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Oracle Team USA Sweeps Two To Extend 34th America's Cup Another Day
Photo by Chris Cameron / ETNZ, www.chriscameron.co.nz. Click on image for photo gallery.
San Francisco, California, USA: Oracle Team USA won Race 15 by 37seconds over Emirates Team New Zealand to sweep the day after winning Race 14 by 23 seconds.
Oracle Team USA has clawed its way to 8-5 on the scoreline, after trailing by 8-1 on Wednesday. Emirates Team New Zealand needs one more win to win the America's Cup while Oracle Team USA has to win out, four more victories.
In a near carbon copy of Race 14, Oracle Team USA started Race 15 to leeward of Emirates Team New Zealand to lead by 3 seconds at the first turning mark. The defender stretched its lead to one minute at the second turning mark, before the Kiwis made inroads on the upwind leg. The Kiwis made another charge on the second downwind leg, but Oracle Team USA was too far ahead to overcome.
The deltas were 23s in race 14, 37s in race 15.
Barker said it was always going to be a difficult day with big variations in wind at the top and bottom of the course. It was patchy and there were a lot of shifts. Two starboard start-box entries didn't help."
Barker said Oracle sailed really well, managing the first downwind legs well, establishing good leads. "We gave them opportunities we should not have done. We fought back, got close at times, but it was Oracle's day."
Races 16 and 17 (if necessary) are scheduled for tomorrow at 1:15 and 2:15 pm PT.
34th America's Cup Standings (first to 9 points wins)
- Emirates Team New Zealand - 8 - Oracle Team USA - 5
Race 15 performance data
Course: 5 Legs/10.22 nautical miles
Elapsed Time: OTUSA - 27:34, ETNZ - 28:11
Delta: OTUSA +:37
Total distance sailed: OTUSA - 12.0 NM, ETNZ - 11.9 NM
Average speed: OTUSA - 26.23 knots (30 mph), ETNZ - 25.40 knots (29 mph)
Top speed: OTUSA - 41.80 knots (48 mph), ETNZ - 40.35 knots (46 mph)
Windspeed: Average - 12.9 knots, Peak - 18.0 knots
Number of tacks/gybes: OTUSA - 7/7, ETNZ - 7/9
Race 14 performance data
Course: 5 Legs/10.22 nautical miles
Elapsed time: OTUSA - 33:47, ETNZ - 34:10
Delta: OTUSA +:23
Total distance sailed: OTUSA - 12.8 NM, ETNZ - 13.1 NM
Average speed: OTUSA - 23.31 knots (27 mph), ETNZ - 22.58 knots (26 mph)
Top speed: OTUSA - 36.60 knots (42 mph), ETNZ - 35.41 knots (41 mph)
Windspeed: Average - 11.4 knots, Peak - 14.9 knots
Number of tacks/gybes: OTUSA - 8/12, ETNZ - 8/12
Falmouth Fog Foils Little Cup Opener
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Mylor Bay, UK: Light air and a rare, zero-visibility sea mist put an early end to day one of the 2013 International C-Class Catamaran Championship today after three abandoned races. "We don't see that kind of fog often, but there was just no way to run safe races with such terrible visibility," said local catamaran expert Brian Phipps.
One race was abandoned after less than a minute due to a big wind shift, but when the fog lifted shortly afterwards to reveal a beautiful, sunny day and 6-knot breeze, smiles shone throughout the fleet. Minutes later, Christian Peavey aboard 2010 Little Cup winner Canaanport-tacked the fleet in the second start of the day, sailing off to a big lead in the first leg. As Franck Cammas's Groupama chased Peavey down, the fog rolled in again, and within ten minutes the entire fleet was lost. "We had no idea where the mark was," said Cammas. "When our tender found us we learned we had sailed more than a mile away from it."
The race was quickly abandoned, with the rest of the afternoon spent herding together the wayward flock before the fleet returned to the Restronget Sailing Club beach in convoy.
Racing begins at 1100 GMT on Monday and continues through until Saturday, when the new C-Class Champion is crowned. Fans can track the event with live video coverage of every race, tracking, and an extensive stream of visual and social content on Facebook, Twitter, and Vimeo.
"Little America's Cup" competitors - Nation, Team, Principal
Canada: Fred Eaton, Fred Eaton
France: Challenge France, Benjamin Muyl
France: Groupama, Frank Cammas
Great Britain: Tem Invictus, Norman Wijker / Mark Bishop
Portugal: Team Cascais, Antonio Reis
Spain: Sentient Blue, John Downey
Switzerland: Hydros Team (2 boats, both named Hydros Lombard Odier), Jeremie Lagarigue
USA: Cogito Project, Steve Clark
2013 World Yacht Racing Forum
Taking place in Gothenburg, Sweden, The World of Sailing and Yacht Racing is a fast growing sport and full of new opportunities. WYRF and YRDTS will bring together over 400 industry leaders and decision makers for two-days of debate and discussions giving participants the opportunity to contribute, learn and share strategies with industry leaders, peers and colleagues. The WYRF brings innovative thinking and exclusive insight to the major issues and opportunities facing the growing yachting industry.
Following the success of the 2012 World Yacht Racing Forum we are delighted to confirm that the event will be returning to Gothenburg, Sweden on the 10-11 December this year.
The 6th WYRF will have a focus on what the industry can learn from other sports and will once again be co-located with the Yacht Racing Design and Technology Symposium. This year the YRDTS will take place on the 10th December allowing all delegates to join together for the whole of the last day of the conference. The programme for Day 2 of the conference can therefore focus on issues effecting the whole industry.
WYRF and YRDTS will bring together over 400 industry leaders and decision makers for two-days of debate and discussions giving participants the opportunity to contribute, learn and share strategies with industry leaders, peers and colleagues. The WYRF brings innovative thinking and exclusive insight to the major issues and opportunities facing the growing yachting industry.
Melges 32 Worlds / Audi Sailing Series
Photo by Max Ranchi, www.maxranchi.com. Click on image for photo gallery.
Porto Rotondo, Italy: Congratulations are in full order for American Jason Carroll aboard Argo, with tactician Cameron Appleton and crew comprised of Anthony Kotoun, Chuck Norris, Peter Crawford, Westy Barlow, Eric Aakhus and Lindsey Bartel as they are 2013 Melges 32 World Champions.
Coming in second place overall and winner of the 2013 Audi Melges 32 Sailing Series is Lanfranco Cirillo on Fantastica. This is the second time that Cirillo has won the prestigious series title that is comprised of five amazing events. Deneen Demourkas' Groovederci rounds out the top three, after earning a bullet in the final race of the Championship.
The International Melges 32 Class Association wishes to extend great appreciation to event host Yacht Club Porto Rotondo (YCPR) in coordination with Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS), B.Plan Sports & Events (BPSE) and Melges Europe.
Top Ten Results (After Nine Races, One Discard)
1. Jason Carroll / Cameron Appleton, ARGO, 41 points
2. Lanfranco Cirillo / Michele Paoletti, Fantastica, 55
3. Deneen Demourkas / Francesco Bruni, Groovederci, 56
4. Alessandro Rombelli / Paul Goodison, Azimut by STIG, 57
5. Andrea Pozzi / Lorenzo Bressani, Bombarda, 57
6. Vincenzo Onorato / Gabriele Benussi, Mascalzone Latino, 69
7. Naofumi Kamei / Manuel Weiller, Mamma Aiuto!, 77
8. Mauro Mocchegiani / Branko Brcin, Audi Ultra Sailing Team, 78
9. Filippo Pacinotti / Nathan Wilmot, Brontolo, 83
10. Richard Goransson / Hamish Pepper, Helly Hansen Inga From Sweden, 85
2013 Audi Sailing Series Top Five Results (After Five Events)
1. Lanfranco Cirillo, Fantastica, 172 points
2. Andrea Pozzi, Bombarda, 184
3. Vincenzo Onorato, Mascalzone Latino, 223
4. Roberto Tomasini Grinover, Robertissima, 244
5. Edoardo Lupi, Torpyone, 253
www.melges32worldchampionship.com
Nord Stream Race
The British Team on board the Swan 60 "Tsaar Peter" has prevailed over the Russian "Bronenosec". After 800 nautical miles both yachts passed the finishing line off Saint Petersburg only 26 seconds apart. In contrast to this the ORC class has been clearly dominated by "Outsider" who finished the regatta with some distance as First Ship Home and winner of her division. Additionally plans for Nord Stream Race 2014 were revealed at the concluding press conference today.
The exhaustion was clearly visible when the "Tsaar Peter" crew around skipper Adrian Stead arrived in Saint Petersburg: "It was an eventful race with a great ending for us. The crew has done an outstanding job and has given their all on the rails in the final 16 hours up to the very last tack", said Stead.
"SGM"/Team Germany with Thomas Jungblut at the helm finished as the third-placed Swan 60-yacht. The German project that started for Norddeutscher Regatta Verein prevailed over the Turkish "Petite Flamme" by a narrow margin. The up-and-coming team from the Bosporus area with helmsman Cenk Tekkaya was the only Swan 60-yacht who also sailed with female crew members.
Tilmar Hansen and the German "Outsider" team dominated the ORC fleet of Nord Stream Race with a brilliant performance. "Outsider" raced away from the competition right after the start in Flensburg on Sunday, 15th of September, and constantly increased its lead during the 800nm of the race. Just over three days later the yacht crossed the finishing line as 'First Ship Home' and winner overall of the ORC division.
With her performance "Outsider" has set a benchmark at the World Sailing Speed Record Council. Their best time of 3 days and 48 minutes will be the time to beat in Nord Stream Race 2015 when the route will again lead from Flensburg to Saint Petersburg.
"Nordic Falcon" with Eckhart Gerlinger passed the finishing line afterwards as the third-placed yacht. Their navigator Alexander Bruhne won the Navigator's Prize because his ETA prediction and their actual arrival time only differed by 1 hour and 25 minutes. "UCA" from Kiel and the Russian "Blagodarnost 2" both had to retire from Nord Stream Race due to technical problems and a broken forestay respectively.
Altogether 121 sailors participated in Nord Stream Race, ten of whom were female. The youngest competitor was 18 years young, the oldest 67 years.
Final results:
Swan 60
1. Tsaar Peter, Adrian Stead, Team Great Britain
2. Bronenosec, Vladimir Liubomirov, Team Russia
3. SGM, Thomas Jungblut, Team Germany
4. Petite Flamme, Cenk Tekkaya, Team Turkey
5. The Spirit of Europe, Tim Kroger, Team Europe
ORC
1. Outsider, Tilmar Hansen, GER, Elliot 52 52 SS
2. Haspa Hamburg, Georg Christiansen, GER, J/V 52
3. Nordic Falcon, Eckhart Gerlinger, LUX, J/V 55
4 (DNF). Blagodarnost 2, Sergei Pavlenko, RUS, Elliot 45
4 (DNF). UCA, Jan Debelstein, GER, Brenta 60
Can Anyone Knock Off The Favorites?
Marseille, France is the host venue of the 2013 Seiko 49er & 49erFX World Championships. This championship has the largest attendance for the 49er since 2001, with over 96 49ers registered. Additionally, there are over 53 49erFX teams registered, so the Mediterranean Sea will be a buzz with skiff sailing action. Catch all the action Sept 24-29 on 49er.org, including live broadcasts from the semi finals (27,28 sept) and finals (29, Sept).
Both fleets face a similar challenge to each other. There are two clear favorites, and each will be chased hard by the pack.
Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen have an impressive string of victories behind them with Gold medals from London 2012 and World Championships victories in 2009, 2011, and 2012. They were unstoppable in London, the last time they raced against the fleet but since then have not sailed the 49er very much.
In the 49erFX fleet, it's a similar narrative and very different conditions. On top, Ida Niesen and Marie Olsen have won every event they have raced in the 49erFX, but the gaps are narrowing. They had a commanding victory at Palma 2013, where they showed the fleet how it can be done in big waves and big wind. Since then, however, their margin of victories has been shrinking, and we saw some vulnerability in the lighter winds of the 2013 Europeans as some of the other teams are highly skilled in the lighter air.
Mediterranean Tall Ships Regatta
Click on image to enlarge.
Barcelona, Spain: More than 54,000 people visited the Port Vell yesterday to admire the vessels of the Mediterranean Tall Ships Regatta and visit the facilities of the exhibition "Barcelona Sails" in the village at Portal de la Pau.
Along the Moll de Barcelona, where the giants are moored Mir, Cisne Branco, Belem, Gulden Leeuw, Santa Maria Manuela and Kruzenshtern, the public waited in long queues to get on board of the best representatives of the great school of traditional sailing, vessels where hundreds of students are trained in ocean journeys to learn the basics of navigation.
In the Moll d' Espanya there are moored 11 jewels of classic sailing. Ships like La Recouvrance, Atyla, Johanna Lucretia, Pandora, Hoëdic and Far Barcelona, are admired among lovers of classic boats. While in the Moll de Drassanes, the German training ship Alexander von Humboldt II, unmistakable for its green hull and gold rigging, is supported by the floating dock where smaller boats are moored.
Galaxie is one of the projects that best represents the spirit of the Mediterranean Tall Ships Regatta. Galaxie is a racing boat from the 70's, which was donated to the NGO Joves Navegants (Young Sailors) to give the opportunity to learn how to sail to boys and girls at risk of social exclusion or disabled. They can also take part in both offshore and inshore regattas.
From September 21st to the 24th, within the festival of La Merce (Barcelona's patron saint), Barcelona 's Port Vell shines with an international sailing event, the Mediterranean Tall Ship Regatta 2013, a tall ships race of two stages: Barcelona - Toulon and Toulon - La Spezia.
The Fundacio Navegacio Oceanica Barcelona(FNOB) organizes the stopover of the ships and the race in Barcelona in collaboration with the Consorci El Far, with its tall ship Far Barcelona, which is a member of the Sail Training Association Spain (STAE).
fnob.org/mediterranean-tall-ships-regatta
Generali Solo
The 17 Figaro Benetau sailors in the Generali Solo 2013 left Cavalaire-sur-Mer Sunday, headed for Barcelona. A few miles after the start the race organizers announced a modification of the original route (435 miles) due to light winds over a large part of the stage.
The wind dropped in the middle of night. This morning Adrien Hardy (Recovery Act) is still ahead of Fabien Delahaye (Skipper Macif 2012) and Yoann Richomme (DLBC).
Since the passage of Cape Sicie at sunset, sailors nonetheless gained some miles, a little more than expected. The head of the fleet is now 140 miles distant from Barcelona. They crossed that night back and now continue on their way.. slowly pushed this morning at 5 o'clock by one knot of wind. The only good point is that with a wind shift they can now sail a direct course.
Top five at 5 AM local time:
1. Agir Recouvrement (Adrien Hardy)
2. Skipper Macif 2012 (Fabien Delahaye)
3. DLBC (Yoann Richomme)
4. Skipper Herault (Xavier Macaire)
5. Generali (Nicolas Lunven)
Generali Solo is a race in stages taking place in the Mediterranean Sea on Figaro Beneteau 2.
First stage: Cavalaire-Sur-Mer to Barcelona
Second: Barcelona to Beaulie Sur Mer (Departure September 25)
Third: Beaulieu-Sur-Mer to Sete, (Departure October 2)
Generali Solo is the final round of Solo Championship Elite de course au Large and has a coefficient of 4 in the overall standings. Provisional classification of the championship (top five)
1. DLBC, Yoann Richomme, 57 points
2. Cercle Verte, Gildas Morvan, 88
3. Skipper MACIF 2012. Fabien Delahaye, 89
4. Groupe Queguiner - Leucemie Espoir, Yann Elies, 95
5. Bretagne Credit Mutuel Performance, Anthony Marchand, 103
Event site: www.generali-solo.com
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* From Christopher Neil Brown: I refer to the editorial from Simon McClean of Anglesey on the length ( minutes) of the Cup races.
There certainly is some irony that most Oppie dinghy kids races are longer in duration than these America's cup final adult races. Of course, the race duration in 2013 is really an artefact of the "NASCAR afloat" TV concept that was designed by Oracle et al. The 23 minutes probably meets the attention span needs of most general public spectators as well as television. Legs presumably cannot be much longer in that part of the Bay due to geographical constraints to support shoreside viewing crowds.
Hopefully the Kiwis will return the Cup to a lengthier format with greater tactical opportunities for the teams. The originality of concept shown by Oracle is to be commended and it has produced some amazing footage but I for one hope the Kiwis will restore some of the original Cup magic.
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