Scuttlebutt Europe #3789

Brought to you by Seahorse magazine, Scuttlebutt Europe 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@scuttlebutteurope.com

2017 JJ Giltinan Championship, Race 7
Photo by Frank Quealey. Click on image for photo gallery.

Sydney Harbour: The Thurlow Fisher Lawyers team of Michael Coxon, Dave O’Connor and Trent Barnabas were already declared 2017 JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff champions before today’s race but there was tremendous interest on the result as only five points separated the next six boats.

With a SSW wind, ranging between 15 and 25-knots, meeting the 26-boat fleet it was going to be a real test for all teams over the long South course.

Desperate to prove what might have been with a little more luck, the New Zealand Yamaha team (David McDiarmid, Matt Steven, Brad Collins) scored their fourth win of the regatta in brilliant style.

Yamaha and the new champion Thurlow Fisher Lawyers gave spectators a glimpse of power sailing in the fresh wind before Yamaha gained the upper hand to win by 1m44.

Coopers 62-Rag & Famish Hotel (Jack Macartney, Peter Harris, Mark Kennedy) continued their consistently good form to finish 21s behind Thurlow Fisher, and this was enough to give the team second place overall in the championship with 25 points.

Thurlow Fisher’s winning score was 16 points.

Yamaha’s win today gave the team a total of 28 points, which was enough to finish third ahead after beating fellow New Zealander C-Tech (Alex Vallings) on count back.

Fifth place was Appliancesonline.com.au, skippered by David Witt, who retired from the skiffs today, on his 46th birthday.

U.S champion Howie Hamlin (Harken) grabbed the early lead from Yamaha at the windward mark, followed by Triple M (James Ward) and defending champion Smeg, Lee Knapton.

What followed was an unbelievable spinnaker run to Obelisk which produced many spectacular rides and wild capsizes.

It was carnage and chaos and became survival for several teams.

Once the race settled down on the work back to the Rose Bay mark Yamaha took a narrow lead from Thurlow Fisher, Coopers-Rag, C-Tech and Harken with the rest of the fleet well back.

Thurlow manager to head Yamaha at the bottom mark but Yamaha was unstoppable on the following windward leg and was never headed over the rest of the course.

Club racing resumes next Sunday at the Australian 18 Footers League when the club hosts the annual Queen of the Harbour, Alice Burton Trophy race. -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League

www.18footers.com

Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series 2017 - Act V Final
4th Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series ends on a high.

The curtain fell on the 2016/2017 Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series organised by the Yacht Club de Monaco with clothing supplier SLAM. The final Act attracted 250 sailors on 70 boats, with a steady westerly on the final day.

This Series has established itself as a major event, with a total of 70 races for 300-plus sailors (14 nationalities) divided into J/70, Melges 20, Star, M32 and GC32 between October and March. Many have their training base in the Principality to prepare for the upcoming season.

With 69 international teams competing this winter Monaco is a mecca for J/70s, thanks to a highly-motivated Monaco J/70 Class Association presided by ‎Michel Boussard of 17 boats.

The YCM’s Ludovico Fassitelli (Junda-Banca del Sempione) won the Act 5 trophy and came 3rd for the season, with Valeriya Kovalenko (Arttube) topping the season’s ranking ahead of the Brazilian Manda Chuva.

In the Melges 20s, Russian Alexandr Ezhkov (Pirogovo Sailing) dropped to 3rd in their final Act, behind Dmitry Samokhin (Rocknrolla) with the Italian Maolca led by Manfredi Vianini Tolomei in 1st, but it was enough to secure him the title for the season. YCM member Valentin Zavadnikov (Synergy), the man behind the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, was 4th for the season.

In the M32s, Italian Riccardo Simoneschi (Italia Sailing Team) dominated from start to finish and also won the 2016/2017 season trophy ahead of the circuit’s local Guido Miani (Team Neverland). In the Stars, competing in the third stage of their European winter circuit, the German Reinhard Schmidt (Econ Industries) was robbed of victory by Dutchman Thomas Allart (8334) on the last day, with Swede Tom Lofstedt (8517) in 3rd.

The Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series starts again, with the Melges 20s on 13-15 October 2017.

Meanwhile, the Yacht Club de Monaco hosts the Olympic class 470 European Championship for the first time (6-13 May 2017) with contestants from across the world including Israel and China.

Overall top three ranking for Act V of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series

J/70 (after 5 races)
1. Ludovico Fassitelli (Junda), MON, 25 points
2. Charles Thompson (Brutus), GBR, 35
3. Stefan Seger (Jurmo), SUI, 36

Melges 20 (after 6 races)
1. Manfredi Vianini Tolomei (Maolca), ITA, 25
2. Dmitry Samokhin (Rocknrolla), RUS, 30
3. Aleksander Ezhkov (Pirogovo sailing), RUS, 33

M32 (after 8 races)
1. Riccardo Simoneschi (Italia Sailing Team), ITA, 18
2. Johnie Berntsson (FLUX Team), SWE, 20
3. Richard Davies (Section 16), SUI, 23

Star (after 4 races)
1. Thomas Allart, NED, 9
2. Reinhard Schmidt, GER, 10
3. Tom Lofstedt, SWE, 13

Final overall ranking for the 2016/2017 Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series season

J/70 (after 21 races)
1. Valeriya Kovalenko (Arttube), RUS, 107
2. Mario Garcia (Manda Chuva), BRA, 110
3. Ludovico Fassitelli (Junda), MON, 113

Melges 20 (after 27 races)
1. Alexandr Ezhkov (Pirogovo Sailing), RUS, 56
2. Alexander Novoselov (Victor) RUS, 85
3. Vadim Yahinson(Leviathan), RUS, 128

M32 (after 25 races)
1. Riccardo Simoneschi (Italia Sailing Team), ITA, 56
2. Guido Miani (Team Neverland), MON, 49
3. Patrik Sturesson (Cape Crow Viking

Full results: http://www.yacht-club-monaco.mc

GC32 Championship
Oman Air scored a convincing win at the GC32 Championship, held out of Al Mouj on the outskirts of Muscat today. The Omani team led the GC32 Championship from the outset on Tuesday, but it was only today that they managed to shake off those chasing them.

The Omani team began the final day of this inaugural GC32 Championship, being run by the GC32 International Class Association in association with OC Sport, with a seven point advantage over second placed SAP Extreme Sailing Team, skippered by Jes Gram-Hansen and Rasmus Køstner. Oman Air banged in a 2-1 in today’s two races before the wind disappeared. Meanwhile Alinghi also managed a 1-2, causing SAP Extreme Sailing Team to be pushed down to third.

Oman Air has one of the most experienced multihull crews, including old hands from the Extreme Sailing Series such as Peter Greenhalgh and Oman’s Nasser Al Mashari. In foiling GC32s, they won the GC32 Racing Tour with Sultanate of Oman in 2015 and finished close second to winner Alinghi on the 2016 Extreme Sailing Series. But the GC32 Championship was their first regatta with reigning Match Racing World Champion, Kiwi Phil Robertson helming.

Plans are already afoot to hold the next GC32 Championship in 2018. Racing for the GC32s continues next Wednesday with Act 1 of the Extreme Sailing Series here in Oman while the GC32 Racing Tour fires up on 11-14 May at Riva del Garda, Italy.

Final results:

1. Oman Air, 47 points
2. Alinghi , 61
3. SAP Extreme Sailing Team, 62
4. Red Bull Sailing Team, 78
5. Team TILT, 90
6. Team ENGIE, 92
7. Land Rover BAR Academy, 98
8. Tawera Racing, 108
9. Argo, 120
10. SVB Team Germany, 148
11. Youth Vikings Denmark, 155

www.gc32championship.com

Harken Aboard Tp52s At Super Series Miami 3/7 - 3/11
TP52s are AT THE FRONT of the sport, and the front of the sport is making its last North American stop in Miami before heading back to the Med. Harken V blocks continue to appear on more boats.

Reviews of their performance have been so strong we’ve gotten requests for more sizes - and they’re coming. Harken hydraulics and winches are also well represented. That includes the brand new, hollow-centered, 250 Air® winch with interchangeable gears.

Aboard these innovative go-fast machines: it’s where we must be. No compromises. No end to the commitment.

harken.com

Freya And Cuordileone Reign Supreme at Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean
Photo by Nautor's Swan / Studio Borlenghi. Click on image for photo gallery.

After four fun-filled days of racing at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda's Caribbean home in Virgin Gorda, Don Macpherson's Swan 90 Freya and Leonardo Ferragamo's ClubSwan 50 Cuordileone have been crowned champions of the Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean 2017.

Freya, with Volvo Ocean Race veteran Kimo Worthington calling tactics, scored an impressive run of three straight wins out of four races and can now boast victory in the Swan Cup on both sides of the Atlantic. Ferragamo at the helm of Cuordileone had a tough fight on his hands from the off with the second participating ClubSwan 50 Earlybird.

The two boats finished just 4 seconds apart in real time today, however it was the Italian boat with Ken Read on tactics that prevailed overall, again with three wins over the four race days.

Racing in the biennial event organised by the YCCS together with Nautor's Swan and title sponsor Rolex ran from 2nd to 5th March.

In an 18-boat fleet that ranged from the 13.5-metre Swan Best Buddies to the imposing 35-metre Swan 115s Highland Fling and Shamanna, and from the 1973-launched historic Whitbread winner Sayula to the cutting-edge Clubswan 50 Earlybird christened last week at YCCS, the entire spectrum of Nautor's Swan yachts was well represented.

The fourth and final race day saw slightly less breeze than the previous days with approximately 15 knots blowing

www.yccs.it

A Never Ending Struggle On The High Seas
If you can’t wait for the exhibition Captain Bligh: Myth, Man and Mutiny to open on 17 March, a new Channel 4 programme 'Mutiny' starts this Monday 6 March 2017 following a team of nine men led by SAS: Who Dares Wins frontman, Anthony Middleton, as they recreate Captain Bligh’s epic voyage of survival.

National Marine Museum, Cornwall
nmmc.co.uk

Director Of Racing
The RYA has a mission to be the world's most successful nation in boating competition to inspire future champions, and engages with all forms of the sport in order to attract and retain racing sailors. The RYA Racing Department is recognised by sailing National Authorities around the world for its excellence in all the activities in which it operates. The Director of Racing has overall responsibility for the development of the whole of sail racing within the UK, including determining and developing the strategy of the World Class Programme across the Olympic and Youth programmes; the quantity and quality of its volunteer Race Officials and coach education which supports racing from club to country and the technical side of the sport which ensures boats all compete on equal terms and helps to keep racing sailors safe.

This role has the opportunity to influence the development of UK sail racing across all disciplines, at all levels. The Director of Racing will need to harness a vision and pull together a cohesive strategy into execution. The successful candidate will therefore be someone who has proven success in this, who has the drive and ability to lead their team to strive for the very best and has demonstrable experience in leading sporting performance success at the highest level. With a proven track record of working with a variety of partners and stakeholder groups and possessing excellent interpersonal and communication skills, the successful candidate will have demonstrated that they are able to lead, motivate and support a team managing significant budgets.

Based in Hamble, near Southampton, the role involves travel and attendance at events outside normal office hours for which time off in lieu is allowed.

Attractive salary and benefits package including pension scheme, free life insurance, 25 days annual leave plus public holidays and discretionary Christmas holiday

Closing date for applications: 12 noon on Wednesday 8th March 2017.
Interviews to be held in Southampton on 24th March 2017

The successful candidate will need to be available to attend the interviews for the selection of the Olympic Performance Manager on the 4th or 5th April 2017

For a more detailed job description please visit www.rya.org.uk/go/jobs

To apply please review the job description and complete an application form and equal opportunities monitoring form.

Applications, or requests for an initial confidential conversation, should be sent to Dawn Brown: dawnbrown@positivedynamics.co.uk

The Royal Yachting Association is the national governing body for all forms of boating including dinghy and yacht racing, motor and sail cruising, RIBs and sports boats, powerboat racing, windsurfing, inland cruising, narrowboats, and personal watercraft.

The RYA is committed to equality of opportunity. We would encourage applications from women, candidates with disabilities and ethnic minority groups who are currently under-represented at this level of post.

St. Maarten Heineken Regatta - Round St. Maarten Race
Simpson Bay, St. Maarten: On the penultimate day of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, the competitors enjoyed truly gorgeous conditions. Bright sunshine and 15-20 knots of trade winds with a relatively flat sea state. The CSA Classes raced outside Marigot Bay with the wind funneling down the mountainous shoreline, a perfect windward leeward course was set for some epic racing in turquoise blue water. The remainder of the fleet enjoyed a superb playground, flat water, and a tactical race course, taking in the lifts and accelerating zones of the bays along the south coast.

In Multihull 1, St. Maarten’s 16 metre Catamaran Arawak, skippered by Rodney Williams, leads the class by a single point ahead of Shaun Carroll's Modified Australian Sea Cart Morticia. Eric Clement's Oceanic 40 Johnny Be Good is in third. Morticia was shipped all the way from Australia to compete in the Caribbean. The Morticia crew are all from Australia and race the radical trimaran back home, in races as long as 400 miles.

Maxi Class

Despite wins today for Italian Swan 100 Muzuni, skippered by Miquel Huma, and Kip Curren's American Swan 68 Simple Harmony. The class leader is St. Maarten Nico Cortlever's x-612 Nix. Just a point behind in the standings is Simple Harmony. Swan 100 Varsovie, skippered by Tomek Ulatowski, is in third place, ahead on countback from Tony McBride's Antiguan Farr 65 Spirit of Juno.

Ocean Class

Lionel Pean's French Volvo 70 SFS II, made it three wins in a row today. Przemyslaw Tarnacki's Lithuanian Volvo 60 Ambersail and Chris Stanmore-Major's Whitbread Canadian 60 Challenger, picked up a second and a third respectively today. SFS II looks pretty much on course to take the class but with no discard in the regatta, the French team will not be taking their foot of the gas tomorrow.

Full results: www.heinekenregatta.com

Letters To The Editor - editor@scuttlebutteurope.com
Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From Christian Fevrier: Member of the Voiles & Voiliers writers-photographers team since the first issue in April 1971, I must salute the memory of the man who was my editor until he left his seat to Daniel Allisy.

Jean-Louis shared the creativity, the openess and the fantastic spirit of freedom of the new-created sailing magazine. Remember we launched it at a time when three excellent French magazines alezady existed since long : Neptune- Nautisme, Les Cahiers du Yachting and Bateaux, the oldest.

As editor, Jean-Louis was very strict on a perfect French for our stories and reportages submitted to him. In spite of our low finances during the first years, Jean-Louis always accepted our crazy stories ( mostly from Daniel Allisy and Marc Berthier). Or my suggestions to go to the US east coast to discover the real multihulls gurus of the 1980's. The important for him was to share, to report, to deliver. I am amazed to discover that some friends of the Multihulls Golden Oldies association are still scanning some reportages. Yes, Jean-Louis was one of the men who made the growing success of our magazine. We perhaps had not the same ideas about photography.

As Art Director, I took sometimes the liberty to send my choice for the new cover directly to our Belgium printer. Without to submit the picture to my boss. I was not sure to obtain his agreement. I was keen to promote new talents or strange blurr pictures.. Not the sharpest ones... Young Daniel Foster, Alistair Black thus appeared in our pages. They were the new blood ! Later, seeing the good reactions of our readers, Jean-Louis accepted my decisions.

These paradisiac times of freedom are gone since long. Good sail where you are now, dear Jean- Louis !

Featured Brokerage
2006 Farr 42 WoW. 169,950 EUR. Located in Dublin, Ireland.

Well-Equipped with a great inventory. 2016 Cork Week - IRC Coastal Winner.Designed for both inshore and offshore performance. The boat is in immaculate condition, with a great inventory of sails and equipment. Professionally maintained from new, WoW is in regatta winning condition.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Joe Hall
Farr Yacht Sales Europe
Joe@FarrYachtSales.com
+44 1983 200901

-----------------------------------------

2003 Swan 45-026 'Checkmate'. 295,000 EUR. Located Marina di Scarlino, Italy.

Checkmate is a three-cabin Swan 45 and has recently been introduced to the brokerage market. Currently lying at the Nautor's Swan Service Center in Scarlino, Italy, she is offered for sale in VAT Paid status.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Nautor's Swan Brokerage - Jeremy Peek & Stefano Leonardi
jeremy.peek@nautorswan.com
info.roma@italy.nautorswan.com
brokerage@nautorswan.com

-----------------------------------------

2014 Swan 60-910 'Thor'. 3,250,000 EUR. Located in California, USA.