In This Issue
• Brest Atlantiques - Leg One Summary
• Dragon Grand Prix European Cup Finals
• Harken REFLEX: The Perfect Partner For Cable-Free Code Sails
• 18ft Skiffs Spring Championship, Race 7
• Robline and New England Ropes @ METSTRADE 2019
• A Crowded 2020 Sailing Schedule for the New York Yacht Club
• Cape to Rio Hall Of Fame - Lunch with the race legends
• Racing for the Planet
• Industry News
• Featured Brokerage:
• • M.A.T. 12 - NIGHT OWL 2
• • SKYE for sale
• • Ocean Pearl
• The Last Word: The Mandalorian
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
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Brest Atlantiques - Leg One Summary
Four of the world's fastest 32m long offshore trimarans, Macif, Gitana, Actual Leader & Sodebo headed off on 14,000 mile non-stop figure of eight race aound the north and south Atlantic oceans. At least that was the goal. In the event two boats suffered damage on the first leg to Rio and needed to make pit stops for repairs.
The trip south had been fast with speeds regularly sitting at over 40knots.
Even more remarkable is that each boat is sailed double handed and while this is normal for these offshore beasts, it reminds us once again to how far the offshore performance scene has moved on. To bring those stories even closer to home, each boat has a dedicated media crew member on board sending regular updates.
This is not only a race not to miss, but sets and exciting new pace and new standards for offshore racing.
In this episode the fleet head out from the start in Brest to the first mark off Rio in a race that proves to be anything but straightforward. -- Matt Sheahan
* Technical stop planned for Cape Town for Sodebo Ultim 3
On the night of Sunday 17 to Monday 18 November, in the middle of the South Atlantic, Sodebo Ultim 3 struck an OFNI (unidentified floating object). Seasoned sailors, Thomas Coville and Jean-Luc Nélias quickly stopped the boat to get out of the cockpit and see the damage caused by the shock on the starboard rudder. They contacted their team ashore to make a first night diagnosis. During the day, the decision is made to stop in Cape Town. Part of the technical team goes to Cape Town to refine the diagnosis and determine the possibilities of repairs. Damaged by the shock, the starboard rudder began to damage the hull that supported it.
Dragon Grand Prix European Cup Finals
Puerto Portals, Mallorca: Hugo Stenbeck's Sophie Racing, helmed by Bernardo Freitas and crewed by Martin Westerdahl and Lars Linger, has won the Dragon Grand Prix European Cup Finals after a day of intense competition on the Bay of Palma.
The opening day's four qualifying fleet races had seen ten teams move forward into the final day of competition. Overnight leader Evgenii Braslavets of Italy received a bye into the Final and second placed Nicola Friesen of Germany a bye into the Semifinal, so at 13.30 on Saturday 16 November the remaining eight teams came to the line to contest the Quarterfinal and decide which five boats would join Friesen in the Semi.
The Race Committee shortened both the start line and leg length and with around six knots from 020 degrees the final race was underway. A pre-start incident saw Braslavets forced away from the line leaving him at a distinct disadvantage. As Freitas, Friesen and Samokhin tacked off to the right Braslavets took his only real option to recover and went left. Within minutes it was clear that he'd made a good choice and Samokhin tacked back to join him. At the first mark Freitas led Samokhin with Friesen third, but Braslavets was now right on their tail. The teams held these positions on the first run, but up the second beat the wind went light. Freitas and Braslavets opted for the left, Friesen and Samokhin went right and at the second weather mark it was Freitas who led comfortably with Braslavets second Samokhin third and Friesen fourth. While Freitas cruised to the line for victory Samokhin did all he could to pass Braslavets and the two boats virtually match raced into the finish, but Braslavets hung on for the silver medal by inches from Samokhin with Friesen fourth.
This first year of the new Dragon Grand Prix Cup Series has been a resounding success and already the programme for the 2020 Series has been confirmed. The competition will open with the Dragon Grand Prix Spain, which will be run in conjunction with the Trofeo Princess Sofia in Palma from 26-29 March. Scarlino will host the Dragon Grand Prix Italy from 27 to 30 May and then from 19 to 22 August the teams will gather in Douarnenez for the Dragon Grand Prix France. The season will close with the Dragon Grand Prix Portugal followed by the Dragon Grand Prix European Cup Finals in Vilamoura from 2 to 7 November. Other highlights of the 2020 International Dragon season will include the Prince Philips Cup in Sandy Bay, Australia in January, the Dragon European Championship in Puerto Portals, Mallorca in April and the Dragon Gold Cup in Kinsale, Ireland in September.
Final top five:
1. Hugo Stenbeck | Bernardo Freitas, | Martin Westerdahl, SUI
2. Evgenii Braslavets | Sergey Pugachev, | Sergey Timokhov, ITA
3. Dmitry Samokhin | Kasper Harsberg | Andrey Kirilyuk, RUS
4. Nicola Friesen | Vincent Hoesch | Aleksey Bushuev, GER
5. Martin Co Palsson | Gustav Gardeback, | Thomas Wallenfeldt, SWE
www.internationaldragonsailing.net
Harken REFLEX: The Perfect Partner For Cable-Free Code Sails
Over three years, Harken REFLEX™ has proven its value to recreational racers and shorthanded cruisers by furling asymmetrical kites completely and reliably. REFLEX succeeds in part because of its stacked, open-race Delrin® bearings that are notoriously free-rolling.
This year, Harken has worked with Doyle and North Sails to prove that same REFLEX can be a potent weapon deploying the revolutionary, load sharing code sail technologies that lose the cables and require about half the luff loads previously applied. Harken designed and now produces tack plates designed to be webbed directly to the sail and align with loads emanating from the tack. The plates incorporate a T-shape that slides directly into the properly sized REFLEX drive unit. This is a feature unique to REFLEX: one drive unit can be used to furl multiple sails. An adaptation of the REFLEX head swivel is webbed on too. The installations are very compact, result in the longest available luff lengths and furl flawlessly. These sails are changing the sport. REFLEX makes transitioning into and out of them seamless. REFLEX and cable-less code sails: together they're winning sections and leaving competitors behind.
18ft Skiffs Spring Championship, Race 7
Click on image for photo gallery.
Sydney Harbour: The Appliancesonline.com.au team Brett Van Munster, Phil Marshall and Kurt Fatouris) became the 2019-2020 Australian 18 Footers League Spring champions, but it was The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines team of Jack Macartney, Courtney Mahar, Charlie Gundy which took honours on the day with a 2m49s victory in Race 7 of the series on Sydney Harbour today.
Both teams were outstanding throughout the seven-race championship.
Appliancesonline.com.au finished with a total of 26 points, while the consistent The Oaks Double Bay-4 Pines was runner-up on 36 points. Third placed overall was Yandoo on 50 points, followed by Finport Finance on 54, Rag & Famish Hotel (Bryce Edwards) on 57 and Noakesailing (Sean Langman) on 58.
A 22-knots SE breeze enabled all teams to use their smaller #2 rigs for the first time this season and the fleet provided spectators with a great spectacle as they raced downwind at top speed.
Second place in today's race went to Smeg (Micah Lane, Scott Babbage, Peter Harris), with Yandoo (John Winning, Tom Clout, Brandon Buyink), just another 9s behind Smeg.
Noakes Blue (Yvette Heritage) was only another 6s. back in fourth place, followed by Winning Group (John Winning Jr.) in fifth and Ilve (Pedro Vozone) sixth.
A good breeze, some close racing throughout the fleet, and lead changes brought about by the 3-Buoys handicap system which operated at the Rose Bay windward mark, produced an interesting and exciting race.
The Australian 18 Footer League's 2019-2020 Season continues next Sunday when the club will stage Race 1 of the NSW Championship.
Robline and New England Ropes @ METSTRADE 2019
TEUFELBERGER will present his yachting ropes with the brands Robline and New England Ropes at the METSTRADE from November 19-21.
Robline and New England Ropes are able to cover the full assortment from dinghy to big yachts - motor boats and kite boarding. Representatives from both brands will be available to answer any questions.
Visit us at the METSTRADE on booth 01.265, Hall 1!
A Crowded 2020 Sailing Schedule for the New York Yacht Club
The 2020 summer in America's sailing capital will be one of the busiest in history. The New York Yacht Club will take full advantage of the New England sailing season, hosting one major event after another for just shy of four months. The array of regattas will span the sport and bring countless sailors to the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court to enjoy some of the finest racing conditions and on-shore hospitality found anywhere in the world.
"We have a remarkable sailing season planned for 2020," says Vice Commodore Christopher J. Culver. "In addition to the traditional anchors of a even-numbered year—our 166th Annual Regatta, Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex and the Resolute Cup—we'll have the ORC/IRC World Championship, our trio of great team races and the second Melges IC37 National Championship. There's spectacular sailing from the beginning of June straight through to Columbus Day."
The return of the ORC/IRC World Championship, which hasn't been contested in North America since 2000, highlights a full summer of top-flight competition for skippers and crews on larger yachts that race under handicap rating rules. A trio of grand-prix events, including the Annual Regatta and Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex, will provide boats based outside New England, and abroad, a great excuse to move to Newport for the summer of 2020.
The fifth edition of the New York Yacht Club One-Design Regatta will move from its traditional spot early in the season season to late August, where it will embrace the late summer sailing conditions and serve as a perfect tune-up regatta for the Melges IC37 National Championship, which will take place October 8 to 12.
The 2020 Resolute Cup, a Corinthian championship for U.S. yacht clubs, is scheduled for September 14 to 19. This biennial invitational regatta is the only way for a U.S. club to guarantee themselves a berth in the 2021 Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup. The Resolute Cup has been lauded as one of the best regattas for amateur sailors. Provided boats and sails, along with equalized rig tune, create a level platform that is a step above typical one-design competition, while a top-notch social schedule celebrates the camaraderie and sportsmanship so integral to the sport. This regatta should be on the bucket list of every amateur sailor in the United States. The request for invitation process for the 2020 Resolute Cup is underway. -- Stuart Streuli
The full schedule of New York Yacht Club regattas in 2020 can be found on the Club's website.
Cape to Rio Hall Of Fame - Lunch with the race legends
On Monday, Cape to Rio 2020 Race Officer John Martin caught up with some very old friends for lunch, one thing that they all have in common besides their passion for the sea is the Cape to Rio Race.
The race has forged friendships that have lasted for decades.
John Martin, who is this year's Race Officer, besides as a competitor, has been actively involved in the Race over the years. He was Race Chairman in 2009 (to Salvador) and 2011 (to Rio).
During his ocean racing career of some 40 years, John Martin is arguably the most capped Springbok for Ocean Racing having been awarded colours 8 times. He skippered famous yachts such as Voortrekker II (Tuna Marine) and Allied Bank (both 60ft monohulls) achieving notable success in 6 Transatlantic Races; Two Round the World Single-Handed Races, winning three legs; State President's Sports Award (Gold) twice; Yachtsman of the Year - twice; three times winner of the Gordon Burnwood Trophy for Outstanding Yachting Achievements in South Africa.
Over the course of his illustrious career, John and Sir Robin Knox Johnson became firm friends.
In 1969, Sir Robin became the first person to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe. Along with Sir Peter Blake, he won the second Jules Verne Trophy, for which they were also named the ISAF Yachtsman of the Year award. Sir Robin, Leslie Williams and their crew, which included Peter Blake, took line honours of the inaugural 1971 Cape Town to Rio Race. In 2007, at the age of 67, he set a record as the oldest yachtsman to complete a solo round the world voyage in the Velux 5 Oceans Race. In 1996, Sir Robin established the first Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and has since worked with the Clipper Ventures company as chairman.
Also old friends, John and Bernhard Teuteberg joined the Navy at the same time and "slung hammocks" aboard the good ship SAS Jan van Riebeeck and they sailed Flying Dutchmen together as Midshipmen.
Bernard is older brother to Hanno Teuteberg who skippered "Broomstick" (a locally manufactured maxi) in the 1993 race managed to beat rival Parker Pen across the line by just five hours, to take line honours in a time of 15 days, 3 hours and 10 minutes - a new record time. Bernard crewed with Bertie Reed in the 1976 race on Voortrekker and is now retired as Deputy Chief of the Navy.
Hanno Teuteberg has not only won the Cape to Rio race, line honours once and twice in the handicap class, but has now also since retired as Deputy Chief of the Navy. -- Simone Balman
Racing for the Planet
The Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team officially unveiled its Racing For The Planet campaign on Friday at a packed event in Cascais, Lisbon.
The team - which will race in a VO65 in the 2021-22 edition - has placed climate change at the heart of its campaign, building on the foundation's partnership with Turn the Tide on Plastic in 2017-18.
The team is amongst the first of the VO65 class to launch their boat - and have recruited Bruno Dubois, who masterminded Dongfeng Race Team's win last edition, in an advisory capacity.
"It's fantastic to see The Mirpuri Foundation return to The Ocean Race, with a team in the VO65 class, and with such an important message at the heart of its campaign - Racing For The Planet," said Richard Brisius, President of The Ocean Race.
"Together in 2017-18, we sparked a global movement against plastic pollution - and The Ocean Race remains more committed than ever to ocean health restoration.
More details on crew and the team's preparation will follow.
Industry News
Portsmouth Harbour Marine and Portsmouth City Council are in discussions with MaxComm Communication with the aim of hosting an international sailing and yacht racing conference in Portsmouth in November 2020.
The annual Yacht Racing Forum draws a rich pool of speakers from the marine community. Held over two days, it brings together pro-sailors, suppliers, yacht clubs, agents, boat builders, technology companies and many others to meet, network, discuss and debate the key issues in the yachting industry. If Portsmouth's bid is successful, it will host the 14th iteration of the conference.
"Both Portsmouth and Gosport Councils are enthusiastic to support local marine businesses on the international stage," says David Williams, Chief Executive of Portsmouth City Council. "We have a cluster of world-class yachtsmen and women based around Portsmouth Harbour and many cutting-edge industries related to yachting and the wider marine sector.
Bernard Schopfer, CEO of Maxcomm says: "We are very excited to be talking to Portsmouth about bringing our annual conference to the city in 2020. We have not held the event in the UK before, and with so many exciting projects and innovations being developed around the south coast of the UK it seems a natural destination. Portsmouth Harbour also has so much maritime history, we are confident in attracting a truly international group of delegates and speakers."
The final decision about the location of the 2020 conference will be made in late November. In the meantime, anyone wishing to know more can contact mark [AT] portsmouthharbourmarine [DOT] org [DOT] uk
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Future Fibres, the world's #1 leading supplier of multistrand and solid composite rigging, has announced the hiring of Mo Gray as new Sales Consultant.
Professional sailor Mo Gray has been appointed in the position of Sales Consultant for Future Fibres. In this newly created position, Mo will be facilitating a closer line of communication between the Future Fibres team, its customers and the wider sailing industry. Along with building product awareness, Mo will play a role in relaying the benefits of the Future Fibres line of products to riggers, owners and racers whilst maintaining the growth of Future Fibres' strong client base.
Mo brings with him over twenty years of experience at the highest level of sail racing. This includes two America's Cup campaigns, TP52 Super Series, J-Class circuit and numerous offshore races such as the Sydney Hobart and the Fastnet. The ex-British Olympic Squad 49er member has also accumulated a vast range of racing and management experience in a number of different capacities both yacht and shore based.
In his new role, Mo will fuse his vast sailing experience with the technological expertise of Future Fibres in providing existing and prospective owners, project managers, sailing teams, riggers and industry influencers the perfect solution for their rigging needs.
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The Offshore Racing Association (ORA), owner of the ORR rating rule, and US Sailing have launched a new initiative to significantly improve data collection, input processes and quality control measures of boat measurement data in US Sailing's sailboat-measurement database. Together, the ORA and US Sailing will design and implement an integrated system and related processes that will ensure the integrity and accuracy of ORR and other rating rule certificates US Sailing administers.
Behind every racing rule is some element of human input, and the possibility of small defects and errors has always existed. Recent analysis by the ORR Technical Committee of a sampling of 2018 and 2019 ORR rating certificates uncovered an unacceptable level of data errors from several sources including boat measurers, sailmakers, data input and certificates issued for other measurement rules.
"While most of the errors we have found in the data are minor and we expect the corrections will change few ratings to a significant degree, we are committed to ensuring that sailors and organizing authorities using the ORR rule have the highest confidence in their ratings," said John Horton, ORA Executive Director. "We appreciate that US Sailing has taken seriously the issues we've raised and will work alongside us to develop this initiative to benefit users of all rating-rule certificates issued by US Sailing."
Jack Gierhart, the CEO of US Sailing said, "Data integrity and the accuracy of the rating certificates we issue our members are of the utmost importance to us. We are grateful our partners at ORA have identified these issues, and will be working with us to provide the highest level of data accuracy to ensure fair racing in the U.S."
A full audit of the data for approximately 700 existing and new certificates will be completed before the Puerta Vallarta Race, Newport Bermuda Race, Bayview Mackinac Race and Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, among others, all of which use the ORR. Additionally, quality-control software and data collection procedures will be implemented to minimize any future data-input errors.
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11th Hour Racing Team announced Friday that three-time Ocean Race participant Amory Ross has joined the team to direct photography and videography throughout its campaign leading up to The Ocean Race in 2021-2022. He is taking part in the delivery back to Brittany, France this month as onboard reporter from Salvador de Bahia, Brazil where 11th Hour Racing finished fourth in the Transat Jacques Vabre.
Ross has been a leading outdoor and sailing videographer, photographer and producer for nearly a decade, overseeing creative projects for PUMA Ocean Racing, Team Alvimedica, and ORACLE Team USA among others. His work has been featured in venerable media outlets including Outside Magazine, Men's Journal, Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports and many more.
During past editions of the Volvo Ocean Race, Amory Ross was one of about a dozen on-board reporters chosen from more than 10,000 applicants. The ultimate task was to chronicle the story of the race from a first-hand perspective on-board the racing boats at sea; a job so challenging, it is often called one of the toughest jobs in sports media.
With this role, Ross will again be charged with telling the race story of 11th Hour Racing as an embedded journalist sailing around the world with the team in 2021-2022. He will also be charged with sharing the team's #oceanhour message through videos and visuals, inspiring others to create change for the benefit of our planet's oceans.
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Performance yacht specialists X-Yachts have acquired Swedish boat builder HOC Yachts in what marks a strategic move for the Denmark-based firm into the powerboat market.
"We have seen there is a need for a powerboat that could contribute to honouring the X-Yachts vision of superior sailing pleasure to fulfil our customer's dreams - like in our X-Yachts mission statement: 'Our promise is to challenge the market through strength in design, innovation, technology and craftmanship,'" said X-Yachts chairman Ib Kunøe of the announcement.
"As we see it, there were two options; either to develop an X-Power brand from the bottom or to buy us into the market with a product that could fulfil our vision and mission.
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TI Media (the former IPC Media Group and later Time Inc UK) has been sold by the Epiris private equity company to Future PLC, a UK-based publisher of consumer magazines and websites.
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2014 Mills 41 'Skye'. 205000 USD.
SKYE is an immaculate Mills 41 that was built using the molds from the Mills 40 and had a scoop added for extra water line at no cost to rating. Interior is perfect, she is the ultimate cruiser racer. Your choice for either the furling headstay, or racing one, she comes equipped with both.
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2000 Maxi Catamaran 'Ocean Pearl'. 3500000 EUR. Located in Spain.
OCEAN PEARL is the ex Club Mediterrannée winner of the Race in 2001 (around the world regatta) with New Zealand skipper Grant Dalton. She had a fantastic track of records and prize list before she undergone similarly to her sistership ex Swift, a complete refit and conversion project.
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The Last Word
I can bring you in warm, or I can bring you in cold. -- The Mandalorian
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