In This Issue
Contentious Calls on the Final Day of Round Robin 1 | America's Cup - Umpires admit error in controversial win for Kiwis | Save the date - make sure your Fastnet flares are ready to go. | 'Eala Of Rhu' Is Silvers Marine Scottish Series Champion | Delapierre Takes It To The Wire At Croatia Match Cup | OSTAR and TWOSTAR Start | A Shrine to sailing speed - Mariner's Park and Museum | ACO 8th MUSTO Skiff World Championship | European Match Race Tour | Featured Brokerage
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
Contentious Calls on the Final Day of Round Robin 1
Photo: © BMW | STUDIO BORLENGHI-Gattini. Click on image for photo gallery.
Day three of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup Qualifiers was a day of drama with Artemis Racing seeing victory in the second race of the day, against Emirates Team New Zealande disappear with an Umpire call and in which the five challenging teams; Land Rover BAR, Artemis Racing, SoftBank Team Japan, Groupama Team France and Emirates Team New Zealand, had their chance to enhance their positions on the leaderboard. ORACLE TEAM USA, Defenders of the 'Auld Mug' and table-toppers, sat out of the action, having raced three times on day two.
After claiming a maiden victory by beating Artemis Racing yesterday, Groupama Team France took another win in the opening race of the day by beating Land Rover BAR comfortably in race 13.
Despite a poor pre-start, which saw them fall 10 seconds behind the British team at mark 1, Franck Cammas' team recovered brilliantly to stay in hot pursuit, closing the gap ahead of gate 3.
When Land Rover BAR suffered a poor turn at the gate, Groupama Team France were perfectly placed to pounce, seizing on the mistake and taking the lead.
It was a moment that would prove pivotal and costly for Sir Ben Ainslie's team as they had no response in the remainder of the race.
With ith their new-found confidence, Groupama Team France, who kept up on their foils for 95% of the race, kept their cool, despite a slight nosedive at gate 5, and raced home to win with a 53 second advantage over the Brits.
There was high drama in race 14 as the duel between Artemis Racing and Emirates Team New Zealand proved the most exciting, and most contentious contest of the 35th America's Cup so far.
Having put themselves ahead at the start, the Swedish team were forced to drop two-boat lengths behind their rivals after being handed a penalty for crossing the start fractionally early. They managed to catch up with the Kiwis and then swapped the lead with them multiple times throughout the race, but at the final mark there was a dramatic penalty called against the Swedes for not leaving the Kiwis enough room. Artemis Racing continued towards the finish line, but had to take their penalty, allowing Emirates Team New Zealand to take the win at the line.
Outteridge, Iain Percy and their crew looked devastated at the end of the race and finished day three on two points, equal with Groupama Team France and SoftBank Team Japan. "We are still shocked by what happened," said Nathan Outteridge.
"As soon as I saw the light I knew what had happened and we were already at the line by the time the decision was made. We all thought we gave them enough room and I still stand by that opinion.
Race 13: Groupama Team France beat Land Rover BAR by 53 seconds
Race 14: Emirates Team New Zealand beat Artemis Racing by 13 seconds
Race 15: SoftBank Team Japan beat Groupama Team France by 2 minutes and 34 seconds
America's Cup - Umpires admit error in controversial win for Kiwis
The Chief Umpire for the America's Cup says that on review a wrong call was made to penalise the Swedish Challenger
America's Cup Race Management (ACRM), the independent organization that oversees the sporting and competitive rules of the America's Cup, has announced its perspective on the contentious penalty given to Artemis Racing in race 14 of the first Round Robin stage of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup Qualifiers.
In an interview Richard Slater, ACRM's Chief Umpire said, "When they were coming down to the final gate mark, with the information we had at the time, we had Artemis Racing on port, as the keep clear boat, and Emirates Team New Zealand on starboard, and our job is to be certain that Artemis Racing were keeping clear, and we weren't at that time certain they were keeping clear.
"We have had a discussion, we have looked at other evidence, information and data, and I think if we were to go back in time and make that call, we would green that call and not penalize Artemis."
Asked if that decision could be changed, Slater answered, "No, it is a field of play decision and the decision of the umpire stands."
Save the date - make sure your Fastnet flares are ready to go.
The date's creeping nearer! There are just 68 days left until the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Rolex Fastnet Race gets underway on Sunday 6th August at Cowes, bound for the famous Fastnet Rock. Your preparation will be under way and every one of the forty items on the RORC's check list is stocked by Ocean Safety so join the dozens of owners who have already contacted us to get hold of our Fastnet safety check list so don't delay and get yours now. Click here to request your FREE copy.
Amongst our lifejackets, liferafts, man overboard equipment, EPIRBs and personal AIS beacons that are required to meet Cat 2 offshore special Regulations and RORC prescriptions, is the seemingly simple flare. But do you know how to use red hand flares and orange smoke flares required for the race in the heat of the moment and when it's dark, and what it will do once it's active. You also need to make sure your flare pack is in date - check the stamped expiry date.
Contact www.oceansafety.com to find your nearest branch. We're here to advise you on how to keep your flares dry and stored.
'Eala Of Rhu' Is Silvers Marine Scottish Series Champion
Photo by Marc Turner / CCC. Click on image to enlarge.
Congratulations to Jamie McGarry and Colin Moore and the crew of 'Eala of Rhu' who not only won class one, but also the coveted Scottish Series Trophy and the Scottish IRC Championship. Having been a very close contender in past years and missing out on count back, it is fitting that this year in a hotly contested class after finishing on equal points with the well sailed Irish boat 'Forty Licks', McGarry counted four firsts to three for 'Forty Licks' winning 'Eala of Rhu' the class.
Other prize winners were:
- Harris Cartwright of 'Golden Fox' who takes home the Crawford McInnes Trophy for Best Under 25 Helm, sponsored by Hempel Paints.
- Hempel Paints Youth Prizes were shared between the crews of 'Golden Fox' and 'Warrior'
- Rose Bowl awarded to the yacht which in the opinion of the Race Committee has given the best performance in the IRC handicap classes in the Series - 'Lambay Rules', Stephen Quinn
- The Tarbert Shield awarded to the yacht which, in the opinion of the Race Committee has given the best performance in the CYCA handicap classes in the Series - 'Enigma', Howard Morrison
- The Anchor Hotel Trophy awarded to the yacht which, in the opinion of the Race Committee has given the best performance of all competitors in the One Design classes in the Series: 'Mayrise', James Miller
- The Lemarac Tankard awarded to the yacht which, in the opinion of the Race Committee has given the best performance of all competitors in the Restricted Sail classes in the Series - 'Argento', Ken Andrew
- The Sinbad Trophy awarded to the best family yacht, regardless of class or results, as judged by representatives of the organising committee - 'Lyrebird', Clive Reeves
- The Causeway Cup awarded to the entry from Ireland which in the opinion of the Race Committee gives the best performance of the IRC classes in the Series (other than the winner of the Sail Scotland Trophy and the Silvers Marine Scottish Series Trophy, if appropriate) - Lambay Rules, Stephen Quinn
- The Silvers Marine Scottish Series Trophy awarded to the yacht which, in the opinion of the Race Committee has given the best performance of all competitors in the Series - 'Eala of Rhu', Jamie McGarry and Colin Moore
For full results go to: https://www.clyde.org/scottish-series/racing/results/
Delapierre Takes It To The Wire At Croatia Match Cup
Porec, Croatia: The French team surprised early in the qualifying round by topping the leaderboard on day one. With incredible boat handling throughout the regatta this team have taken the M32 in their stride with impressive form. Even with today's unpredictable and fluctuating wind conditions Team Lorina-Golfe du Morbihan kept calm to take victories through to the end.
With Quentin Delapierre's French team and PJ Postma's Dutch making top two finishes they secured themselves an invitation to WMRT Match Cup America. Now with nothing to lose and everything to gain the gloves came off for a first-to-two-point final. Delapierre definitely took the 'nothing to lose' element seriously as he flew into a huge luff just before the gun. Umpires deemed Postma's reaction to be too slow as he took a collision and received a penalty in the process. Delapierre lead the race from this point on.
The Dutch team fast shook off the loss and came back with an aggressive prestart themselves, forcing the French over the start line early. From this advantage Sailing Team NL just continued to lead the full length of the course.
In the final match the pressure had grown and an even start took the boats side-by-side to the reach mark. The boats split at the leeward gate. Left alone on the left side of the course, Delapierre and crew just extended out ahead and held their advantage through to the finish to take the race and win the Croatia Match Cup.
Both teams will be serious contenders when they arrive in America for the Championship level event. WMRT Match Cup America starts August 30.
OSTAR and TWOSTAR Start
The 2017 OSTAR and TWOSTAR races started at 1300 Monday after a one hour delay caused when earlier large ship movements were delayed by fog.
The tracker chart appears to be stuck at the start, with no reports since then. We are working with YellowBrick to correct the problem.
Meanwhile the boats are still within ATS range and can be seen on AIS reports such as MarineTraffic.
As the competitors approach the Lizard the tracker reporting rate will drop back to once per hour.
However with the latest positions it appears that the fleet will be merging again at the Lizard.
The Jester class has done well by continuing on past the Eddystone while the others flirted with the Cornwall coast. Kass Schmitt's intermediate route has given her class lead.
The TWOSTAR competitors are all doing well with Rote 66 in the lead and the 28ft Hikari following along.
rwyc.org/ostar/
www.facebook.com/ostartwostar17/
A Shrine to sailing speed - Mariner's Park and Museum
(Even more) America's Cup speed on show at The Mariners' Museum and Park
Team Oracle have agreed to donate their 34th America's Cup-winning 72ft catamaran USA-17 to The Mariners' Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia. After months of careful planning, the massive carbon fibre craft is now on display in the main exhibition hall. Raised up to tower over visitors, this new central feature provides a visually powerful symbol of how far sailing took technology-driven innovation in pursuit of one of the oldest trophies in the sporting world. And that was nearly four years ago!
Not surprisingly, many readers of Seahorse will not have heard of, nor visited, The Mariners' Museum and Park, yet it is one of the largest maritime museums in the world, with nearly 10,000m2 of exhibition galleries and 32,000 objects in its collection. The Mariners' Museum Library and Archives are home to over 78,000 books, 800,000 photographs, films and negatives, and over one million pieces of archival material, making it the largest maritime library in the western hemisphere.
Oracle's 2013 America's Cup defender USA-17 is not the easiest of exhibits to fit in a museum but the Mariners' Museum in the legendary naval port of Newport News is not your average exhibition space. That said, USA-17 is not being displayed with her giant wing aloft and in situ... that really would have been too big an ask for any inside space - outside perhaps of the similarly legendary rocket assembly building at Cape Canaveral! But maybe when that building is finally retired it too can be moved to the Mariners' Museum to accommodate the flood of similarly 'tall' wing rig race boats that we can expect to see launched during the next few years. Just thinking ahead, folks...
Situated in the beautiful tidewater country of the lower Chesapeake Bay in Newport News, Virginia, its location is not in one of the usual centres of performance sailing in the US. Yet the latest addition to their collection may now inspire a new wave of visitors to put the museum and park on their itinerary.
ACO 8th MUSTO Skiff World Championship
It is not normally like this here' ... a phrase frequently uttered at a World Championships and so it has proven on day one here at Club Nautic S'Arenal.
The fleet assembled for a skipper's briefing where the international jury chairman Andres Manuel Perez Alvarez (ESP) assisted the fleet through a helpful briefing and subsequent questions; then the postponement flag was hoisted as the race team waited for the wind to settle.
At the first attempt an over eager fleet jumped the gun causing a general recall
At the finish it was Jamie Hilton (GBR) who had pulled through to take the win from Frithjof Schwerdt (GER) and Dave Poston (GBR).
Race 2 was quickly away at 16:19 and again the fleet were evenly spread down the line with no one side of the course obviously favoured. At the windward mark former World Champion, Bruce Keen (GBR), lead from Jamie Hilton (GBR) and Richie Robertson (AUS).
Frithjof Schwerdt (GER) found top gear on the second lap and pulled through the fleet impressively to just win from Bruce Keen (GBR) and Richie Robertson (AUS).
The wind had softened for the 3rd race which started at 17:43. At the finish it was Hilton who took the win, his second of the day, from Ben Schooling (GBR) with Justo Martinez (ESP) third.
A long day for the fleet but 3 good races have been held on the first day of a 14 race programme in conditions that were challenging for all competitors.
There are 5 different nations in the top 10 representing the true international flavour of the fleet.
Full results www.2017mustoskiffworlds.com
European Match Race Tour
Impressive home victory lifts Patryk Zbroja in top 3 at European Tour
Polish skipper Patryk Zbroja sealed his second victory at an European Match Race Tour event with a clean sheet over World #7 Oli-Pekka Lumijarvi. Rafal Sawik finished on home waters on the podium while compatriot Szymon Szymik finished on fourth place at the Grade 2 event held at Polands Baltic town of Szczecin.
Outstanding racing conditions welcomed the nine teams for the fifth event of the European Match Race Tour 2017. Organized by the Polish Match Tour, World Sailing added even more expertise by joining the traditional event with an International Umpire's Seminar.
Zbroja, who already won the Vienna City Match Race in April, showed consistency and perfect team work on the way to his second victory this year. With a clear 3-0 over Finland's Lumijarvi, Zbroja lifts himself into top contender position for the yellow jersey at Copenhagen, where he will meet the leader of the 2017 Tour, the Frenchman Simon Bertheau.
Bertheau is still on top of the leader board with a maximum score of 150 points ahead of Slovenia's Dejan Presen (110 points) and Polish skipper Patryk Zbroja (100 points). The European Match Race tour will now reach its northern summit at Copenhagen in June before heading to Germany's Ploen in August. The top eight skippers will qualify for the Grand Final which will take place in Ravenna from 8 - 10 September 2017.
Final Results
1. Patryk Zbroja - POL
2. Olli-Pekka Lumijarvi - FIN
3. Rafal Sawik - POL
4. Szymon Szymik - POL
5. Kim Kling - SWE
6. Toby Austin-Fraser - NZL
7. Szymon Jablowski - POL
8. Afonso Falcao Leite - POR
9. Piotr Harasimowics - POL
European Match Race Tour 2017
Tour Stop 1 - 10-12 February - Sibenik, CRO
Tour Stop 2 - 17-19 March - Tivat, MNE
Tour Stop 3 - 31 March - 2 April - Vienna, AUT
Tour Stop 4 - 7-9 April - Monaco, MON
Tour Stop 5 - 25-27 May - Szczecin, POL
Tour Stop 6 - 15-17 June - Copenhagen, DEN
Tour Stop 7 - 25 - 27 August - Ploen, GER
Grand Final 2017 - 8 - 10 September - Ravenna, ITA
europeanmatchracetour.wordpress.com
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