In This Issue
• The Mistral Affects Racing at the Audi 52 Super Series Sailing Week Again
• David Hernandez crowned world champion Sunfish
• The Grand Prize - Road To 2020
• World Match Racing Tour Acquires Match Race Super League
• Hamble Classics 2019 - flying high at the RAF Yacht Club
• Mini-Transat La Boulangere due to start this weekend
• Clipper Race: Life in the Doldrums
• Sailing across the Atlantic: Bluewater veterans share top tips for your first crossing
• Three winners from three races on third day of 5.5 Metre French Open in Cannes
• Pensacola To Host Premiere Sailing League Exhibition Series
• Featured Brokerage:
• • 2008/2011 World famous R/P 74
• • J/133 - Hephzibah
• • Hitchhiker Fast40+ MK III
• The Last Word: Walt Whitman
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
The Mistral Affects Racing at the Audi 52 Super Series Sailing Week Again
Porto Cervo, Italy: The second racing day in three was lost to the strong Mistral winds on the Costa Smeralda as no racing was possible today at the final event of the 2019 52 Super Series season Audi 52 Super Series Sailing Week Porto Cervo.
Winds were over 40 knots on the race area at times and though an initial postponement was signalled to 1400hrs, before then it became evident that the wind was going to remain too strong for fair, safe racing.
With two possible days of racing now remaining of the 2019 season the position of the Roemmers family's Azzurra, which flies the burgee of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, becomes stronger. They have a lead of 11 points over Platoon and 16 ahead of the 2018 champions Quantum Racing. If they can secure the season championship title it would be Azzurra's fourth, adding to wins in 2012, 2015 and 2017.
After the three races held yesterday Sled of Takashi Okura leads the regatta with a one point advantage over Azzurra and six points over four boats, Bronenosec, Alegre, Phoenix and Quantum, all sharing the same points aggregate.
María Torrijo, the Principal Race Officer is optimistic for the last two days:
"For tomorrow we have a good forecast for NW'ly winds of between 12 and 18 knots and our intention is to make three races."
David Hernandez crowned world champion Sunfish
As expected, the last day of the races for the Open World Sunfish Championship was characterized by little wind. Nevertheless, the race committee managed to set up the 3 remaining races, much to the satisfaction of the sailors who, when completing the full series of 12 races, were allowed to discard the two lowest scores for the final results.
That resulted in a top three from the South and Central American countries Peru and Guatamala, which only differed one point. Hernandez (sailnumber 4942), who already won two races earlier in the week, continued his triumphal march on the last day and received the trophy with loud cheers. Second and third place went to the Peruvian Renzo Sanguinti and his compatriot Alonso Collantes. During the award ceremony, the 10 best Sunfish sailors were traditionally given a podium place and a trophy, presented by the ISCA (International Sunfish Class Association) chairman of the board Richard Chapman and organizer Ton Nuijten.
Although the overall champion is known, the sailing event is not over yet. This Monday the first races startedin the Masters and Youth categories. On Saturday these sailors can register and on Sunday a practice race will be sailed. The award ceremony and the closing of the event will take place on Wednesday evening at the Plaza Beach Resort, the event's headquarters.
Final top ten
1. David Hernandez , GUA, 43.0
2. Renzo Sanguineti, PER, 43.0
3. Alonso Collantes, PER, 44.0
4. Simon Gomez Ortiz, COL, 67.0
5. Eugene Hendrikx, NED, 67.0
6. Jean Paul De Trazegnies, PER, 69.0
7. Eugene Schmitt, USA, 80.0
8. Andrey Quintero, COL, 96.0
9. Alejandro Mago, PER, 101.0
10. Matías Rosenberg, GUA, 134.0
The Grand Prize - Road To 2020
The grand prize promotion on the Road to 2020 will culminate this month with the announcement of the winners in the final battle of the Royal Southern Summer Series and the Interboot Trophy Antigua Barbuda Challenge. Team members from Antigua Sailing Week will be present at both events to award the prizes to the lucky winners.
The Royal Southern Yacht Club has already hosted 3 of 4 races in a summer series to determine who will be awarded the coveted prize of bareboat entry into Antigua Sailing Week. The 4th and final showdown takes place this weekend September 14 on the waters of the Solent, UK. If the opportunity sounds too exciting to miss, you can still enter via this link.
The Interboot Trophy Antigua Barbuda Challenge being hosted by the Württembergischer Yacht Club on spectacular Lake Constance, Germany will include J70's in a one day battle on the September 21, for the chance to win week-long bareboat access during Antigua Sailing Week 2020. The prize-giving will be further enhanced by a pop up Reggae in the Park celebration party complete with English Harbour Rum. There's still time to enter to race during this exciting weekend.
In addition to the bareboat from Dream Yacht Charter the prize also includes flights to Antigua plus dockage in UNESCO heritage Nelson's Dockyard which is the perfect base for participants and spectators both as a great marina and as an entertainment venue.
Team August Sky, skippered by Phil Walters of the Lloyd Harbour/ Centerport Yacht Club were the first winners of the summers promotions held in Sag Harbour, USA this past August will be joined by these two crews to participate in Antigua Sailing Week.
A huge thank you to Antigua & Barbuda Tourism, Dream Yacht Charter, English Harbour Rum, National Parks Authority, Breakwater Yacht Club, Royal Southern Yacht Club and Württembergischer Yacht Club for their participation in this invitational series.
For more information about Dream Yacht Charter and its charter packages visit www.dreamyachtcharter.com or call 866-469-0912 to talk in more detail about your requirements.
For more on the Road to 2020 visit www.sailingweek.com/asw2020/
World Match Racing Tour Acquires Match Race Super League
London, UK: The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT), sailing's longest running global professional series, has reached an agreement to take over the management and operations of the Match Race Super League at the end of the 2019 season.
Events currently forming the Match Race Super League will be invited to join a new series of World Tour events from 2020 which will run alongside the World Championship events and award points from each event to the annual WMRT leaderboard.
The Match Race Super League was founded in 2017 as a series of monohull match racing events by Danish sailor Morten Lorenzen, and Eberhard Magg and Harald Thierer from Germany, both long time organisers of the Grade 1 event, Match Race Germany held annually on the shores of Lake Constance in Southern Germany. This year, the Match Race Super League comprised 10 events including the Szczecin Match Race (Poland), NJK Spring Match Cup (Finland), Match Race Germany, AIRCALIN Match Race (NCL), the Detroit Match Cup, Oakcliff International and Thompson Cup from the USA, DBS Marina Cup (Singapore) and The Kingdom Match Race (Bahrain).
Following the change of ownership of the World Match Racing Tour at the beginning of this year, and the subsequent announcement the Tour would be including monohull events again, it was a natural step to combine the two international match racing series as WMRT Executive Director James Pleasance explains; 'One of our key missions with WMRT is to re-build a strong pyramid of match racing events for teams to compete at all levels and earn points towards the annual World Championship. Our agreement with the Match Race Super League will help to develop a solid platform of events for more teams to participate, some of which will also be selected as official qualifiers to the higher graded World Championship events.''We are very pleased to reach this cooperation with WMRT' added Match Race Super League Founder Eberhard Magg. 'We share the same goals as WMRT to promote and grow match racing internationally, and also ensure there is a clear and accessible pathway for teams to advance to the World Championship.'
As part of the new agreement, Morten Lorenzen and Eberhard Magg will both join the World Match Racing Tour in an advisory role to oversee the development of the new series of World Tour events to be announced soon for the 2020 WMRT season.
Hamble Classics 2019 - flying high at the RAF Yacht Club
Photo by Rick Tomlinson, rick-tomlinson.com. Click on image for photo gallery.
The 4th Hamble Classics Regatta this year hosted by the RAF Yacht Club (20-22 September) was another big success with 68 entries across 10 classes. Boisterous conditions in the Solent for Big Classic Friday and sponsored by OneSails GBR ensured exciting racing for the Spirit Yachts and larger classics in the IRC1 class.
On Saturday with racing for all yachts there was no let up in the breeze but the sun kept shining and despite a few gear breakages the yacht crews and race team arrived back at the RAFYC lawn for the Elephant Boatyard rum party with broad smiles after another thrilling day, smaller yachts finishing in the river off the Hamble River Sailing Club. Prizes by Spinlock were awarded for the best performances of the day in each class before the Hamble Classics Dinner for over 200, supported by Joseph Perrier Champagne.
On Sunday morning after an early rain squall the wind eased to a near flat calm, but at midday a fresh breeze from the south arrived to conclude the closely contested points series before tea and prizes back at the club. Amongst these were the Concours d'Elegance Awards sponsored by A-Plan Marine Insurance with the top prize presented to Richard and Ben Clothier for their immaculate varnished 6-Metre 'Battlecry', designed by Ian Howlett and built by Webb Brothers in Hamble, and for most authentic yacht to Philip and Peter Knight Jones for 'Phizz', an RAFYC yacht from 1957-59 that as 'Blue Jacket' helped to win RORC club championships in 1958.
The other event sponsors are Performance Rigging, Classic Marine, the Sandeman Yacht Company, Ratsey & Lapthorn Sailmakers and Blakes & Taylors.
Race results at: rafyc.org.uk
Mini-Transat La Boulangere due to start this weekend
The situation is becoming clearer for the 87 sailors in the Mini-Transat La Boulangere. The first leg (La Rochelle/Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) will kick off late in the day on Saturday or around the same time on Sunday. Race Management is reserving the opportunity to put in place some waypoints to avoid the worst of the conditions in the Bay of Biscay. The definitive start date should be finalised at midday tomorrow.
The wait is over for those competing in the Mini-Transat La Boulangere. Initially scheduled for Sunday 22 September, the race should finally set sail this weekend. "A weather window is opening up and we're keen to snap it up. Unless the situation deteriorates significantly, we'll start the race on either Saturday evening or Sunday evening", explains Denis Hugues, Race Director. A front is set to sweep the Bay of Biscay overnight on Saturday and through into Sunday and it is the assessment regarding the evolution of the trajectory that will guide the definitive choice of start date.
"If the race sets off on Saturday, we'll reserve the possibility of setting waypoints to the North of Spain to 'bring the competitors down' and avoid the most boisterous conditions. If the race starts on Sunday, conditions will be more sustained in the bay of La Rochelle, but the front will have rolled through the Bay of Biscay so there won't be any need for a waypoint."
The exact day and time of the start should be announced at around noon Friday.
Whether the race starts on Saturday or Sunday, the sailors will have to negotiate another front rolling through on Tuesday. "However, it'll be less active with less violent gusts and waves and hence more manageable conditions", explains Denis Hugues. With regards to Tropical Storm Lorenzo, all the weather models are in agreement about it climbing northwards. As such, concern has been raised about the course of the first leg of the Mini-Transat La Boulangere.
Clipper Race: Life in the Doldrums
With all eleven Clipper 70s now within the Doldrums Corridor and free of the tropical storm Lorenzo, the fleet is taking the opportunity for essential maintenance and housekeeping, while the Race Crew are using the calm sea state as a chance to recuperate, and enjoy dining al fresco. For the Skippers, while it is a tedious part of the race, it has provided an opportunity to recharge and plan tactics ahead of returning to life at an angle, a prospect some are very keen to get back to.
GoToBermuda's Skipper, David Immelman describes the recent conditions: "A slow morning from us. It was a difficult day yesterday as the tropical storm, Lorenzo, pulled away earlier than originally forecast. It left us with a very bumpy sea and a dwindling wind trying to make the Doldrums Corridor. Well, we managed it and then watched our wind disappear even faster. So last night we started our motor, 6 degrees in 60 hours. Slow and boring, but all part of this race".
With no change at the top of the leaderboard, Visit Sanya, China is currently in first place as the fleet edge closer to Punta del Este, the finishing point for the Race 2: The Commodore's Cup. They are followed very closely behind by Qingdao which is hoping to gain points in the race by using the 'Joker' and Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam.
See how the maneuvers of the Doldrums play out via the Race Viewer.
* Twenty-three years after Richard Burchell, 62, took part in Clipper '96, the very first Clipper Race, Richard has returned to circumnavigate the globe on the current edition of the race. Describing his experience, he said: "I did one leg of Clipper '96; I went to Hawaii, Japan and Hong Kong and had such a fantastic time, I promised myself when the time was right I would return to go around the world."
Richard, who is embarking on the challenge with the Imagine your Korea team, shared what drew him back to the Clipper Race for a second time - the people. He says, "I remember an awful lot about the people I sailed with and that is what drew me back. Barely a month goes by when I don't think about someone I shared the experience with on Clipper '96."
The important message that Richard wants to send out to anyone, is to take opportunities when you can, whatever the dream. "I am a Chiropodist and I've sold the family business and decided now is the time, before I get too old, to circumnavigate with the Clipper Race. I am overwhelmed by the amount of support and encouragement I have received and I truly hope that I encourage others to do what they want to do, as so often we put things off."
He continued: "My father had a stroke seven years ago and is now in a wheelchair. He promised himself that when he retired, he would do all sorts of wonderful things but that has been taken away from him. That is the other thing that prompted me to take on this opportunity." His lasting advice is to "never give yourself the chance to look back and think 'if only I had', because that's terrible".
Sailing across the Atlantic: Bluewater veterans share top tips for your first crossing
Elaine Bunting asks a delivery skipper, charter pros and some first-time transatlantic skippers for their best advice on planning and preparing for the big adventure
On the afternoon before we left the Canary Islands for the Caribbean for a transatlantic with the ARC, I struck a line through the final item on our jobs list. It had been taped to our saloon bulkhead for weeks. As one task got ticked off, another one or two had been added. Now it was complete, and we were ready to go.
For most people planning to sail across the Atlantic, complete an Atlantic circuit, take a year out or longer, the planning begins on average two to three years in advance. The to-do lists get longer as you plan and prepare. But so do the concerns. Have you thought of everything? What might you have missed?
For this feature we've gone back to first-time Atlantic skippers and asked them the same questions. What did they learn from the experience they'd planned for so long? What were the most valuable preparations? We also asked an experienced charter skipper and a delivery skipper for their best advice.
Read more at yachtingworld.com/sailing-across-atlantic
Three winners from three races on third day of 5.5 Metre French Open in Cannes
Photo of Otto by Robert Deaves. Click on image to enlarge.
Otto (SUI 209, Bent Christian Wilhelmsen, Lasse Berthelsen, Luka Strahovnik) hold a three-point lead at the 5.5 Metre French Open at the Regates Royales Cannes after three more races on Thursday. Prettynama (GER 79, Max Mueller, Wiebe de Witte, Kim Chabani) is in second with Shaolin (SUI 226, Cyrus Golchan, Hans von Werdt, Andreas Kindlimann) third.
After Wednesday's racing was lost because of high winds, Thursday was in complete contrast with no wind at all through the morning. A light southerly moved in after 13.00 and three races were sailed in no more than 7-8 knots with a return to the marina at nearly 18.00. It was a long day on the water, but it was sunny and warm, with close and intense racing.
Shaolin made the best of the opening race to lead all the way to win from Prettynama and Otto. The second race was a bit more messy with Oro Nero (GER 55, Henning Ueck, Jesper Boskamp, Ilse Boskamp) holding the early lead. However a major windshift on the final lap shuffled the fleet and Otto took the win from Shaolin and Ali Baba (GER 84, Wolf-Eberhard Richter, Beala Kallkowski, Jodhim Fohn).
In the final race, Prettynama went to the left side and it worked well "with pressure and lift all the way. We expected it because we thought the wind would go even further left," said bowman Chabani. Once in front they led all the way to win from Shaolin and Otto.
So Otto goes into the final day with a three-point lead, while Prettynama and Shaolin both have 10 points. Shaolin had the best day with a 1,2,2, but still trails in third on countback.
Racing in Cannes concludes Friday with more light wind forecast. -- Robert Deaves
Top five after six races
1. Otto (SUI 209, Bent Christian Wilhelmsen, Lasse Berthelsen, Luka Strahovnik) 7
2. Prettynama (GER 79, Max Mueller, Wiebe de Witte, Kim Chabani) 10
3. Shaolin (SUI 226, Cyrus Golchan, Hans von Werdt, Andreas Kindlimann) 10
4. Ali Baba (GER 84, Wolf-Eberhard Richter, Beala Kallkowski, Jodhim Fohn) 19
5. Oro Nero (GER 55, Henning Ueck, Jesper Boskamp, Ilse Boskamp) 23
Pensacola To Host Premiere Sailing League Exhibition Series
If the trendsetters are right that September truly is the new January - as far revisiting those resolutions made at the beginning of the New Year - then why not make an early resolution now to be in Pensacola, Florida, in January of 2020. That is when the Premiere Sailing League USA (PSL) will debut stadium sailing on Pensacola Bay during the PSL Winter Exhibition Series between January 3 and April 5.
The PSL Winter Exhibition Series will consist of a pre-series test regatta followed by four invitational regattas. Teams can charter a boat from the supplied fleet of identical RS21 keelboats for the racing which will take place on courses set just off the Pensacola waterfront at either Plaza de Luna or the nearby Vince Whibbs Community Maritime Park. Spectators can watch the teams compete in multiple exhibition stadium style races directly in front of the festive venues. Dates have been chosen to coordinate with other activities in the two parks to introduce stadium sailing to the non-sailing public.
The first PSL Winter Exhibition is scheduled for January 3-5, 2020, off Plaza de Luna at the foot of historic South Palafox Place adjacent to the Pensacola Marina. Not coincidentally, the regatta takes place during the 12th Night Mardi Gras Kick-off celebration taking place throughout downtown Pensacola. Subsequent PSL Winter Exhibitions are currently planned for January 31-February 2, March 6-8 and April 3-5, 2020 (dates subject to change).
For more information about Premiere Sailing League USA, visit www.premieresailingleague.com, email info [AT] premieresailingleague [DOT] com
Featured Brokerage
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See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
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410 267 9419
410 353 7862
bill [AT] tysonline [DOT] com
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2003 J/133 - HEPHZIBAH. 175000 GBP. Located in Lymington, UK.
A vinylester version of the popular fast cruising J/133. Well setup for coastal cruising and easily handled by two. Sensible spec and in the water, ready to sail.
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2016 Hitchhiker Fast40+ MK III. 649,000 EUR. Located in Cowes, Isle of Wight. Price is negotiable.
One of the most succesfull Fast40+ boats in the fleet. During the last three years this boat always had a podium place in the Fast40+ series and One Ton Cup. Highly optimized and professionally maintained. Major refit in 2018, fully kitted out and ready to race in IRC, ORC or Fast40+ series. Perfect opportunity to race in the Fast40+ class in 2019.
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The Last Word
Love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to every one that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy. -- Walt Whitman
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