In This Issue
• Williams, Canfield Eye Championship
• Star European Championship
• Well advances - Sicomin
• Cape Horners launch register of solo circumnavigations
• Australian Sailing welcomes AIS investment in High-Performance Sport
• World Sailing Trust launch Race for Change
• New Hurdle for Offshore Mixed Doubles Olympic Status at World Sailing Conference
• Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image of the Century: Top 20 disclosed
• Launchings
• Letters to the Editor
• Featured Brokerage:
• • TP52 - Gladiator
• • Excess 12 - NEW BOAT
• • LM46 Performance Cruiser
• The Last Word: Mike Brown
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
Williams, Canfield Eye Championship
Photo by Charles Anderson. Click on image for photo gallery.
Hamilton, Bermuda: If today's late-afternoon form holds through to tomorrow morning, Ian Williams's Team GAC Pindar will square off against Taylor Canfield's Team Stars+Stripes for the championships of the 70th Bermuda Gold Cup and 2020 Open Match Racing World Championship.
Williams's and Canfield's crews lead their semifinal series, 2-0, against Jeppe Borch's Borch Racing Team and Phil Robertson's China One Ningbo crew, respectively. One more victory for each puts them into the final of the $100,000 regatta, with $30,000 earmarked for the winner who'll also be awarded the King Edward VII Gold Cup and the sterling silver World Match Racing Tour trophy.
The quartet advanced to the penultimate round of the regatta after a Quarterfinal Round that saw a slew of penalties (14 penalties and one black flag against seven green flags), nearly as many lead changes, and two winner-take-all fifth races.
Williams defeated Eric Monnin's Capvis Swiss Match Race Team, 3-2, in a penalty filled series that saw Williams disqualified from the second race for incurring three successive penalties. But it was a Race 5 penalty against Monnin for failing to keep clear as windward yacht that ultimately gave Williams the edge he needed to advance.
The semifinals resume tomorrow morning with the first warning signal scheduled for 0930 hours.
Star European Championship
The first and only Continental Star Class Championship for the year started today in Riva del Garda, Italy, with two very nice light wind races for the 18 boats attending the 2020 Europeans.
The Championship was meant to be sailed in September in Stockholm, but it was rescheduled to 2022, due to Coronavirus. Riva del Garda stepped in, after the very successful 80 boat 2019 Europeans, when the situation in Northern Italy was improving, and 30 teams entered in the summer and went on training at the organising club Fraglia Vela Riva. Over the last few weeks the virus in Europe is forcing to cancel events once again, but Trentino is still a safe region and sailing is considered a very low risk sport. The Italian Sailing Federation gave its blessing to the event, which was today also blessed by beautiful fall weather.
The level of the fleet is exceptional with two past Star World Champions, Enrico Chieffi (ITA) and Eivind Melleby (NOR), two former Star European Champions, Diego Negri (ITA) and Hubert Merkelbach (GER), a Laser Silver Olympic Medallist, Tonci Stipanovic (CRO), a Finn and Star Olympian, Finn World and European Champion Hans Spitzauer (AUT), and so many other incredible sailors both among the skippers and crews.
Two races in the first day with two different winds. The 1 o'clock one was sailed with about 10 knots from the North, and was very well managed by Piet Eckert (SUI) with Volvo Ocean Race crew Frederico Melo (POR), in the lead up until the end, followed by Class President Hubert Merkelbach with Kilian Weiss (GER) and in third Jorgen Schonherr (DEN) with Markus Koy (GER). The 3pm race was sailed with the typical afternoon Lake Garda southerly breeze, the 'Ora', on the lighter side compared to the usual as it never went over 8-10 knots. The winner of this race is Argentinian world-renowned yacht designer Juan Kouyoumdjianwith Fernando Rivero (ARG), followed by Tonci Stipanovic and Tudor Bilic (CRO) and in third Piet Eckert/Frederico Melo, who are also the provisional leaders of the overall ranking.
The schedule for tomorrow and Saturday is for two races per day until Sunday, November 1st, when, if all goes according to plan, the last race of the 2020 European Championship will take place and the winners announced. -- Rachele Vitello
2020euro.starchampionships.org
Well advances - Sicomin
Sicomin have been in the green resin business for longer than you might think...
There is nothing new in the pursuit of environmentally friendly resins, at least not for Sicomin. Founded in 1983, the composites arm of this French company started creating green epoxies more than 10 years ago.
'Our interest in green resins started well before it was in fashion,' explains Sicomin's president Phillippe Marcovich. 'We started working with the ski and surf board markets where the end users, who were very much aware of the importance of their playgrounds in the mountains and at sea, already understood the need for environmentally friendly materials.
'Over time, we proved our green credentials with epoxy products that clearly worked. This helped to create a growing number of customers who understood and believed in what we were doing, which in turn led to us into other areas.
Full article in the November issue of Seahorse
Cape Horners launch register of solo circumnavigations
Portsmouth UK. As 33 potential Cape Horners prepare for the start of the 9th Vendee Globe solo non-stop round the world race from Les Sables d'Olonne on November 8, The International Association of Cape Horners (IACH) has taken on the mantle of maintaining an official register of those who have completed solo circumnavigations via the Three Great Capes - Good Hope, Leeuwin and the Horn.
The listing, which records 155 solo non-stop circumnavigators and a further 143 who have completed true circumnavigations around the three Capes with stops enroute, has been compiled from listings maintained previously by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first to complete a solo non-stop circumnavigation back in 1969, historian DH 'Nobby' Clarke, The World Sailing Speed Record Council and information culled from books and the public domain.
The current record for the fastest solo non-stop circumnavigation is held by Frenchman François Gabart with a time of 42 days 16h 40' 3" set in 2017 aboard the 30m trimaran Ultim MACIF. The time to beat for the current Vendee Globe monohull entrants is 74d 03h 36' set by fellow Frenchman Armel Le Cleac'h in his IMOCA 60 Banque Populaire during the last race in 2017.
The oldest solo circumnavigator is Australian yachtsman Bill Hatfield who, at 79, competed a west-about route in his 11.58m monohull L'Eau Commotion in 2018 with a time of 414 days. The youngest is fellow Australian Jessica Watson who in 2010 at the age of 16, completed a non-stop solo Southern Hemisphere circumnavigation via the three Great Capes in her 10.23m yacht Ella's Pink Lady but failed to sail the full 21,600 orthodromic distance set by the WSSRC to claim a full circumnavigation.
Click here to review the IACH Register of Solo Circumnavigators
Australian Sailing welcomes AIS investment in High-Performance Sport
Australian Sailing has welcomed yesterday's announcement from the Australian Institute of Sport which confirmed funding for the high-performance program will roll forward at financial year 2020/21 levels until 30 June 2022. This will provide Australian Sailing with funding certainty in these challenging times and allow the Australian Sailing Team to remain focused on preparations for Tokyo.
Australian Sailing Team Athletes have been training in Australia looking forward to competing at the upcoming Sail Sydney regatta in December as an important step in their preparation for the Tokyo Olympics.
Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Chair John Wylie said: "This gives sports funding clarity for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics and the 2022 Commonwealth Games. It is also a springboard towards Paris 2024."
AIS CEO Peter Conde said the overall funding decisions achieve the right balance between providing sports with longer-term certainty but also providing flexibility for performance-based changes in the lead-up to Paris 2024. -- Michael Martin
World Sailing Trust launch Race for Change
World Sailing, the World Sailing Trust and Virtual Regatta are excited to announce the launch of the World Sailing Trust Challenge 'Race for Change' within the forthcoming Vendee Globe eSailing race.
The challenge, the first of its kind, will be held on Virtual Regatta Offshore for the duration of the real-life race, with a portion of the proceeds going to the World Sailing Trust.
Virtual Regatta are excited to extend the relationship with World Sailing to include the World Sailing Trust, in order to support safeguarding the planet and the future of the sport. Virtual Regatta have pledged to donate a portion of the proceeds to the Trust, and hope that others will follow to promote and support the Trust and its work.
The race starts on Sunday 8 November at the same time as the real-life Vendee Globe race start, but players can login now.
The password to enter the race is 'WST2020'. Using this will grant you access to a custom branded World Sailing Trust and World Sailing boat.
In addition, there are prizes up for grabs from World Sailing and their partners. Virtual Regatta are offering a year-long VIP pass subscription for select achievements in the game. In addition to the bespoke boat you will receive, Virtual Regatta are giving a limited number of full packs to the first 50 participants. This full pack provides loads of added features in the game to enhance the racing experience and is a must-have for all eSailors looking to aim for the podium.
You can play Virtual Regatta Offshore now on Desktop - iOS - Android.
New Hurdle for Offshore Mixed Doubles Olympic Status at World Sailing Conference
Just when proponents of Offshore Mixed Doubles sailing should be celebrating new Olympic status, the champagne is on ice this week as World Sailing debates a submission that it should not proceed with changes it agreed last year due to the fact that COVID-19 has turned the world upside down.
A submission at World Sailing's virtual annual conference from the Hungarian Sailing Federation, Korean Sailing Federation, Serbian Sailing Association and the International RS:X Class Association is asking to retain the 2020 Olympic Events and Equipment for the 2024 Olympic Sailing Competition, a decision that if taken would not include the new keelboat choice.
If the new class can successfully overcome this submission, then, as regular Afloat readers will know, the final hurdle would appear to be a meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) itself that sits in December to have the final say on Offshore Mixed Doubles for Paris 2024.
afloat.ie/sail/sailing-classes/
Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image of the Century: Top 20 disclosed
We are pleased to unveil the Top 20 photos selected by the international jury of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image photo competition, consisting of Jen Edney, Chris Museler, Justin Chisholm, Loris von Siebenthal, Luca Rizzotti and Nicolas Mirabaud. The big winner of this special edition, which this year celebrates the best images taken since the beginning of the 21st century, is included in this selection.
At the same time, votes for the Public Award remains open until 10 November.
Top 20 photographers (in alphabetical order):
Pierre Bouras (FRA)
Thomas Campion (FRA)
Michael Chittenden (NZL)
Tom Coehoorn (NED)
Brett Costello (AUS)
Alexis Courcoux (FRA)
Antoine Dujoncquoy (FRA)
Bertrand Duquenne (FRA)
Thomas Eibenberger (GER)
Richard Gladwell (POL)
Felix Gonzalez Muniz (SPA)
Sören Hese (GER)
Martin Keruzore (FRA)
Dallas Kilponen (AUS)
Gilles Martin-Raget (FRA)
Elena Razina (RUS)
Ivo Rovira (SPA)
Benoit Stichelbaut (FRA)
Eloi Stichelbaut (FRA)
Junxing Zhong (CHN)
The Top 20 brings together some of the world's greatest sailing photographers, active on sailing events throughout the world. The most represented countries are France (9 photos), followed by Germany, Spain and Australia (2 photos), New Zealand, the Netherlands, Russia, Poland and China (1 photo).
We remind you that the final result will be announced online on November 24 on our Website, Facebook page and Instagram account. In the meantime, stay connected and keep voting until November 10 for the Public Award. The votes by the public on Internet are still open and not restricted to the Top 20 images selected by the Jury!
Launchings
Wisp has returned to Huisfit. The team at Royal Huisman Amsterdam is pleased to welcome the 48m / 156ft classic sloop for various service and maintenance items. #TakingCareOfOurFleet
Commissioned in 2014, the yacht fulfils her owner's brief for a supremely comfortable cruising yacht that is more than capable of providing the pleasures of some 'gentleman's racing' on occasion.
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The Ernestina-Morrissey is once again going to hit the water and embark on a new journey. Serving as the State Ship of Massachusetts, she is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Recreation and Conservation in conjunction with the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. In 2014, the ship was approved to undergo an extensive restoration by Bristol Marine in Boothbay, Maine.
A vessel that has lived many lives, the Ernestina-Morrisey was originally a fishing schooner, built for Captain William E. Morrisey in 1894, then known as Morrisey. She was purchased in 1926 by Robert Bartlett, an Arctic explorer who would go on to convert her into an arctic exploration vessel, escorting scientists and students to the Arctic for scientific studies and observation. As Project Manager with Bristol Marine Dennis Gunderson describes, "No other sailing vessel has come closer to the North Pole than the Ernestina-Morrisey."
Following Barlett's death in 1946, Morrissey was acquired by Captain Henrique Medes who renamed her Ernestina in homage to his daughter. Ernestina sailed to and from Cape Verde Islands and the United States carrying immigrants and goods during a span of seventeen years. She was gifted to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by the Republic of Cape Verde in 1982, before receiving U.S. Coast Guard certification in 1987. In 1990, the Ernestina was named a National Historic Landmark and served for many years as a training ship, and historic museum while visiting various ports along the eastern seaboard.
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Second Hylas H57 is now on sea trial and the third is under construction
The H57 is a Bill Dixon design. The architect has found the perfect balance of performance cruiser, luxurious living and easy sailing. This bluewater yacht brings a new dimension to the "cruising lifestyle".
Every yacht leaving the factory is tested in the dedicated water tank and, when it exceeds 55ft, it is taken to Kaohsiung Harbor. This allows technicians, engineers, third party power plant providers (Yanmar/Volvo) to test every system and give their seal of approval.
The shipyard is also building the third Hylas H57. The target delivery in the US is November 2021. The yacht has a vacuum infused hull with closed cell foam core. The subtray and structural bulkheads are then glassed into the hull before the yacht leaves the mold.
The first Hylas H57 has been delivered to the US in spring 2020.
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Since June there have been regular training sessions on Lake Geneva for the teams who have taken possession of their TF35, the new one-design foiling catamaran which succeeded the Decision 35. Frederic Le Peutrec, helmsman of the Swiss team Zen Too, is enthusiastic about the performance of one of the eight boats which were made by Multiplast.
Can you tell us about the TF35?
This boat was born from the desire of the owners of the D35 to leave displacement mode and to develop a lake foiler. In the brief it also had to meet the requirement to be able to win the Bol d'Or in real time, hence quite radical choices allow it to perform well in light winds. The result is a 35-foot catamaran, with an air draft of 21.50 meters, equipped with rudders and large T-foils which provide the necessary power to get up and fly very early. That is to say from 13 knots apparent a speed that is reached downwind when there is 6-7 knots of wind and upwind in 8-9 knots. On board, there are six of us, as in the D35, with a maximum crew weight of 500 kilos. Another special feature is the rudder and foil servo system managed by an inertial flight unit.
What is it like at the helm of this machine?
It's absolutely awesome. In flat sea conditions, with the sechard, the small thermal wind at the end of the day on the Lake, it is a bit like if you were on an ice cart, the boat accelerates and creates a tight apparent wind. On the other hand, the top speed is limited due to the large appendages, large sail areas and big section mast. The drag induced by the aero and hydro does not allow you to exceed certain speeds. For now, we have reached 33 knots but we will probably go faster, but it is essentially a VMG boat because we do upwind-downwinds in the Grands Prix, it is the performance at these angles which was sought especially.
tf35.org/tf35-articles/about-the-boat
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Southern Wind Shipyard has launched a new 100ft full-custom, high-performance cruiser-racer in the Port of Cape Town, South Africa.
Morgana is the result of a three-year collaboration between SWS, Nauta Design and Reichel/Pugh Yacht Design, and builds on the success of the 2017 launch of the full custom SW-RP90 Allsmoke. Hailed as a 'new generation' project, the superyacht features several performance-enhancing features including a lifting keel and a Hybrid HR40 carbon mast.
"The hull's inner and outer skins are in full carbon with a Corecell core while Nomex and prepreg are used for the fore and side decks, the aft cockpit and the fore and aft bulkheads," the company said in a statement. "This lightweight construction method optimises weight and increases performance and comfort."
"The hull, sail plan and appendages of the RP-Nauta 100 benefit from the combined research and development of recent R/P superyachts," Jim Pugh said. "This latest yacht features a powerful hull-form when heeled and a narrow upright waterline which provides stability while reaching and sailing upwind in addition to great light air performance. This yacht will deliver an exceptional sailing experience while cruising and at superyacht regattas."
It is the second launch in as many months from the Cape Town yard, which recently welcomed SW96 Ammonite into the water.
Letters To The Editor - editor [AT] eurosailnews [DOT] com
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* From Jock Wishart: re: Lost the Plot somewhere
When you read the report from Bermuda you start to realise what Match Racing is actually all about and the skills required (and necessary) from racing in slower monohulls!
Fastest is not always best! Yours aye.
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Excess 12 - NEW BOAT
Like all the catamarans of our range, Excess 12 is for those who dream of a cruising catamaran that provides real sailing sensations. The view from the helm, the finesse of the sail trimming, the friendliness of the cockpit, the sliding sunroof, allow the whole crew to fully live the experience on board.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
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excess-catamarans.com
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LM46 Performance Cruiser. POA USD.
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See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
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84 Knox Street
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See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
Finding out that something you have just discovered is considered all but impossible is one of the joys of science. -- Mike Brown
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