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Edmond De Rothschild First To Finish Transat Jacques Vabre
The seventy foot MOD70 trimaran Edmond de Rothschild, sailed by French duo Sebastien Josse and Charles Caudrelier broke the finish line of the 5450 miles Transat Jacques Vabre race Monday afternoon at 15hrs 03mins 57s local time (17h 03m 57h UTC GMT) to take overall line honours and win the MOD70 class.
After starting from Le Havre on Thursday 7th November at 13hrs local time, Edmond de Rothschild took just 11 days, 5hours, 3 minutes and 54 second to cover the course. They sailed at a real average speed of 22.12kts for their actual distance that they sailed of 5952miles.
After a 5,968 nautical mile match race across the Atlantic Ocean, Oman Air-Musandam's skipper Sidney Gavignet (FRA) and co skipper Damian Foxall (IRL) crossed the Transat Jacques Vabre finish line in Itajaii, Brasil, at 23:04:09 CET on 18 November in second place, just 5 hours and 15 seconds behind Edmond de Rothschild's Sebastien Josse and Charles Caudrelier after 11 days, 10 hours, 4 minutes and 9 seconds at sea.
The IMOCA Open 60's leading duo are as tight together as an afternoon speed test out of Port La Foret. After 11 days of racing they are less than half a mile apart, close fetching on the long tack towards Recife. PRB with Vincent Riou and Jean Le Cam on board are very slightly ahead, as they have been since last night, with MACIF in their sights.
Class 40 has had no change at the top of their leaderboard with GDF SUEZ 54 miles up on MARE but the chasing pack is incredibly tight with only 6 miles from third to sixth, Miranda Merron and Halvard Mabire up to third again on Campagne de France.
Top three places in the Multi 50 class are Fenetrea Cardinal (Erwan Le Roux / Yann Elies), Actual (Yves le Blevec / Kito de Pavant) and Rennes Metropole / Saint-Malo Aggolomeration (Gilles Lamire / Andrea Mura).
www.transat-jacques-vabre.com/en
Alvaro Marinho Wins Troia Portugal Match Cup
Alvaro Marinho is the winner of "Troia Portugal Match Cup 2013", becoming the first Portuguese sailor to win this sailing competition. The Portuguese skipper defeated Frenchman Pierre-Antoine Morvan in the final.
After leaving behind, in the semifinals, Arthur Herreman, the Portuguese crew faced Pierre-Antoine Morvan (12nd of the World Ranking), who until today was the sailor with the most victories. Marinho was able to overcome the Frenchman Morvan, with three winning matches keeping the winner's trophy "at home" for the first time.
In the fight for the 3rd and 4th places, Diogo Pereira (representing Pedro Rebelo de Andrade) and Arthur Herreman did one only "knock-out" regatta, where the Frenchman beat the Portuguese skipper, achieving thus the last place in the podium. In the regattas which determine the 5th and 6th places, Bernardo Freitas lost to Afonso Leite.
Final results:
1. Alvaro Marinho
2. Pierre-Antoine Morvan
3. Arthur Herreman
4. Pedro Rebelo de Andrade/Diogo Pereira
5. Afonso Leite
6. Bernardo Freitas
7. Sergey Musikhin
Henri Lloyd To Launch New Elite Offshore Range at METS 2013
Henri Lloyd will be launching a ground breaking new range of Offshore foul weather clothing. The ELITE OFFSHORE range uses game changing technology, including a brand new fabric technology developed in collaboration with GORE-TEX®, combined with a layering system to create an offshore suit that is 30% lighter, and 20% more breathable than any other offshore suit on the market.
The Henri Lloyd ELITE range has already been nominated for a prestigious DAME award, a mark of innovation and design excellence for the marine sector.
Paul Strzelecki, Joint CEO of Henri Lloyd explains, "The new Henri Lloyd ELITE OFFSHORE is the result of considerable research and innovation to create garments which enhance performance, reduce fatigue and protect the wearer without compromise - it really is a completely new concept - we are really proud of this new range of foul weather gear and are looking forward to unveiling it!"
The announcement of the DAME Award winners takes place on the morning of the 19th November at METS TRADE.
The ELITE OFFSHORE range is being unveiled to the media, along with other new items for 2014 on the Henri Lloyd stand (03.105) at 4pm on November 19th 2013 and will be available in store in December 2013.
ISAF Conference
At the May 2013 ISAF Mid-Year in meeting Copenhagen, Denmark, ISAF President Carlo Croce announced that one of the major goals of the ISAF Executive Committee was to revitalise the ISAF events.
After a series of Presidential Forums a new mission was established and that was:
To build a clearly understood and professionally organised Olympic sailing annual calendar that each year crowns one undisputed World Champion in each Olympic Event and enables athletes, national teams, the Olympic Classes and ISAF to generate significant sporting & commercial value beyond the Olympic Games.
The desired outcome of the new ISAF event structure is:
To provide all nations, all sailors and all events with a clearer structure to operate within, clearer goals and a better way of measuring progress resulting in increased alignment and value at all levels from beginner to elite.
Following a lengthy discussion at ISAF Council the members voted in favour of the new concept and can now begin to implement it.
* Gerald New checks in on that new concept:
... The ISAF Sailing World Championships Grand Final.
This event, "will be optimised to raise the media interest and the value for elite Olympic sailors". Qualification to the Grand Final will be based on performance at all of the preceeding ISAF Sailing World Championships Rounds (rounds 1 to 4 if your keeping up). Only the top 10 competitors in each Class will qualify. The winner of the Grand Final in each Class will be crowned the undisputed 'ISAF Sailing World Champion '.
In a rather defence parting shot ISAF President Carlo Croce commented:
"I have been asked about ISAF's risks on this project. The Executive Committee and Secretary General (hopefully our CEO after the AGM decision) is formed by a group of professional people with a lot of skills in Administration."
"I find it a little offensive to pose such a question - the risk is absolutely minimal for ISAF. We shall have a gate in 2014 where we shall consider our sponsorship research position."
"On this matter we have appointed a professional USA organisation (Mark Turner's SUI/GBR based OC Sports ?) who has worked in the past for the IOC. They are working closely with Gary and me personally, on a commission basis - always a good guarantee they will be working well."
I'm sure everyone involved in Olympic sailing will hope that those words do not come back to haunt Mr Croce, although some may wonder if 10 minute theater style races are in any way connected to the normal sport of sailing.
* ISAF Council voted that all ten Rio 2016 Olympic Events and Equipment shall be included in the 2020 Olympic Sailing Competition. Additional medals shall be sought from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for Tokyo 2020 and if additional medals are allocated, kiteboarding events will be selected first.
The Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Events and Equipment are:
Men's Board - RS:X
Women's Board - RS:X
Men's One Person Dinghy - Laser
Women's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Heavyweight Men's One Person Dinghy - Finn
Men's Skiff - 49er
Women's Skiff - 49erFX
Men's Two Person Dinghy - 470
Women's Two Person Dinghy - 470
Mixed Two Person Multihull - Nacra 17
* The International Association for Disabled Sailing (IFDS) and International Sailing Federation (ISAF) have both unanimously agreed to merge into one entity.
The merger will create a single governing body for MNAs and sailors to better serve the needs and interests of sailors with disabilities.
As a single governing body the merger will be able to provide consistency within the sport, from relationships with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to technical support and operational efficiencies.
IFDS will retain responsibility for the Paralympic Sailing Competition, including event and equipment selection as well as the IFDS World Championships.
The processes that will enable the merger, including all the necessary structural and regulation changes, will be completed by November 2014.
* From the President's Report:
We want to support the Kite as an extra Olympic Medal in 2020. The new so called urban sports category would be the perfect platform for Kite - we want Kite to be in all our important sailing events; we were asked by the IOC not to change their system of evolution events. Again added value sports are needed for TV and this will be our answer. Just let them demonstrate as much as possible.
Academies are another way of helping young sailing nations and Valencia is a good example. An important sailing centre is to be built, land has already been bought from the Club Nautico with a substantial investment. It should be ready in 2014, the idea being no only to offer established sailors a great platform of top logistics and coaches but mainly to help emerging nations athletes to improve their performance in a way they could not manage at home.
The Italian Sailing Federation has built to an even smaller scale a similar structure on Garda Lake. After a few months of being opened it is always overbooked.
Academies are a good opportunity for sponsors; they seem to like getting a good image by helping young sailors from new sailing countries. This is a part of our programme, an important vision we do really need to support. I would be very grateful should we get it - the ISAF brand has a lot of potential it is up to us to exploit it for the benefit of sailors.
ISAF: sailing.org
Garmin Hamble Winter Series
Photo by Paul Wyeth, www.pwpictures.com. Click on image for photo gallery.
A light forecast presented a challenge to the race committee in the Garmin Hamble Winter Series this week. With the fickle and shifty wind in the north, the committee boats stalked the fleet with the 'shortened course' flags, but the wind held, and despite the building tide the fleets finished in time to repair to the clubhouse for beer and chips.
In IRC0, James Gair's Localletterbox Zero II won her class, despite returning at the start as flag X-Ray was hoisted. In IRC 1, it was Philip Farrands' Old Mother Gun that won the race, ahead of Paul Jones' Passion.
The light winds also suited Jungle Drum in IRC2, and with her bright pink spinnaker she led her class around the race course. In class 3, Induljence topped the fleet, but there are three boats just one point apart, so there is all to play for over the next two races. In class 4, quarter-toner Menace followed her 2nd last week with a first place, ahead of Impala 28 Trudi in 2nd.
In the One Design classes, David McGough's Just So won the J/109S ahead of Owain Franks' Jynnan Tonnyx. David and Kirsty Apthorp's J/Dream was first J/111, while Chris and Vanessa Choules on With Alacrity won the Sigma 38s ahead of Rob Denning's Light.
Two race days remain in the Garmin Hamble Winter Series, Sunday November 24 and Sunday December 1.
RORC Seeks Deputy Racing Manager
The Royal Ocean Racing Club based in London is world renowned for the organisation and support of the most prestigious offshore yacht races around the world, including its signature events the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Antigua based RORC Caribbean 600 and the inshore IRC team event the Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup.
The club is inviting applications from suitable candidates for the post of Deputy Racing Manager to support an energetic race management team who are responsible for all RORC races.
Reporting to the RORC Racing Manager the role is to assist with the development, planning and execution of RORC races and events in the UK and abroad.
The successful candidate will have a background in a dinghy or keelboat race management, a proven record in managing people, projects and budgets and good communication and interpersonal skills.
The post will involve some travel primarily between the UK and mainland Europe and on occasions to support RORC events around the world. Time off in lieu will be given for work outside normal hours.
Salary negotiable according to experience.
A more detailed job description is available on request:
bb@rorc.org.uk
Send CV by post to:
Royal Ocean Racing Club
20 St James's Place
London SW1A 1NN
Mini Transat - The Leaders Have Left The Canaries Behind
It's a grand parade in front of Puerto Calero. One after the other, the Minis tumble along the coast of Lanzarote before making their final choice of route across the Canary Islands. Head south as soon as possible like Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian) and Aymeric Belloir (Tout le Monde Chante contre le Cancer) or stick with the rhumb line like Benoit Marie (benoitmarie.com) and Justine Mettraux (TeamWork).
Although the two leaders, in prototypes and series boats, are securely established, behind them the battle is raging.
In Puerto Calero, the walking wounded of the first leg are hard at work. All have expressed their intention to return to sea as soon as possible, even though it will not be easy for everyone. Even Stan Maslard's brand new prototype (Sefico Group) has not been spared as a result of the broach from hell. The boat remained on her side for tens of minutes and the final toll was heavy: a lost gennaker, a cut halyard, the front pulpit damaged.
For others, the problems to be solved are more typical : power problems for Louis Segre (Roll my Chicken) and Renaud Mary (www.runo.fr), a bowsprit to rebuild for Nicolas Boidevezi (Nature Addicts).
Yslab Ranking (series boats) at 16.00 (GMT +1)
1. Aymeric Belloir (810 - Tout le Monde chante contre le Cancer) 2534.7 nm to the finish
2. Justine Mettraux (824 - TeamWork) + 10 nm
3. Simon Koster (819 - Go 4 it) + 18.8 nm
4. Jean-Baptiste Lemaire (607 - Oeuvre du Marin Breton) + 66 nm
5. Robert Rosen Jacobson (602 - Postillion Hotels) + 140.7 nm
Cegelec / Eurovia Ranking (prototypes) at 16.00 (GMT +1)
1. Giancarlo Pedote (747 - Prysmian) with 2489.2 nm to the finish
2. Benoit Marie (667 - benoitmarie.com) + 3.9 nm
3. Bertrand Delesne (754 - TeamWork Proto) + 34.8 nm
4. Rémi Fermin (741 - Boréal) + 47.1 nm
5. Bruno Garcia (240 - Sampaquita) +101.5 nm
Robert Scheidt Signals Return To Form
Robert Scheidt sounded a warning to his Rio 2016 rivals today with an emphatic win at the 2013 Laser Standard World Championships in Oman, which moved him five places up the leaderboard into second place.
Day 2 of the championships, which was also Oman's National Day, brought a change at the top after light winds at Mussanah Sports City caused postponements and frustration among competitors, resulting in ten disqualifications from four false starts in the only race of the day.
These included overnight leader Nick Thompson of Britain who dropped down to 34th place as well as former Laser World Champion Gustavo Lima from Portugal.
Croatian Tonci Stipanovic won his race in the Yellow fleet to take over the leader's yellow jersey while Pavlos Kontides from Cyprus maintained his consistent form to retain third overall. All three leaders are equal on 10 points each but Stipanovic's two outright wins in three races places him top.
Racing was postponed for three hours due to the breeze which was less than 5 knots when the first race was due to begin. But when the fleet finally got out onto the race course, the sea breeze had kicked in, remaining stable throughout a hot and sunny afternoon and building to around 13 knots.
The qualifying races continue on Tuesday with two scheduled for each day until Wednesday. The finals series starts on Thursday with the last two showdowns set for Saturday. -- Daphne Morgan Barnicoat
New Welsh IRC Championships at Pwllheli To Be Promoted In Ireland
A brand new Welsh IRC championships dubbed the 'Celtic Regatta' is to be staged at the Welsh National Sailing Academy in Pwllheli. It will be promoted in Dun Laoghaire this weekend by Stephen Tudor, an Irish Sea ISORA Champion and the Commodore of Pwllhelli Sailing Club.
Tudor says there has been a very strong and positive response to proposals for the 2014 IRC Welsh National Championships following the previous announcement regarding the date for the event - 1st to 3rd August 2014. (4th is a bank holiday in Ireland).
Tudor comes to Dun Laoghaire this weekend for the ISORA agm and black tie prizegiving at the National Yacht Club tomorrow and aims to recruit as much interest from this side of the Irish Sea as possible.
The event aims to build on the long established links between Ireland and Wales and in particular between the Clubs on each side if the Irish Sea.
The IRC National Championship is an open event and will use the facilities of the Welsh National Sailing Academy and Event Centre and will draw on the skill and experience of the Academy's event team who regularly run World and European Championships.
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The Last Word
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