Katsu had a refit at Berthon in Lymington, including a hull respray and new kiwi grip deck.
For full details please go to.....bit.ly/LVY-katsu
See listing details in Seahorse Charters
Contact
Lucy Jackson - LV Yachting
Call: +44 2392 161272
Email: info [AT] lvyachting [DOT] com bit.ly/LVY-umiko
See the the Seahorse charter collection
Featured Brokerage
1937 Tore Holm 53 ft Bermudan Cutter. 650,000 EUR. Located in France
HAVSORNEN is a very fine example of Scandinavian design and boat building from Tore Holm at the peak of his powers with the build supervised by him in his family yard. Well maintained by her present owner, including a major winter refit 2016-2017, she has excelled on the Mediterranean regatta circuit and has also proven herself a very capable cruising yacht. Her seaworthy hull provides good headroom below, and the interior finish is a delight.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Barney Sandeman
info [AT] sandemanyachtcompany [DOT] co [DOT] uk
+44 (0)1202 330077
33 High Street
Poole, Dorset
BH15 1AB
United Kingdom
-----------------------------------------
1992 Baltic Yachts 40. 160,000 EUR. Located in Savona, Italy.
Extensively refitted Judel / Vrolijk & Co Baltic 40 from 1992. Recent teak decks, engine, batteries and repainted rig. An iconic pocket Baltic and arguably one of the prettiest design of all. A fantastic way into modern Baltic ownership without breaking the bank.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
GRABAU INTERNATIONAL
Lead broker - Alex Grabau
Tel: +44 (0)1590 673715
Email: alex [AT] grabauinternational [DOT] com
-----------------------------------------
1982 Pocock One Tonner. 19,500 GBP Located in Cowes, Isle of Wight.
Greased Lighting is a racing One Tonner. If you're wanting to get into racing or you're an old hand wanting to keep your skills well oiled, Greased Lightning is the yacht for you.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Call Nick on 07900 191 326
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
When the mind is exhausted of images, it invents its own. -- Gary Snyder
Editorial and letter submissions to editor [AT] eurosailnews [DOT] com
Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: gb [AT] beesonstone [DOT] com or see www.eurosailnews.com/advertise.html