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Artemis Racing Flies Around The Bay On Big Blue
Photo by Gilles Martin-Raget. Click on image to enlarge.
Artemis Racing has made a spectacular debut in "Big Blue" the Swedish challenger's second AC 72 catamaran. Sailing it for the first time on Wednesday, the team had the giant catamaran up on its foils in winds as strong as 15 knots.
While Artemis Racing had an impressive first day out, caution is the word from the team. The sailors say there is a lot to learn and test before the team is ready to join Luna Rossa and Emirates Team New Zealand on the racecourse.
The Swedish team has marked the first day of the Louis Vuitton Cup semi finals, August 6, as its target date for racing. It says any participation in one of the final Round Robin races would be an unexpected bonus.
Thursday, Artemis Racing is scheduled to race against Luna Rossa, with the Italian team expected to sail the race unopposed. Artemis Racing will inspect its boat overnight and make adjustments before deciding whether it resumes sailing tomorrow.
The schedule ahead (all starts scheduled for 12:15 pm PT)
- Thursday, July 25, Artemis Racing vs. Luna Rossa Challenge
- Saturday, July 27, Emirates Team New Zealand vs. Artemis Racing
- Sunday, July 28, Emirates Team New Zealand vs. Luna Rossa Challenge
- Tuesday, July 30, Artemis Racing vs. Emirates Team New Zealand
Storms Disrupt Racing on Penultimate Day at Opti Worlds
Tomorrow sees the conclusion of the Optimist World Championship with only the German, Sternbeck, keeping up with the strong Singapore team. After todays races Loh Jia Yi continues to lead and the rest of the 5 strong Singaporean team are ranked in the top 8, in the provisional standings. The 51st Optimist World Championship, organized by Fraglia Vela Riva, Lake Garda Trentino-Italy finishes tomorrow. Eight races have been completed so far for all fleets with the yellow fleet having completed an additional ninth. The wind came in this afternoon at 14-16 knots but gradually decreased towards the end of the first race due to a storm in the mountains behind Riva del Garda. This blocked the revered southerly Ora and brought the echoing sound of thunder to Riva. The fleets were quickly brought ashore. Tension is rising in the boat park as the sailors get closer to the end of the regatta and we hope that the breeze will be more consistent for them tomorrow.
1. Jia Yi Loh, SIN, 11 points
2. Nils Sternbeck, GER, 16
3. Edward Tan, SIN, 33
4. Yi Kun Koh, SIN, 36
5. Bertha Han, SIN, 39
6. Exequiel Grez, CHI, 50
7. Lukas Hesse, GER, 51
8. Fathin Bte Hohd, SIN, 52
9. Damian Suri, SUI, 53
10. Telis Athanasopoulos-Yogo, GRE, 54
Full results: www.fragliavelariva.it
www.fragliavelariva.it/en/regatta/1042/view
www.optiworld.org/MiniSite/13Worlds/index.php
Advances In Software: Mastermind Pro™
Future Fibres to introduce the most comprehensive mast design software tool
Future Fibres has invested in a bespoke mast design software package that moves beyond traditional stick models and basic section analysis into a complete 3D loaded structure that models the mast and rigging package, in real time, using flying sail shapes developed in a sail simulator.
MASTERMIND Pro™ allows one to:
• Apply and trim 3D real world sailsets to an integrated mast and rigging model
• Evaluate performance - mast bend curvature, fall off, tube stresses and overall stability
• Refine and retune as required
Until now, the mast design industry has been constrained by spreadsheet-based design tools that work with stick models and assumptions. Thanks to Mastermind Pro™, we are able to get detailed, live structural modeling and design of mast and rigging for optimised stiffness and weight. The results are where Mastermind Pro™ really stands out - by producing a complete 3D solution that shows combined stresses in mast, sails and rigging.
The team behind the development of Future Fibres brand new software includes rig design experts, aeronautical engineers, sail designers, software developers, 3D CAD modelling specialists and naval architects.
Rolex Farr 40 North American Championship
Photo by Daniel Forster, www.DanielForster.com. Click on image for photo gallery.
Edgartown, Massachusetts, USA: Patience paid off today, allowing the Rolex Farr 40 North American fleet to complete two opening day races on Vineyard Sound after waiting more than two and a half hours for the breeze to wake up, yawn, and stretch its legs. In the end, it was Nico Poons' (Monaco) Charisma to whom good things came in the wakeful southwesterly that built from 8-10 knots to as high as 14 by day's end. The team posted finishes of 2-1 to claim three points and best the 11-boat fleet in overall scoring while leading Kevin McNeil's (Annapolis, Md.) Nightshift (4-3), in runner-up position, by four points.
After what Charisma tactician Morgan Reeser (Miami, Fla.) called a dismal start in race one, the team "weaseled out of that nicely" by choosing to go right in a heavily favored wind shift to lead at the top mark. On the first run of the windward-leeward twice around course, however, it was Wolfgang Schaefer's German entry Struntje Light that impressed by immediately jibing for the left side of the course (while Charisma stayed right) and improving its position from next-to-last to first at the gate. By the second weather mark, Struntje Light had five boat lengths on Charisma and handily maintained that position to the finish line.
Tomorrow's winds are expected to be northeasterly at 16-22 knots.
Day one results:
1. Charisma, Nico Poons, MON, 3 points
2. Nightshift, Kevin McNeil, USA, 7
3. Struntje Light, Wolfgang Schaefer, GER, 9
4. Barking Mad, James Richardson, USA, 9
5. Groovederci, John Demourkas, USA, 9
6. PLENTY, Alexander Roepers, USA, 10
7. Enfant Terrible, Alberto Rossi, ITA, 10
8. Asterisk Uno, Hasip Gencer, TUR, 15
9. Oakcliff Farr 40, Seth Cooley, USA, 20
10. Flojito y Cooperando, Bernardo Minkow/Julian Fernandez, MEX, 21
11. Flash Gordon 6, Helmut Jahn, USA, 21
Beecom Wins First-Ever HPR Class In Transpac
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA: Isao Mita's 2011 Judel/Vrolijk-designed TP 52 Beecom has won the first-ever class formed to score Transpac entries under the High Performance Rating system (HPR). Nine boats from Divisions 1 and 2 agreed to have HPR certificates issued and scored for this race.
Beecom defeated runner-up Meanie, a 2008 TP 52 owned by Thomas Akin, by just one and a half hours on the water, and 22 min 17 sec in corrected time using HPR ratings. Third was Ricardo Brockman's Reichel/Pugh 52 Vincitore from Mexico, almost an hour behind in elapsed time which corrected to a deficit of 31 min 33 sec.
"HPR was designed as a rating system to specifically rate modern high-performance, offshore-capable planing designs in a purposely transparent and type-forming way," said Bill Lee, author of the HPR Rule and former Transpac champion. "There is a small but enthusiastic group of sailors and owners who want to design, build and race these style boats, and most of the existing rating systems don't do a great job with this because they try to rate all boats. So HPR was developed to encourage development around features that produce high performance, but also safety and stability."
The Transpac race to Hawaii is a perfect example of how HPR can be applied to these style boats: they have to be designs that are strong and stable enough to be capable of this kind of racing, yet still produce breathtaking performance. The rule is transparent, described on a spreadsheet, with no hidden rating factors.
On the East Coast, there have already been several inshore regattas using HPR - such as Quantum Key West and Block Island Race Week - but this is the first long-distance race featuring HPR scoring and trophies to be awarded at tomorrow's awards ceremony.
The next major HPR-scored event will be in San Francisco at the Rolex Big Boat Series in September.
Pierre Pennec Joins Realteam For Act 5 Of Extreme Sailing Series In Portugal
French helmsman, Pierre Pennec, who has finished on the Extreme Sailing Series Championship podium three times from 2009-2011, is to join Swiss entry Realteam for Act 5 of the Extreme Sailing Series in Portugal from 25 to 28 July.
Realteam skipper Jérôme Clerc and the crew are looking forward to the opportunity to train with and learn from one of the most experienced Extreme 40 sailors on the circuit. Act 5 in Porto is shaping up to be a battle among the Swiss with three entries from the landlocked country: Jérôme Clerc's Realteam will be jockeying for position against Team Tilt and Alinghi.
Realteam finished 8th at Act 1 in Muscat, Oman, in March, posted a 4th in Singapore and a 7th in Qingdao, China.
Extreme Sailing Series Act 5 will be the fourth race of the season as the event in Istanbul was postponed. Porto race course will present plenty of challenges with more wind than has been seen at previous venues this year, something that the teams are looking forward to and which might prompt a ranking reshuffle. -- Bernard Schopfer
www.facebook.com/realteamsailing
* Racing takes place over four days from the 25-28 July kicking off with a day of open water racing and the official skippers press conference before moving into stadium mode where the Douro River will provide the playground for the eight Extreme 40s.
British Snatch Back the Lead at Feva Worlds
Photo by S&T Communications / J.R. Taylor. Click on image for photo gallery.
Marina di Grosseto, Italy: Light changeable winds dominated the race course off the Compagnia della vela Grosseto today and the famous Grosseto thermals never arrived at all. In fact, the breeze only got up to 10 knots at most in the afternoon. This made things complicated for the race committee which was forced to cancel the third heat, but still was able to give the off to two races for the Gold fleet (and just one for the Silver and Bronze).
However, the English teams had plenty to smile about on this the first day of the finals with Wells/Todd (GBR 4332) clocking up two second-place finishes to take back leadership of the overall standings (6 points) having lost it yesterday to the Italians Porro/Dall'Ora (ITA 2592), who today slipped down into fourth position after only managing a fourth and a 21st-place finish. On 7 points behind the new leaders were Bristow/Hewitt (GBR 4610), courtesy of a third place and a win today.
The third step on the podium went to reigning world champions Stocchero/Virgenti of Italy. They finished seventh and ninth today, a good recovery that brought them up from fifth (21 points) and put them ahead of fellow Italians Porro/Dall'Ora, who started the day topping the standings but are now fourth after a fourth and a 21st-place finish. From the fourth heat onwards, however, the discard system comes into effect for all three fleets so it's still very much an open competition.
Racing continues through Friday.
Top five after two races
1. Elliott Wells / Jake Todd, GBR, 6 points
2. Hannah Bristow / Bobby Hewitt, GBR, 7
3. Leonardo Stocchero / Gianluca Virgenti, ITA, 21
4. Margherita Porro / Francesca Andrea Dall'Ora, ITA, 6
5. Arthur Brown / Niamh Davies, GBR, 27
Groupama Overall Tour Voile Winner
The moment Groupama 34 crossed the finish in La Seyne, the team won the Tour de France à la Voile 2013. Courrier Dunkerque and Bretagne Crédit Mutuel are tied for second place and Sodebo, who finished second today, is still in a threatening position. Cammas won but the fight for second is far from over.
The leg from Gruissan to La Seyne was a tricky one with a lot of wind shifts throughout the 123-mile route, scored by a factor of 3. Groupama 34 claimed their 18th victory over the 30 races sailed since the race started in Dunkirk on June 29. Cammas and his men cannot loose the Tour before the end of the race in Marseille on Saturday. There are six races left (total scoring factor of 7) and they are 98 points ahead tonight.
Their first place overall is symbolised by a blue spinnaker but they are still looking to claim the green (offshore ranking) and red chutes (inshore ranking) as well. And to top it off, Groupama is gunning for a 100-point lead over the second place team.
As of today there are two runners up: Courrier Dunkerque 3 and Bretagne Crédit Mutuel, both tied for points after Bretagne was disqualified for an in-port race in Gruissan. But the second two places on the podium are wide open. Sodebo finished second today, and now Tomas Coville's team is only 12.7 points becond the runners-up.
Nantes St Nazaire E.Leclerc and Iskareen did very well too, taking 5th and 6th. OmanSail finished in 11th place and is now 5th overall, 40.7 points behind Sodebo.
In-port races are scheduled tomorrow off La Seyne, in the Toulon bay. First start at noon.
Overall top five provisional ranking after 30 races:
1. Groupama 34, Franck Cammas, 1137 points - Blue Spinnaker
2. Bretagne Credit Mutuel Elite, Nicolas Troussel, 1039
3. Courrier Dunkerque 3, Daniel Souben, 1039
4. Sodebo, Thomas Coville, 1026
5. Team Omansail, Cédric Pouligny, 986
The MOD70s Are Back: Brest To New York
The countdown begins here... there are 300 days until the start of the second edition of the Krys Ocean Race which will take the MOD70 fleet from Brest to New York.
Three hundred days for a chance for revenge for the fleet after the 2012 edition saw Spindrift, skippered by Yann Guichard, speed to victory from New York to Brest in a record time of 4 days 21 hours and 8 minutes. A rapid run across the North Atlantic provided a race of rare intensity on an oceanic scale.
Two years ago Brest gave the race an extraordinary welcome for the first edition of the Krys Ocean Race by placing it at the heart of the Tonnerres de Brest (the Brest Maritime Festival) with its 700,000 visitors. For the start of the second edition, Brest will beat to the rhythm of the Krys Ocean Racefrom May 3-11, 2014.
The KRYS Ocean Race will mark the return of the MOD70 fleet to the ocean for a rematch to New York, from east to west, against prevailing winds and currents.
The MOD70 fleet which will line up for the start of this second edition will each have on board six sailors, including the greatest multihull skippers of our time.
www.krys-oceanrace.com
www.multionedesign.com
Jamaica Entry In Clipper Race
The Jamaica Tourist Board will sponsor an entry in the 2013-14 edition of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.
The yacht, part of the new state of the art fleet of ocean racers debuting in the latest edition of the Clipper Race, will showcase Jamaica as one of the most desirable visitor destinations on the planet during the 40,000-mile, 11 month ocean race, to deliver a global promotion as it visits 15 ports on six continents.
This is the third time that Jamaica has fielded an entry. The Jamaican yacht entry will be crewed by amateurs under the watchful eye of one of the twelve exceptional skippers who were chosen after a rigorous selection process by organisers of the Clipper Race. For the third time in the history of the race, the fleet will visit Errol Flynn Marina in Port Antonio.
The Clipper 13-14 Race will set off from St Katharine Docks, London on Sunday, 1 September on a 40,000-mile journey around the globe, making it the world's longest ocean race, stopping at 15 ports on six continents over 11 months.
Nominations For 2013 Isaf Rolex World Sailor Of The Year Awards Open
Nominations are invited for the 2013 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards, the most prestigious award of recognition in the sport of sailing.
Some of the highest achievers from all disciplines of the sport have been nominated for the Award since it was first presented in 1994 with the modern day greats etching their name on the coveted trophy.
Inspiring individuals and dynamic combinations are nominated each year and their achievements may be an exceptional series of regatta wins, a record breaking passage or triumph against the odds.
Nominations can be made by anyone and the only criterion for sailors is "outstanding achievement in the sport of sailing" during the qualifying period of 1 September 2012 to 31 August 2013.
Nominations should be sent to ISAF by 12:00 UTC on Wednesday 4 September 2013 using the Official Nomination Form, available at www.sailing.org/35253.php
Featured Brokerage
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