In This Issue
• Rolling with the Pressure
• Jethou unbeaten as Lorina 1895 claims Rolex Giraglia inshores on countback
• Robline in a nutshell…may we introduce the brand
• FAST40+ Bound for Poole Bay
• Hamble River Sailing Club Centenary Regatta
• Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup
• Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race - 'Get the Mostest There the Fastest'
• Perfect score for Vladimir Krutskikh at Finn World Masters in Skovshoved
• Born on the Water: windsurfer Saskia Sills stars in new documentary
• Cowes Week Ltd launch new Team Trophy
• Letters to the Editor
• Featured Charter: Sunfast 3600 - Loli Fast
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Mighty Merloe - Orma 60
• • 1989 Whitbread Maxi Rothmans
• • 2016 Ker 46
• The Last Word: George Best
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
Rolling with the Pressure
Having taken the lead late yesterday evening as the fleet passed offshore of Devon's Exe estuary, Yoann Richomme (HelloWork-Groupe Telegramme) pushed hard to profit through a brutally testing second night at sea on stage 2 of La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro. By this afternoon he had established a 12-minute cushion as he led the other remaining 38 solo skippers at the Needles Fairway turning mark in much more benign conditions.
With the northerly winds last night gusting between 35 and 38 knots and in short, steep seas, conditions proved a sustained test for the solo skippers and their new Figaro Beneteau 3s.
Among three skippers who were forced to retire due to water ingress around the foil aperture, were top seeds Martin Le Pape (Skipper Macif 2017) and Thomas Ruyant (Advens-Fondation de la Mer), who have headed directly to the finish in Roscoff.
When the wind relented at around 0900hrs this morning before a final 35-mile beat to the Isle of Wight mark, Richomme - who won stage 1 into Kinsale last Thursday night - kept his nearest rivals Armel Le Cleac'h (Banque Populaire) and Morgan Lagraviere (Voile d'engagement) in check when tacking in on the Dorset coast. As ever, overall race leader Richomme is concerned about protecting or extending his elapsed time margin rather than pushing to win the stage.
choosing to dip south towards the French coast where the breeze might be more easterly, looking to come in south of the Traffic Separation zone off the Cherbourg peninsula.
Jethou unbeaten as Lorina 1895 claims Rolex Giraglia inshores on countback
With the Rolex Giraglia's much anticipated offshore race due to set off Wednesday, the race committee today sent the maxis in the IRC 0 Racer and Cruiser classes on a coastal course that was effectively a dry run of the offshore's first leg.
Organised by Yacht Club Italiano and Societe Nautique de Saint-Tropez supported by the International Maxi Association (IMA), inshore racing at the Rolex Giraglia is the third event in the IMA's inaugural Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge, following Sail Racing Palma Vela and Rolex Capri Sailing Week.
After a delay for the wind to build, the final race of the inshore series started in the Baie de Pampelonne in a light southeasterly. The maxis were sent west to La Formigue, an isolated rock two miles east of Cap Benat before performing an about-turn to the finish at the entrance to the Baie de Pampelonne - a course of 30 miles.
For the Racers start, the five boats ranging from George David's Rambler 88 down to the Reichel-Pugh 60 Wild Joe, were bunched up at the committee boat end. In the light conditions, and despite being lowest rated of the three 70 footers, Dario Ferrari's Cannonball seemed quick and exited the Baie de Pampelonne ahead of her direct rivals - Alex Schaerer's Caol Ila R and Sir Peter Ogden's Jethou - a position she held much of the way to Formigue.
About two miles short of the turning mark, the wind shut off for Rambler 88 but, unlike yesterday this was a prelude to a marginally stronger southwesterly filling in. As Rambler 88 stopped (a rare occurrence on the giant American speedster) a compression occurred with Hungarian Marton Jozsa's DSS-equipped Wild Joe catching up the 70 footers. To stay in the breeze, Cannonball and Caol Ila R gybed offshore, while Jethou stuck to her course and she slipped through to leeward, first to the new breeze.
Cannonball, the lowest rated of the 70 footers came home second, to take second overall with Rambler 88 third today and third overall among the maxi Racers.
Sir Peter Ogden and Jethou also won the IMA Member's Trophy (five of the six podium places were IMA members).
While Jethou dominated the Racers, the opposite was true in the Cruisers where Benoit de Froidmont's Wally 60 Wallyno was displaced from first place by Frenchman Jean-Pierre Barjon's Swan 601 Lorina 1895, winner of today's race. The two boats finished tied, Lorina 1895 claiming the prize by winning the last race.
Tomorrow at 1200 the maxis will line up in the Golfe du Saint-Tropez for the Rolex Giraglia offshore race. For this the maxi fleet will be joined by several heavyweights such as Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones's Wallycento Magic Carpet 3, Pendragon VI and Anywave plus the magnificent Andre Hoek-designed modern classic, Marie, at 54.64m long, one of the race's biggest ever entrants.
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FAST40+ Bound for Poole Bay
The FAST40+ Class is back in action this weekend with the second round of the 2019 FAST40+ Race Circuit. Eight races are scheduled over three days of highly competitive racing, with the fleet competing in Poole Bay. Stretching ten miles from Poole Harbour in the west to Hengistbury Head in the east, the natural bay is less tidal than the Solent with relatively flat water.
Tim Powell is the mainsheet trimmer on Niklas Zennstrom's FAST40+ Rán, and has been an integral part of the team since it's conception. Rán Racing is one of the most successful yacht racing teams in the modern era, having won both the TP52 and Maxi72 World Championships inshore, and offshore back-to-back winners of the Rolex Fastnet Race. Last year, Rán won the 2018 FAST40+ Class Race Circuit, and the One Ton Cup.
Q. Several FAST40+ teams have commented that they think the competition is tighter this year. What is your take on that after Round One?
Tim Powell - I think the level of racing is going to get closer all the time. All the teams including ourselves are learning to sail the boats better and as always starting and tactics are so critical. For round one we had quite an open race course with the second day having a lot of snakes and ladders. I think everyone took their turn at the front of the fleet which makes it exciting for all.
Q. FAST40+ is a development class, what mods have you done to the boat for the 2019 season, why did you do them?
Tim Powell - We didn't make any performance mods to Rán over the winter as complying to the new FAST40+ rules was our primary aim in how to mode the boat. There is always a lot of small items that you want to refine in the off-season but these are primarily to do with ease of sailing the boat rather than a paper gain on numbers.
Hamble River Sailing Club Centenary Regatta
Over three days of contrasting weather Hamble River Sailing Club continued its Centenary celebrations with its first June Regatta for many years, welcoming all sectors of its membership and a few visitors too. With its proud history of Olympic sailing and championship successes it was clear this same spirit continues as older and younger members braved marginal conditions to race on Friday and Saturday before sunshine and a building southwesterly breeze delivered perfect racing conditions for Sunday's IRC, Club Handicap and XOD regatta day.
Friday's 50+ Regatta was intended for anyone aged 50 years and over sailing in yachts and dinghies under PY handicap but the weather got in the way for all bar five hardy Foxer sailors. Under the watchful eye of John Duff and Andy Chapman four races were completed with Paul Lovejoy snatching overall victory and Chris 'Sparky' Hamel delivering the only capsize of the day! With the racing over it was no surprise that numbers were swelled at the apres sail rum party where club luminaries including Patrick Pym (1972 Olympics - Finn class) joined in the fun with club members past and present.
Saturday's Junior Regatta day saw even worse weather but HRSC's cadet leader Richard Foulkes decided it was good to go and even though a few mastheads got planted firmly in the Hamble mud it was smiles all round and with some valuable experience gained by the youngsters in the demanding conditions.
Sunday morning brought a complete contrast in weather and in the warm sunshine and light southerly breeze the non-engined boats were grateful for a tow out to the start area near William buoy, as were newly-weds Olly and Sam Love plus their wedding guests for the postponed 1100 start time! With PRO Mike Foster and event organiser Aiden Barr in charge the wide ranging yacht fleet (21 - 40 foot) was set three long but well-judged courses, with Race 2 going all the way to the Royal Thames buoy on the Lepe shore.
With such a range of boat speeds the fleet was soon spread out across the Solent with Rupert Wolloshin's Farr 40 'Thunderbird' leading the fleet from eventual winners Mike and Susie Yates J/109 'Jago' with a 1,2,3 scoreline, while the diminutive classic dayboat 'Cockleshell' managed to get round the course each time, arriving at the finish line in Race 2 just 30 seconds before the final race warning signal at the 1330 deadline.
In the five-strong XOD class sailing on a shorter course closer inshore Gary Rossall sailing 'Little X' scored 1,1,2 to win the class from Peter Baines' 'Whimbrel' sailed by Nick Brebner ahead of Hamish and Diana Wilson in 'Mischief', Andy Hamlett in 'SATU' and Steve Green in 'Pepper'.
Full results: www.hrsc.org.uk/hrsc-results/open-results
Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup
Medemblik, Netherlands - As the regatta reached its mid-point, there were mixed fortunes for the leading teams on day three of the Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup 2019 in Medemblik. Going into the day Holland's Pieter Heerema, and Peter Gilmour sailing for Japan were at the top of the leader board with four points apiece. Russia's Dmitry Samokhin was in third on eight points and Portugal's Pedro Andrade fourth with nine points.
Daybreak brought heavy rain with a south westerly in the mid to upper teens, but as the noon start time approached the skies began to clear. Unfortunately, those clear skies came with some significant wind shifts and twice the race committee had to reorganise the start line before racing got underway. Once underway those shifts plus regular changes in velocity were to put the sailors under major pressure. Picking your start line spot and finding clear lanes in the right places in a fleet of almost 100 boats is never easy, but it was particularly challenging today.
Tomorrow's forecast is for more very shifty conditions, so after tonight's festivities it will be back to business for the fourth race of the series at noon. The regatta continues until Friday 14 June with a maximum of six races possible.
Provisional Top Ten After Three Races
1. Pedro Andrade, POR, 11
2. Dmitry Samokhin, RUS, 13
3. Pieter Heerema, NED, 19
4. Poul Richard Hoj-Jensen, GBR, 23
5. Anatoly Loginov, RUS, 23
6. Stephan Link, GER, 27
7. Grant Gordon, GBR, 27
8. Peter Gilmour, JPN, 32
9. Wolf Waschkuhn, SUI, 35
10. Jens Christensen, DEN, 39
Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race - 'Get the Mostest There the Fastest'
There was an American Army General who pithily summed up the secret of success in old-fashioned wars as being a matter of victory going to "whoever gets the mostest there the fastest" writes W M Nixon
This takes on a new spin for tomorrow's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race from the National YC. For although the indications are for fair and reasonably fresh winds (albeit maybe with some rain) from somewhere between northwest and northeast, it looks as though things might be all over the place windwise down in West Cork and Kerry by Friday.
Yet by that time Mick Cotter of Dun Laoghaire's 94ft Windfall - undoubtedly the mostest and fastest boat in the fleet - should be comfortably through the finish line, with the 280-mile course record set very positively under the 24-hour level, which he so tantalisingly missed by 48 minutes with his 78ft Whisper back in 2009.
We made no secret of our view here that Aurelia is a consistently good performer which has been in the Bridesmaid's role more often that is fair, and it's her turn for the ultimate success. But with a quality fleet of 43 boats any success racing to Dingle is going to be hard-earned.
Last night The Prof O'Connell was out on the bay with Chis & Patanne Power-Smith J/122 Aurelia testing a new North Sails Code 0, and as this vid reveals, he was delighted with the result.
WM Nixon's complete regatta preview in Afloat
Perfect score for Vladimir Krutskikh at Finn World Masters in Skovshoved
Double Finn World Masters Champion, Vladimir Krutskikh, from Russia, has yet to put a foot wrong at the 2019 Finn World Masters in Skovshoved, Denmark with three races wins from three races. He picked up two wins on Day 2 to lead the 246-boat fleet, from 28 nations. At his first Masters, Anthony Nossiter, from Australia, is second, while Laurent Hay, from France, is third.
You need patience and plenty of it in sailing, and after losing the final group race on Monday in an unstable wind, the first fleet race on Tuesday was the catch-up race for Blue group. Despite forecasts of strong wind, the fleet waited afloat for more than two hours in sweltering sunshine and almost zero wind before finally getting the race underway. When the wind finally arrived from Sweden, it built quickly to more than 12 knots.
One race is scheduled for Wednesday at 14.00 with the Annual Masters Meeting in the morning, with the 2021 venues to be decided among other matters. Racing continues in Skovshoved until Friday. -- Robert Deaves
Results after 3 races
1. Vladimir Krutskikh - M, RUS, 3
2. Anthony Nossiter - M, AUS, 11
3. Laurent Hay - GM, FRA, 11
4. Thomas Schmid - GGM, GER, 19
5. David Terol - M, ESP, 20
6. Uli Breuer - GM, GER, 21
7. Filipe Silva - M, POR, 23
8. Michael Maier - M, CZE, 30
9. Paul McKenzie - GM, AUS, 30
10. Henry Sprague III - L, USA, 30
finnworldmaster.com/events/skovshoved
Born on the Water: windsurfer Saskia Sills stars in new documentary
The inspiring story of Olympic windsurfing hopeful Saskia Sills is told in a new documentary released by the British Sailing Team today.
Cornwall's Sills, 22, is a former world champion at youth level and a key member of the British Sailing Team, with her sights set on representing Britain at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
However her ride to the top has been anything but smooth - two years ago Sills underwent surgery to her forearms for debilitating compartment syndrome that almost ended her career.
The 15-minute programme, called Born on the Water, charts Sills' life in windsurfing from learning to sail on a lake in Devon with her family to competing in junior competitions alongside her identical twin sister Imogen.
It follows her rise to the British Sailing Team and the challenges she has faced on and off the water as she juggles the rigours of being an elite athlete with recovery from injury and a university education.
Fittingly the documentary, produced by Murch Films, is released just days after Sills, from Launceston, won her first senior medal on the Olympic circuit - a silver at the World Cup Series final in Marseille, France.
Cowes Week Ltd launch new Team Trophy
Cowes Week Ltd is delighted to announce updates to its Inter-Club Team Trophy with changes to the entry criteria designed to make it a more all-round competition across the 800 boat fleet and significantly to encourage more international entries.
For 2019 the new Solent Team Trophy will be awarded to the top team of three boats, at least one of which must come from the Black Group and at least one from the White Group. Challenges will be accepted from teams in the name of individual yacht clubs where all three are from the same club or from countries sailing under the national flags where a country has three boats in attendance, even if they are not from the same club. In the fullness of time Cowes Week Ltd hope that this might become an international competition between countries as much as it is between yacht clubs. Entries for the new Solent Team Trophy can be made in the normal way via the regatta website.
Defending champions, the Royal Thames Yacht Club, have won the previous inter-club trophy for the last two years, and are sure to enter a strong team again in 2019. They will, however, have to find a White Group boat to join their team having won on both occasions with Gladiator (Tony Langley), Strait Dealer (David Franks) and Yes! (Adam Gosling) all in Black Group.
A new trophy is being designed for the Solent Team Trophy and will be awarded at the Cowes Week prize giving on the evening of Friday 16th August before the Fireworks round out the week with a bang as ever.
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The Last Word
I used to go missing a lot... Miss Canada, Miss United Kingdom, Miss World. -- George Best
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