Bribón made first place in the general classification in the Breitling MEDCUP TP52 Circuit after the two regattas held today. The winds raised some complications for the regatta and therefore required decisive and precise tactics.
Valencia, 29th June. Orlanda-Olympus, skippered by Tomasso Chieffi won the first leg of today´s race with great authority. Despite the decrease in wind intensity during the race, from eleven to seven knots, and the constant changes in direction, the boat skippered by Chieffi held a strong lead from start to finish
In this second event in the Breitling MEDCUP TP52 Circuit, a total of nine teams are present, seven of which had already debuted in Punta Ala, Italy (Bribón, Caixa Galicia, Lexus, Pisco Sour-Leche Pascual, Atalanti XV,Bambakou y Orlanda Olympus) and the two newcomers Aifos from the Spanish Armada and Cristabella owned by John Cook.
In the first race, Orlanda-Olympus was leading after having rounded the windward buoy while Pisco Sour with Vasco Vascotto at the helm (also the skipper of the America´s Cup Mascalzone Latino) was putting up a great fight with Lexus for second place. Closing the fleet, were the group of boats who had opted to stay to the right of the course such as Bribón, Caixa Galicia, Cristabella and Atalanti XV. The rest of the fleet followed the lead of Orlanda-Olympus, whilst Lexus, skippered by three time America´s Cup winner Russell Coutts, crossed the finishing line 14 seconds behind the Italian. The Bribon was the protagonist of an spectacular recovery, finishing in third place just 28 seconds slower than the leader, followed by Pisco Sour, Bambakou, Aifos, Caixa Galicia, Atalanti XV and Cristabella who closed the classifications.
After finishing in last place in Punta Ala, the Italian Skipper, Tomasso Chieffi, has called on his Spanish colleague from the +39, Rafa Trujillo (Silver medallist in Athens), as tactician, and Ian Moore from Emirates Team New Zealand as Navigator. It seems to be a winning formula.
The second leg began at 16:15, with wind speeds of 11 knots which remained fairly stable throughout the race, with variations in direction in different areas of the race course. The start was lead by Pisco Sour, although Lexus overtook to lead the fleet. Caixa Galicia suffered somewhat at the start, but manoeuvred to place themselves in third position at the windward marker, behind Lexus in first place and Bribón in second.
Bribón’s recovery was spectacular throughout the length of the race., as they finished in first place, leading the general classifications in front of Lexus with Russell Coutts, who came in second, on joint points with the first.
The show was impressive, especially as the distance between the vessels at the markers was minimal, making a very close race indeed. After the official presentation at 9:30 am in the Real Club Naútico de Valencia, the 9 Transpacs present will start a tough 40 mile Coastal Inshore race.
The America's Cup Meteorological Data Service (MDS) will be available to all 12 competitors in the Cup, following breakthrough mediation by the Jury resulting in a change to the Protocol for the 32nd America's Cup. The Protocol amendment involves the costing and payment by the event organisers for the service and specifically bans teams from combining the information provided with GPS, radar or lidar systems to assess another competitor's performance.
The MDS was an initiative created in the Protocol for the 32nd America's Cup by the Defender (the Société Nautique de Genève) and the Challenger of Record (the Golden Gate Yacht Club). It will be an overall cost saving measure for the teams by avoiding duplication of similar data gathering programmes as we saw in the last several editions of the Cup, where several of the better-funded teams deployed up to seven weather boats each. The Protocol directed the Regatta Director to implement an MDS and work began early in 2004 on the project.
The MDS is a state of the art programme providing raw weather information (wind direction, speed, barometric pressure, humidity) through a system of 21 purpose-built buoys placed on the North and South race course areas off Valencia. 11 of the met buoys have already been deployed and up to six land-based stations will be part of the network.
As part of an agreement with Consorcio 2007, a vertical wind profiler that provides wind shear information every 50-metres up to an altitude of two-kilometres will also be available to the competitors. Through a close partnership with Puertos del Estado, two additional buoys will be added to the network to provide wave and current information for the race course area.
MDS - a great equaliser
The MDS programme is a great equaliser in the sense that all 12 teams will be given the same raw material from which to base their weather forecasting, their yacht design work, and also to decide the crucial first windward leg tactics.
Teams can still gain a competitive advantage through their forecasting models and ability and the way they utilise and interpret the raw data. The MDS team has also developed a software package that displays all the data collected and allows the teams to do a visual analysis of the wind field on and around the race course.
"The MDS as it is set-up will provide an unprecedented amount of information, at a very high degree of accuracy, as well as some tools to analyse that information," said Glyn Davies, manager of the MDS for the America's Cup organisers. "We have spent a lot of time researching, designing and building weather buoys that are state-of-the-art, designed just for this purpose. The teams are excited by the programme, especially some of the smaller teams, who would otherwise be unable to gather and use this much information."
Prior to the new Protocol agreement, eight of 12 teams had already subscribed (with one more team indicating a firm intention to do so) to the programme on a cost recovery basis. As before, the new arrangement for the MDS is non-compulsory, but full subscription is expected with 10 teams having signed on as of the end of the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts on June 26th 2005. Teams will have access to all of the data gathered to date (information was collected beginning in May 2004) regardless of when they sign up to the programme.
Racing Coville record try. Geronimo progress
News Double honors
Great Lakes Water is oil. Queens Cup
Having left New York bay last night in order to reach Ambrose Light, Francis Joyon crossed the starting line of the Transatlantic record (W to E) today at 08:42'26'' GMT.
To beat Laurent Bourgnon's record, the IDEC trimaran must reach the Lizard before July 7, at 11:16'08'' GMT.
The Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association of North America (ICSA) has announced the members of its 2004/2005 ICSA/Ronstan All-America Sailing Team. Also named were the College Sailor of the Year, Quantum Female College Sailor of the Year, Sportsman of the Year and the winner of the Leonard M. Fowle Memorial Trophy for the all-around best college team. The ICSA All-American honors are awarded to competitors who demonstrated outstanding performance in competition during the college sailing year (fall and spring seasons) just concluded. A panel of representatives from each of the seven ICSA districts reviews each sailor’s individual results and sailors are named to the team as All-Americans, Women’s All-Americans and/or All-American Crews. Their names will be added to the permanent ICSA Hall of Fame display located in the Robert Crown Sailing Center at the U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis, Md.).
College Sailor of the Year – Mikee Anderson-Mitterling
The Everett B. Morris Trophy, presented annually to the College Sailor of the Year, has been awarded to University of Southern California junior Mikee Anderson-Mitterling (San Diego, Calif.), who was also named an All-American for the third year running. Highlights of his sailing year include placing second at the ICSA Sloop North Americans, and, sailing in A-Division, finishing second at the St Francis Intersectional, first at the Navy Fall Intersectional, third at the ICSA/Gill North American Coed Dinghy Championship and first at the Thompson Trophy which USC went on to win.
"The most memorable performance was the Thompson Cup," said Anderson-Mitterling, "because we were doing so horribly on the first day, and the second day we turned it on and closed a 25-point gap to win A-Division. We also won the Navy Fall Regatta by about 25 points.
"I’m actually surprised I won this award, but I guess the formula for points worked in my favor," said Anderson-Mitterling, with a nod to a few others whom he thinks could have handily won. "It’s really cool. It’s the one thing that you sail for in college, but I was really using college sailing as a platform for the Olympics. It’s a great addition to my resume -- it’s that extra thing that says I’ve really worked hard at something and been rewarded for it."
Anderson-Mitterling is currently in Kiel, Germany, training and racing with his 470 Olympic crew and fellow San Diegan David Hughes. "Our schedule is quite active," said Anderson-Mitterling. "Out of our three months off this summer, we will be sailing for two and three-quarters of a month."
Quantum Female College Sailor of the Year – Anna Tunnicliffe
Anna Tunnicliffe (Perrysburg, Ohio) has been named the 2005 Quantum Female College Sailor of the Year -- an annual award to the female skipper who has compiled the best overall sailing record for the academic year. The Old Dominion University (Norfolk, Va.) graduating senior was also named an ICSA/Ronstan Women’s All-American for the third consecutive year.
Tunnicliffe had a standout performance at the ICSA/Vanguard North American Women's Singlehanded Championship where she won 11 of 16 races to claim that championship crown. As an A-Division skipper she also finished first at the Dellenbaugh Trophy, the Women's Atlantic Coast Championship, and the ICSA North American Women's Championship.
"Winning this award is a great honor," said Tunnicliffe. "It shows that I’ve put a lot of hard work in, and it makes me feel that the work was worthwhile. My sailing team at ODU became my family – and my coach Mitch Brindley is the best I've ever had. He taught me so much about myself and my sailing that I would not be nearly as good as I am without having sailed here at ODU."
Tunnicliffe has begun an Olympic campaign in the Laser Radial and plans to train in Virginia through the end of August before moving permanently to Fort Lauderdale to facilitate her training. Several trips to Europe this summer will include Germany (Kiel Week), Croatia (Europeans) and Turkey (World University Games). She will also sail in the Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship this September in Annapolis.
"I definitely get my competitiveness from my parents," said Tunnicliffe. "My dad is a competitive sailor; my mom is a competitive marathoner. My Olympic progression, however, is something I’ve wanted for myself."
Sportsman of the Year – JM Modisette
The Robert H. Hobbs Trophy for the Outstanding Sportsman of the Year was awarded to MIT graduating senior JM Modisette (Penobscot, Maine), who had previously been elected the Outstanding Sportsman of the New England Intercollegiate Sailing Association two years in a row by his fellow sailors.
"JM is the type of sailor against whom everyone wants to compete," said Harvard sailing coach Mike O'Connor (Foxboro, Mass.). "He has always competed at a very high level and conducted himself in the finest manner. He is the type of student-athlete that makes our sport competitive and fun."
A prime example of Modisette's sportsmanship occurred during the 2005 New England Championships that qualified the top-four finishing schools to go to on to the grand finale of the college sailing year: the ICSA/Gill North American Coed Dinghy Championship. In the first race of the series, in 20-35 knots of wind, Modisette dropped his tiller after rounding the leeward mark. Not knowing whether he hit the mark -- an infraction that requires a 360 penalty turn -- he peeled off and did the penalty turn, losing six or seven boats in the process. It was the difference in MIT qualifying for the North Americans -- they finished sixth. "JM would rather play by the rules and keep everyone's respect," said MIT Varsity Sailing Coach Mike Kalin (Boston, Mass.). "He is very competitive, started varsity all four years, and not only did his level of ability get better, but he made everyone around him better. He kept everyone on track, recruited for MIT, and he will be sorely missed."
Although Modisette spent his early years in Southern California, his first sailing experience was on the chilly waters of Maine. After time in the junior program at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (Long Beach, Calif.), at age 10 he moved to Newport Harbor Yacht Club (Balboa, Calif.) because all the better sailors were going into 420s through that program. The family relocated to Maine and Modisette sailed throughout high school for George Stevens Academy (Blue Hill) which qualified in his junior year for the 2000 Interscholastic Sailing Association High School Nationals being held, coincidentally, at MIT, which he had already expressed interest in attending.
Modisette will return to MIT this fall to pursue a masters degree in aeronautical engineering after spending a good portion of the summer aboard Cahoots, a 43 footer that will compete in the Transpac race from Los Angeles to Honolulu.
"Trying to be a nice person pays off in the end," he said of winning this award. "My dad always told me the most important thing about sailing is having fun and enjoying what you are doing."
Fowle Memorial Trophy – Harvard University
The Leonard M. Fowle Memorial Trophy, recognizing the year’s best all-around performance, determined by points accumulated at ICSA North American championships, has been awarded to Harvard University for the fifth consecutive year.
Last fall, Crimson sailors Sloan Devlin (Mystic, Conn.) and Clay Johnson (Toms River, N.J.) both finished second at the ICSA/Vanguard North American Singlehanded Championships (women and men's, respectively). This spring Harvard was seventh at the ICSA/Gill North American Coed Dinghy Championship, fourth at the ICSA/Layline North American Team Race Championship (last year tied for sixth), and the winner of the ICSA North American Women's Championship (having finished second last year).
"I am very proud of the effort put forth by our entire team over the past year," said Mike O’Connor (Foxboro, Mass.), Harvard's Head Sailing Coach. "Our team has been able to maintain a level of efficiency in our training that keeps us competitive in a range of conditions and disciplines and we feel very fortunate to have won the Fowle Trophy over such an impressive group of teams."
A full listing of the 2004/2005 ICSA/RONSTAN All-America Sailing Team follows. More information on ICSA can be found at www.collegesailing.org.
2005 COLLEGE SAILOR OF THE YEAR The Everett B. Morris Trophy
Mikee Anderson-Mittlerling (Coronado, Calif.) -- University of Southern California '06
2005 Quantum Female College Sailor of The Year
Anna Tunnicliffe (Perrysburg, Ohio) -- Old Dominion University '05
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR The Robert H. Hobbs Trophy
JM Modisette (Penobscot, Maine) – Massachusetts Institute of Technology '05
TEAM OF THE YEAR The Leonard M. Fowle Memorial Trophy
Harvard University (Cambridge, Mass.)
2004/2005 ICSA/RONSTAN ALL-AMERICA SAILING TEAM
ICSA/Ronstan Coed All-American Skippers
Mikee Anderson-Mitterling (Coronado, Calif.) – University of Southern California ‘06
Zachary Brown (San Diego, Calif.) - Yale University '08
Andrew Campbell (San Diego, Calif.) – Georgetown University ’06
Molly Carapiet (Belvedere, Calif.) – Yale University ’06
Clay Johnson (Toms River, N.J.) – Harvard University ’07
Justin Law (Newport Beach, Calif.) - St. Mary’s College ’07
Stuart McNay (Newton, Mass.) - Yale University '05
Trevor Moore (North Pomfret, Vt.) - Hobart/William Smith Colleges '07
Patrick Rynne (Scituate, Mass.) - Brown University '05
Erick Storck (Huntington, N.Y.) – Dartmouth College ’07
John Storck (Huntington, N.Y.) – Hobart/William Smith Colleges '05
Anna Tunnicliffe (Perrysburg, Ohio) - Old Dominion University ’05
ICSA/Ronstan Coed Honorable Mention:
Scott DeCurtis (Redondo Beach, Calif.) - University of Hawaii '07
Charles Enright (Bristol, R.I.) – Brown University ’07
Ben Gent (Wellesley, Mass.) - Boston College '05
Bryan Lake (San Diego, Calif.) – University of Hawaii ’05
Lee Sackett (Mentor, Ohio) - Hobart/William Smith Colleges '05
JM Modisette (Penobscot, Maine) - MIT '05
Kevin Reali (St. Petersburg, Fla.) - University of South Florida '06
David Siegal (Dartmouth, Mass.) – Tufts University ’06
Scott Stanton (Christiansted, USVI) - Texas A&M '07
Harrison Turner (Los Angeles, Calif.) - University of Southern California '05
Frank Tybor (Coronado, Calif.) - UC/Irvine '07
Andrew Watters (Oxford, Md.) - St. Mary's College '07
ICSA/Ronstan Women All-Americans
Molly Carapiet (Belvedere, Calif.) – Yale University ’06
Anne Davidson (Madison, Conn.) - Brown University '05
Sloan Devlin (Mystic, Conn.) – Harvard University ‘06
Alana O’Reilly (Charleston, S.C.) – College of Charleston ’06
Genny Tulloch (Houston, Texas) – Harvard University ’05
Anna Tunnicliffe (Perrysburg, Ohio) - Old Dominion University ’05
Sara Wilkinson (Gautier, Miss.) - College of Charleston '05
Caroline Young (Tampa, Fla.) - Stanford University '07
ICSA/Ronstan Women’s Honorable Mention
Anne Bowen (Annapolis, Md.) - College of Charleston '05
Emily East (Fairhope, Ala.) – Dartmouth College ’06
Blaire Herron (Coronado, Calif.) - Georgetown University '08
Emily Hill (Miami, Fla.) – Yale University ’07
Katie Lovelace (Greenwich, Conn.) - Brown University '07
Lauren Padilla (Grosse Point Park, Mich.) – Dartmouth College ’05
Adrienne Patterson (Newport Beach, Calif.) - St. Mary's College '08
ICSA/Ronstan All-American Crew
Emily Bartlett (Annapolis, Md.) - Old Dominion University '08
Dorothee Bergin (Wellesley, Mass.) - Georgetown University '05
Arlene Chung (Murrysville, Penn.) - Brown University '06
Christina Dahlman (Chevy Chase, Md.) - Harvard University '07
Vanessa Decollibus (Duxbury, Mass.) - University of Southern California '07
Paige Hannon (Plymouth, Mich.) - St. Mary's College '05
Sarah Himmelfarb (Falmouth, Maine) - Yale University '06
Jenn Hoyle (Manchester, Mass.) – Yale University ’05
Clementine James (Easton, Md.) – Dartmouth College ’05
Elisabeth Kreter (Severna Park, Md.) - Dartmouth College '05
Meredith Killion (Branford, Conn.) - Yale University '05
Caroline LaMotte (Oxford, Md.) - Georgetown University '07
Susan Lintern (Kirtland Hills, Ohio) - College of Charleston '06
Joy MacDougall (Waterford, Conn.) – Boston College ’05
Amanda Markee (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) - Hobart/William Smith Colleges '07
Augusta Nadler (Marion, Mass.) - Hobart/William Smith Colleges ’06
Melanie Roberts (San Diego, Calif.) - University of Southern California '07
Louise Sherman (Tiburon, Calif.) - Brown University '05
Emily Simon (Oak Brook, Ill.) - Harvard University '07
Hilary Wiech (St. Michael's, Md.) - St. Mary's College '07
2005 LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD
Michael S. Horn, Harvard University '63
The Intercollegiate Sailing Association, as well as the sport overall, has benefited greatly from the unswerving, ongoing, dedicated efforts of Mike Horn, going back to the days that he first started racing at Harvard University. His involvement included active service to his district as an undergraduate, as
a graduate student, and his continuing development of programs--both at the college level and in public programs.
Ten years after graduating from Harvard, he started down the path of coaching collegians, serving 14 years at his alma mater. His collegiate coaching also included stints at Maine Maritime Academy, Boston University, University of Southern Maine, US Coast Guard Academy, Amherst College, Bowdoin College, Brown University, and Stevens Institute.
Mike's election to service as the ICSA Executive Vice President in 1988 launched him on another 14 year commitment; one of evenhanded leadership guiding college sailing through advances of funding sources--including acquisition of championship title sponsors, rules development, instructional development, coaching development, and maturation of its championship program.
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OUTSTANDING SERVICE--VOLUNTEER
Joseph Sullivan, Fordham University '58
Joe Sullivan has been the guiding force behind the resurrection of the Fordham Sailing Team in the last 6 years. He points to others (alumni, faculty and students) as those who deserve the credit, but truth be told, Joe is the one instrumental in Fordham's rebirth.
Joe sailed as an undergraduate at Fordham from 1955-1958, serving as team captain and commodore. After a successful career in mass media, Joe turned his focus back to the Fordham Sailing Team and organized a reunion of sailing alumni in February, 1999.
Significant interest among students was noted and a team was formed with steps taken to become an Associate Member of MAISA in 2000. Joe has served as volunteer coach since the inception and has gathered a team of alumni and faculty to assist. One of the goals of Joe and the team is to receive varsity status at the university.
Monies have been raised by the Fordham afterguard all coordinated by Joe Sullivan. These funds have provided the basis for the purchase of a fleet of 9 420s, along with funds for operational expenses and equipment.
He is completely selfless in his endeavors and achievements by Fordham sailors on and off the water are his reward.
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JIM ROUSMANIERE STUDENT LEADERSHIP AWARD
George Yioulos, University of Oregon, '05
George Yioulos, a prime example of an ICSA student leader, has taken the University of Oregon Sailing Team from 2 sailors in his freshman year to over 20 sailors competing and practicing in his senior year. He has been a tireless advocate for the development and expansion of the Northwest district while serving as undergraduate vice-president for the past 2 years.
George was instrumental in forming a team at rival Oregon State University. He met with their sports coordinator to gain support for a team there. He also helped work on a plan to forgive the team's previous debt to the university. George encouraged practices between U/Oregon and Oregon State. His determination paid off when Oregon State joined NWICSA last fall.
As captain of the U/Oregon team George has successfully dealt with many hardships including a sailing site that is 45 minutes away from campus to sailing and practicing on a reservoir that frequently has no water for half of the school year. He has worked hard to repair relationships between the university and Eugene Yacht Club where the team practices. Under his leadership the team not only has grown in size but has successfully raised funds for 2 new FJs.
With the peak of summer sailing season upon us, Queens Cup, Mac's etc. let's not forget not all race. Some folks like to cruise and explore. For these folks here's a list of nautical attractions they can take in while ashore. They range from a German Submarine in Chicago to a Frensel Lenses on the shores of Bay de Noc. Racing or cruising may the winds be at your back, or in lieu may your diesel be strong!
Big Sable Lighthouse Ludington- Climb the 112 steps to the top of this still active light.
City of Milwaukee Visit this historic car ferry in it's new location.
Door County Maritime Museum Sturgeon Bay Learn about all aspects of maritime history at the souther end of this rich cruising ground
Dennis Sullivan Milwaukee If the Sullivan is in port learn about another era of sailing or check up on Pier Wisconsin
Friends of Good Will South Haven You can sail Lake Michigan on this new tall ship.
Milwaukee Clipper Muskegon Tour this historic ship on Lake Michigan
Sand Point Light This Up located light has a Frensel lenses on sight.
Submarines Chicago, Manitowoc, Muskegon. Explore multiple sides of the U boat war.
Swimmers at Lake Michigan and Lake Superior beaches over the holiday weekend should know about possible rip currents and how to survive them, according to Wisconsin Sea Grant Water Safety specialist James Lubner.
"Rip currents are a significant concern for swimmers at Great Lakes
beaches," Lubner said. "They can occur in many places, when waves push water up on beaches. That water then flows back toward the lake, sometimes forming a strong current."
According to the United States Lifesaving Association, rip currents in the Great Lakes and oceans kill more than 100 people every year - more than tornadoes or lightning. And they account for more than 80 percent of lifeguard rescues.
Escaping from the strong currents is possible if one knows how, Lubner said.
"The key is to swim parallel to shore until you are out of the current,then swim at an angle towards shore" he said. "The currents are relatively narrow streams of water moving straight away from shore. So swimming parallel to shore will get you out of the current quickly. Then you can swim towards shore."
Not even the strongest swimmers can successfully swim directly against the current, Lubner said.
"The important thing is not to panic," he added. "Rip currents are
definitely survivable if you swim parallel to shore. And there are no so-called undertows associated with rip currents."
Identifying rip currents from shore can be difficult because the signs are subtle, Lubner said. They include areas of churning, choppy, or differently colored water. Other signals can be foam, seaweed, and debris moving away from shore. Sometimes, rip currents can produce deceptively calm channels of water between breaking waves, Lubner noted.
Lubner also cautioned swimmers and boaters to remember that the cold
waters of the Great Lakes can sap a person's energy quickly.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) offers these safety tips at http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov:
Learn how to swim!
When at the beach:
* Whenever possible, swim at a lifeguard-protected beach.
* Never swim alone.
* Learn how to swim in the surf. It's not the same as swimming in a pool or lake.
* Be cautious at all times, especially when swimming at unguarded beaches. If in doubt, don't go out.
* Obey all instructions and orders from lifeguards. Lifeguards are trained to identify potential hazards. Ask a lifeguard about the
conditions before entering the water. This is part of their job.
* Stay at least 100 feet away from piers and jetties. Permanent
rip currents often exist along side these structures.
* Consider using polarized sunglasses when at the beach. They will help you to spot signatures of rip currents by cutting down glare and reflected sunlight off the ocean's surface.
* Pay especially close attention to children and elderly when at the beach. Even in shallow water, wave action can cause loss of footing.
If caught in a rip current:
* Remain calm to conserve energy and think clearly.
* Never fight against the current.
* Think of it like a treadmill that cannot be turned off, which
you need to step to the side of.
* Swim out of the current in a direction following the shoreline.
When out of the current, swim at an angle--away from the
current--towards shore.
* If you are unable to swim out of the rip current, float or
calmly tread water. When out of the current, swim towards shore.
* If you are still unable to reach shore, draw attention to
yourself by waving your arm and yelling for help.
If you see someone in trouble, don't become a victim too:
* Get help from a lifeguard.
* If a lifeguard is not available, have someone call 9-1-1.
* Throw the rip current victim something that floats--a
lifejacket, a cooler, an inflatable ball.
* Yell instructions on how to escape.
* Remember, many people drown while trying to save someone else
from a rip current.
Arriving back in New York last Monday, where he got back together with his giant trimaran IDEC, which has been moored up safely in North Cove Marina in Manhattan, the yachtsman, Francis Joyon, can barely wait for the final green light from his weather expert, Jean-Yves Bernot, to set sail on his attempt at the single-handed Atlantic record. «I’m bubbling over with impatience, » he admitted. Finally, some favourable weather conditions are coming together, and after a few small jobs getting her ready, Francis may well be setting off this evening to head for Ambrose Light, the rock off New York, which marks the start of this mythical, major Atlantic record.
«I still have a few little problems left to sort out today» explained Francis Joyon calmly. «The start isn’t far off. I reckon I‘ve a 90% chance of being on the starting line tomorrow morning (Thursday).» To respect this schedule, Francis is waiting for the final recommendations from Jean Yves Bernot. The famous route planner from La Rochelle is making his last forecasts for the European area, «where records are won or lost.»
However, tonight, Joyon will also have to take his giant IDEC on the slow, perilous journey up the Hudson, passing underneath the Statue of Liberty, going under Verezziano Bridge, along the Jersey coastline, before he can reach Ambrose Light, which is almost 13 miles off New York City. The time-keepers for the World Speed Record Council will be ready to record to the nearest second the start of his attempt, which Francis himself admits is a rather Herculean task. « It’s the most difficult record to reach in single-handed racing. Just think! An average speed of almost 18 knots.»
Yet, the window in the weather that he has been waiting for for so long (IDEC has been in New York since 10th April) seems finally to be appearing. The Azores high is lazing around in mid-Atlantic, causing a strong south westerly flow to blow up the Eastern seaboard of the U.S. «I’m expecting 20-25 knot winds from the start,» Joyon confirmed, «Ideal conditions, which may strengthen further on Friday to 35 knots.» Not overly excited, the Breton sailor, who really wants to get off to a good start off the American coast, where you very often can come across small, almost invisible, weather systems. He will soon be facing some speedy conditions under the gennaker, as he passes under Newfoundland, and some choppy seas in the Gulf Stream, forcing the sailor to keep a permanent lookout for the many fishing boats in the area. He will be busy going from the chart table to adjustments out on deck and long hours at the helm. No time for dreaming under starry skies ahead for Francis, who is fully determined to show what he is capable of once again. «I’m in fine form. I spent four hours in the water yesterday cleaning off her bottom. A bit of diving wakes you up.»
Team Stelmar has extended their lead by 5nm today, edging ahead as the fleet races downwind at an average of 9 knots. 48 hours ago SAIC La Jolla were enjoying a lead of 25nm and the 9 yachts placed 2nd to 10th were only 4nm apart in terms of distance to finish.
Now SAIC La Jolla is in second and only 3nm ahead of third place Imagine It. Done. who have moved steadily through the fleet from eighth place four days ago to third place this afternoon. But Dee Caffari and her crew are in a similar predicament as SAIC La Jolla because Me to You is just 1nm behind them, challenging their hold on a podium position.
The whole fleet is still only separated by 46nm and this being the penultimate opportunity to rack up points on the overall leaderboard, every mile won or lost will be getting increasingly poignant for skippers and crews.
Eero Lehtinen and his crew aboard SAIC La Jolla will be particularly concerned about the weather over the next 24 hours. Since this morning’s position report they have maintained an average speed in line with the rest of the fleet at just over 9 knots, but the wind looks set to favour teams to the north.
“The pressure is on,” wrote Jim Walker from SAIC La Jolla this afternoon, “we have watched the rest of the fleet make gains on us since rounding Waypoint Charlie on Saturday. Their northerly position has seen better winds and a poor angle and a southeasterly flowing current has kept us from getting up to cover them. With the new wind coming in shortly we should have more options open to us, until then we can only maximise the VMG and try to limit the damage.”
In fact, they are not the only team to suffer - speeds across the fleet have been slowly dropping off, making the wet conditions more frustrating according to Team Stelmar skipper Clive Cosby: “The wind has eased considerably and we are getting rained on in a big way. We did not mind when clocking up 11 knots down the line now at 8 it is more uncomfortable.
“Now is the time of transition to the next weather pattern,” continued Clive, “as an oddly shaped high-pressure system will give northerlies backing to the west … things [are] looking good for us, between SAIC La Jolla to the southeast with less wind closer to the high, and BG SPIRIT leading the pack to the left closer to the lighter stuff trailing the front.”
Racing Trombini skippers. Opti NA's
News AC thoughts
Great Lakes Toronto terminal opens. Trio takes trip. Beau Geste
2500 nautical miles and six days after leaving Sydney Harbour, the Capgemini and Schneider Electric trimaran Geronimo is well on her way around the country in her circumnavigation record attempt of Australia for the sydneyaustralia.com trophy. Having sailed up the New South Wales and Queensland coast and through the challenging Torres Straits the boat is now well into the waters off the top of the Northern Territory.
Having negotiated the difficult waters at the mouth of Torres Strait on Sunday night, the giant multihull had to pick her way through the maze of islands that are located in this region as well as deal with storms and squalls during her night passage. ‘It's difficult and tortuous. The night was black and we were shooting through at over 20 knots between invisible reefs. It was nerve-racking’ said Olivier de Kersauson yesterday about his passage through the Torres Strait. At 140 miles wide, the Torres Straits are rough and inundated by strong currents of up to seven knots. ‘We have total trust in Geronimo, because most of us are so familiar with the boat. Having Australian crew members on board is a considerable bonus, the atmosphere is excellent, and one of them, who knows these waters well, is acting as pilot for us – which is by no means a luxury here!’
Currently situated North West of Darwin outside Melville and Bathurst Islands and in the Timor Sea, Geronimo will cross the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and will soon be heading into Western Australian waters and in the direction of Derby, Broome and the Buccaneer Archipelago on Western Australia’s North West coast. Geronimo is currently sailing at approximately 20 knots and travelling in a westerly direction. Predicted trade winds should allow Geronimo to maintain good speeds on her passage to the North West Cape.
‘We admire the courage of our Australian crew on board, they have an amazing capacity of adaptation. An unknown boat, unknown speeds and stress, unknown crew, unknown language, and they did not have any time to discover or learn. They just jumped directly in the most difficult and demanding sailing experience’ commented de Kersauson ‘The problem with big multihulls is that every manoeuvre has to be anticipated in a very specific way. And you need to forget most of your habits from big monohulls or small multihulls...And to explain this in English with the Australian accent is a long job for me, I admire their patience’.
Reaching top speeds of approximately 30 knots Geronimo is on her way to setting a record for The Challenge that will entice other yachts to try and break in the future.
The Coast Guard’s Operation Midnight Badger will be operating at full bells over the long Independence Day weekend. Intoxicated boaters beware, for the eye of the Badger could be upon you. Rather than celebrating the nation’s independence you could be bemoaning your incarceration.
In 2004, Coast Guard Group Milwaukee launched Operation Midnight Badger with the sole intention of removing intoxicated boaters from the water. By the end of the boating season, Badger crews roaming the waters along the western shore of Lake Michigan had nabbed 161 drunk boaters.
Captain Scott La Rochelle, Commanding Officer, Group Milwaukee wrote a recent piece for Great Lakes Boating addressing the Badger campaign. You boaters who are inclined to drink while operating a boat, I urge you to read the following account of a Badger bust. The story imparts a sobering message.
*
You’re in Command
By Capt. Scott Larochelle
Slicing through the moonlit waters, the crew remains vigilant, ever watchful for a potential target. Amid a spectacular skyline backdrop of America’s third largest city, an eerie silence, save for the broken crackle of commercial mariners chattering from one of the mounted VHF marine band radio speakers in the cabin of Coast Guard boat 255058.
“I’ve got a good feeling tonight,” Boatswain Mate Second Class Jim Pierce softly speaks to the boat crew from Station Wilmette Harbor. The crew, Boatswain Mate First Class Chris Evans, Machinist Mate Third Class Matt Ladnier and Seaman Mike Rodriquez, nod in silent agreement.
“Hit the lights and siren, let’s go boys,” Evans barks out as a 32-foot go fast casts a broad wake while speeding northbound parallel to the Chicago Harbor breakwater. In seconds, Evans drops the throttle down, and powered by twin 225 horsepower engines, CG-255058 engages in hot pursuit. The chase doesn’t last long; it rarely does. The sight and sound of the blue flashing light and emergency siren emanating from the Coast Guard’s Defender Class Homeland Security boat achieve the desired effect. In a scenario that was played out hundreds of times on Lake Michigan this summer, the Coast Guard is quickly alongside, and the boarding team led by Pierce steps on board the now-idling go fast.
Upon boarding, Pierce immediately assesses the situation – two average-build men, two women, ice chest on deck, cup holders on the console containing beer cans. After determining no weapons are on board, Pierce methodically completes the safety inspection, known internally as a CG-4100 boarding, while Ladnier and Rodriquez maintain overall security of the scene.
Lifejackets, flares and other safety equipment are carefully checked to ensure compliance with federal law. Vessel registration documents and crew identification are verified. As the boat operator clumsily moves about to gather the required safety items, Pierce makes a mental note of his unsteady balance, which appears excessive given the calm sea state on this humid mid-summer night.
After the CG-4100 boarding is completed, Pierce requests the operator sit in the rear of the boat while he administers a series of field sobriety tests to determine if the operator is intoxicated. These tests nearly mirror those given by highway patrolmen to suspected drunk drivers during roadside stops. The operator fails four of six tests. The operator voluntarily agrees to a breathalyzer test, and proceeds to register a blood alcohol content of 0.13, well above the legal limit of 0.08 for intoxicated operation.
Game over. The operator and his crew’s night of fun and partying on Lake Michigan is over. About two months later, a Coast Guard Hearing Officer in Washington, DC levies a $2,200 civil penalty – a stiff fine, but less than the $5,500 maximum penalty for federal Boating Under the Influence.
“It’s 0430,” Evans replies. “Let’s go home.” And with morning twilight breaking upon a just-waking Chicago skyline, Evans turns the wheel and CG-255058 quietly begins its transit north toward Wilmette as the crew silently gazes upon the horizon.
“They’re out there,” Evans chimes in. “It’s up to us to find them.”
*
Midnight Badger’s primary mission objective: remove drunk boaters off the water for their own safety, their passengers’ safety and the safety of other boaters. This mission objective drives Coast Guard boarding officers. Pierce said, “One fewer drunken boater on the water, one fewer boating accident in the making, and potentially one or more fewer fatalities waiting to happen.”
And sadly fatalities do happen. Of the 150 recreational boating fatalities in the Great Lakes region last year, 37% involved alcohol. Already into this young boating season I’m aware of 12 boating fatalities. Of those five involved alcohol.
And nothing fuels the Badger cause more than when Coast Guard boarding officers find a child’s safety put at risk by a drunk boater. Several weeks ago, Coast Guardsman Justin Klitch of Motor Life Boat Station Michigan City, boarded an18-foot boat after he observed two toddlers aboard not wearing life jackets. Michigan law requires a child six years and younger to wear a life jacket on an open boat.
Officer Klitch said: “No sooner did I get on the boat than the obvious signs of an intoxicated boater greeted me.” The male operator got testy. “I handcuffed him, and handed him over to local authorities.” Officer Klitch added, “There were not enough life jackets aboard for the six kids. The operator blew .20 on the breathalyzer.”
Boaters on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, beware. Coast Guard Group Grand Haven has its own version of Midnight Badger—I call it Midnight Wolverine. The only difference between the groups’ mission objectives is the animal namesakes. Jim Pierce speaks for all the Badger and Wolverine crews when he said, “We made a positive impact improving safety last year. But we expect to make even more of a difference this year.”
Boaters bent on enjoying the nation’s hard-earned independence this holiday weekend can assure their own independence by keeping the Badger and Wolverine at bay. Boat Smart—boat sober.
Racing A Cat Worlds. Etchells NA's
News Geronimo Record. ENZ outlook
Great Lakes Trip Ends.
The decision has been taken this morning by the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team for the 75-foot trimaran <
However, Ellen MacArthur will still be participating in the pre-arranged activities on board HMS Ocean today and on HMS Invincible this evening. Skipper of the trimaran commented: "It is with real regret that we had to take this decision not to be part of this great historic spectacle, but <
The crew of the ABN AMRO TWO finished first in the 4,500 plus mile Route de l'Equateur race from Marseille, France to Congo-Brazzaville. Competing against four other boats, the team finished the race in 22 days, 16 hours and 28 minutes. The crew sailed a 60-foot V60 boat formerly known as the Tyco.
For most of the team members this was their first race crossing the equator. In the yachting world, this is something of a rite of passage. This trip was no exception. The team of ABN AMRO TWO took the lead from the start, and at times maintained a lead of about 200 miles ahead of their nearest competitor.
The team of ABN AMRO TWO exists of twelve young high potential professional sailors between the ages of 21 and 30 with extensive sailing experience with smaller boats but who've never sailed together as a team. In less than six months they will sail together in the Volvo Ocean Race.
The team used the Route de l'Equateur race to get to know and trust each other. The Volvo Ocean Race is a seven month long competition, covering over 31,000 nautical miles. Teams will be at sea for up to 30 days at a time, so trust, communication and teamwork are a key factor for success.
Most of the young sailors were selected during a worldwide competition that was launched in November 2004 on the ABN AMRO website and received more than 1,800 submissions. It's the first time an open selection process, started on internet, was used to select a young, relatively inexperienced crew for the Volvo Ocean Race.
After four separate qualifying competitions - one for the Netherlands, one for Brazil, one for the United States and one for 'the rest of the world' - a total of 20 candidates traveled to Portugal for the final crew selection and eight made the cut this March. An additional four core crew members are more experienced offshore sailors who also never sailed the Volvo Ocean Race before.
Established in 1973 as The Whitbread Round the World Race, the Volvo Ocean Race is undeniably the world's premier global race and arguably the most challenging sporting event in the world. The 2005-2006 race will take off from Spain in November 2005 and runs its final leg into Gothenburg, Sweden in the summer of 2006. This is recognised as one of the fastest and most intense races in the world of sailing.
Current US Sailing Team-members Mikee Anderson-Mitterling (Coronado, Calif.), and Dave Hughes (San Diego, Calif.) won the 470 Men's class at the Kiel Week regatta in Germany this weekend, defeating 57 boats to take home the trophy. Since Anderson-Mitterling and Hughes started racing together earlier this year, this was their first win at an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade 1 event; the team finished second at US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR last January.
Mikee Anderson-Mitterling, who will celebrate his 21st birthday in a few weeks, has been enjoying a successful year thus far, having recently been named as the 2004/2005 College Sailor of the Year by the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association.
"Mikee and Dave now join Olympic medalists Paul Foerster and Bob Merrick as the only American 470 Men's teams to win Kiel Week," said Skip Whyte, US Sailing Team coach. "They clearly like being on the podium and there is no doubt that they will be back there before long."
There were 586 entries from 50 nations that participated in Kiel Week and American sailors put on a good show. Besides Anderson-Mitterling and Hughes, three other U.S. teams finished in the top ten of their classes. In the 74-boat Women's Laser Radial Class, 18-year-old Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.) finished second behind Gintare Volungeviciute of Lithuania, missing winning the event by just one point and reminding her fellow competitors that she is to be reckoned with. U.S. sailors George Szabo (San Diego, Calif.), and Eric Monroe (Newport Harbor, Calif.) finished an impressive second in the 44-boat Star fleet, only four points behind the winners, Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Dominik Zycki of Poland. US Sailing Team-members Amanda Clark (Shelter Island, N.Y.) and Sarah Mergenthaler (Harvey Cedars, N.J.), finished eighth out of 35 boats in the Women's 470 class.
The Spirit of Canada SpiritCam is now up and running at the build site of the new Open 60 Spirit of Canada.
Special thanks to FileBank (www.filebank.ca) for supplying us with the camera, this will allow people from around the world to view one of the latest technologies in boat building and be up to date with the Spirit of Canada project from their own desk.
To view live pictures of the build of the new boat, go to: http://www.spiritofcanada.net/webcam/index.html. or click on the SpiritCam button under Quick Links on the homepage. The picture automatically refreshes every five seconds.
Spirit of Canada is a state of the art 60 foot racing machine, these boats are among the fastest boats in sailing – built of kevlar and carbon fibre using the latest hi-tech structures, they are designed to be as light and as fast as possible but strong enough to withstand the worst the seas can throw at them.
The Open 60 is being built for the 5-Oceans around the world race in 2006. The 5-Oceans is the newly branded name of Around Alone, sailing’s ultimate solo challenge. The 5-Oceans race is billed as “the longest, toughest race for an individual in any sport.”
BMW ORACLE Racing completed the Louis Vuitton Act 5 fleet regatta in
Valencia in 4th place overall after three days of primarily light-air racing.
USA-76 skipper and tactician John Kostecki said the team had learned
valuable lessons in the Acts 4 and 5 regattas and would apply them in testing in the months ahead as the team continues design work towards the America's Cup in 2007. The team will also continue in-house training in July in preparation for this season's four additional regattas starting with Louis Vuitton Act 6 in Malmo, Sweden, 25th August.
In the final race today, a broken gennaker on the first downwind run cost BMW ORACLE Racing dearly and undid the steady progress USA-76 had made through the fleet in the open stages of the race.
After a bold and unconventional port-tack start behind the fleet, USA-76 worked its way into contention, rounding the first mark in 5th place and then attacking down the leeward run to claim 3rd place at one point.
However, the light-wind gennaker ripped during a gybe and, by the time a replacement gennaker was hoisted, USA-76 had slid back down the fleet. Going into the final race, BMW ORACLE Racing was still in contention for the overall win, but the final race result destroyed any chance of a top placing.
After a Race Committee protest against Victory Challenge for a breach of the class rules, the Swedish team was disqualified from Race 4, which cost the team overall victory in Act 5.
FINAL RACE SUMMARY -- BMW ORACLE Racing elected to make a bold move at the start, crossing behind the fleet on port tack and then shooting out for the right hand side of the course. The tactic paid off and, after playing the shifts well up the first windward leg, USA-76 rounded the mark in 5th place.
Down the first leeward run, USA-76 continued to press the attack, moving up to 3rd place at one stage. However, as the team gybed from starboard onto port to move into the middle of the course, their light-wind gennaker split across, a third of the way from the top.
In the light fickle breeze, the loss of momentum was punishing and, by the time a replacement gennaker was set, USA-76 had slid back in the fleet.
The team rounded the leeward mark 11th, picked up a place on the next upwind leg, but were unable to make any further inroads and finished in 10th place.
The Spanish Desafio Espanol 2007 team won the race, closely followed by Mascalzone Latino Capitalia and Victory Challenge.
QUOTES:
John Kostecki, BMW ORACLE Racing skipper/tactician on the port tack start: "At first we wanted to go left, but it looked like way too much of a fight down at the pin end of the line. We didn't want to tack and get mixed up in the bunch, so we kept going on port, dipped the fleet and started on the right. It was a smart move.
"We worked the shifts well up the beat and got ourselves in a good
position."
On the broken gennaker during the downwind run: "We had worked ourselves into 3rd place when we gybed onto port. The gennaker caught on the jumper struts in the gybe and ripped.
"There was a delay in getting a replacement up, because our spare halyard was up the mast with the wind spotter. We had to get the broken gennaker down and use that halyard for the replacement. At this point we were close to other boats and, in the light air, they took our wind. It was a big disappointment."
Overall comments on Acts 4 and 5 in Valencia: "We have learned a lot. It was good to check in and see the other teams all in Version Five. We didn't win these regattas, but we are definitely not far off the pace.
"The fleet regatta was all in light airs and we were configured for a bit more wind. Little things like that worked against us. Our boat has good speed -- probably not the fastest in light air, but we are not far off. We need to keep our heads up and keep working. We have a big testing program coming up and we will keep moving forward."
Emirates Team New Zealand emerged as the top challenger carrying maximum points from the Valencia regattas forward for the Louis Vuitton Cup in 2007.
The pre-regattas this year and in 2006 carry points which count forward to the Louis Vuitton Cup, the challengers’ elimination series, in 2007. The winner of the Louis Vuitton Cup will challenge Alinghi for the America’s Cup.
Luna Rossa with a third overall in Act four and first in Act 5 is second challenger.
As the defender of the America’s Cup, Alinghi’s results are removed from the reckoning.
Grant Dalton said after racing today that the result was very satisfying for the team.
“We came here to get some answers. And we got them. We know where we have to sharpen our act but we are really encouraged as we develop towards 2007.
“It could be argued that the fleet racing is irrelevant in the America’s Cup which is a match racing regatta. We believe the acts are important in terms of developing the team but the big game doesn’t start until 2007.”
The team will remember fondly two races in Act 5 – the first and the third – when the team sailed well to win.
Three other races, when NZL 82 finished 9th in race two, 5th in race four yesterday and 6th today, will be remembered for the mistakes that cost so dearly.
Race four and the race five today will also be remembered for the way the crew dug deep into their reserves to claw their way back through the fleet in light conditions that provided few opportunities.
Grant Dalton said after today’s final race: “I’m in awe of our guys. They have guts, stamina and concentration and they never give up. They just stuck at it right to the end.
“We arrived in Valencia saying we were here looking for some answers about how we stacked up against the opposition after our testing programme in Auckland.
“We got a lot of the answers. Alinghi has improved but the speed edge we saw in Auckland in 2003 has almost disappeared. BMW Oracle is still dangerous as is Luna Rossa. Crew skill levels are high.
“Nipping at the heels are two really dark horses – Sweden and Spain. They didn’t race last year and they have performed very well right through both regattas.
Sweden has performed well in the fleet racing and today Spain won on their home patch.
“We have had very tough match races against Spain, Sweden and FRA 60. They are teams to watch.”
Dalton said the team’s crew work was most often spot on. “I would say that we made fewer mistakes than just about every other team. The boys are very hard on themselves when they make a mistake – and so far they have never made the same mistake twice.”
“Fleet racing may be irrelevant to the America’s Cup but it’s still a good way to measure progress. And what it showed here is that unless you sail superbly right from the moment you enter the pre-start you’re not going to do very well.”
They appeared to have won the regatta on the water, but Victory Challenge had to wait until a Jury decision was issued several hours after racing concluded to learn that they had been disqualified from the fourth race. The next boat on the leaderboard, Luna Rossa Challenge, had sailed a strong, consistent regatta, and they become the winners of Act 5.
"I don't have a preference for match racing or fleet racing," Luna Rossa skipper Francesco de Angelis told the crowd at the prize-giving ceremony. "My only preference is for winning!"
It was a heartbreaking set back for Victory Challenge, who impressed all observers with their strong performance in both Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts, but particularly in Act 5.
The protest was a technical one, after the Measurer found an unusual amount of water in the bilge of SWE 63 during a routine inspection after the fourth race. This set in motion a chain of events that saw the Race Committee obliged to protest the Swedes for the infringement of ACC Class Rule 36.12. The Jury, after receiving a report from the Measurement Committee detailing the rule infringement in the protest hearing, was left with no recourse but to disqualify Victory Challenge from the race.
The results leave Luna Rossa Challenge and Alinghi on equal points at the top of the table, but the Italians win the tie-break by virtue of having the best result in an individual race (a win in race four). Victory Challenge tumbles from first to sixth with the disqualification.
Luna Rossa was presented with a Mariscal-designed trophy following the revised results in front of a large and appreciative crowd at the America's Cup Park.
Race Five of Five
For the start of this, the fifth and final race of the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 5, racing started on time and there was an even spread across the line with +39, China Team, Luna Rossa and Team Shosholoza at the pin and, as usual, United Internet Team Germany gybing around from the course side of the Race Committee boat.
Half way up the beat James Spithill and his Italian team on Luna Rossa had edged ahead on up the middle of the course with Victory Challenge holding second position to their left and Alinghi coming across from the right side. But towards the end of the first beat Desafío Español, with Karol Jablonski back on the helm today, hit the left hand side of the course hard, a move that paid handsomely come the first mark rounding.
Approaching the top mark the top three boats were side by side with Luna Rossa on the inside, the Spanish in the middle and Victory Challenge on the outside. Rounding the mark, the Spanish managed to hold their speed and edged ahead to take the lead, as the Swedes on Victory Challenge rolled Luna Rossa to take second by the spreader mark. At this stage Alinghi and Emirates Team New Zealand were down the pack holding eighth and ninth places respectively.
Rather than the run being a procession as we have seen on previous days, several boats gybed early to take their chances on the right side of the course. The major beneficiary of this tactic was Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team. Coming into the leeward mark the Spanish team were still ahead with Luna Rossa and Victory Challenge charging hard and Mascalzone on their transom. BMW ORACLE Racing lost a few places when its spinnaker exploded during a gybe.
The second beat was an equally close-run affair with Victory Challenge slowly overhauling the Spanish team to momentarily take the lead. Luna Rossa seemed to lose out by hitting the left side while Mascalzone Latino once again did well on the right. The second weather mark rounding was less fraught than the first with Spain holding the lead over Victory Challenge and Mascalzone Latino, with Luna Rossa approaching from the port layline having dropped a place. At this stage the top four had pulled out a 50 second lead over +39, followed by Emirates Team New Zealand and Alinghi, with BMW ORACLE Racing well down the fleet in 10th place.
Once again the run saw a variation in tactics culminating in the closest finish we have seen to date in the fleet racing. Alinghi, the only boat sailing under spinnaker and staysail, seemed to put on a burst of speed on the right side of the run overhauling both +39 and Emirates Team New Zealand. But the Italian team of Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia led by Vasco Vascotto also made a final dive for the line, overtaking Victory Challenge to take second place, just three seconds short of the Spanish team, the popular winner of this final race. Alinghi also approached the line at speed and was within one second of taking fourth place off Luna Rossa. Nobody knew it at the time, but this close finish is what allowed the Italians to win the event.
The technical protest and eventual Jury decision disqualifying Victory Challenge shouldn't be allowed to overshadow an impressive and courageous day of sailing by the Swedes. After dealing with two protest issues on Saturday night and through Sunday morning, this small team, led by Magnus Holmberg, went out to the race course late and yet still sailed its heart out on the water beating the 'big four' in the race on Sunday. Victory Challenge will re-group and enjoy sailing on home waters off Malmö-Skåne in Louis Vuitton Acts 6 & 7 beginning on August 25th.
Results
Points Leaderboard Race Results Overall Points
Luna Rossa Challenge (2, 6, 6, 1, 4) 46
Alinghi (3, 7, 2, 2, 5) 46
Emirates Team New Zealand (1, 9, 1, 5, 6) 43
BMW ORACLE Racing (5, 5, 3, 3, 10) 39
Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team (12, 1, 5, 7, 2) 38
Victory Challenge (4, 2, 7, DSQ, 3) 36
K-Challenge (7, 4, 4, 6, 9) 35
Desafío Español 2007 (8, 8, 9, 8, 1) 31
+39 Challenge (10, 3, 10, 9, 7) 26
United Internet Team Germany (6, 11, 8, 4, 11) 25
China Team (11,12,12,10,8) 12
Team Shosholoza (9, 10, 11, 11,12)12
Several hundred spectator boats took in some great fleet racing action on Saturday at the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 5. It was a hot day on the waters off Valencia and for the big spectator fleet, the light conditions meant patience would likely be a virtue.
In a repeat of yesterday, a general recall was sounded immediately after the start, and the recall was replaced by a postponement when the wind shifted.
After a short delay, the Race Committee re-aligned the course and with the conditions more stable, racing started at 14:45 when a seven-knot Easterly breeze filled in.
Victory Challenge was strong on the water in both races, and left the race course leading the overall points table. However a protest by the Race Committee against the Swedes for a possible measurement infringement, and a protest by Victory Challenge against the Race Committee for the scoring in the first race of the day means the results are very provisional.
Race One
In a dramatic start Emirates Team New Zealand took the pin end of the line and speed off to the left-hand side of the course with BMW ORACLE Racing in hot pursuit.
The Race Committee end of the line saw much more congestion with Desafío Español 2007 and China Team locked out but with Jesper Bank's United Internet Team Germany shaving just inside the Committee boat to lead the pack. In the middle of the line Victory Challenge was forced to carry out a penalty turn for an infringement.
The left side paid handsomely for both the Kiwi and US teams. BMW ORACLE was the first to tack back to the centre and briefly edged ahead. Meanwhile hoping to repeat their performance in race two yesterday, Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team moved up to third place also benefiting from more wind on the left. At the first mark rounding Emirates TNZ led the Americans by 19-seconds.
The impressive sight of 12 America's Cup Class boats under spinnaker heading down the run saw Alinghi fighting hard. Eventually the Swiss team was able to roll Mascalzone Latino to take third place. Meanwhile Emirates TNZ extended her lead rounding the left gate (looking upwind) while BMW ORACLE Racing continued to the right, the two boats starting the second beat on split tacks.
With the breeze building to double figures, Emirates TNZ and BMW Oracle defended the centre of the beat while Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team pulled a flier out to the far right. This didn't seem to pay and by the second weather mark rounding the front three had 59 seconds of separation from a tightly packed group led by the Italians, but with K-Challenge, Luna Rossa and Victory Challenge hot on their heels.
On to the final run, Alinghi gybed early and a while after Emirates Team New Zealand covered to protect their lead, leaving a situation where BMW Oracle was taking the right side of the run, Alinghi the left and the Kiwis looking anxiously in both directions between the two.
Approaching the finish line Emirates TNZ was able to maintain its lead and while Alinghi, coming across on starboard forced BMW ORACLE Racing to duck its transom. The American team cut this too close forcing them to blow off their gennaker and carry out the tightest of penalty turns, ultimately costing them second place, when Alinghi finished 23-seconds astern of a jubilant Emirates Team New Zealand. A further reversal of fortunes saw fourth place taken by K-Challenge over Mascalzone-Latino Capitalia Team, while Victory Challenge took and Luna Rossa finished extremely close for sixth place. The Race Committee gave the nod to the Italians, but after racing, Victory Challenge lodged a protest with the Jury.
Race Two
The Swedish team, led by helmsman/skipper Magnus Holmberg, didn't let their close finish in the first race distract them, as a dominating performance in the second scene on Saturday saw the Swedes as clear victors. They now hold the overall lead but only by a point over Alinghi, going into tomorrow's race of Act 5.
The breeze was marginally up for the start of today's second race with +39, Luna Rossa and Alinghi taking the pin end. From the mid-left of the first beat Victory Challenge pulled ahead from Luna Rossa, but it was close and the two boats were jockeying for pole position.
Generally up the first beat teams seemed to take every available option with United Internet Team Germany, K-Challenge and Mascalzone Latino -Team Capitalia far right, while Emirates TNZ went far left. Despite the variation in tactics across the race course, the result was much more even than it had been in today's first race creating a tense scenario at the weather mark. Here Victory Challenge led Luna Rossa around by 16 seconds but in one of the most hair-raising few seconds we have seen to date in Valencia, Emirates TNZ approached on port tack and barged in front of Alinghi.
The fleet came within a whisker of a multiple pile-up just before the weather mark. Tacking hard to port, the transom of the Kiwi boat nearly collided with Alinghi's SUI 75; as the Swiss boat rounded up, its transom in turn nearly collided with the bow of the Defasio Espanol 2007, with the same result on fifth placed K-Challenge. Fortunately there were no collisions, but the Kiwis were penalised for their actions and forced to carry out a penalty turn.
One the run, Victory Challenge was able to maintain its lead over Luna Rossa, rounding the leeward gate just 11 seconds ahead. Up the beat again there seemed to be no side clearly paying with the Swedes hitting the centre-right side of the course. But through this approach and sailing in clear air they were able to extend their lead to 45 seconds at the top mark, a margin they also managed to hold on the final run to the finish line.
Racing is scheduled to continue on Saturday with two more fleet races beginning at 14:10.
Results
Points Leaderboard Race Results Overall Points
Victory Challenge (4, 2, 7, 1) 38
Alinghi (3, 7, 2, 3) 37
Luna Rossa Challenge (2, 6, 6, 2) 36
Emirates Team New Zealand (1, 9, 1, 6) 35
BMW ORACLE Racing (5, 5, 3, 4) 35
K-Challenge (7, 4, 4, 7) 30
Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team (12, 1, 5, 8) 26
United Internet Team Germany (6, 11, 8, 5) 22
+39 Challenge (10, 3, 10, 10) 19
Desafío Español 2007 (8, 8, 9, 9) 18
Team Shosholoza (9, 10, 11, 12) 10
China Team (11, 12, 12, 11) 6
The final day of Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex was "a real beauty," with south winds building to 18-20 knots by mid-day, putting plenty of muscle behind two races in all classes except the PHRF non-spinnaker class, which completed one scheduled race. The action-packed day was the perfect topper for four previous mostly-sunny days with challenging winds that made the 21st running of this biennial event another memorable one for more than 2000 sailors on 190 boats.
"For us, today was the best racing all week," said Mark Ploch (New York, N.Y.), skipper of M&M's, the undefeated winner in the Beneteau 36.7 class. "It was the closest with Jubilee (Cal Huge, Summerville, S.C.) that we've had. They were right with us to the first mark, and we barely got ahead of her. When we fouled our spinnaker at the leeward mark, she caught up with us again." Prior to today's two victories, Ploch claimed his string of eight victories was relatively easy to complete by repeatedly pulling away from the fleet shortly after starting. According to crewmember Rand Milton (Bridgewater,N.J.), the stellar performance was to be expected. "Collectively," he said, "there's got to be 200 years of experience on the boat!" Ploch, a sailmaker known for his grand prix racing record, bought M&M's as a family racing/cruising boat in the fall of 2004 and has won every regatta that he and his wife have entered with it since. For his performance here today, Ploch will add the 2005 Beneteau 36.7 New England Championship title to his list of sailing accomplishments.
Winning the Farr 395 North American Championship title here was Preben Ostberg and Bud Dailey's (Edgewater, Maryland) Tsunami, with three victories in nine races. "Everybody worked real hard," said Dailey. "Today we ended up with two seconds. In the first race, Coyote (Bill Lemens, W. Redding, Conn.), which wound up second overall, lost a crew overboard in a jibe, so that helped us, because they were ahead at the time. The second race was pretty straightforward. We just kept our boat speed, made sure we didn't do anything stupid; not real conservative, but not crazy either."
In the Farr 40 class, it came down to the wire in the last race before Warpath (Steve & Fred Howe, San Diego, Calif.) prevailed to win. "We made it hard for ourselves in the first race by being over early," said jib trimmer Dave Armitage (Newport, R.I.), explaining that, despite the setback of having to restart well after the rest of the fleet had cleared the line, his team worked its way back up to third. "We had one point over Mean Machine (Peter de Ridder, Monaco) going into the last race, and we won that one." Warpath's tactician Ed Adams (Middletown, R.I.) added that the two boats did a couple of match-racing type circles at the start, and Mean Machine had them pinned for most of the beat before Warpath pulled ahead. The boat's spread in overall scoring over Mean Machine was a mere two points.
Other one-design classes competing were the Beneteau 40.7 (also vying for their New England Championships; winner--Dame Blanche, Odhmar Mueller von Blumencrom, Great Falls, Va.), J/44 (winner--Challenge IV, Jeffery Willis, Huntington Bay, N.Y.), J/120 (winner--Sarah Beth, Greg Manning, Warwick, R.I.), J/109 (contesting their East Coast Championships; winner--Phoebe's Phling, Charlie Milligan, Newport, R.I.), and J/105 (winner and defending overall champion--Pretty Sketchy, Tom Enright, Bristol, R.I.)
Rounding it out were four classes of IRC boats and five classes of PHRF boats.
Titan XII, owned and skippered by Tom Hill (San Juan, PR) crushed IRC Super Zero class, for the event's largest boats, winning seven of ten races and finishing no worse than second. "We would have had to do real bad to lose today," said Hill, explaining that the boat consistently finished several minutes ahead of the fleet each day but had to give several minutes back due to the IRC rating rule. Despite that equalizer, Titan still was unstoppable. "Because we're bigger, we can drive under and over the fleet pretty well," added Hill. But it was not all about size and the inherent speed in having a 75-foot size advantage. "With a 5,000 sq. ft. spinnaker and only mile-and-a-half legs, we had to have exceptional crew work."
In IRC Zero class, class favorite High Noon (Dennis Collins/Steve Benjamin, New York, N.Y.) suffered a devastating blow before the start of racing today. A starboard turnbuckle broke, sending the boat back to the dock and dashing all hopes of victory. Bandit (Andrew Fisher, Greenwich, Conn.) won the class after posting finish positions of 1-2 today and sealed the deal with seven points less than High Noon, which, remarkably, held on to a second position overall.
Other IRC winners were Rum Funny (Bud Suiter, La Jolla, Calif.) in IRC class one and Lora Ann (Richard du Moulin, Larchmont, N.Y.) in IRC class two. Lora Ann and Troubador (Mort Weintraub, Larchmont, N.Y.) were tied for first going into today. Today's first race proved how equally matched they were when the two boats rounded the first weather mark within seconds of each other, with Troubador leading. The spinnaker takedown on the second leg, however, determined Lora Ann's prowess as she executed faultlessly and pulled ahead. For du Moulin, who is also the Storm Trysail Club's Commodore, the victory was especially sweet: "We had four great days of conditions, only one mediocre day and a full set of races. What a way to end the race week!"
Yesterday's comfortable lead for Remedy's John Fries (Waterford, Conn.) became a solid overall victory today in PHRF class 2 when he won today's first race and-because, mathematically, his score was untouchable-sat out the second race. In PHRF class 3 Cooch (Wes Maxwell, Stonington, Conn.) topped the fleet, while in PHRF classes 4 and 5, Chinook (Carrie Austin, Ridgewood, N.Y.) and Big Time (Michael Rajacich, Easton, Md.) won, respectively.
In PHRF non-spinnaker class, Rascal (Kel Weber, Wilton, Conn.) won with three victories in five races, posting only one point less than Xenophon (Paul Pakos, Sudbury, Mass.)
Trophy Winners
Everett B. Morris Memorial Trophy for Best Overall Performance: Warpath
Isbrandtsen Overall Perpetual Trophy for the second best performance: Rum Funny
A. Justin Wasley Memorial Trophy for the overall winner of the one-design class with the largest number of entries: Pretty Sketchy
Island Sailing Club of Cowes Perpetual Trophy for the first overall IRC rated boat in the Around the Island Race (also won a Rolex oyster Perpetual Submariner timepiece): Titan XII
Vintage Yacht Trophy for the yacht 15 years or older with the best performance of the week: Chinook
John Alden Reed Perpetual Trophy for the best performance by a Service Academy Yacht: Hellcat, USMMA
Governors Perpetual Trophy for the foreign yacht with the best performance of the week: Mean Machine
Shelter Island Team Trophy: 1. Mudheads (Showdown, Remedy, Cooch); 2. Storm Trysail Club Red (High Noon, Settler, Titan); 3. Storm Trysail Club Commodores (Lora Ann, Solution, Gold Digger)
It took a little longer than expected, but when it started it was worth waiting for. Reversals of fortune, blown spinnakers, lead changes and tight racing meant that the Fleet Races of Act 5 delivered on their promise of compelling action. When it was all over, Sweden's Victory Challenge stood alone at the top of the leaderboard, on the biggest holiday celebrated in Sweden, Midsummer's Eve.
Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 5 opened on Friday with lighter conditions on a hot, hazy and overcast day in Valencia. The soft breezes initially weren't entirely unwelcome as many sailors expressed trepidation at the prospect of 12 America's Cup Class boats hurtling at the starting line together.
Race Officer Harold Bennett began the start sequence on time, but as the gun fired, he issued a general recall as several boats were over the starting line early. At about the same time, the light seven-knot Southeasterly began to fade, and Bennett fired the postponement signal shortly afterwards. But just over one hour later, the breeze was up, and racing began at 15:40 in a six to eight knot Southeasterly.
Race One
Luna Rossa jumped out to an early and convincing lead with a great start and strong first beat to lead around the top mark by 20-seconds over Emirates Team New Zealand and Alinghi. This trio would remain in control for the rest of the race, and around the second windward mark, the Italians had what appeared to be a secure 42-second lead.
But Kiwi helmsman Dean Barker and tactician Terry Hutchinson worked the angles hard downwind, and Emirates TNZ was able to gybe into a controlling position over Luna Rossa, rolling past the Italian. As the boats switched sides of the course Alinghi came barrelling in towards the finishing line on port. The Kiwis decided to gybe in front of Alinghi and cross behind Luna Rossa, but on a fast angle to the finish. Luna Rossa gybed, to make its final dash for the line, but it was too late, and Barker and his crew raced across ahead. The Italians just squeezed in front of Alinghi.
Victory Challenge sailed a brilliant race in finishing fourth, ahead of BMW ORACLE Racing, while K-Challenge, which had started early, recovered to move up the fleet to seventh position, just behind United Internet Team Germany which also sailed a strong race.
Team Shosholoza finished a race with boats behind it for the first time this season. The South Africans, also premature starters, leapt ahead of three boats on the final run to finish ninth.
Race Two
The second race wasn't as clear cut. +39 skipper Iain Percy grabbed an early lead after initially looking like he might not make it across the pin end of the line. But halfway up the first windward leg, Sweden's Victory Challenge emerged as a strong leader gaining on pressure in the middle of the race course.
The Swedes led the three Italian teams around the top mark, and looked to be extending when their gennaker burst on a gybe. Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia team took advantage, rolling over the black boat of Victory, and +39 did the same. Sweden recovered later in the race to grab back second place. But they could never reel in Mascalzone, who went on to win the race.
The wind was lighter in this second contest and with small oscillations in direction and pressure, it was difficult for the tacticians and strategists to plot a winning line up the course. Small place changes were frequent upwind and finding clean air difficult downwind. It was a day where good starts and positioning on the course were at a premium, and good decisions were rewarded, but fortune played a part as well.
The best examples of the vagaries of the day are Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team and Emirates Team New Zealand. Mascalzone finished last in the first race, but recovered all the way to win the second contest. Emirates TNZ, winner of the first race, struggled all through the second and was barely able to claw back to ninth.
It was a better day for Shosholoza who managed to finish with boats behind them in both races, and for the first time in the 2005 season is off the bottom of the table.
Racing is scheduled to continue on Saturday with two more fleet races beginning at 14:10.
Results
Points Leaderboard Race Results Overall Points
Victory Challenge (4, 2) 20
Luna Rossa Challenge (2, 6) 18
Emirates Team New Zealand (1, 9) 16
Alinghi (3, 7) 16
BMW ORACLE Racing (5, 5) 16
K-Challenge (7, 4) 15
Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team (12, 1) 13
+39 Challenge (10, 3) 13
Desafío Español 2007 (8, 8) 10
United Internet Team Germany (6, 11) 9
Team Shosholoza (9, 10) 7
China Team (11, 12) 3
If the Act 4 match racing regattas was a learning experience for Emirates Team New Zealand, the five fleet races of Act 5 will be a little on the nerve-wracking side.
“Especially the starts,” says Grant Dalton. “Twelve 85ft yachts jostling for position at the start will be a great for the spectators but a nervous time for the crews. A collision before the start or rounding a mark is always a distinct possibility.
“That’s very much top of mind,” Grant Dalton said. “We are running out of boats and I don’t think flying another one to Europe would be an option.
But, Dalton says, the team is looking forward to the fleet races. We really enjoy being part of such a great spectacle.
Does that mean Dean Barker and the crew on NZL 82 won’t be mixing it before the start? “We go out to win and we’ll work for the best possible start – but we won’t go looking for trouble,” Dalton said.
“The team is performing particularly well in Valencia. We have lifted the game in every respect. At Marseille and Valencia last year they had never sailed together as a crew. They were discovering each other they performed beyond expectations. Now they’re a unit and show the benefit of five months of solid testing in Auckland.
Dalton said the team had learned a lot while competing in the Valencia match races. We can now clearly see the gaps and we will work doubly hard to bridge them. Last year we were concentrating on the big picture, Now we have the luxury of being able to look at the detail.
He said none of the races had been easy. I don’t subscribe to the theory that there is a big gap between the top four syndicates and the rest of the fleet. We had very tough races against Spain, Sweden and K Challenge.
The teams further down the rankings have only been going a short time.so there’s no surprises there. Give them time. We were weak this time last year,
Dalton said Valencia is shaping as a good venue for the cup. The facilities are coming on stream, bases are being built and the breeze arrives on schedule every day.
Racing Act 4 to Alinghi. Round Block Island. AC perspective. Laser NA's
News Geronimo tackles Australia. '08 venue
Great LakesMedivac. Locks pier problems
They say that going around "the Block" is never the same experience twice. Today's experience for over 1000 sailors on 190 boats at the Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex was nothing short of remarkable. A solid seabreeze built from 10-12 knots at the start to a high end of 20 at the finish, and sunny, clear skies allowed the competitors a fabulous view of the island's bluffs and beaches and, conversely for the islanders watching from ashore, an even more fabulous view of the colorful fleet.
"You couldn't have asked for a better brochure day," said the event's Chairman John Fisher. The 19- mile course was counterclockwise around the island and became a true test of navigation and wits as the boats crowded each other near the shore and around 12 government marks that kept them safe from natural obstructions. At the race's half-way point, the fleet was flying its spinnakers, speeding along past the Southeast Lighthouse, when Tom Hill's (San Juan, PR) Titan XII, the largest boat in the fleet at 75 feet, seemingly turned on a motor and gave new meaning to the word "horizon job." The yacht, which had started last with the other IRC Super Zero class entrants, powered through the fleet at 18 knots, threw in a showy jibe and made its way to windward to avoid barelling down on any smaller boats. By the time the rest of the fleet rounded the Block Island North Reef and made its way back upwind to the finish, Titan XII had long been finished. "I wish I had been off the boat," said Titan's captain Scott Bradford, "so I could have seen us!"
For its performance today, Titan won the Island Sailing Club of Cowes Perpetual Trophy. It has been awarded since Race Week's inception in 1965 and commemorates the link to Cowes Week in the UK, which Block Island Race Week was originally fashioned after. This year, the trophy, along with a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner timepiece, was awarded to the best overall IRC-rated boat in the Around the Island Race.
Another great show was in the J/109 fleet, which is sailing its East Coast Championship with 16 boats in the class. Eventual class winner Phoebe's Phling (Charlie Milligan, Newport, R.I.) rounded in first at the first mark of the course, having stayed into shore and out of the current, but the increasing breeze helped out the laggards from behind, and Phling lost its prime position. By the 1BI mark (at the tip of the Block Island North Reef), there were five boats from our class ahead of us," said crewman Billy Burke of Newport, R.I. "But the others went directly into the beach and we legged out a bit with a tack and then went to the beach. We climbed over the whole lot of them." Burke commented that while going downwind in the brisk breezes there could have been carnage on their boat, but they averted disaster. "It was tough. We got caught a couple of times and layed the boat over." Classmate Warrior (Tom Burrows, Brewster, MA) ripped its spinnaker when Electra (Craig Crossley, Warwick, R.I.) relentlessly forced her beyond her limit to windward. Incommunicado (Ed Treacy/William Polk, Severna Park, Maryland), in PHRF class 3, lost its mast.
In the Beneteau 36.7 class, M&M's (Mark and Mara Ploch, New York, N.Y.) added another bullet to its scoreline today, as did Big Time (Michael Rajacich, Easton, Md.) in PHRF class 5 for a perfect record of four victories each.
"We had a fantastic day," said Tom Castiglione, main trimmer and tactician aboard Avalanche (Craig Albrecht, Sea Cliff, N.Y.), which after posting a second in today's race is leading the Farr 395 fleet. "The rounding at 1BI was a scene!," said Castiglione. "We were power reaching through a lot of boats. Our fleet stayed pretty tight around the island. Because of light air two years ago, we didn't sail the Around the Island Race and I really missed it. Windward/leeward courses are great, but this is a nice change. Winds, shore effect and current make it challenging. There's a lot to talk about under the tent tonight."
The fleet will return to around-the-buoys racing tomorrow and conclude the event on Friday.
Compliments of Rolex, daily video shows of the racing, produced by Annapolis-based T2Productions, are broadcast on-line each night by 9 p.m. on www.t2p.tv. The videos also are shown each day under the "Big Top" tent where all of Race Week's sponsors have a presence. Sponsors are B&G, Gill, Hall Spars, Heineken, J Boats, Jeep, Lewmar, Mt. Gay Rum, 1bigthink, Power Water, the Rhode Island State Yachting Committee, Sailing World, Samson Ropes, UKHalsey Sailmakers, Vineyard Vines, West Marine and Yellow Tail wine.
To follow the racing, go to www.blockislandraceweek.com.
Results Day 2
RED 1-IRC SUPER ZERO
1. Titan, Rp75 (1-2-1-1), 5 pts;
2. Numbers, Farr 60 (4-1-2-2), 9;
3. Hissar, Farr 60 (2-3-5-3), 13;
RED 2 - IRC ZERO
1. High Noon, Ilc 40 (2-1-2-1), 6 pts;
2. Bandit, Swan 45 (1-2-4-5), 12;
3. Better Than, Swan 45 (4-4-1-3), 12;
RED 3 FARR 40
1. Warpath, Farr 40 (1-3-2-2), 8 pts;
2. Groovederci, Farr40 (2-4-3-4), 13;
3. Mean Machine, Farr 40 (7-6-1-1), 15;
RED 4 - IRC ONE
1. Rum Funny, J133 (2-2-1-1), 6 pts;
2. Chris Dragon, J130 (4-1-5-4), 14;
3. Settler, Ctm42 (3-3-6-3), 15;
RED 5 - IRC TWO
1. Lora Ann, Exp 37 (2-1-5-1), 9 pts;
2. Troubador, Express 37 (1-5-3-2), 11;
3. Schock Therapy, Schock 35 (3-3-4-4), 14.5;
WHITE 1 - FARR 395
1. Farr 395 (3-3-1-2), 9 pts;
2. Tsunami, Farr 395 (2-1-6-1), 10;
3. Coyote, Farr 395 (1-5-4-3), 13;
WHITE 2 - J/44
1. Gold Digger, J44 (2-2-2-3), 9 pts;
2. Challenge Iv, J44 (1-1-3-6), 11;
3. Maxine, J44 (4-6-1-8), 19;
WHITE 3 - BEN 40.7
1. Dame Blanche, Ben 40.7 (1-3-4-1), 9 pts;
2. Down Time, Ben 40.7 (3-1-3-2), 9;
3. Shadowfax, Ben 40.7 (4-7-1-4), 16;
WHITE 4 - J120
1. Ricochet, J120 (1-3-1-7), 12 pts;
2. Sarah Beth, J120 (3-2-4-3), 12;
3. Euro Trash Girl, J120 (2-4-3-5), 14;
WHITE 6 - J105
1. Pretty Sketchy, J105 (2-4-1-3), 10 pts;
2. Indefatigable, J105 (1-5-7-2), 15;
3. Eclipse, J105 (10-1-3-4), 18;
WHITE 5 - J109
1. Gut Feeling, J109 (1-2-2-7), 12 pts;
2. Electra, J109 (2-1-4-6), 13;
3. Storm, J109 (3-6-7-2), 18;
BLUE 1 - BEN 36.7
1. M&m's, Ben36.7 (1-1-1-1), 4 pts;
2. Quokka, Ben36.7 (3-3-2-2), 10;
3. Jubilee, Ben 36.7 (2-2-3-3), 10;
BLUE 2 - PHRF 87-108
1. Remedy, Evelyn 32 (2-1-1-2), 6 pts;
2. Xlr8, Carrera280 (1-2-10-1), 14;
3. Freightrain, Frers 36 (5-3-3-6), 17;
BLUE 3 -PHRF 111-123
1. Cooch, J29 (2-1-1-3), 7 pts;
2. Exhilaration, X332 (1-3-3-1), 8.5;
3. Showdown, J29 (4-2-2-2), 10;
BLUE 4 -PHRF 129-135
1. Chinook, J30 (1-1-1-7), 10 pts;
2. Lunatic Fringe, Ls 10 (7-2-3-1), 13;
3. Pirate, Abbott 33 (3-3-5-3), 14;
BLUE 5 -PHRF 156-171
1. Big Time, Cal 33 (1-1-1-1), 4 pts;
2. Hocus Pocus, J24 (2-4-3-3), 12;
3. Mad Cow, J24 (4-3-5-2), 14;
GRN 1 - PHRF NON-SPI
1. Xenophon, Swan 44 (3-1), 4 pts;
2. Rogue, Taylor 38 (2-2), 4;
3. Rascal, J34c (1-4), 5;
Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City medevaced an 18-year-old female who was suffering from abdominal pains and vomitting from Beaver Island around 4:00 p.m. today.
She received injuries from a fall last night. The rescue helicopter transported her to Charlevoix Medical Center.
Valencia, SPAIN -- BMW ORACLE Racing engaged in a classic match race
battle with Emirates Team New Zealand on the final day of the Louis Vuitton Act 4 regatta in Valencia, attacking their opposition all the way around the track, upwind and down.
The early advantage went to NZL-82 as the New Zealand team took the left hand side of the course and capitalized on a windshift in their favour.USA-76 poured on the pressure and made gains on every leg, but NZL-82 crossed the line with a 17-second lead.
There will be a two-day interval before the Louis Vuitton Act 5 regatta begins on Friday. This comprises a schedule of five fleet races, finishing on Sunday.
USA-76 vs NZL-82, Race Summary - At the start, the two yachts left the line on split tacks, with USA-76 heading towards the right hand side of the course and NZL-82 going left. The left side paid off and Emirates Team New Zealand moved into an early advantage.
Keeping a close cover, NZL-82 protected its lead and, with the wind
continuing to swing to the left, had a 32 second advantage around the first windward mark.
USA-76 kept up the pressure and made gains on every leg of the race: 31 seconds at the leeward mark and then reducing by increasing amounts. On the second windward leg, the USA-76 crew poured on the pressure, initiating tack after tack.
In the early stage of the duel, the tacks were at about 40 second
intervals, but the BMW ORACLE Racing crew increased the tempo until they were throwing tacks about every 20 seconds.
The time split at the second windward mark rounding was 23 seconds and, after another sustained gibing attack from USA-76, the difference at the finish was down to 17 seconds.
The result of this concluding race put USA-76 into 3rd place for Act 4, with Alinghi 1st and Emirates Team New Zealand 2nd.
Quotes
John Kostecki, BMW ORACLE Racing skipper/tactician: "We got the start we wanted, but unfortunately the wind went left about 7 degrees on the first windward leg. That gave Emirates Team New Zealand a pretty strong advantage and we were never really able to recover from that.
"We never gave up trying. We pushed them hard and it was satisfying that we made gains on every leg. We did 30 tacks on the second windward leg. The crew did a great job. They were awesome, really focused.
"We saw that we were making gains and we did everything we could to get in front, but unfortunately we ran out of race course.
"In terms of boatspeed it was hard to tell. There was certainly not much in it."
Looking ahead: "We are looking forward to Act 5. We have always had a lot of fun with the fleet races. It is going to be pretty exciting to have 12 of these yachts all on the startline together."
Hello Friends
I am writing to provide the wrap-up of the Bermuda 1/2 second leg along with some thoughts on the race overall and upcoming events. As my previous reports indicated, this was a very strange race for us as we were either traveling at very high speeds or we were going nowhere at all. After the start @1100 hours on Thursday June 16th, we completed the first 330 miles of the 630-mile race to the middle of the Gulf Stream in about 24 hours, over a 13-knot average.
After getting becalmed mid- day Friday and floating eastward in the current, we finally got out of the Gulf Stream on Friday night. However, we ended up becalmed again in the middle of a warm eddy for all day Saturday and into Sunday morning. We progressed less than 80 miles during this 42-hour period for a 1.9-knot average for this segment of the race.
We finally picked up a strong North East breeze Sunday morning that drove us the last 220 miles to the finish line in about 18 hours, for a 12-knot average for the finishing segment. So, 13 knots for 24 hours, 1.9 knots for 42 hours, then 12 knots for 18 hours... pretty bizarre.
My take-aways from the race are as follows:
1. I had surgery on my right knee only 2.5 months prior to the start of the race that normally requires 9 to 12 months for full recovery, sometimes longer. I was unsure of how fully my knee had recovered. With the help of a good knee brace, I was able to get around and managed not to re-injure the knee, which was my big concern after a lot of rehab!
2. I have to remind myself that before the race we had only sailed for two days due to delays in installing our new daggerboards and keel hydraulics, so some mechanical problems were expected. We only experienced a few gear-related problems, and none were major, so that was very positive.
3. Sometimes in an ocean sailing race the wind deserts you, and there is really not much you can do about it. I learned this lesson well in last summer's Transat race, when I was becalmed three times for varying lengths of time. In that race, I really became upset while going nowhere and wasted a lot of energy on second-guessing and angst. In this race, I used the down time more productively and was able to keep my head screwed on straight, which was much more productive. Progress.
4. Artforms is a first-generation, fast boat and Kip Stone is sailing the boat very skillfully. Kip has taken a very thoughtful approach to preparing his boat and himself, utilizing top sailors as coaches and dedicating significant time on the water to improving the boats overall performance. My boat is seven years old and has been around the world twice. Due to work and family commitments, I have not been able to spend as much time on the water and feel that I have plenty of room for improvement in my own performance. Nailing down a Title Sponsor would help the time/money matters immeasurably! However, the good news is that the initial 300-mile drag race from Bermuda to the Gulf Stream showed the two boats had very comparable speed in these conditions, which confirms Gryphon Solo's competitiveness.
5. Kip was joined on the return leg by Merf Owen, the boat's designer and a leading thinker on Open Class boats. Calling Merf a "ringer" for this race would not be inaccurate. I still don't know how Artforms escaped the Gulf Stream when the wind shut down, as they were not very far away from us. Kip attributed this Houdini-like escape to Merf. I will be sailing my boat from Newport to Marblehead in about a week in preparation for the start of the Marblehead to Halifax Race on July 10th, and Merf will be joining me. I hope that if I ply him with a little Cabernet, I may to get the full story at that time.
Overall, I think this race was a good start to the 2005-racing season and I am coming out of it with very positive vibes. Although the final results are not in, my math indicates the aggregated times for both legs of the race will show Gryphon Solo in 2nd place in Class 5, and in 4th place in the overall fleet of 31 boats. Not so bad, given the trauma of Leg 2.
As this was my third time participating in the Bermuda 1/2, it was great to renew some old friendships and make some new ones. The race also reminded me of sailing with my father, Woody Harris, who did the return leg with me in 1997, and passed away last August. His birthday was June 18th, so I held my own personal memorial service for him while at sea on the return leg. He will always be in my thoughts and in my heart when I am offshore.
My ultimate campaign goal remains victory in the 5-Oceans Race in 2006-2007. Each of these races is an opportunity to learn and improve before the biggest test. We will have another opportunity to rev up the big red boat on the Halifax race starting July 10th, which is only 19 days away. The boat will be in Marblehead for the week prior to the race and hopefully we can arrange a time to get into the dock at the Boston Yacht Club for people to come aboard- more on that to follow. I can't wait to get back out there.
Keep Well-
Joe
It was the Italian Swan 601's first competitive outing but Cuor di Leone was the stand-out performer among the big boats on day one of the Rolex Swan European Regatta. Meanwhile in the smaller boats of Group B, it was the oldest Swan, helmed by the oldest owner, that won their first race of the day, a stunning performance by Jem Tetley's vintage Swan 36 Carte Blanche.
In the big boat division, owner/driver Leonardo Ferragamo made two good starts from the Royal Yacht Squadron start line off the Cowes seafront, and helmed the brand new 60-footer into contention with Stay Calm, Stuart Robinson's impeccably crewed Swan 70. These two yachts have former Olympic and America's Cup team mates calling the tactics, Andy Beadsworth aboard Cuor di Leone and Adrian Stead on Stay Calm. Both are familiar with the vagaries of the Solent, and local knowledge is never more useful here than when the wind is light and the tide is strong. Calling laylines, particularly downwind, was extremely difficult but the crew work on these two boats enabled them to steal a march on the three other Swan 601s and the Swan 56 Zingala.
However, all of Cuor di Leone's hard work appeared to unravel on the final run when she wrapped her gennaker around the forestay in a poorly executed gybe. Her sisterships closed her down and it looked as though the Swedish yacht Artemis would sneak past her rivals by opting to run down the shore past Gurnard. But the Italian boat recovered well from her mishap and reached across the Solent from the far side to claim the lead, even getting back in front of the Swan 70.
These two then engaged in a gybing duel all the way back down to the Squadron finish line at Cowes. By the minute, the wind was getting lighter and the adverse current stronger, and the leading bunch seemed to be taking two steps forward and one step back in the difficult conditions. In the end Cuor di Leone stretched away from Stay Calm, as the sluicing tide continued to exaggerate any gaps between the yachts. Despite being just a couple of hundred metres behind the Italian Swan 601, it took Artemis another 15 minutes before she could claim third across the line, winning a close battle against Spirit of Jethou and Island Fling.
Soon after the first gaggle of big boats had finished, the wind filled in again and brought the rest of Group A running down in much faster conditions. This relegated the Swan 601s to the bottom of the pile on corrected time, except for Cuor di Leone which notched up a very useful second place. The only boat to beat her on handicap was Stephen James's Swan 48 Jacobite, well known for her speed in these tricky waters.
If the strong tide was causing problems for Group A, it was wreaking havoc among the smaller boats of Group B. At one leeward mark known as Ocean Safety, the fleet bunched up on itself as crews realised that the only way to beat the tide was to continue flying spinnakers well past the mark. Some yachts misjudged it and hit the mark, but those that got around cleanly were off and away up the final leg, the tide now working as their friend as it conveyor-belted them to the finish. First round the tidal gate of Ocean Safety was Menenes, and the Swan 441 was rewarded with 2nd on corrected time.
However, most astonishing performance of all was that of Carte Blanche, the 1968-built Swan 36 which has been owned by Jem and Mor Tetley since 1970. Jem Tetley says the only reason he bought the boat all those years ago was because his wife Mor admired the ingenuity of the bread board so much. "We love crispy French bread, but the crumbs get everywhere in a boat," explained Jem Tetley, "so my wife had to have this boat." They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but perhaps you can judge a boat by its bread board, if today's victory is anything to go by.
The wind had picked up nicely for the start of Group A and B's second races, and later gusted up to 17 knots. That, combined with a beautifully sunny day, made for a perfect day's sailing on the Solent. However, some teams must have been enjoying their lunch a little too much, as a number of boats were minutes late for their starts, notably Group A's race one winner Jacobite. Among the Swan 601s, Artemis was late starting while Spirit of Jethou was early - forcing her to return to restart. This opened the way for Cuor di Leone to race out into another lead, challenged only by the Swan 70 Stay Calm.
The Italian boat's local tactician, Andy Beadsworth, was delighted to have taken line honours in both races. "It has been a good day for us," said the America's Cup helmsman. "The boat is working out well and the team is coming together. And tactically we haven't made any blunders. It was fun racing around with Stay Calm. There are a lot of old friends between the two boats, and there is a bit of banter running between us, and a lot of grinning faces."
Tactician on Menenes, Olympic sailor Pete Newlands, was similarly pleased with the team's performance on the Swan 441. "Getting through the tidal gate at Ocean Safety was crucial today, and our team work was what got us round. Andy [Cassell, the helmsman] said it was holding out the genoa to catch that extra bit of wind that made the difference. It was that close."
However, topping the leaderboard of Group A after two races is Libby Deegan's Swan 46 Mk II Akarana, with Olympic bronze medallist Jo Richards providing tactical input. Despite her late start, Jacobite holds second spot ahead of Swan 48 Elan and Cuor di Leone. In Group B, series leader after two races is Richard Balding's Swan 41 Philippides, ahead of Swan 47 Sleeper and Swan 44 Selene.
While Groups A and B were racing in the western Solent, the fleet of 11 Swan 45s were battling away on a windward/leeward course near Hill Head on the mainland side of the Solent. With three races completed, the day belonged to Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (WISC), Glynn Williams' team showing a great ability to gain places as well as maintain a lead. Nigel Bramwell made a great start to his Swan 45 career, helming Hawk into a lead in the first race, although he nearly lost it to WISC in the closing seconds of the final run to the finish. Hawk just held off WISC for the win. In the next heat, Keith Miller sailed Crackerjack out to a comfortable lead and won by 40 seconds, but again it was WISC that claimed 2nd place, ahead of Hawk. The wind built to 10 knots for the final race and Pieter Brinkman's McFly was the early leader, but this time was caught by WISC who finally got the victory that they had been threatening in the previous heats.
Williams commented: "We sailed really well and the boat's performing well. In the second race, we had a poor start and had to really dig ourselves out from the middle of the fleet. We were in the right place for the wind and the tide, and were first to the first mark despite our bad start." WISC is looking like a tough act to beat in these early stages of the regatta.
Tomorrow's long race scheduled for Classes A and B has been postponed. The warning signal for these classes is now scheduled to 1020 hrs.
The Rolex Swan European Regatta takes place in Cowes from 19-25 June 2005. There are 27 different Swan models competing at the regatta, which is hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron.
PROVISIONAL OVERALL RESULTS AFTER TWO RACES (NO DISCARD)
Class A
1. Akarana - Swan 46 MkII - Libby Deegan - 3,1 - 4 points
2. Elan - Swan 48 - Harald Baum - 6,2 - 8 points
3. Jacobite - Swan 48 - Stephen James - 1,7 - 8 points
Class B
1. Philippides II - Swan 41 - Richard Balding - 4,4 - 8 points
2. Sleeper - Swan 47 - Jonty Layfield - 9,2 - 11 points
3. Selene - Swan 44 - Mark Jephcott - 3,10 - 13 points
PROVISIONAL OVERALL RESULTS AFTER THREE RACES (NO DISCARD)
Swan 45 European Championships
1. WISC - Glynn Williams - 2,2,1 - 5 points
2. Hawk - Nigel Bramwell - 1,3,6 - 10 points
3. Nemo - Bernard Lambilliotee - 3,6,3 - 12 points
US SAILING recently awarded its Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal to the crew of Balder for their quick response to rescue a fellow crew member. The rescue took place during the McAllister Creek Regatta in January 2004, hosted by the South Sound Sailing Society in Olympia, Wash., in Puget Sound.
During the regatta, as the Ericson 38-200 Balder skippered by John DeMeyer was getting ready to jibe, crew-member Tom Droescher was hit by the boat's boom when changing directions, flinging him into the icy waters of the Puget Sound and leaving him unconscious. He was not wearing a personal floating device (PFD). Luckily, the layers of his clothing trapped air and held him afloat, temporarily giving his fellow crew members time to react.
The crew on Balder responded quickly and turned the boat to pick up the victim. When the boat came within rescuing distance, Droescher regained consciousness and was able to respond to commands from the crew. After spending up to four minutes in the icy water, he was pulled to safety and the crew assessed his injuries, which included bad bruising to the side of the neck, jaw, and over one eye.
The rescuing crew-members on Balder, which included John DeMeyer, Lynn Price, Dwight Young, Dan Briscoe, Joanne DeMeyer, and Steve Klockow, were recognized with US SAILING's Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal for rescuing their fellow sailor, removing him from the hypothermic waters, and attending to his injuries. The sailors received the medal on June 14, 2005, at the South Sound Sailing Society Annual Meeting at Olympia Yacht Club. The medal was presented by Bruce Campbell, a member of US SAILING's Offshore Committee and past member of US SAILING's Safety at Sea Committee.
Torresen Marine's Annaul Summer Sailing Demo day will be Saturday, June 25th 10 am to 2 pm
Sunfish and Precision sailboats will be available for demo sails. Experienced sailors will be available to assist you.
Call Torresen Marine at 231 759 8596 to schedule a sail.
A good end to the first Valencia regatta today with a 17-second win for Emirates Team New Zealand over fancied BMW Oracle.
The win in the last race - and 10 wins out of 11 starts over the regatta - gives the team second place overall behind Alinghi.
BMW Oracle is third overall and Luna Rossa fourth.
The match today was in many ways a mirror image of yesterday’s disappointing match with Alinghi, but with a result favouring ETNZ.
NZL 82 had a good start, got a good shift off the line and then controlled the race to the end. NZL 82’s lead fluctuated from about two boat lengths to six as BMW Oracle attacked and attacked but could not break through.
Grant Dalton said the team sailed well today: “They did a great job in the pre-start and we exercised control from the start. Once we were clearly in the lead there was no way we were going to let it go. On the second beat they threw tack after tack at us.
“We felt comfortable when we were six boat lengths ahead ahead of them and nervous on the last downwind leg when they closed in to two boat lengths.
“The crew worked really hard to give us this win. The grinders will be tired big boys tonight. They deserve their day off tomorrow.”
NZL 82 got the start the crew wanted – to the left of the line. The yachts separated and then NZL 82 got into a line of breeze and quickly started opening a gap, slowly at first, metre by precious metre and then as they got a little shift, more rapidly.
NZL 82 tacked to cover USA 76 and went to the right of the course, extending the lead to almost 175 metres before the US yacht started to claw back some distance.
But NZL 82 was able to hold them off and approached the mark with an advantage of about 125 metres which translated into 32 seconds on the stopwatch.
NZL 82 was never troubled on the run covering USA 76 and going through the leeward gate to the left 31 sec ahead.
On the beat the American boat threw everything they had at NZL 82. Tack followed tack as they tried to break through. NZL 82 matched them tack for tack – there were 31 of them-on the 2.2 mile leg – and held on with a comfortable four boat length lead for the leg, rounding 23 seconds ahead.
BMW Oracle closed the gap on the second run but could not catch the Kiwis and NZL 82 was 17 seconds in front as they crossed the line.
The team has a day off tomorrow and maintenance on Thursday before starting the fleet races on Friday.
Quotes from today:
Dean Barker:
On today’s race:
It was really good to bounce back like that. It was good that the guys were so confident after yesterday’s loss. They sailed a good, solid race. I could not have asked for more.
I think we sailed better as the regatta progressed after missing a couple of months sailing the big boats as NZL 82 was shipped to Europe and we set up the base here.
We had a comfortable advantage right through the race and we were not forced to make quick decisions.
Tactician Terry Hutchinson
On today’s race:
We did a much better job today…. Dean nailed the start and then we waited for the puff. We were in no real hurry. Once we crossed to the right we knew we were going to win.
It was no different than the race yesterday against Alinghi, but with a different outcome. We sailed well today and it is good to see the boys bounce back from a loss.
We can expect a few losses in the Louis Vuitton series in 2007 so it will be important to be able to get right back into it
On the regatta outcome:
It’s hard to feel ecstatic about finishing second. But the worst thing we could do right now is beat ourselves up for losing one race.
The Swiss team charged home to another superb victory, making it a clean sweep for Act 4. Alinghi decisively beat Luna Rossa by 11 boat lengths during the last match of the event, a lead, which according to general manager Grant Simmer: “was a bit surprising considering how strong the Italian team is, and a great credit to the boys on Alinghi!”
This is the first time Alinghi has raced SUI75 and, the boat has proven to be a machine, helmsman Peter Holmberg comments: “The successes prove that our testing is good, it was a very smart decision of ours. We gave it a lot of thought. We have tested the two boats, we have modified them both and for many reasons, we decided SUI75 was the better machine to take into the competition”.
After racing, Alinghi attended the prize giving ceremony, before returning to the base to celebrate with the team and families that make up a 300-strong community!
With champagne flying at the Alinghi base, we asked Matt Mitchell mast/mid bowman how victory tastes?
“It’s been a great day, a great week – an excellent week actually – very enjoyable. It’s been a good 6 days, the boat has been going well and we’ve had some pretty awesome support from this bunch of guys [the Alinghi team and supporters] – it’s been a good week all round. To be honest, it doesn’t get much better than this, this is why we play this game for a living”.
Partytime this evening?
“Oh yeah, for sure, we’re into it!”
Alinghi, the Defender of the 32nd America's Cup continued its winning ways, sweeping through the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 4, earning a perfect record and the top of the table. The Swiss team appeared to have the regatta won on Monday night, pending the result of a request for redress by Luna Rossa. This morning, the Jury ruled no redress would be given, meaning Alinghi had won the event before its race today.
That didn't slow Ernesto Bertarelli's team however, as Alinghi raced to victory on the water over Luna Rossa, completing the sweep. Close, intense matches further down the leaderboard determined other places, including Emirates Team New Zealand, who finished clear second with a win over BMW ORACLE Racing. Sweden's Victory Challenge also sailed well, squeaking past Desafío Español 2007 for fifth place.
There were good conditions for racing again on Tuesday, with a moderate Southeast seabreeze from eight to 12 knots. Racing was postponed briefly on the Southern (Juliet) race course after a wind shift in the first start. The course was re-aligned and racing started shortly afterwards.
Flight 11
The top four teams on the leaderboard were racing each other on the North course and the Swiss team, Alinghi, showed again how strong it is. Helmsman Peter Holmberg split on his start against Luna Rossa and sailed with better speed and angle to an early advantage. The Swiss covered the rest of the way, dispatching a strong opponent in a straightforward manner.
The action was closer between Emirates Team New Zealand and BMW ORACLE Racing who were racing for second position. With the Kiwis getting an early lead on the left side of the race course, American skipper John Kostecki attacked ferociously on the last lap of the course, initiating an intense tacking duel that appeared to draw him closer, and following that up with a number of gybes on the downwind leg. New Zealand skipper Dean Barker held firm however, his Kiwis repelling each attack, and Emirates claimed second place.
K-Challenge sailed well against Team Shosholoza, who failed to earn a point in the regatta, while Iain Percy also converted an early advantage over United Internet Team Germany into a win.
Swedes best the Spanish
The South course did feature two close contests. Local favourites Desafío Español were able to force a penalty onto Sweden's Victory Challenge in the pre-start when Magnus Holmberg gybed too close to the Spanish boat. But Holmberg started well, building an early advantage. When Desafío Español allowed Sweden to split on the second beat, Holmberg stretched to a big enough lead that he was able to squeeze in his penalty turn at the finish line, just crossing the line ahead of the charging Spaniards. The win vaulted Sweden into a tie on points, and by virtue of the win, they are favoured in the tie-break over Desafío Español.
Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team won an action-packed match against China Team. The boats were close up the first leg, and China made a slick pass at the windward mark, luffing both boats head to wind before breaking off for the mark with a good lead. But Italian skipper Vasco Vascotto closed the gap on the second beat and rolled over the Chinese boat on the run, easing into the lead ahead of the finish line.
The standings feature a three way tie for seventh place on points. K-Challenge wins the tie-break because it had a win against a stronger team than any of the others, having beaten Victory Challenge. Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia team is then favoured over +39, having won their match.
Following the races, Alinghi was presented with a Mariscal designed trophy in a public ceremony at the America's Cup Park, a fitting reward for its masterful performance over the past six days.
With the completion of racing, tomorrow's reserve day becomes an off day, and racing will resume on Friday, following Thursday's scheduled off day. Racing will continue with the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 5, a three-day Fleet Racing regatta. Two starts are scheduled on Friday and Saturday, with race to complete the regatta on Sunday.
Alinghi 11
Emirates Team New Zealand 10
BMW ORACLE Racing 9
Luna Rossa Challenge 8
Victory Challenge 6
Desafío Español 2007 6
K-Challenge 4
Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team 4
+39 Challenge 4
United Internet Team Germany 3
China Team 1
Team Shosholoza 0
Recently solo sailor Steven Willingham who was the subject of a 3 day search found out via Maine Public Radio that he was the subject of a search. Willingham was sailing a 25 footer from Boston to Maine. Now that all is well with this situation we can cast back into history and imagine other mariners and their situations...
If there had been radio in 1492 Christopher Columbus would have heard Crossfire like broadcasts... 'The earth is flat, the earth is round, China's this way no China's that way.
Admiral Nelson might have had little peace after his big victory at Trafalgar. Tomorrow on the Springer show...'Admiral Nelson the one armed, one eyed Admiral who beat the combined French and Spanish fleets! And is it true that while lacking a limb he doesn't lack popularity among the ladies'
Ferdinand Magellan would certainly have issued a press release on 1 November 1520...'today Ferdiand Magellan sailed the 110 ton Trinidad with a crew of 55 around the tip of South America through All Saints Channel. Magellan and his fleet plan to continue. Media reports will likely compare Magellan to Alexander the Great, Columbus et al.!'
In 1778 John Paul Jones' raids of England and Scotland would have been breathlessly reported 'Widely scattered reports from coastal residents and mariners report that an unsound in the head yank John Paul Jones is raiding the motherland! Reports from Whitehaven indicate that their maybe a split in Jones' rebel crew. A large part of it was seen at a tavern rather than the fort!'
If James Cook could have sat comm he would have been able to send this dispatch on 17 January 1773, 'Today we reached 71° 10 south latitude. We did not sight Tera Australius. Therefore we are heading to Tahiti for resupply.'
Of course this is all the rankest speculation, but that's fun some time isn't it?
Racing Alinghi clinches. BIRW.
News Gypsy Moth Splashes. Big If.
Great Lakes South Haven Tall Ship
Alinghi remains undefeated at the top of the leader board coming into the last day of racing for Act 4, claiming 10 wins from ten races.
Alinghi Vs Emirates Team New Zealand
Alinghi came home from the southern course victorious again – the Defender fought hard on the start line, dominating Emirates Team New Zealand they bagged the race shortly after the pre-start. Alinghi extended their lead to a convincing seven boat lengths for the rest of the race to beat the kiwi team by 36 seconds over the line.
Alinghi Vs K-Challenge
Later for match 6 of flight 10, Alinghi met the French team K-Challenge, fought them off and sailed away from them to lead over the finish line by an even more convincing 1.22 minutes.
Quotes from the winning boat, SUI75
Dean Phipps, Alinghi runner/pit comments on the day’s victory against ETNZ: “It’s been sweet, we’ve only just realized what we have won – on the way in we saw BMW beat Luna Rossa and realized that we can relax a little bit. But you know, the goal is to win races and that’s what we intend to do, that’s what we came here for, so we’re going to go ahead tomorrow and win. To come away with a full set of wins would be a nice one for us!”
A beer tonight?
“We’ll definitely have a few beers tonight – but the big picture is still to do well and improve our team, we’re still a little bit rusty around some of the corners, we’ve got a lot to work on, so we’ll take the positive things out of this and we’ll also take a look at the negatives and the crew work that came through this week and try to improve on that so we’ll keep knocking away at all the little bits we need to improve on.”
The competition?
“The boats are all in different modes some with long bulbs, some with short ones, ETNZ have dropped the hula, chopped the bow off and raised the stern, so we are also evaluating their performance compared to what we know about them from the last Cup – it’s just a big learning curve for all of us at the moment. We’re happy with the boat and we’re going to keep vamping it up, because boat speed wins the America’s Cup and that’s what we’re trying to do!”
Alinghi is going to throw a spontaneous party tomorrow night to celebrate many wins during Act 4 – this will bring together the entire Alinghi family, a community of nearly 300 people – so if you hear music to rival the rhythms of the Shosholoza base – you’ll know what’s going on!
The Tornados are coming! North Shore City has been confirmed as the venue for the 2008 Tornado World Championships. The Olympic Class regatta is the first of its calibre to be hosted by New Zealand since 1984, and is the first Olympic qualifying regatta in our country, ever.
The New Zealand International Tornado Association together with the North Shore City and Yachting New Zealand took the bid to the International Class association at the recent World Champs in La Rochelle, France. North Shore City had great support from the Tornado sailors and was a unanimous decision over Melbourne.
Prominent kiwi Tornado sailor and class president in New Zealand, Aaron McIntosh presented the proposal together with Paul Dunphy, Events, City Promotions and Tourism Manager at North Shore City Council and the support of Yachting New Zealand. McIntosh was delighted with the announcement.
“I had some thoughts about trying to attract the 2006 Worlds and when I heard that had been decided I thought, why not go for the big one in 2008? I did a poll around the sailors and they all want to come here, the European guys want to come down. I see it as a summer down-under for them and would like to see the sailors and their families here not just for the World Champs but for a few months of training and fun events as well,” says McIntosh. “It works for me too; I can train here on my doorstep with the world’s best – right before the Olympics.”
The World Championships regatta is likely to take place in the second half of February in 2008 and will last for around nine days; however McIntosh’s vision is that the sailors will be in the country for longer. It’s aimed that the World Championship sailing is set against a backdrop of onshore and on-the-water events, training opportunities and festivities which will make up an action packed summer down-under for the Tornado sailing community as well as North Shore residents and visitors.
“I want to see something the public can touch. Where people can wander down and see the boats and see the action from the beach,” says McIntosh.
The two-man Tornado has been an Olympic Class boat since 1976, it was the first Olympic multi-hull and is the fastest and most spectacular. While the 2005 event attracted 68 boats to La Rochelle, France, New Zealand can expect to see a fleet of at least this size for the 2008 event given its timing in relation to the Olympic Games and its status as a qualifying event. Visible Tornado racing on this level off the North Shore’s beaches is an exciting prospect.
”It’s an exciting boat to watch,” said Former Olympic Gold medallist, Rex Sellers yesterday. “It has become a lot more colourful with the introduction of gennakers and the other developments. You could say it is the elite of centre-board sailing.”
“It’s exciting news. Any international event raises the profile. The level of professionalism in the sport and the Tornado is always increasing. Hosting the Worlds allows our sailors to get the competition without the expenditure of travelling. A lot of the guys competing have been the same for a while – they’ve all been to Australia - I think the North Shore, Auckland was an appealing alternative for them.”
New Zealand has had significant success in the Tornado in the eighties when Rex Sellers and Chris Timms medalled in Los Angeles and then again in Seoul. Also prominent in the World Championships top placings in those days the pair won Gold in 1984 and Silver in 1988 at a time when Takapuna Boating Club was a hub for Olympic class sailing in New Zealand.
“New Zealand’s connection with the Tornado has been strong, we’ve produced outstanding results in the past,” says John Clinton, Former Olympic Coach. “Sellers and Timms in ‘84 and ’88. New Zealand played a big part in the development of the class in those days. Takapuna Boating Club hosted the International 14 worlds in February; the nature of the Tornado as an Olympic Class means this will be much bigger.”
This countries top contenders are Aaron McIntosh and Mark Kennedy. McIntosh knows what Olympic success is all about winning Bronze on the Mistral board in Sydney 2000, and has produced a very encouraging result at the 2005 Tornado Worlds which took place in France last week. Sailing together with Argentinean crew Carlos Espinola who was current World Champion, McIntosh took 6th place in the 68 boat fleet. McIntosh was grateful for the opportunity to sail with Espinola who like him has moved from boardsailing to the Tornado.
“Carlos and I have been good friends and competitors for over 10 years. This chance to race together is the not the sort of thing that happens everyday. So when Carlos asked if I would do the Worlds Championships with him, I jumped at the opportunity. We did well in La Rochelle because we worked extremely well together as a team and respect for each other was the basis of this,” says McIntosh.
The North Shore City Council has given significant time and energy into securing a positive outcome to the bid and Events, City Promotions and Tourism Manager Paul Dunphy is very pleased.
“It’s great - the benefits are huge. We were able to analyse the financial benefits that resulted from hosting the International 14 regatta at Takapuna and determined that the economic impact was $1.1M to the local economy. We recognise that these sorts of events are significant and that North Shore City has a long association with sailing as a sport. From our perspective, we want to attract as many of these types of events as we can.”
-Federally-designated as one of the country’s "Last Great Places," Block Island today became the best great place for racing sailors. On a sunny opening day of the Storm Trysail Club’s Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex, over 2000 sailors competed on four racing circles, with all but one of 17 classes completing three races each. The 190-boat fleet is enjoying IRC, PHRF and one-design racing for five days, with around-the-buoy races planned for all days but tomorrow (Tuesday), when an around-the-island race is scheduled. Today’s atypical easterly winds gradually clocked to the south, remaining in the 12-knot range for most of the day and picking up slightly in the late afternoon.
"By our third race, it was blowing 18 before the start, but it knocked back down to 15," said Paul Seamon (Levittown, NY), a crewman aboard Loki, which wound up fifth in PHRF class 4. "We were contemplating a #2 jib but stayed with our #1. There was plenty of wind, but it was very shifty, especially at the leeward mark set near shore. We were happy about the three races, of course. I mean why not, with the day being so nice?"
Three boats had perfect scores today to lead their classes. They were Moon Racer (Kent Comerford, Annapolis, Md.) in the Beneteau 40.7 class, M&M’s, (Mark and Mara Ploch, New York, N.Y.) in the Beneteau 36.7 class, Chinook (Carrie Austin, Ridgewood, NY) in PHRF class 4, and Big Time (Michael Rajacich, Easton, Md.) in PHRF class 5. In PHRF non-spinnaker class, which sailed one longer course around government marks, Rascal (Kel Weber, Wilton, Conn.) won.
In the Farr 40 class, Warpath (Fred and Steve Howe, San Diego, California) leads, while Titan XII (Tom Hill, San Juan, PR) and High Noon (Dennis Collins/Steve Benjamin, New York, N.Y.) lead in their respective IRC Super Zero and Zero classes. Titan won two of her races today with Numbers (Dan Meyers, Boston, Mass.) and Hissar (Edgar Cato, Charlotte, N.C.) falling in line behind her in overall scoring. The two latter boats, along with Rima (John Brim, New York, N.Y.) are Farr 60s, which adds a one-on-one dimension to the racing in this class.
"It’s quite close with all of us," said Hissar’s main trimmer Mike Toppa (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.). "We’re not trying to match race. We’re trying to race the fleet, but when you have three 60-footers, you’re closer, and there’s a lot more tacking on each other. Titan has a nice advantage in that they are usually out in front with clear air.
Block Island Race Week’s best overall performer from 2003, Pretty Sketchy (Thomas Enright, Bristol, R.I.) is in an early lead in his J/105 class, the largest at the regatta with 21 entrants, while Challenge IV (Jeffrey Willis, Huntington Bay, N.Y.) currently leads in J/44 class.
"Our finishes today (1-1-3)," said Willis, "came from making good starts and hitting the right side of the course. Our crew work was unbelievable. Our jibes were spot-on all day. But it’s a long week, and things can really change, and this is a very competitive class—Gold Digger (Jim Bishop, New York, N.Y.) had consistently strong finishes today (2-2-2)."
Tomorrow’s breezes are expected to be stronger, which should set the stage for high-quality racing around the island. The wild card, however, is a strong current that befuddles many. Things get especially interesting on the island's lee side, where the wind spreads out in cats' paws and rocky shallows test the draft and integrity of keels.
Compliments of Rolex, daily video shows of the racing, produced by Annapolis-based T2Productions, are broadcast on-line each night by 9 p.m. on www.t2p.tv. The videos also are shown each day under the "Big Top" tent where all of Race Week’s sponsors have a presence. Sponsors are B&G, Gill, Hall Spars, Heineken, J Boats, Jeep, Lewmar, Mt. Gay Rum, 1bigthink, Power Water, the Rhode Island State Yachting Committee, Sailing World, Samson Ropes, UKHalsey Sailmakers, Vineyard Vines, West Marine and Yellow Tail wine.
To follow the racing, go to www.blockislandraceweek.com
(end)
Results Day 1
Red 1-IRC Super Zero
1. Titan, Hill, 1-2-1, 4
2. Numbers, Meyers, 4-1-2
3. Hissar, Cato, 2-3-5, 10
Red 2-IRC Zero
1. High Noon, Collins/Benjamin, 2-1-2, 5
2. Bandit, Fisher, 1-2-4, 7
3. Better Than, Rojek, 4-4-1, 9
Red 3-Farr 40
1. Warpath, Howe, 1-3-2, 6
2. Groovederci, Demourkas, 2-4-3, 9
3. Le Renard, Phillips, 5-1-4, 10
Red 4-IRC One
1. Rum Funny, Suiter, 5
2. Christopher Dragon, Weiss, 4-1-5, 10
3. Settler, Rich, 3-3-6, 12
Red 5-IRC Two
1. Lora Ann, du Moulin, 2-1-5, 8
2. Troubador, Weintraub, 1-5-3, 9
3. Cabady, Baldwin, 4-7-2, 13
White 1-Farr 395
1. Avalanche, Albrecht, 3-3-1, 7
2. Tsunami, Ostberg/DA, 2-1-6, 9
3. Fearless, Durlach, 5-2-2, 9
White 2-J/44
1. Challenge IV, Willis, 1-1-3, 5
2. Gold Digger, Bishop, 2-2-2, 6
3. Maxine, Ketcham, 4-6-1, 11
White 3-Beneteau 40.7
1. Moon Racer, Comerford, 1-1-1, 3
2. Resolute, Arndt, 5-2-2, 9
3. Down Time, Freiteg, 3-3-4, 10
White 4-J/120
1. Ricochet, Lee, 1-3-1, 5
2. Euro Trash Girl, Weaver, 2-4-3
3. Sarah Beth, Bertekap, 3-2-4, 9
White 5-J/109
1.TBD, O’Dowd, 13-16-16, 45
2. Gut Feeling, Herlily, 1-2-2, 5
3. Electra, Crossley, 2-1-4, 7
White 6-J/105
1. Pretty Sketchy, Enright, 2-4-1, 7
2. Indefatigable, Lotz, 1-5-7, 13
3. Eclipse, Emery, 10-1-3
Blue 1-Beneteau 36.7
1. M&M’s, Ploch, 1-1-1, 3
2. Jublilee, Huge, 2-2-3, 7
3. Quokka, Peelen, 3-3-2, 8
Blue 2-PHRF
1. Remedy, Fries, 2-1-1, 4
2. Freightrain, Hyde, 5-3-3, 11
3. XLR8, Porter, 1-2-10, 13
Blue 3-PHRF
1. Cooch, Maxwell, 2-1-1, 4
2. Exhilaration, Hubbard, 1-3-3, 7.50
3. Showdown, Rasadi, 4-2-2, 8
Blue 4-PHRF
1. Chinook, Austin, 1-1-1, 3
2. Pirate, Baxter, 3-3-5, 11
3. Lunatic Fringe, Lehnert, 7-2-3, 12
Blue 5-PHRF
1. Big Time, Rajacich, 1-1-1, 3
2. Hocus Pocus, Suter, 2-4-3, 9
3. Air Express, Fesenmeyer, 3-5-2, 10
Green 1-PHRF Non-Spinnaker
1. Rascal, Weber, 1, 1
2. Rogue, St. Coeur, 2, 1
3. Xenophon, Pakos, 3, 3
- I wouldn’t change these guys for any sailors in the world, said Knut Frostad after he won the Copenhagen City Race with a clear margin this Monday. Team Academy is the only team in Nokia Oops Cup that, according to Frostad, only has amateurs on board and they are all young Norwegian sailors.
Frostad has focused on building a Norwegian team from the bottom in this year Nokia Oops Cup. While most of the other teams have hired multihull rockstars to top of their teams, Frostad has kept to his fellow countrymen.
As usual he has Espen Guttormsen, his right hand from the last two Whitbread/VOR campaigns on tactics. Eivind Melleby, respected Laser and Melges 24 sailor, has recently joined the team as trimmer, and Frode Bovim, high ranked 49er sailor, is also on the trim, to name some of the crew.
The first race turned out to be a question of who had paid attention at the skippers briefing. HiQ was leading the fleet towards the finishing, trailed by Stena Sovcomflot. When the Russian-Swedish team went round the bottom mark instead of going for the line, Klabbe Nylöf and the HiQ crew turned around and chased after them. Both skippers thought that the course had three rounds, but Knut Frostad and his Team Academy where in no doubt. Instead of ending third, they took the gun while the two other boats sailed the wrong way.
– We where convinced that there only were two rounds so we went for the finish, says Frostad.
In the next three races the Norwegians where the second boat over the line and they finished the racing day just as they begun it: With a win.
Stena Sovcomflot realised their mistake way to late in the first race and ended up last over the line. They fought hard to recover from the loss in the remains of the races, and could return to the dock after five races in second place.
HiQ, with Klas Nylöf on the helm, came third, while the Finish TietoEnator was fourth, Nokia fifth and Bonduelle sixth.
The next race for the six trikmarans in Nokia Oops Cup is the long distance classic Eurocard Gotland Runt which starts June 3rd.
Results Copenhagen City Race: 1) Academy, Norway, Knut Frostad, 1 point, 2) Stena Sovcomflot, Russia/Sweden, Steve Ravussin, 2 p, 3) HiQ, Sweden, Klas Nylöf, 3 p, 4) TietoEnator, Finland, Thomas Johanson, 4 p, 5) Nokia, Sweden, Björn Hansen, 5 p, 6) Bonduelle, Poland, Gotek Zibi, 6 p.
Nokia Oops Cup after 7 of 11 races: 1) Stena Sovcomflot 11 points, 2) Academy 16 p, 3) HiQ 21,5 p, 4) TietoEnator 26,5 p, 5) Nokia 26,5 p, 6) Bonduelle 35,5 p.
Big breeze came to the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts on Monday, and with it more challenges for the crews competing. For some of the newer, smaller teams, the wind strength took them to their limits and beyond. For the bigger teams, the stronger conditions provided useful tests of people and equipment.
The sea breeze built early and strong, peaking near 20-knots on both race courses, easing only towards the end of the second flight of races on the day. All 12 teams made it through the first flight of races (Shosholoza scored as not finishing, but this was due to not completing a penalty obligation, rather than equipment failure), but between flights China Team broke their boom and retired from racing for the day. +39 Challenge also retired at the start of their race, handing an easy point to their rivals Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team.
The Southern race course featured Alinghi against Emirates Team New Zealand, a battle of two unbeaten teams. Alinghi revelled in the strong winds and dispatched the Kiwis without too much trouble. With the victory, Alinghi cements its place at the top of the table. Luna Rossa Challenge faces the Swiss team on Tuesday, but Alinghi has won the regatta; even if it loses to the Italians, it is favoured in all possible tie-break scenarios.
The United Internet Team Germany continues to be a pleasant surprise, earning their third win of the Act over China Team in the opening flight. The Germans sailed for just one week before racing began, but despite the lack of preparation, the team sits equal seventh, ahead of China Team and the South Africans.
Flight Nine
Closest on the North course was the match between the Spanish on Desafío Español 2007 and +39. The start proved troublesome for +39 who were over the line early and were late to dive back to restart. The Italian team, led by British Olympic gold medalist Iain Percy, grafted away and had pulled back to within two boat lengths of the Spanish after three legs. However on rounding the top mark for the second time, the Italian team pulled up their big spinnaker while sailing at too slow a speed causing the spinnaker to explode. While the Italian team sorted out the mess astern of them, Desafío Español was able to hold its lead through the finish, putting them within spitting distance of the 'big four' teams in the overall points.
Racing was also close between China Team and United Internet Team Germany, where the German team had the upper hand for a majority of the race save for the first leeward gate rounding when the Chinese briefly pulled ahead. However Jesper Bank's crew showed better boat handling in the conditions and went on to score their third point.
Meanwhile Victory Challenge earned their fourth point with a straight forward win over Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team. The story was the same in the match for Luna Rossa despite a fighting start by the South African team and for Larry Ellison's BMW ORACLE Racing against K-Challenge, the big teams remaining unshaken .
Flight Ten
The stronger conditions began to take their toll in the second set of matches. China Team retired with a broken boom, allowing Desafío Español a walk-over win. Against Mascalzone Latino-Capitialia, +39 went through the pre-start, but equipment problems forced them to abandon the race without starting.
Victory Challenge was pushed hard all the way by the surging German team, but in the end the Swedes clung to the lead earning a point that leaves them in a fight with the Spanish for fifth place overall. Their match tomorrow will determine this.
On the South race course all eyes were focussed on BMW ORACLE Racing against Luna Rossa. This showed promise early with the Italians fighting hard to stay in touch with the Americans who had won the start. A close mark rounding at the top mark and some good downwind sailing saw Luna Rossa surge ahead, but BMW ORACLE helmsman Gavin Brady recovered the lead just before the leeward gate. Then, disaster struck the Italians who had trouble with their spinnaker drop, the sail streaming behind them in the water. By the time the crew got the mess cleaned up, Brady and his team had sailed off into the distance and on towards victory.
Luna Rossa later filed a request for redress with the Jury. A hearing has been scheduled for 09:30 on Tuesday morning.
The results mean the final flight of matches, scheduled for Tuesday, will determine whether BMW ORACLE Racing or Emirates Team New Zealand claim second place behind Alinghi. This match is scheduled on the North race course. On the South course, the Spanish face Victory Challenge. Although Spain leads by a point, a victory by the Swedes would vault them into a tie, and they would win the tie-break by virtue of victory. Conditions are expected to be similar with moderate to strong sea breezes forecast.
Emirates Team New Zealand had its first loss of the Valencia pre-regatta today when it came up against Alinghi.
SUI 75 led from the start and at the finish was 36 seconds ahead of NZL 82.
Grant Dalton said after the race: “We didn’t expect to come through this regatta unscathed.
We worked hard to make up the deficit and on occasions pulled back a lot of distance but it just wasn’t our day.
“Today was a reality check. We came here to measure our progress against the opposition since the regattas in September last year. We know we have a way to go.
“We didn’t go out on the water today just to eat our lunch. Nor when we lost the start did we sit back and wait for a miracle to happen. We went out to win and we worked to make it happen.
“If there was something to learn from today it was that if, on these short courses you let a class act get in front of you, there’s little chance of getting back into the race. But we knew that already.”
On the course today the breeze was a steady 17 knots, in contrast to the maximum of 12 knots experienced on previous days.
Deltas at the marks today were all in Alinghi’s favour – 31 seconds at mark 1, 25 seconds at the second mark, 29 at the third and 36 seconds at the finish.
In the second race of the day against the South African Shosholoza, NZL 82 won by 4 minutes.
Tomorrow is another big day for the team. When they face BMW Oracle in their last match of the regatta.
HUGO BOSS sponsored heavyweight champion boxer lent his ballast and muscle to British skipper, Alex Thomson and the crew of the Open 60 HUGO BOSS today when he joined them for a day of sailing around the Kiel Week Regatta, Germany. At 6ft 5’’ and weighing in at 238 lbs/110 kilos Alex felt that he would be the ideal candidate to hoist up his 100 kilo sail, 25 metres up the mast.
Wladimir Klitschko rose to the occasion but even he was no match against the bulk of HUGO BOSS’ enormous black mainsail and eventually he had to concede and wind the rope around the winch to grind it up the mast.
There was no rest for Wladimir no sooner had he hoisted the mainsail then he was then hoisted up to the top of the 25metre mast himself.
Both Alex and Wladimir are sponsored by clothing company HUGO BOSS and both fight their competitors alone; Wladimir in the ring and Alex Thomson against the elements. Wladimir was in awe of the phenomenal speed the racing yacht could reach, surfing down waves at up to 30mphs and also the dedication and psychological commitment that is required to undertake long distance, offshore solo sailing.
Alex was amazed by Wladimir's mast climbing skills.
“When he climbed the mast he just used his arms and went up effortlessly. I have to climb with my arms and my legs! He is welcome on my boat anytime but I definitely wouldn’t accept an invitation to join him in the ring!” said Alex.
The sun shone gloriously down on HUGO BOSS which was awash with television crews, photographers and journalists. Alex and Wladimir chatted about their mutual love of extreme sports, Wladimir in his spare time enjoys kitesurfing he often jumps to dizzy heights of 15 metres and this explains why he climbed the mast with fearless enthusiasm. Alex a keen waterskier and wakeboarder was explaining his plans to wakeboard off the back of the Open 60 sometime in the summer.
“Wladimir is a natural sailor and loved being the ‘Captain’. It was great when the wind filled in and we were able to cut through fleets. It doesn’t take much to get HUGO BOSS going.” Said Alex.
Wladimir Klitschko is the process of arranging a world championship title fight in order to fulfil his dream of both him and his brother holding a world champion title at the same time but we are hoping that he will join Alex and his crew for a spot of racing sometime in the future so that he can experience HUGO BOSS yacht with her pedal to the metal.
The 760 sailors who have arrived for the Rolex Swan European Regatta in Cowes must be wondering if they have come to the right country. The weather is more St Tropez than Cowes, but no one is complaining. A record entry of 67 teams from nine countries look set to enjoy French Riviera conditions for their forthcoming week of racing and socialising.
In a friendly warm-up before the main event which begins tomorrow, two Swan 601s enjoyed a close match race in sight of the Royal Yacht Squadron today. Peter Ogden's Spirit of Jethou lined up against Leonardo Ferragamo's brand new and untested Cuordileone. With America's Cup helmsman Andy Beadsworth calling tactics for Ferragamo, the Italian boat gained the upper hand in the pre-start and led off the line. But a poor gybe-set saw them give a three-boatlength lead away to the British 601, who led down the run and up the next beat. However an equally fraught gybe-set by Jethou allowed Cuordileone back into the race and the Italians won.
Beadsworth said he enjoyed his first race aboard the 601. "There was plenty of power there, good acceleration, and I think we can look forward to a good week." As a new boat, however, Beadsworth knows they will have a tough time beating the three other 601s gathered for this event, the British boat Island Fling and Artemis from Sweden.
This regatta always brings together a healthy mix of professional sailors and keen amateurs. Adrian Stead, a former Olympian and America's Cup tactician, is calling the shots for Stuart Robinson's Swan 70 Stay Calm, the largest boat in the fleet. Stead has high hopes of doing well this week, although for him the Swan 601s are an unknown quantity. "The 601s are very fast boats, not much slower than us, so we may have our work cut out just winning line honours this week, never mind what we can do on handicap," commented Stead. "But we're here to have fun too. We've got a lot of Stuart's friends and family with us, and a few boys from GBR Challenge."
One of Stead's former America's Cup colleagues is Ian Budgen, working as a trimmer on Stay Calm this week. Budgen has just completed the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge on the Swan 70, so he knows the boat better than most. After the torrid conditions encountered during that 16-day crossing, Budgen is looking forward to a change of pace in the lighter conditions being predicted for the Solent this week. "It should be a little more relaxing, but in other ways it is more hectic," Budgen pointed out. "For the transatlantic we had just 10 on board, but now we have 18 to 20 this week because you need lots of hands for the many manoeuvres we'll be doing."
At the opposite end of the spectrum is the oldest and smallest boat in the fleet, the Swan 36 Carte Blanche, which has competed in every Rolex Swan European Regatta since 1985. Owners Jem and Mor Tetley admit they are not as sprightly as once they were, but the prospect of meeting up with old friends is too tempting for them to stay away. Carte Blanche is the third Nautor's Swan ever constructed, and when she was built in the late 60s the revolutionary Sparkman & Stephens' design was unstoppable. The Tetleys bought her in 1970 and have enjoyed their fair share of success and adventure aboard Carte Blanche, although Jem admits he doesn't like to push her too hard these days. "If the wind blows too hard we won't be using spinnakers, because I don't like to stress her too much these days. But we should have a good race with the other two 36s."
Arguably the toughest and closest racing might come from the 11 boats gathered for the one-design Swan 45 division. Another GBR Challenge helmsman Andy Green is calling tactics on board Belgian owner Bernard Lambilliotte's Nemo, along with Simon Shaw on mainsheet. Shaw has only just returned from Italy, where he was the winning navigator at the Giraglia Rolex Cup. "Maybe we will lead some races this week," said Shaw, "but as a new team we have to be realistic about our chances of overall victory. There are some really good, well practised teams here and when things get close that experience will come into play."
This evening the competitors will meet with organisers on the lawns of the Royal Yacht Squadron for the Rolex Opening Reception. The first race is due to start on Monday morning at 1020 hrs.
The Rolex Swan European Regatta takes place in Cowes from 19-25 June 2005. There are 27 different Swan models competing at the regatta, which is hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron.
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Product: Series 60 & 75 All Purpose Stainless Steel Cheeked Blocks
With Universal Head Post
Distributed from 29th October 2004 & 12th May 2005.
Supplier: Ronstan International Pty Ltd
Hazard: The head post assembly in a small number of the products shipped between the above dates may not have been welded to specification and in some cases may not have been welded at all. This may result in the product failing to meet its load ratings. There is a risk that use of a defective product could lead to personal injury, fatality and/or damage to property.
Consumer action: Ronstan has decided to undertake an urgent voluntary recall of all these products sold between the above dates.
Customers that are in possession of either of these products must immediately stop selling, distributing or using these products. These products should immediately be returned to Ronstan for replacement.
All related freight and replacement product costs will be at Ronstan's expense.
Contact Ronstan or refer to the website below for further details on the products being recalled and recall procedures.
Ronstan International Pty Ltd
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Customers within Australia Tel:1300 13 15 20 Fax 1300 13 15 80
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A royal visit, warm Spanish sunshine and good racing conditions added up to a banner day at the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts on Sunday, although it was a difficult afternoon for the South African team.
In the morning, His Majesty, The King of Spain, Juan Carlos, paid a visit to the Port America's Cup and spent the afternoon racing as 18th man on the Spanish Desafío Español 2007.
After two victories on Saturday, the Spanish challenge had a much more difficult day lined up for the royal visit. Desafío Español would face the Defender, Alinghi, in its first match and follow that up with a contest against the BMW ORACLE Racing powerhouse. The presence of Juan Carlos wasn't enough to help the Spanish crew though, as Desafío Español fell to both top teams over the course of the afternoon.
The end of the afternoon brought heartbreak for Team Shosholoza in flight eight when the team was passed just metres from the finish line by a surging United Internet Team Germany. The South Africans are still looking for their first win after a tough month in Valencia with boat problems.
Flight Seven
The first flight of races was sent off in moderate 10-knot breezes with the matches on the South race courses enjoying slightly more breeze. A few matches stood out for their action and excitement.
On the North course, skipper Iain Percy and his +39 Challenge crew sailed an outstanding match against the French K-Challenge. This race was decided at the first windward mark when +39 steamed in on the port tack layline with K-Challenge approaching with the right of way on starboard tack. When French skipper Thierry Peponnet began to roll into a slow tack, hoping to grab the inside lane, Percy was able to use his momentum to simply sail over the top of the French boat. Peponnet tried to luff up to hold his position but +39 had too much momentum and raced around. The French were left with very little speed and needing to tack to get around the mark, while +39 rounded, hoisted its spinnaker and was away.
The other drama was in the Emirates Team New Zealand and Victory Challenge match. Despite a poor start, Magnus Holmberg and his men stayed close to the first place Kiwis and forced them into strength-sapping tacking duels up both windward legs. Emirates Team New Zealand won the race, but the Swedes earned respect and served notice that they're ready to knock on the door of the 'big four'.
The three matches on the South course featured stronger teams against weaker ones, but the pre-starts were exciting nonetheless. United Internet Team Germany skipper Jesper Bank was able to salvage what could have been a disastrous start when BMW ORACLE Racing pushed his boat to the course side of the line too early. But Bank calmly tacked around the Race Committee boat, dipped the line and started close behind USA 76. It wasn't enough however as the powerful American team converted the early advantage into a win.
Flight Eight
In the later matches the wind reached its peak for the regatta, at times gusting above 15 knots on the Southern course. This was where Team Shosholoza had a dramatic match with United Internet Team Germany. South African helmsman Ian Ainslie was aggressive on this start and it paid off, as he led his counterpart, Jesper Bank, across the line. The South Africans looked strong in this race nurturing a lead that at times extended to four boat lengths. But on the final run to the finish, a poor gybe on Shosholoza allowed Bank to close the gap right down. Now set up for the final sprint to the finish on the inside of the African boat, Bank was able to surge past Shosholoza, beating the African boat to the line by just six seconds.
On the North course the highlight of flight eight featured Victory Challenge who had looked good in losses to the top teams against K-Challenge, another team looking to move up a level into the top tier. K-Challenge looked to be in trouble with a penalty in the pre-start, but Victory Challenge was over the start line early, and by the time skipper Magnus Holmberg had started properly, the French team was off to a good lead. French skipper Thierry Peponnet managed to extend far enough ahead to fulfil his penalty obligations before finishing, earning a valuable point in the process.
In the all-Italian affair, Luna Rossa Challenge bested +39, to stay tied for third position on the leaderboard.
The weather was ideal for racing today and the forecast is for more good conditions over the early part of the next week. Flights Nine and Ten are scheduled on Monday, with the last matches of the Louis Vuitton Act 4 to be sailed on Tuesday.
BMW ORACLE Racing continued to share the top of the leaderboard in the Louis Vuitton Act 4 regatta in Valencia with two more wins today. Racing took place in 8-12 knots of breeze.
A spirited tacking duel in the first match against the Italian +39 team and an aggressive luff against the South African Shosholoza team in the second were the highlights of the day. With a 4-0 win record after two days of racing, BMW ORACLE Racing shares the lead with three other teams.
Match One - USA-76 vs ITA-59
Race Summary - Sailing in an 8-9 knot breeze, the yachts got away to a split tack start, with USA-76 opting to cross the line on port tack and immediately claim the right hand side of the course.
The first beat was a classic match, with USA-76 fiercely protecting the right hand side of the course in a duel that saw the two crews completing 20 tacks on the leg. USA-76 led around the mark by 21 seconds and then stretched their lead on every successive leg to claim BMW ORACLE Racing's third point of the regatta by 1 minute 14 seconds.
Match Two - USA-76 vs RSA-83
Race Summary - After a split tack start, BMW ORACLE Racing and the South African Shosholoza team had a close tussle in the early part of the first windward leg until USA-76 worked up under the leeward side of RSA-83 and luffed hard. The South African yacht was forced almost head to wind, as USA-76 bore off on course and established a solid lead.
Trailing USA-76 by 45 seconds around the windward mark, the South Africans blew out their spinnaker and USA-76 leaped away to a commanding lead to take their fourth win in four starts by 3 minutes 37 seconds.
Quotes
Chris Dickson, BMW ORACLE Racing CEO: "We have done a lot of testing this year, which is showing some gains now, but will lead to more gains in the future. We have done a lot of sailing in Valencia conditions. The team has worked hard, so these results are not unexpected against teams that have done less preparation than we have.
"The starts, the performance and the crew work so far are in line with what we expected. Nevertheless, we are pleased with these early results, because we take nothing for granted.
"From the results so far, there are four teams on top of the leaderboard and we very much look forward to meeting the other three over the next couple of days."
Eric Doyle, BMW ORACLE Racing Strategist, commenting on the tacking duel with ITA-59: "We wanted the right hand side of the course at the start. There was a little more pressure on that side. Gavin Brady (helmsman) did a nice job getting that side, but the Italians also did well to stay right with us.
"I believe we did 20 tacks on that leg. It was good to get some training in race mode. We were always confident of our speed, so we were happy to keep it close.
"In the second race (against RSA-83) we wanted the left side at the start and we got it, but we tacked a little early. The South Africans got a little jump on us, but we were able to work them out to the starboard layline, put a lee bow on them and push them up.
"At that point, they had nowhere to go, because they were already over the layline with the wind shifting right. We luffed them and took them head to wind and came out with a big gain. After just three days of sailing their new boat, the Shosholoza team must be happy with their progress.
"Overall, we were happy with the day's work. We have not raced much this summer. Things are different when you are in a real race. We are all settling into it and getting more comfortable.
"Larry Ellison (BMW ORACLE Racing team owner) took the helm in both races. Basically, he sailed the second half of each race. He had the boat going real well."
t was another good day for Emirates Team New Zealand on the fourth day of the Louis Vuitton Act 4 at Valencia, winning both races.
The first race today was against The Swedish Victory Challenge, a team with three wins for the regatta.
Skipper Dean Barker said before the race: “We have a healthy respect for the Swedes. We saw how they performed in Auckland and 2003 and we know how well their boat can perform.”
It was another hot day in Valencia. The temperature reached 30 deg in the late afternoon. The sea breeze from the south-east was around 10 – 12 knots.
Barker and his crew started very well, forcing SWE63 out of the start box. NZL 82 got away cleanly, picking up a line of breeze on the left of the course and were leading by about 3½ boat lengths.
SWE 63 recovered well, got a good shift, and started pulling back the deficit. The first beat was close. At times almost too close.
SWE 63 put on the pressure and kept it on for the entire race as they sought a way round NZL 82. But there was no way NZL 82 was going to let them open up a separation, and possibly find a better breeze and slip by.
The grinders worked overtime – 24 tacks in the 2.2 mile leg – as the afterguard worked to keep SWE 63 under control. So close was the racing there was no margin for error or gear damage. NZL 82 rounded the first mark 12 sec ahead; the second mark 23 sec ahead.
On the second beat – again doing 24 tacks as the Swedes attempted to break out of the Kiwi stranglehold. the margin was extended by only 2 sec to 25 sec at the third mark and at the finish SWE 63 trailed by 24 sec.
In the second race of the day NZL 82 beat the China Team (CHN 69) by a comfortable 1 min 58 sec. NZL 82 was never troubled, winning the start and sailing away while maintaining a loose cover.
By the end of the first leg, NZL 82 had a 1 min 14 sec advantage, extended to 1 min 24 at the leeward gate and to 1 min 50 at the third mark.
The team has two big days ahead.Tomorrow Emirates Team New Zealand meets Alinghi (SUI 75) and Shosholoza (RSA 83). On Tuesday, in the last race of this regatta, NZL 82 races against BMW Oracle.
Light winds dictated the early pace of the race for the 1649 boats sailing today (18/06/05) in the 69th edition of this classic 50 mile race around the Isle of Wight.
After a postponed start of one hour due to lack of wind, B&Q started at 0800 BST and completed the 50 miles course in 7 hours, 27 mins and 53 secs finishing at 1527 BST this afternoon.
Ellen MacArthur, skipper of the 75ft trimaran B&Q, said: "After a slow start this morning, conditions improved and we started to gain on the others in the fleet but with so many boats out on the water today, we were forced to gybe more often than we would have like to going out of the Solent towards The Needles. Whilst this will not go down in history as one of the fastest Round the Island Races, we certainly had some great weather and a great day on the water."
This was B&Q's first outing in the JP Morgan Round the Island Race, even though she was the largest multihull in the race, she was eventually beaten to the finish line by the two ORMA 60ft trimarans (see finish times below) - these are certainly the Formula 1 racings cars of the multihull race track compared to the rally-style, off-road capabilities of the record breaking trimaran, B&Q! "The ORMA 60's were away at the start and there was little we could do to keep up. The conditions were pretty exceptional as it was so light - it took us two hours to get to The Needes and four hours to St Catherine's round the back of the island. The tide was with us from the start to The Needles but from there to the finish it was against so even when the breeze picked up we were not fast. Our top speed was 12 knots between St Catherine's and Bembridge and around 10 knots on the homestraight. But the Round the Island Race is a fantastic event and we loved every minute of it," concluded Ellen.
Champagne G.H. Mumm welcomed B&Q back to Cowes after crossing the finish line by announcing today that Mumm is to be the Official Champagne of the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team for the next three years, cementing a relationship with Ellen MacArthur that first began over four years ago when she was presented with a jeroboam of Mumm Cordon Rouge Champagne at the finish of the solo round-the-world Vendée Globe race in 2001. Under the terms of the agreement, Ellen and her team mates Nick Moloney and Sam Davies join a growing band of 'Friends of G.H. Mumm' - outstanding sportsmen and women, explorers and adventurers across the world who like to toast their extraordinary achievements with Mumm Champagne.
Onboard with Ellen today were her regular shore/race team of Loik Gallon (Boat Captain), Charles Darbyshire (Navigator), Oli Allard, Seb Sebastian Chernier Proteau (CAN). Supported by Tom Avery (GBR), one of Champagne Mumm's Adventure Team who walked into the record books by becoming the youngest Briton to complete the perilous journey to the South Pole in December 2002 aged 27, and Johnathan Deane (GBR), a B&Q employee who has worked for two and half years at the B&Q Croydon Warehouse, who won his place on the crew after entering an internal competition. Although Jonathan is no stranger to sailing as he has participated in the 1977/78 Whitbread Round the World Race.
Finish Times - Multihull Grand Prix Class at 1640 BST
Boat name / type / finish time / elapsed time / corrected time / position
NUKU HIVA II / ORMA 60 / 14:51:39 / 06:51:39 / 13:34:39 / 1st
B&Q / TRI 75 / 15:27:53 / 07:27:53 / 13:51:43 / 2nd
NUKU HIVA / 15:25:03 / 07:25:03 / 14:40:45
After blasting off from the start and then parking up and drifting in the Gulf Stream, we managed to again find a completely windless area of the North Atlantic, where we drifted for all of Saturday, making a grand total of 20 miles progress toward the finish. We were stuck in this warm eddy north of the Gulf Stream with adverse current and absolutely no wind. Position reports indicated that others to the west of us had some wind and were able to keep going. We had lost a lot of time to the fleet. Finally, at 4AM this morning, the breeze came up out of the northeast. We are back in business and charging the remaining 180 miles to the finish at a good 12 knots. But alas I fear it is too late to recover all that lost time while we wallowed about.
So, it looks like we are going to receive a thorough drubbing from our Class 5 competitors on this leg, It is easy to look back and wish we had made different moves. We really got behind the eight ball when we ran out of wind in the middle of the Gulf Stream and were forced by the current about 60 miles to the east. After that, we needed wind to get back in the game, and we found none on Saturday. Other boats further to the west consolidated their gains. At this point, we are pouring it on for the finish line, but I think it is too little too late.
I will save the post mortem for another day, as it is never entirely clear what happened until the race finishes. Brian and I have been keeping each other¹s spirits up, and it is very nice to be back in the breeze. We are looking at an ETA in Newport of late tonight if this wind holds, which is the forecast.
I hope everyone is enjoying a lovely Sunday and we are looking forward to our return to terra firma tonight.
Position: 37.57.2N, 068.12.4W. Our drag race with Gryphon Solo from Bermuda to the Gulf Stream came to an abrupt end mid-morning when the wind just shut down and swung hard to the right. For 24 hours, the two Open 50's were flying along in near-ideal running conditions, jousting for position just miles apart. When the wind dropped, we were halfway across the Stream: the first 30 miles took two hours; the last 30 miles took the rest of the day.
Trying to race on a hot day in light breeze is just about the hardest thing you can do on a boat. Not only does it take all your concentration, but it takes most of your energy not to become completely frustrated when all your concentration just isn't enough to keep the boat moving in one direction. The seas are always lumpy in the Gulf Stream, and today was no exception. Throw that into the mix, then just image yourself on a giant conveyor belt wheeling you off in the wrong direction and you can begin to get a sense of our day. When we finally ran out of sunscreen, I'd just about had it.
Which is why I consider myself a very lucky man to have had Merf Owen on board today. Not only did he call the tack that broke us free of the Gulf Stream, but once we had the boat swung around and pointed in the right direction, he suggested I put my head down for a nap. I fell asleep despite the annoying slapping of waves on a hull going nowhere and woke a few hours later to the sound of the Code 0 (light air sail) being furled and to a proud smile on Merf's face when he pointed out that we were clear of the Stream.
Now, we're dashing towards the edge of a 120-mile eddy spun off by the Gulf Stream weeks ago when an oxbow of the current broke free to the north. We're hoping to jump on the edge of this whirling pool of water for a 40-50 mile push towards the finish and away from the fleet that's chasing us - after our fast getaway from Bermuda, they've done a spectacular job of closing the gap while we ghosted along in the light airs. Now, with only 260 nautical miles to the finish line, we have our work cut out for us to hang onto our lead.
The pressure was on at the start, there was no mistaking BMW’s status in the ‘big four’, but Alinghi won the start and extended an early one and a half boat length advantage to two boat lengths by nine minutes into the race. The Defender held their domination right up to the finish line and snatched the race from BMW Oracle Racing by 27seconds.
Dona Bertarelli sister of Ernesto Bertarelli, President of Alinghi was onboard the defending yacht in the 18th position and Ernesto himself raced the second Alinghi match of the day against Germany in the runner/pit position.
Against United Internet Team Germany, Alinghi dominated again leading the new team over the line by nearly two boat lengths, increasing the lead to a 25 boat length win at the finish line.
Quotes from the Defender
Brad Butterworth, Alinghi Vice President and tactician on racing BMW Oracle Racing: “Every time we race BMW Oracle Racing, it is very close, both teams are very similar in performance so it’s a good one to win. We thought their pre-start was a little bit passive, but I think that both boats had a different plan and we were happy with the start, we got the better end of it. There was a good left shift out of the start and it stayed in the left so we were in a nice position to roll forward on them and in the end it was pretty close – they’re hard to beat”.
Brad Butterworth on racing United Internet Team Germany: “Well they’re brand new, it’s an old boat and so they’ve got a lot to learn and just the fact that they made this regatta is a big step for them. They’ve got some good sailors on the boat and I think later in the year we’ll see something from them”.
Brad on another win: “We want to keep the momentum that we’ve got, we don’t want to drop a race to anybody and I think we have to keep the quality up and keep sailing well and the wins will come”.
It was Italian day for Emirates Team New Zealand on Saturday, with matches against Luna Rossa (ITA 74), the Prada of 2000 and 2003, and +39 (ITA 59)
No one said it would be easy to beat Luna Rossa. And it wasn’t. The team went into the match wondering if Luna Rossa, based and training in Valencia for several months, would expose a flaw in the ETNZ preparation.
As the race progressed ETNZ showed that they had not wasted the southern summer.
NZL 82 had the speed it needed in the light conditions and the crew demonstrated that they were working well as a unit, even though they had done little sailing since the middle of April when NZL 82 and the Auckland base were packed up for shipping to Spain.
“The boat’s better than it was last year but it’s not super fast,” Grant Dalton said after the race. “We had to work hard to gain an advantage on Luna Rossa and we had to work even harder to keep it.
He said it was not difficult to see why ITA 74 was one of the favourites for the 2005 regattas. “They’re a class act. The boat’s good, and the crew is sailing well.“
The deltas tell the story. ITA 74 was awarded the start by 1 sec. NZL 82 led for most of the leg then lost it as they were closing on the mark only to regain it after a classic luffing battle which took both yachts way above the mark.
NZL 82 rounded the mark 4 sec ahead, extended to 12 seconds at the second mark and 23 seconds at the third. On the run to the finish NZL 82 extended by 20 sec to finish 43 sec up.
In the day’s second match +39 breathed down NZL 82’s neck on the first three legs with margins of 14 sec at the first mark, 12 sec at the second and 16 sec at the third. NZL 82 slipped away on the last downwind leg finishing 1min 8 sec ahead after +39 completed a 360 deg penalty incurred in the pre-start.
Four teams went into today’s racing with four wins from four races – Alinghi, BMW Oracle, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa.
Alinghi and Emirates Team New Zealand finished the day with six wins and at the top of the leaderboard. BMW Oracle and Luna Rossa now have five wins and one loss.
Tomorrow Emirates Team New Zealand meets Sweden’s Victory Challenge (SWE 63) and China Team (CHN69).
It was a grand day of racing in Valencia on Saturday as conditions and match-ups conspired to provide some spectacular action. On the weather side, it was the best race day to date, with 10-12 knot Southeasterlies building over the afternoon to 14 knots before easing at the end of the day on the North course.
The spectator fleet reflected the action on the water with both race courses busy on the first weekend day of racing in the America's Cup this year.
The opening flight was going to break a four-boat logjam at the top of the leaderboard as Alinghi was paired with its rival from the last Louis Vuitton Cup, BMW ORACLE Racing on the South course, while further North, Emirates Team New Zealand faced Luna Rossa.
Tight at the top
The Defender of the 32nd America's Cup, Alinghi, led off the starting line after a fairly tame pre-start. Alinghi helmsman Peter Holmberg was able to force his counterpart on USA 76 into a tack just before the gun and the Swiss boat led off the line with speed. Holmberg protected the left side of the course up the beat, forcing BMW ORACLE Racing to the layline early where they had no choice but to follow him to the top mark. American skipper John Kostecki fought hard, but he couldn't come back, and Alinghi took the win.
Meanwhile Emirates Team New Zealand had a tough match with Luna Rossa. The Italians led early, but Kiwi skipper Dean Barker found a favourable shift up the beat and managed to neutralise that lead. The boats went around the top mark virtually tied, and swapped the lead back and forth on the first run. But NZL 82 found a puff of wind when it needed it and burst ahead just before the leeward gate. The Kiwis chose the right side of the course and this paid off as they held their lead the rest of the way.
The result leaves Alinghi and Emirates Team New Zealand alone at the top of the table with the Italians and Americans close behind. The two leaders aren't due to face each other until Monday.
It was also a good day for the locals, as Desafío Español 2007 won both of its races on the day and sits alone in fifth place, one point up on the charging Swedes. Victory Challenge split its races, following a win over Shosholoza with a tough loss to Luna Rossa. The Swedish team is turning heads as its relatively late start to the current campaign isn't holding them back.
Italian victory
Mascalzone Latino-Capitialia Team earned its first win of the regatta in its match over the German squad. That leaves Shosholoza as the lone team yet to earn a point at the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts.
Iain Percy's +39 Challenge can take encouragement from two things on the day. First, he beat China Team to pick up another important point. Then in his match against Emirates Team New Zealand, despite picking up a penalty in the pre-start, the Italians were able to hold close to the Kiwis around the race course, showing they've moved up a step from the 2004 season.
Four races – four wins, today Defender Alinghi (SUI75) will meet Challenger of Record BMW Oracle Racing (USA76) in match four of flight 5 (first flight of the day) on the South course, Alinghi has drawn the blue flag (port entry into start area). This clash of the greats is squaring up to be the match of the week.
Alinghi will be moving courses between matches.
Alinghi Vs United Internet Team Germany
For flight six, Alinghi will meet United Internet Team Germany (GER72), on the North course for match two. Alinghi also drew the blue flag for this race (port entry into the start area)
And the weatherman says: south easterly 6-12 knots – hot, hot, hot.
Alinghi crew list
* Bow: Pieter van Nieuwenhuyzen
* Midbow: Matt Mitchell
* Mastman/grinder: Francesco ‘Ciccio’ Rapetti
* Pitman: Josh Belsky
* Grinder: Mark ‘Sting’ McTeigue
* Grinder: Enrico De Maria
* Trimmer: Lorenzo Mazza
* Trimmer: Claudio ‘Chicho’ Celon
* Grinder: Will McCarthy
* Mainsail Trimmer: Warwick Fleury
* Strategist/Traveller: Jordi Calafat
* Runner/Grinder: Rodney Ardern (match 1) / Ernesto Bertarelli (match 2)
* Runner/Pit: Dean Phipps
* Navigator: Juan Vila
* Afterguard: Jochen Schuemann
* Tactician: Brad Butterworth
* Helmsman: Peter Holmberg
The Swedish navigator Roger Nilson could put another record under his belt today. But he had to do it in the hospital as he was badly hurt during Sjaelland Rundt and Nokia Oops Cup.
Roger Nilson, navigator on the 60 foot trimaran Stena Sovcomflot, took the boat in to a record breaking time in the Danish classic Sjaelland Rundt Saturday. The Russian-Swedish team shaved over 7 hours off the old record that Klas Klabbe Nylöf on HiQ set in 2003. They finished the 275 nautical mile long course in just 13 hours and 21 minutes.
But the record didn’t come without a price tag.
- I was down below when the boat suddenly came to a stop in a wave. I was thrown forward and knocked out three teeth, and I probably also broken a couple of ribs, said Roger Nilson on his way to the hospital in Helsingör after the race.
Nilson is a doctor and navigator by profession and his latest achievement was breaking the round the world non stop record on board Orange II with Bruno Peyron.
The incident on Stena Sovcomflot happened 5 hours into the race, but they didn’t abort the race to get Nilson to hospital. Stena Sovcomflot just kept on racing with the injured navigator down below.
- The pain was so strong that I almost fainted, but luckily enough I had some strong tranquilisers on board to take the pain away, says Nilson.
Nilson was also on board HiQ when they established the old record in 2003. Then they took over 8 hours of the old record.
– Stena Sovcomflot is much faster than the 2003 edition of HiQ was. We also had better winds with much less tacking this time around the Danish island. We have a very skilled crew and Steve Ravussin is a magician when it comes to getting this tri up to max speed, says Nilson.
The Swiss skipper certainly knows his boat and topped out during the record race at 43,6 knot.
The other trimarans in Nokia Oops Cup that participated in Sjaelland Rundt followed right behind Stena Sovcomflot. HiQ ended up, the Finnish project TietoEnator came third and had a hard battle with Knut Frostad on Academy, who finally had to bite the bullet and end up on fourth place.
Results Själland Runt: 1) Stena Sovcomflot, Russia/Sweden, Steve Ravussin, 13 hours, 21 minutes, 08 second, 2) HiQ, Sweden, Klas Nylöf, 14.40.54, 3) TietoEnator, Finland, Thomas Johansson, 14.56.49, 4) Academy, Norway, Knut Frostad, 15.00.07, 5) Bonduelle, Poland, Roman Paszke, 16.20.30, 6) Nokia, Sweden, Magnus Olsson, 17.44.36.
Nokia Oops Cup after 6 of 11 races: 1) Stena Sovcomflot 9 points, 2) Academy 15 p, 3) HiQ 18,5 p, 4) Nokia 21,5 p, 5) TietoEnator 22,5 p, 6) Bonduelle 29,5 p.
This report is a tale of two races. For the first 24 hours I think we covered over 300 miles for nearly a 13-knot speed average. We had a solid SouthWest wind just aft of the beam and we were pouring it on with full main and reacher. During the night the wind speed hit 30 knots and Brian made me take down the reacher, which I agreed to reluctantly as it had delivered such great results. Friday around mid-day we were surfing through the Gulf Stream at about 17 knots with water flying everywhere when suddenly the wind machine turned off. The breeze went from 22 knots to 7 knots in the space of five minutes. The clouds disappeared, the sun came out and we were bobbing around about 20 miles in to what was expected to be a 60-mile passage across the stream. The Gulf Stream is like a big river running through the Atlantic with hot water and the current velocity is about 3.5 knots. When there is little wind, you go where the Gulf Stream takes you and that is precisely what began! to happen.
About 50 miles and 13 hours later, we finally found some wind and were able to tack out of the stream and head back towards Newport. You can imagine our frustration with the situation, but there was not a darn thing we could do. So now, having finally escaped the clutches of the treacherous Gulf Stream, we are in light winds from directly behind us from the South East, as we are trying to head North West. Not a pretty picture as the glassy ocean heaves and sighs as far as the eye can see, and the sun blazes down.
Okay, that's enough whining. We will make the best of the situation and scratch and crawl our way through the remaining 255 miles to Newport as quickly as possible....... but it looks like we could be out here for a while. A hoped for Sunday finish is probably not in the cards, unless something changes drastically.
Here's wishing that tomorrow will be a better day at the office!!
China Team earned its first win at the 32nd America's Cup, over Team Shosholoza, while the big four teams from the 2004 season continued to have their way at the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 4 on Friday. Alinghi, BMW ORACLE Racing, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa each earned two wins from two races. All sit equal atop the leaderboard with perfect records and four points.
Conditions were very good for racing with eight to 11 knots of Easterly winds and many of the teams revelled in the slightly stronger conditions. It was a good day for China Team, Desafío Español, K-Challenge, and Victory Challenge who each split their matches, taking half the points available to them on the day.
Flight Three
South Africa's Shosholoza was fortunate to avoid a penalty in a difficult pre-start dominated by China Team and skipper Pierre Mas. The South Africans settled down quickly after the start, but had dug themselves too big a hole off the line, and despite some pressure from the men on the colourful RSA 83, the Chinese earned their first win at the 32nd America's Cup.
The action was closer in the middle of fleet where K-Challenge recovered from a very difficult loss on Thursday with a big win over Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team. The French led across the starting line and built a narrow lead on the first upwind leg that they held around the course. Thierry Peponnet's team was more diligent in employing close coverage match race tactics in this race, determined not to let the lead slip away.
In other matches, Emirates Team New Zealand showed the local Desafío Español 2007 squad where the bar is set with a strong start and dominating race, leading the Spanish home by 1:10. Similarly, Italy's Luna Rossa Challenge sailed to a commanding 1:36 victory over United Internet Team Germany. Alinghi had a closer match against Sweden's Victory Challenge, but was never seriously threatened in winning its third match.
Flight Four
A good story line was developing in the second flight of racing on the day when Team Shosholoza surprised the mighty BMW ORACLE Racing team on the first windward leg. Shosholoza led most of the way up the beat before an aggressive luff allowed the Americans to pass. Then, a poor spinnaker hoist that tore the sail compounded their problems. But it was a glimmer of sunshine for the South Africans who have had a tough time in Valencia to this point.
Desafío Español 2007 and Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team had a hard-fought match, with the Spanish winning the start cleanly but then having to hold off the Italians through numerous tacking and gybing duels until a bad spinnaker wrap slowed the Latin Rascals down. Spain went on to win the match by one-minute.
With the exception of K-Challenge, who stayed reasonably close to Luna Rossa, each of the other matches in Flight Four was quite one-sided.
Racing at the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts is scheduled to continue on Saturday, with two more flights of racing on the calendar. The first warning signal is scheduled to sound at 14:00. Big matches at the top of the leaderboard include Alinghi against BMW ORACLE Racing and Luna Rossa facing Emirates Team New Zealand.
The America's Cup Park has been open for two days now, with good crowds attracted by the spectacle and spirit of the 32nd America's Cup. The weekend is expected to be busy with a great weather forecast and the Port full of America's Cup action.
Results
Flight Three
Alinghi (SUI 75) beat Victory Challenge (SWE 63) - delta 0:33
BMW ORACLE Racing (USA 76) beat +39 Challenge (ITA 59) - delta 1:14
China Team (CHN 69) beat Team Shosholoza (RSA 83) - delta 0:27
Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 82) beat Desafío Español 2007 (ESP 67) - delta 1:10
Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA 74) beat United Internet Team Germany - delta 1:36
K-Challenge (FRA 60) beat Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team (ITA 77) - delta 0:53
Flight Four
Alinghi (SUI 75) beat +39 Challenge (ITA 59) - delta 2:02
Victory Challenge (SWE 63) beat China Team (FRA 69) - delta 2:30
BMW ORACLE Racing (USA 76) beat Team Shosholoza (RSA 83) - delta 3:37
Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 82) beat United Internet Team Germany (GER 72) - delta 2:33
Desafío Español 2007 (ESP 67) beat Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team (ITA 77) - delta 1:00
Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA 74) K-Challenge (FRA 60) - delta 0:54
The Rolex Transatlantic Challenge was the latest in a series of transatlantic yacht races run by the New York Yacht Club dating back to 1866. The 2005 event was special, representing, almost to the day, the centenary of Charlie Barr's magnificent win at the helm of Wilson Marshall's 185-foot (56.4m) three-masted schooner Atlantic in the 1905 race for the Kaiser's Cup. During this race, Barr set a record from New York to the Lizard, a headland on England's south Cornish coast, of 12 days 4 hours 1 minute and 19 seconds. Although various boats had bettered this time during a passage record, leaving whenever the weather looked best, in 100 years Atlantic's time had never been beaten during an official race.
Whereas the New York Yacht Club's 1997 Transatlantic Race saw a number of giant modern classics such as Adela and Adix compete, the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge was open to a more eclectic mix of yachts 70 feet (LOD) and longer. The Grand Prix division featured two of the world's largest pure racing yachts, Robert Miller's 140-foot (43m) Mari-Cha IV and the brand new New Zealand 100-footer Maximus, owned by Charles St. Clair Brown and Bill Buckley. At the opposite end of the spectrum came the Classics such as the largest vessel in the race, the 250-foot (76m) clipper ship replica Stad Amsterdam, and the 1914-built Fife-designed 94-foot Sumurun, belonging to the race's chairman A. Robert Towbin.
The bulk of the fleet lay in the two Performance Cruising Divisions ranging in size from Clarke Murphy's chartered Swan 70 Stay Calm, to the two 170-foot Ed Dubois designed near-sisterships Tiara and Drumbeat.
With the fleet gathered in the shadow of New York's Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, the start was delayed by a day, due to an extremely bad weather forecast for the start area. On Sunday, 22 May, 2005, the 20 competing yachts paraded past the Statue of Liberty and out to the start line due south of the Ambrose Light marking the channel into New York Harbor.
Even with the start delayed, as the boats headed up the eastern seaboard of the United States, the feature of the first week was the weather - either too much or too little of it. A depression moved across the fleet, and then two days into the race, stopped off the Nova Scotian coast. "North of that storm centre, we are looking at 30-50 knots and 20-30 foot seas developing," warned meteorologist Ken Campbell. "That would be Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday and part of Thursday. Anyone north of 40 degrees north will be in some very heinous conditions,"
In the Grand Prix Division, leaders Maximus and Mari-Cha IV were lucky - they headed southeast across the front of the depression into the strong southwesterly winds on its eastern side. Two days into the race, Mari-Cha IV's navigator Jef d'Etiveaud reported 40-knot winds and the giant schooner was averaging 24 knots. Meanwhile, Joe Dockery's 81-foot (24.7m) Grand Prix Division yacht Carrera stuck to the great circle, a more northerly route, sailing into stiff headwinds. On day four, captain Simon Davidson reported their retirement due to "catastrophic mainsail failure while beating upwind in 40 knots and very large seas in the Gulf Stream."
On the same day, Captain Pieter Brantjes of the Stad Amsterdam reported their retirement, too. "That is because we came into an area with not much wind, and our charter will end on 8 June in Cowes. To be there in time, we have to use the engine. There have been too many lulls and not enough wind for the vessel. If we have no wind or headwinds, it is difficult for us."
While crews on other yachts reported sailing in 50 knots or more, other yachts caught in the increasingly large centre of the depression found themselves tackling light, shifting breeze. "We have 10 knots from the northeast, and we are pushing the boat as hard as we can to drive ourselves through the centre of this flabby area of low pressure, which is making it all a bit difficult. The next 15 hours will be quite tricky for us," admitted Stay Calm's navigator Mike Broughton on May 24.
The conditions took their toll on the leaders, too. On May 26, the headboard on Mari-Cha IV's mainsail broke along with some of the cars used to attach both the mainsail and similarly sized mizzen sail to the mast. One option was to retire, but instead they turned downwind for 12 hours and sent four crewmen up the mast to fix the problem. They were successful in their repairs, but not before Maximus, some 40 feet shorter, took over the lead.
While breaking boats was one thing, on former GBR Challenge boss Peter Harrison's 115-foot (35m) ketch Sojana, problems took on a more serious nature on May 27, when crewman Mal Parker had his arm pulled into a winch, breaking it in two places. With Parker requiring immediate surgery, Sojana was forced to divert to the nearest port with a landing strip. They chose the remote French island of Saint-Pierre to the south of Newfoundland, where Parker disembarked and was flown to a hospital in Montreal, Canada. Twenty-four hours later, Sojana rejoined the race but was unable to regain her place at the head of Performance Cruising 1 Division.
Passing Newfoundland represented one of the most hazardous parts of the course. Those such as Sojana and Mike Slade's Leopard, which ventured north into the Labrador current, bending clockwise around west and south Newfoundland, found themselves in freezing conditions. Meanwhile others farther to the south had to deal with the Grand Banks and the unusual conditions of thick fog and strong winds as well as numerous fishing boats. Fortunately there were no incidents and, unlike the 1905 race, no icebergs were spotted.
Out in the open Atlantic, on May 29, Mari-Cha IV regained the lead as the crew on Maximus had to deal with their share of technical issues on board. Thankfully, after this, conditions became more stable, and once Maximus was back up and running, the two racing yachts match-raced at high speed towards the English Channel in 25-knot southwesterlies. Mari-Cha IV crossed the line due south of the Lizard at 10:05:23 UTC on June 1, making her time for the 2,925-nautical mile course from Ambrose Light 9 days, 15 hours, 55 minutes, and 23 seconds, which was 2 days, 12 hours, 5 minutes, 56 seconds faster than Atlantic's time in 1905.
"The feeling on board was electric but also emotional as, even though we have crossed the Atlantic faster on board this great boat, this has definitely been the toughest test yet for Mari-Cha IV and her crew," recounted owner Robert Miller. "It has been a difficult, hard-fought crossing all the way, but now I am pleased to say, a most satisfying one."
Finding fair conditions in the English Channel, Mari-Cha IV went on to cross the finish line of the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge off the Needles Fairway Buoy at the western end of the Isle of Wight at 19:18:37 UTC that evening, setting a new race record time of 10 days 1 hour 8 minutes and 37 seconds.
Maximus passed the Lizard 3 hours, 13 minutes, and 32 seconds after her bigger rival and was 5 hours, 16 minutes, and 31 seconds behind at the Needles finish line. However, her consolation prize was a Grand Prix Division win on corrected time under IRC handicap. Astern, Chris Gongriepe's 140-foot (46.3m) Windrose of Amsterdam, the yacht in the race perhaps most like the original Atlantic, had taken over the on-the-water lead in the Performance Cruising Division. On May 29, she recorded her highest-ever day's run of 346 miles, under full sail and Code Zero. "It was a hectic race, there was a lot of wind, usually between 25 and 30 knots," recounted her Dutch owner Chris Gongriepe after they had finished at 08:24:12 UTC on June 3. "We blew up three sails, but we had a sailmaker on board to repair them."
One of the closest competitions in the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge was between Tiara and Drumbeat. Following Stad Amsterdam's retirement, these two giant yachts became the largest boats left racing. Typically used for luxury cruising, the two boats took different courses across the Atlantic, but their competition culminated in a match race up the Channel, with the two boats neck-and-neck at the Lizard. In the end, it was Mark Lloyd's Drumbeat that won, also taking handicap honours in the Performance Cruising Division, with the best handicap performance in the entire fleet.
The hardest race was for the three Classic Division yachts Sumurun, Nordwind and Mariella. Their race was lengthened considerably when they encountered headwinds in the Atlantic, followed by the frustrating calms in the English Channel. Eventually, after 22 days, 3 hours, and 58 minutes at sea, it was A. Robert Towbin's Sumurun that took line honours in the class and also the corrected time win by just 2 hours, 18 minutes over Hans Albrecht's Nordwind.
Despite the length of the race and the arduous nature of the competition, the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge was considered a great success, and plans are afoot between the New York Yacht Club and the Royal Yacht Squadron to host another race across the Atlantic within the next five years.
I am writing from the mid-Atlantic with a 20 knot wind on the beam moving the boat at 14 knots, making it difficult to type so I will be brief. We started the second leg of the Bermuda 1-2 yesterday with sunny conditions and the wind dead astern for the start inside St. George's Harbor. Gryphon Solo got an excellent start but all four boats in our class were tightly bunched carrying spinnakers as we exited the narrow cut from the harbor out into the Atlantic Ocean. Artforms was first to Kitchen Shoals followed by Gryphon Solo, then Swordflounder, and then Velocity. As we took a hard left to round the mark and head for Newport, our furling unit for our Code 5 spinnaker jammed, forcing us to sail dead downwind until we were able to clear it. We lost about ten minutes.
It then turned into a drag race as we put up our reacher and took off down the rhumb line headed for the Gulf Stream. We have been very close to Artforms but have left the rest of the fleet behind as these Open 50's are very quick in reaching conditions. We have averaged speeds of about 13.3 knots over the first 20 hours of the race. We are only 50 miles from our waypoint to enter the Gulf Stream, which is 330 miles from the start. As the wind is forecast to go lighter after midnight, we are "trying to make hay while the sun shines" as farmers like to say.
So far the ride has been fast and wet, with waves crashing into the cockpit and soaking both me and my sailing partner, Brian Harris. Sleep has been a little tough but it is so much easier with two people! By tomorrow morning, we should be more than a hundred miles past the Gulf Stream. I feel confident that we will be able to manage the light and variable winds for the final 200 miles to the finish line in Newport.
I hope all our gear hangs together in these testing conditions and the drag race lasts a little longer.
This article is about PFD's. That's right Pet Flotation
Devices. Just as PFD's are good for pet owners, PFD's are
good for pets.
Not all people are swimmers and not all pets are swimmers.
Some dogs, either by breeding or inclination, just aren't
swimmers. Without a PFD their life span in water is short.
For the PFD to be most effective it must be sized properly.
Before selecting a PFD you should know your dog's weight and
measure the widest point around their ribcage. A PFD that
is not properly fitted via this method may not have sufficient
flotation.
Other features to look for in a Pet PFD include a leash loop
and a handle. Being able to attach your pets leash will
ensure it is used more often. A handle is useful in pulling
your pet from the water.
In addition to fitting your pet with a PFD you should
brainstorm up a plan for getting the pet back aboard.
Lifting a wet dog up several feet of freeboard with the boat
in waves may not be possible. Additionally there are ladders made specifically for dogs to reboard the boat.
Pets present a distinct set of problems and solutions, as opposed to animals that might be caged full time.
Before taking your pet for a sail or on your annual cruise
you'll want to get a tag that has your boat's permanent
marina location and slip number as well as a phone contact
for when you're afloat- this would generally be a mobile
phone. If a dog goes astray having your home contact
information may not be enough.
Around the water you'll want to replace your animals typical
circular around the neck collar with a body harness that has
a lifting strap. The strap can be of particular use when
lifting a pet from the water. See an example
Provide a shady place for your pet to rest. Animals can
suffer from heat stroke, with a boat on a windless day being
an area that could cause this. If your boat has a dodger
you may want to set your pet up near it.
Unless you plan to go to shore several times throughout the
day, it is good to train your pets to relieve themselves
while underway. A litter box for cats is a normal experience.
For dogs, a box of sod or a piece of Astroturf can be used
to encourage them go to the bathroom. Other options are to
train them to use the bow or another location.
When planning how much water you will carry, add in your
pets consumption. A rule for water consumption is that a dog needs 2.5 times the volume of water it consumes in food.
N 33 42.1 W 065.36.3. Merf and I have been swapping helmsman's duties since we cleared the reef in Bermuda. I held on to the tiller while we eked our way inside the Kitchen Shoals marker to shave a few hundred yards off the course. With a 14' draft and coral heads rising up to within 6' of the surface, I figured it was my responsibility to be holding the tiller if something went horribly wrong.
The start was great - dead downwind across St. George's Harbor and through the narrow Town Cut to open ocean. I distinguished myself by crossing the line dead last, but I'd borrowed heavily from the Paul Cronin playbook of smart starts and kept our code sail rolled up to maximize our maneuverability. Four or five quick gybes later, we popped out of the Cut in the lead and that's where we've been ever since.
Now, after eight hours of fast sailing, Joe Harris on Gryphon Solo is only a mile or so behind - at 14 knots, that's only a matter of a few minutes. In these fast reaching conditions, the boats appear to be very evenly matched and unless one of us suffers an unfortunate or unexpected gear failure, I expect we'll be sailing side by side and in sight of one another for at least the next 24 hours. This is fast, fun ocean racing - very exciting and very challenging as we both push one another along.
As much as I enjoy the discipline of solo ocean sailing, I have to say that having a crewmate on board has been an extremely enjoyable experience so far. Shortly after we cleared the reef, I tumbled into the bunk (never been there before while racing!) and dropped off to the sounds of the boat being trimmed to speed by someone who really knows what they're doing. Later, having reciprocated the favor, Merf appeared with a tray of sliced apple and cheese hor's d'oveuves - a huge leap forward in the culinary experience I've come to expect aboard this boat.
Of course, it's not quite as easy as it sounds and after only eight hours I can see that two people on board may be even harder than one. Suddenly, there's so much more that can be done and the pace is quite a bit faster. It's possible we'll pull into Newport a bit better fed and perhaps even a bit more rested. However, I suspect I'm about to work harder on this boat for the next few days than I've ever done before.
Finally, a huge thanks to Oliver Riihiluoma who, with his mom, uncle, and the highly capable Bermuda shore team of Caroline Kurrus, Chris McGough, and Sara Patalano, rescued us from near disaster when one blade of the propeller dropped off just 20 minutes before our start. While I went over the side to see what was wrong and to fix the remaining blade in a feathered position for the race, Oliver towed Artforms back towards the start and away from the lee shore we were drifting onto. It takes a real team to get one of the boats off the dock and safely out to sea, and today's drill was just one more example of how great the Artforms team really is.
- Kip Stone
Racing Act4 Day 1 Mistakes & Wins. 3 OSTAR Finishers
News Transpac Crew
Great Lakes Solo Mac
Below you'll find water level info that pertains to Lakes Michigan and Huron.
Reference Point- Measurements in Inches
Difference from Chart Datum +8
Difference from last month +2
Difference from last year -4
Difference from long term average for June -14
Difference from Record High -43
Difference from Record Low +19
Forecast for 17 July +1
The first day of K-Challenge on the Louis Vuitton Act 4 was difficult.
Indeed, even if K-Challenge lost the first race with a good match against Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ), the second race against United Internet Team Germany (UITG) shows a defeat where the team is conscious of its errors.
Albert Jacobsoone (America's Cup with all the French challengers since 1983, then with Prada in 2003), team-member who analyzes as an observer from the chase boat (since he is recovering from an injury): “What has been done is over now. We have learned the lessons from this first day to rebound, and to give us a better strategy for match racing, and for better controlling our competitors.”
He continues: “what occurred in the first race was positive, ETNZ is “a big” team. We had a good start and then led the race during the first leg. Once they passed us, we kept the gap without ever releasing the contact. Their very conservative tactics did not leave us any opportunity. Despite everything, the team carries out good manoeuvres, even in the difficult moments.
Against German team UITG, after we won the start, our mistake was to have too many missed opportunities in the first leg when we had the advantage. The variation of wind and our tactical error enabled them to pass us, while controlling us until the end. “
Dawn Riley, (who won the America's Cup in 1992 and did two campaigns in 1995 and 2000), pit on board and General Manager of the team, adds: “We know what our errors were, we will work on it to improve immediately.”
On the Design Team side, the report is positive with regard to the boat, since it is always very difficult to evaluate things before we have sailed in a true race situation.
Dimitri Nicolopoulos, Coordinator of the Design team, says: “of course we also lost the second match, but we note nevertheless that in the first match against ETNZ, with conditions of light wind, we kept ourselves close behind them! They passed us thanks to their tactics, but even if we were a little slower downwind, we came back upwind. Our boat is thus armed to play with the big teams. We do not have a problem of speed compared to the boats of 2003 (FRA 60 is the boat which won the America's Cup in 2000). We thus feel better compared to teams as ETNZ which have good boats.”
K-Challenge will meet tomorrow the Italian teams Mascalzone Latino Capitalia and Luna Rossa.
South Africa's Team Shosholoza lost her first two match races today despite putting up a brave effort in her new untried racing yacht Shosholoza RSA 83 at the start of the 2005 America's Cup racing season in Valencia, Spain today (Thursday).
Team Shosholoza lost to Italy's +39 Challenge in the first flight and to Cup Defender, Team Alinghi, in the second flight of the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 4 in murky, misty conditions and a diminishing breeze that dropped from 14 to six knots.
Race commentators said this was "not a surprise and hardly fair" as South Africa had only managed to get out onto the water for her maiden sail in her new Version 5 yacht late yesterday afternoon (Wednesday).
The South African's have been working flat out for over a month in Valencia to get their new yacht race-ready. Rigging problems also meant that they were ultimately forced to acquire a second-hand mast from Alinghi which meant re-cutting sails which they tested during racing today.
"Essentially we will be using the upcoming racing as sea-trials for our new yacht. It is not ideal but the good thing is that we made it to the start line. We are out there and we are racing," said sailing manager Paul Standbridge.
Some of the world's biggest super-yachts, scores of spectator yachts and an armada of photographic and media boats were out in full force to watch the 12 competing teams who are entered for the America's Cup proper in 2007 and represent yacht clubs from 10 nations across five continents.
Commentators repeatedly said how todays racing was such an incredible spectacle that they had to keep reminding themselves that this was an America's Cup precursor event and not the real thing.
The competing teams were split into two groups of six each and split across two race courses seven nautical miles apart but close enough inshore for spectators using binoculars to watch the action from the beach.
The local Spanish heroes, Desafío Español 2007 got off to a strong start, beating the first ever German team to race in the America's Cup. The Spaniards later fell to Luna Rossa Challenge, who perhaps feel at home in Valencia, having sailed there longer than any other team.
Other highlights in the first pairings included a tight match between BMW ORACLE Racing and Sweden's Victory Challenge, who put in a credible performance against one of the strongest teams at the Cup.
It was the first ever America's Cup race for South African grinders Camron Wills, 27, of Durban and Johann Spilhaus, 27, of Villiersdorp near Cape Town and downwind trimmer Michael Giles, 31, of Port Elizabeth.
Spilhaus, who joined Team Shosholoza in January this year is not only the heaviest member of the crew at 118kg but also one of the strongest. Born into an active Cape sailing family he spent 2002 on the Caribbean Racing Circuit and most recently worked in the film industry as a stunt man. He says being part of Team Shosholoza is a "dream come true."
Wills is from Westville in KwaZulu/Natal where he grew up playing rugby and waterskiing. He became passionate about sailing while in Australia and Italy and returned to Cape Town to work as a sailmaker.
Giles, a helmsman and trimmer, spent four years on the international Olympic circuit in the run up to the Sydney Olympics campaigning in the Laser class and on the big boat professional racing circuit in the US. He crews regularly on the Port Elizabeth yacht Warrior.
Today (Thursday) also marked the opening of the America's Cup Park, and was an opportunity for Valencianos to experience the spirit of the America's Cup. The Park was busy, with crowds enjoying the action on the water via big screen television and commentary.
Team Shosholoza Crew List - 16 JUNE 2005 Day One
Skipper/Tactician:Geoff Meek; Helmsman:Ian Ainslie; Aft Grind:Tim Kröger; Navigator:Marc Lagesse; :Ken Venn; Traveller:Paul Standbridge; Runners:Mark Sadler; Mainsail Trimmer:David Rae; Main Grinder:Cameron Wills; Trimmer:Jonathan Swain; Trimmer:Michael Giles; Grinder /Pit:Davey Smith; Grinder:Johann Spilhaus; Mast / Pit:Charles Nankin; Sewer:Guido Verhovert; Mid-Bow:Ashton Sampson; Bow:Golden Mgedeza; 18th Man:Salvatore Sarno
Two wins from two starts today for Emirates Team New Zealand was an encouraging start to Act 4 of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup 2007 pre-regattas.
Today’s conditions were fine but light. The mid-afternoon temperature reached 29 deg and the breeze was a 9-11 knots easterly.
It was day to take the wins. There’s no such thing as an easy race in the light and K Challenge’s FRA 60 is a proven performer in a light breeze.
NZL82, the defending yacht in 2003 was first up today against FR68, the yacht with which Team New Zealand successfully defended the America’s Cup in 2000.
The start was fairly even, with FR68 taking the right and NZL82 going left. FR68 took an early advantage but ¾ of the way up the windward leg NZL82’s tactics paid off and they took the lead to round the mark 24 seconds in front.
ETNZ’s lead was never in doubt, rounding the leeward mark 29 sec ahead, the third mark 43 seconds ahead and crossed the finish line 50 seconds.
In the second race of the day, against Mascalzone Latino, NZL82 was 8 seconds ahead after the first beat, extended by 49 seconds to 1min37sec after the first downwind leg, 2min52sec after the second beat and crossed the line 2min.27sec ahead.
Helmsman Dean Barker:
In the light the boat that gets its nose in front can make life difficult for the other one. When K Challenge got in front on leg one we stayed close – and took the opportunities when we could.
We know FRA60 very well. We defended the Cup with her in 2000 and we don’t need to be reminded that in a light breeze she takes some beating.
Races like this are tough mentally. We like to be able to control our destiny. And in the light the boat in front is in control. The main thing is to stay in touch whether you’re ahead or behind. And that’s what we did.
Tactician Terry Hutchinson:
In the first race, FRA60 got a shift off the start and grabbed the lead. We worked them hard and picked our moments to attack, forcing them to make hard decisions.
FRA60 is a dangerous boat in the light and once we got in front we sailed defensively to stay there.
In the second race we worked to take the left again because that’s where we thought the pressure would be. The pressure wasn’t nearly as good as it could have been, but we benefitted on the left of the course and took the lead and stayed there,.
Once again – we sailed defensively and never got too far away. In those conditions it’s the only thing to do."
Alinghi had a very successful first day out on the water, despite light patchy conditions on the South course for the first race of Act 4.
First up to challenge Alinghi was China Team for match six of flight one. Alinghi had a good start, leading China Team over the line and stretching their advantage to six minutes, holding it in a 7-9 knot breeze to cross the finish line 6.48minutes ahead. China Team is ex-Le Defi and made up of many of the old race crew. Next up for the second flight of the day, was Team Shosholoza, the first ever South African challenge and the only new-build Version 5.0 boat on the water. Alinghi started very well leaving Shosholoza, who were late over the line, behind. Alinghi went on to lead most of the race by a couple of boat lengths, to cross the finish line with a 3.30minute lead”.
Juan Vila, Alinghi Navigator comments on the racing: “It was a good day: two starts with two victories! I think that Brad Butterworth and Jordi Calafat did a very good job on calling the shifts and the puffs it was a very tricky day with light breeze, which is always risky. All in all it was a very good day for us”.
Peter Holmberg, Alinghi helmsman: “I’d say we were quite lucky today because we had a good draw and the pairing list put us up against some teams which have not had many opportunities for practice yet, so we were pretty lucky today”.
Josh Belsky, Alinghi pitman: “the way the scenario is set up this week, we’ve got a nice steady vamp up towards the tougher teams later in the week and I think that tomorrow will be a good challenge – we’ll prepare for tomorrow’s racing as if we were preparing for ETNZ or Oracle.”
Peter Holmberg, Alinghi helmsman: “It’s an ideal scenario and that’s what the seeding is all about, it rewards the teams that practice and put in the effort and so the first few rounds allow us to get warmed up so that when we meet the toughest opponents, we’ll be ready for them”.
Louis Vuitton Act 4, Valencia – Day One
Match One – USA-76 vs SWE-63
Race Summary – BMW ORACLE Racing (USA-76) gained its first point of the Louis Vuitton Act 4 regatta in Valencia by leading the Swedish Victory Challenge team (SWE-63) from start to win the opening race of the regatta. Racing took place in a light, shifty sea breeze. USA-76 led off the starting line on starboard tack. With the breeze shifting to the right, both yachts tacked early and headed for the favoured side of the track.
In the early stage of the first leg, the two yachts remained close, but USA-76 made steady gains to lead around the first windward mark by 47 seconds. This gap stretched to 1 minute 20 seconds at the end of the first downwind run.
USA-76 opted to round the starboard mark of the leeward gate, while the Swedish team chose the port rounding.
The right hand side of the course remained favoured and Sweden made a gain on the second windward beat by sailing further right and into slightly more wind pressure.
USA-76 rounded the windward mark 36 seconds ahead and then stretched their advantage downwind to take a comfortable 51 second lead at the finish.
Match Two – USA-76 vs CHN-69
Race Summary – BMW ORACLE Racing (USA-76) completed the first day of racing in the Louis Vuitton Act 4 regatta in Valencia with a score of two wins from two races, after a convincing victory over the China Team.
The second match of the day was sailed in light winds, after the usual Valencia sea breeze made only a half-hearted appearance. USA-76 dominated the start, with both yachts crossing the line on port tack. USA-76 was to windward and ahead of CHN-69.
In the early stage of the first windward leg, the yachts engaged in a short tacking duel, with USA-76 maintaining a close cover.
Although BMW ORACLE Racing’s lead was never threatened, the gap between the yachts extended and contracted, with the separation sometimes as much as eight boat lengths and sometimes as little as two boat lengths.
USA-76 led around the first mark by 40 seconds, but CHN-69 made a gain on the first downwind leg, to close the gap to 31 seconds at the leeward mark.
For the remainder of the race, however, USA-76 extended its lead, rounding the second windward mark with a 56-second margin and crossing the finish line 1 minute 39 seconds ahead.
Quotes:
John Kostecki, BMW ORACLE Racing skipper and tactician: “This was a good start to the regatta for us. We had no damage or dramas, although in both our matches the boats got very close to each other in the pre-starts. There was no contact, but we were pretty nervous at times.
“We got two nice starts off the line, with a clear edge in both of them. That is what you go for. It makes it easier to control the race after that. “There was not as much breeze through the day as we expected. The sea-breeze never quite developed so we were left having to deal with 8-10 knot easterlies. In those conditions, it is easy to get out of phase with the other yacht, or to miss some wind shifts or pressure changes. That happened to us and our competitors at times and in those circumstances you can make big gains and big losses.
“In a total of eight legs of racing, we made gains in six, so we are pretty pleased with that result.
“We tried not to allow ourselves to get too separated from our opponents. Our strategy was to stay close and maintain a cover.
“It was nice to come away from the first day with two wins from two starts, but there is a long way to go. We have to take them all one by one.”
Dan Sinclair's Renegade has arrived from Vancouver, B.C. as the first official resident of Transpac Village---and an adventure tale of big winds, big seas and sailing near the epicenter of a 7.2-magnitude offshore earthquake that brought tsunami warnings all along the West Coast of the United States.
The dark blue Andrews 70 reached Rainbow Harbor, where most of the 75 competitors will be berthed before next month's starts, shortly after midnight Thursday morning. The venue, flanked by the Queen Mary, the Aquarium of the Sea and Shoreline Village, will be the centerpiece of Long Beach's Sea Festival celebration.
Renegade's three-person professional delivery crew was complemented by nine recruits from eBay. They sailed the turobocharged ULDB 70 the 1,200 nautical miles---about half the Transpac distance---in 6 1/2 days under reduced sail through winds up to 50 knots at speeds as fast as 24.3 knots.
They never knew about the tsunami warnings until they reached Long Beach, although they were about 110 miles offshore from northern California at the time. Skipper Dan Mathieu recalled that as about the time "it suddenly got really black and the waves got bigger."
There never was a tsunami and the warnings were called off, but the winds continued through Wednesday night.
"There was 50 knots sustained for about eight hours, with one reef in a delivery main sail from a Santa Cruz 52 and a No. 3 jib," said Shawn Longworth, Mathieu's fiancée. "Then it calmed down to 30 knots. The seas were 15 feet, as high as our radar tower [on the transom]."
At times, Rick Sellens said, "There was green water around the mast."
Sellens, who drove through some of the strong winds, was one of the nine amateur sailors selected from applicants responding to an eBay offer to join the delivery crews for $1,200 each.
"None of them had ever been offshore," said Sinclair, who was not on the boat. "The purpose was to give them an opportunity to go offshore, and to pay delivery expenses."
After Transpac, the three professionals will take the boat from Hawaii back to Vancouver with a new group of recruits.
Sinclair, a Vancouver businessman, has sailed four Transpacs, including 1995 when he chartered Merlin and won first overall on corrected handicap time. Renegade, launched in 1994, sailed the '97 Transpac and started in 2003 but dropped out early with a steering problem.
For this 43rd Transpac, the smaller boats will start July 11 off the Palos Verdes Peninsula, followed by the middle classes on July 15 and the big boats on Sunday, July 17.
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Transpac Trivia Quiz
The two all-woman crews in the Centennial Transpac are the sixth and seventh in race history, starting with Terry Clapp's Concubine in 1979. What is unique about one of them? Answer below.
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Bubala Can Relate to Its Hawaiian Host
Lloyd Sellinger's Bubala, the Cal 40 with every crew member 65 and older, has found an appropriate host for the traditional Hawaiian welcome.
When Bubala arrives in Waikiki it will be greeted and treated to island hospitality by Dick Troyer of Waikiki Yacht Club and his friends. Troyer is 80---just the host Bubala's crew needs to make them feel young after about two weeks at sea.
The host committee chairperson is Barbara Silvey. Offers of assistance and any special needs or requests may be addressed through her at hawaiipianolady@aol.com
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Defibrillator Deadline Extended to June 24
The deadline for requesting the free loan of AEDs (automated external defibrillators) for Transpac has been extended by the AED Institute to June 24.
That date will still allow time to ensure that at least two crew members are CPR/AED certified, the company said. For those who are still in need of the certification, classes may be scheduled according to need.
More information: (714) 488-0454 and ask for Pam or Shannon.
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Trivia Answer
Patricia Garfield and Diane Murray of San Francisco, sailing Garfield's Catalina 47 Charmed Life, are the first women's doublehanded crew.
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Entries at 75 As Atalanta Withdraws
The entry list stands at 75 following the withdrawal of Atalanta, Richard Hedreen's Tripp 73 ketch from Seattle, but the total remains the second largest ever. Entries closed June 3.
Class breaks are expected to be announced within a few days.
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Next week, 67 Swans and around 800 sailors from all over Europe will converge on Cowes, Isle of Wight for the Rolex Swan European Regatta. The twelfth edition of this biennial event will be hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron from 19-25 June 2005. The entry list for this year goes a long way to confirm the Rolex Swan European Regatta as a premier event on the international sailing circuit. Within the 66 Swans entered, 12 nations are represented, spanning Great Britain (with 43 entries), The Netherlands, Italy, Germany, France and Spain. With top class sailors participating onboard some 27 different Swan models, the regatta promises to deliver an exceptional week of close competition with a social programme for all to enjoy.
Andy Green, former British America's Cup Helmsman and tactician aboard Swan 45 Nemo of Cowes, is amongst those looking forward to the event. Green commented ahead of the regatta: "One of the great attractions of the Rolex Swan Europeans is the high level of competition and the huge diversity of Swans that take part. I am looking forward to racing in the Swan 45 Class - it looks like there will be a very healthy fleet of them. The one-design racing is a big attraction for those Swan owners who want to experience top competition in level boats, which are more racer than cruiser."
Grant Gordon, joint owner of Swan 45 Fever (GBR) along with Klaus Diederichs, will be amongst the hot competition in the ten strong Swan 45 Class. Gordon, who has recruited America's Cup Sailor Chris Law as tactician, commented on his team's preparation for the event: "The Fever team have had a busy winter season, since returning from the Swan 45 Gold Cup in Capri. We are very exited about the opportunity of racing against the rest of the Swan 45 fleet that will be in Cowes. For sure the competition will be fierce!"
A huge range of Swans are entered in Classes A and B, spanning the Nautor's Swan portfolio from the traditional Sparkman & Stephens models to the innovative German Frers designs such as the new Swan 46 Lowly Worm (GBR) owned by John Dean. Colin Buffin, owner of Swan 44 Junkanoo is among those entered in this Class. Buffin who first raced Junkanoo at the Rolex Swan Cup 2004 in Sardinia, sees the Rolex Swan Europeans as an entirely different challenge: "The Rolex Swan European Regatta will be much more challenging given the more variable weather and tides. It is great to race against other Swans as the racing is more closely matched than at other open events. I am looking forward to catching up with old friends and rivalries from previous events."
Talking of friends and rivalries, Buffin's fellow crew member from the Rolex Swan Cup, Lindsay Stuart, will be racing against him at the Rolex Swan European Regatta, this time aboard his own Swan 40, Kymah. Stuart commented: "We thought Cork Week was great fun, but the Rolex Swan Europeans is even better. There's an even bigger sense of community there, you can enter the races from any level of experience and the 'après sail' is fantastic. It's a nice time to be in Cowes before it gets too busy and I'm looking forward to beating Colin!"
Friends and members of ClubSwan will have the opportunity to meet at the numerous social events organised during the regatta. The Rolex Opening Reception and Rolex Owner's Dinner, both at the Royal Yacht Squadron, will set the tone and ensure that evening socialising is as enjoyable and entertaining as the racing. The ClubSwan Dinner at Osborne House will be one of the highlights of the week, with Swan owners relaxing in the beautiful setting of this historic stately home, while the Rolex Swan European Regatta Party on the penultimate evening of the regatta will be an excellent opportunity for crews to relax and enjoy a fun evening together before the competitive final day of racing.
The Rolex Swan European Regatta commences on 19 June with two days of registration and inspections followed by the Opening Reception at the Royal Yacht Squadron on 20 June. Racing will commence on 21 June with Classes A and B racing a maximum of seven races, whilst Class C (Swan 45s) will race a maximum of 15 windward/leeward races. Following an action-packed week of racing and socialising, the Rolex Swan European Regatta 2005 will conclude with the final prizegiving on 25 June.
Two more wins for Emirates Team New Zealand today in races three and four of the Louis Vuitton pre-regattas for the America’s Cup 2007.
The breeze was again light, creating conditions where the yacht that wins the start and takes an early lead can control the race. It was a day when you wouldn’t want to be caught on the wrong side of a wind shift.
It was another hot summer’s day in Valencia. There was not a cloud in the sky and by mid-afternoon the temperature was 29 deg and the wind a light south-easterly of between 8 and 11 knots.
The crew sailed well today, getting two good starts and defending the right of the course against some determined attacks from both the opponents. The first race was against the Spanish challenger Desafio Espanol 2007, sailing a yacht that was campaigned by One World in Auckland in 2003.
NZL 82 won the start ands claimed the right and at the first mark was 28 minutes ahead of ESP 67; at the end of the first run the gap had increased slightly to 34 seconds. NZL 82 widened the margin to 57 seconds on the second win and finished a comfortable 1min 10 sec ahead.
The second race of the day, against the United Internet Team Germany, was sailed in similar conditions. NZL 82 again won the start, gained a small advantage early and was never threatened.
AT the first mark NZL 82 was ahead by 1min 13sec; at the second mark 57 seconds ahead and extended to 2min 23sec gaining a further 10 seconds on the run to finish 2min 33sec ahead.
Tomorrow Emirates Team New Zealand meets Luna Rossa in the first race and the Italian syndicate +39 in the second.
Alinghi has raced four races, winning four. Today against Victory Challenge from Sweden for flight one and then the Italian challenger +39 for flight two on day two of Act 4.
Alinghi won the start against Victory Challenge in the first match of the first flight – the Swiss Defender spotted more breeze on the left at the start and took it.
In shifty conditions of up to 11 knots, Alinghi was ahead by five boat lengths by mid-course and crossed the finish line 40 seconds ahead to take their third win of the event.
In Alinghi’s second match of the day against Italian challenger +39 (ex-SUI59 Be-Happy), Alinghi powered over the start line, leading +39 by half a boat length.
The comment from the water was: “experienced crews can put the gas on when they choose” – Alinghi did exactly that and lengthened their two boat length lead to four by the first windward mark to finish two minutes two seconds ahead.
Quotes from Alinghi’s SUI75
Bowman Pieter van Nieuwenhuyzen commented on the days racing: “We’re happy with the day’s racing – we have another two points. We expected Victory to challenge us at the start, we have sailed against them already in the Louis Vuitton Cup so we know that they are a good team – just like any race, make it your best, be smart and don’t make mistakes. Racing +39 was special as we made the boat (ex-SUI59 Be-Happy), it was another good race”. A look towards tomorrow racing BMW Oracle Racing? “Tomorrow, with BMW will be very interesting, they’re a very good team, very competitive, we will have to be very competitive, very careful to make smart decisions and sail well”.
Quotes from the Alinghi follow boat:
Juan Bautista Soler, President of Valencia CF (football club) (picture right): “I am a fan of Alinghi, I am from Valencia and therefore I am very proud that Alinghi has chosen my city to host the America’s Cup, clearly we are here because of Alinghi. Alinghi has to be the home team,”
Alvaro de Marichalar the brother of the son-in-law of the King of Spain (picture below) shared his enthusiasm for the Defender: “Of course I am an Alinghi fan – they are the champion and I think they still will be. There is a lot of harmony within the team which is crucial to be able to win”. This is from a man who set a record jet-skiing from New York to Rome.
Tomorrow the big four (Alinghi, BMW Oracle Racing, Luna Rossa and Emirates Team New Zealand) split into two groups and go head to head. Alinghi will meet BMW Oracle Racing in match 4 of the first flight. Then later in the day, Alinghi will confront United Internet Team Germany for match 2 of flight 6.
Light, patchy winds made for tricky racing conditions in Valencia, with a potential for big losses and gains. BMW ORACLE Racing completed the opening day of the regatta with a pleasing two wins from two starts.
After securing two wins from two starts in the opening day of Louis Vuitton Act 4 in Valencia, BMW ORACLE Racing skipper and tactician John Kostecki came off the water satisfied with the team’s performance.
BMW ORACLE Racing’s USA-76 faced the Swedish Victory Challenge team in the first match of the day and the new China Team in the second. USA-76 led both matches from start to finish, winning the first by 51 seconds and the second by 1 minute 39 seconds.
“This was a good start to the regatta for us,” he said. “We had no damage or dramas, although in both our matches the boats got very close to each other in the pre-starts. There was no contact, but we were pretty nervous at times."
“We got two nice starts off the line, with a clear edge in both of them. That is what you go for. It makes it easier to control the race after that."
“There was not as much breeze through the day as we expected. The sea-breeze never quite developed so we were left having to deal with 8-10 knot easterlies. In those conditions, it is easy to get out of phase with the other yacht, or to miss wind shifts or pressure changes. That happened to us and our competitors at times and in those circumstances you can make big gains and big losses."
“In a total of eight legs of racing, we made gains in six, so we are pretty pleased with that result."
“We tried not to allow ourselves to get too separated from our opponents. Our strategy was to stay close and maintain a cover."
“It was nice to come away from the first day with two wins from two starts. It is good to build confidence in the crew before we have to go up against teams like Alinghi and Emirates Team New Zealand later in the week. But there is a long way to go. We have to take them all one by one.”
The America's Cup season opened on Thursday with the first 12 matches in the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 4, and conditions promised some good racing. Five completely new teams took to the water to race for the first time in this 32nd America's Cup, completing the most diverse line-up in the history of the Cup.
The action wasn't limited to the water. Thursday also marked the opening of the America's Cup Park, and was an opportunity for Valencianos to come down and experience the spirit of the America's Cup. The Park was busy, with crowds enjoying the action on the water via big screen television and commentary.
The local heroes, Desafío Español 2007 got off to a strong start, beating the first ever German team to race in the America's Cup. The Spaniards later fell to Luna Rossa Challenge, who likely feel at home in Valencia, having sailed here longer than any other team.
Other highlights in the first pairings included a tight match between BMW ORACLE Racing and Sweden's Victory Challenge, who put in a credible performance against one of the strongest teams at the Cup.
The new German challenger didn't wait too long to earn its first win at the America's Cup. After falling to the Spanish team, United Internet Team Germany surprised K-Challenge with a strong performance in the second flight of races, in what many are calling the match of the day. German skipper Jesper Bank made a nifty move at the first windward mark; approaching bow to bow on starboard tack he was able to sneak inside the French boat and round ahead. From there Bank extended away, sailing aggressively to victory by 1:02.
The first flight of matches started on time at 14:10 with K-Challenge leading Emirates Team New Zealand off the starting line of the North (ROMEO) course. The Kiwis soon recovered their form however and the season champion from last year was able to hold back the French challenge. Although the wind was good for racing at the start with a moderate 8 to 10 knot Easterly, it eased a little over the course of the race with matches on both courses finishing in light 6 to 8 knot breezes.
In the Italian derby in Flight 1, Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team performed well, but succumbed to Francesco de Angelis and his Luna Rossa Challenge. Mascalzone picked up a penalty on the first beat, and lost time completing its turn before the finish, so the race on the water was closer than the final finish time indicated.
China Team had a difficult welcome to the America's Cup, paired against the Defender for its first match, and the BMW ORACLE Racing powerhouse in the second. Alinghi taught the newcomers that the Cup is a hard game to play, beating them by nearly seven minutes. By comparison, the Chinese stuck closer to the American team, but still fell by over one minute.
Also having a difficult day were the South Africans. They are racing a new boat that sailed for the very first time yesterday - and only for a couple of hours at that - and it showed. Italy's +39 Challenge showed no mercy however, beating them convincingly. The South Africans then fell to Alinghi in another one-sided match.
Racing at the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts is scheduled to continue on Friday, with two more flights of racing on the calendar. The first warning signal is scheduled to sound at 14:00.
Results
Flight 1
Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 82) beat K-Challenge (FRA 60) - delta 0:50
Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA 74) beat Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team - delta 3:24
Desafío Español 2007 (ESP 67) beat United Internet Team Germany - delta 1:59
BMW ORACLE Racing (USA 76) beat Victory Challenge (SWE 63) - delta 0:51
+39 Challenge (ITA 59) beat Team Shosholoza (RSA 83) - delta 5:24
Alinghi (SUI 75) beat China Team (CHN 69) - delta 6:48
Flight 2
Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 82) beat Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team - delta 2:27
United Internet Team Germany (GER 72) beat K-Challenge (FRA 60) - delta 1:02
Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA 74) beat Desafío Español 2007 (ESP 67) - delta 1:12
Victory Challenge (SWE 63) beat +39 Challenge (ITA 59) - delta 1:51
Alinghi (SUI 75) beat Team Shosholoza (RSA 83) - delta 3:34
BMW ORACLE Racing (USA 76) beat China Team (FRA 69) - delta 1:39
HUGO BOSS sponsored heavyweight champion boxer Wladimir Klitschko will be lending his ballast to British skipper, Alex Thomson and the crew of the Open 60 HUGO BOSS on Monday 20th June when he will join the crew for a day of sailing around the Kiel Week Regatta, Germany. At 6ft 5’’ and weighing in at 238 lbs he is guaranteed to help keep the boat flat in the water.
Alex and the HUGO BOSS crew, Clarkee, the boat captain and the crew Ross and Jess have a fun packed week ahead of them combining offshore racing to Eckernförde and back to three days of corporate hospitality and then the last race of the week for the crew has a dusk start as they head off to Fehrmann, Germany.
“This is a first for me at Kiel and I am really looking forward to it. It’s great to show another crowd of people what these unusual racing yachts are like and especially because Germany is the home of HUGO BOSS.” Said Alex.
Alex and the Open 60 HUGO BOSS are now en-route to ‘Kieler Wocher’ aka Kiel Week, Germany’s most prestigious regatta, to take part in what the organisers have dubbed ‘the greatest sailing event in the world’ and the biggest summer festival in Northern Europe. From June 18th the German port of Kiel welcomes guests and top class sailors from 50 countries all over the world to enjoy exhilarating racing on the Kiel Fiord. More than 5,000 sailors in international and Olympic dinghies are expected to attend and about 250 offshore yachts sail on the offshore area Alpha.
From Kiel Alex and the crew will be taking part in a feeder race from Kiel to Sandhamn, Sweden a race that will link them directly into their next adventure the Gotland Runt Race.
We will be issuing regular updates of the comings and goings of Alex and the crew throughout the next few weeks – so don’t be a stranger now and keeping watching this space!
The America's Cup season opened on Thursday with 12 matches in the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 4, and conditions promised some good racing. Five completely new teams took to the water to race for the first time in this 32nd America's Cup, completing the most diverse line-up in the history of the Cup.
But the action wasn't limited to the water. Thursday also marked the opening of the America's Cup Park, and was an opportunity for Valencianos to come down and experience the spirit America's Cup.
The first set of matches started on time at 14:10 with K-Challenge leading Emirates Team New Zealand off the startline of the North (ROMEO) course. The Kiwis soon recovered their form however and the season champion from last year was able to hold back the French challenge. Although the wind was good for racing at the start with a moderate 8 to 10 knot Easterly, it died a little over the course of the race with both courses finishing in light 6 to 8 knot breezes.
The local heroes, Desafío Español 2007 also got off to a strong start, beating the first ever German team to race in the America's Cup. Other highlights included a tight match between BMW ORACLE Racing and Sweden's Victory Challenge who put in a credible performance against one of the strongest teams at the Cup.
In the Italian derby, Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team also performed well, but succumbed to Francesco de Angelis and his Luna Rossa Challenge. Mascalzone picked up a penalty on the first beat, and lost time completing its turn before the finish, so the race on the water was closer than the final finish time indicated.
China Team had a difficult welcome to the America's Cup, paired against the Defender for its match. Alinghi taught the newcomers that the Cup is a hard game to play, beating them by nearly seven minutes.
Also having a difficult time were the South Africans. They are racing a new boat that sailed for the first time only yesterday, and it showed. Italy's +39 Challenge showed no mercy however, beating them convincingly.
IN BRIEF:
* ELLEN MACARTHUR'S 75FT TRIMARAN <
* CLOSE TO 1700 BOATS EXPECTED TO START THE 69TH EDITION OF THIS CLASSIC RACE AROUND THE ISLE OF WIGHT
* ELLEN AND HER INTERNATIONAL CREW WILL BE ON THE START LINE AT 0700 OFF THE ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON, COWES
* A FIRST TIME OUTING FOR <
For updated information, please go to http://www.teamellen.com
IN DETAIL:
JP MORGAN ROUND THE ISLAND RACE 2005
Ellen MacArthur will skipper the 75ft trimaran <
B&Q Chief Executive, Ian Cheshire, commented: "It will be a great sight to see the trimaran <
<
With a start time of 0700 BST, <
4-PARTS ENGLISH, 2-PARTS FRENCH AND A TWIST OF CANADIAN!
MacArthur will be joined on board <
IN BRIEF:
* SKANDIA IS ONE OF FIVE OPEN 60 MONOHULLS TAKING PART - FIRST TIME THE OPEN 60'S HAVE THEIR OWN CLASS AS THE RACE FORMS PART OF THE OFFICIAL IMOCA CIRCUIT...
* SKANDIA SKIPPER, NICK MOLONEY, COMPETING IN HIS FIRST RACE SINCE THE NON-STOP ROUND THE WORLD VENDEE GLOBE RACE BUT THIS TIME HE HAS A CREW!
* SKANDIA START AT 0640BST OFF THE ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON, COWES...
* NEARLY 1700 BOATS EXPECTED TO COMPETE IN THE 69TH EDITION OF THE RACE MAKING IT THE UK'S LARGEST SAILING RACE...
IN DETAIL:
On Saturday 18th June, Nick Moloney will be competing in the UK's largest yacht race, the JP Morgan Round the Island Race, on board the Open 60 monohull SKANDIA and will line up against four other top Open 60 monohull boats including UK entries Ecover (Mike Golding), HELLOMOTO (Conrad Humphreys), Pindar AlphaGraphics (Emma Richards) and French entry Sill et Veolia (Roland Jourdain).
For the first time in the history of this race, the five Open 60's have their own start and will be starting first at 0640 BST setting off from the famous Royal Yacht Squadron line. The course will take the fleet 50 miles in an anti-clockwise direction around the Isle of Wight, racing westwards passing famous Isle of Wight landmark, The Needles, round the back of the island to St. Catherine's Point, round Bembridge Ledge Buoy before heading back past the forts and across Osbourne Bay to the finish line off Cowes.
Latest weather forecasts for Saturday predict light winds of around 5 knots with a risk of fog. Although record breaking speeds are doubtful, there is an impressive line-up for this year's edition of a race that is always tactically very challenging regardless of the weather.
Moloney will be joined on board by SKANDIA's Boat Captain, Matt Lees; journalist Roger Fulton; Skandia Multimanager guests and Peter Thornett, the prize winner from The Daily Echo's Round the Island Race competition.
Nick is looking forward to seeing SKANDIA racing again: "The guys have worked hard to get SKANDIA ready for her first race since we lost our keel in the Vendée Globe. The boat is race ready and we are looking forward to racing against the other Open 60s. Sill et Veolia and Ecover will be strong competitors having recently raced in the Calais Round Britain Race and both Conrad and Emma will be equally as keen to do well. So despite the forecast for light winds we will have a very competitive race on our hands!"
From our Intersail Directory here are links to the web sites of the 12 America's Cup Teams.
Alinghi
BMW Oracle Racing
+39 Challenge
Team Shosholoza
Emirates Team New Zealand
Luna Rossa Challenge
K-Challenge
Victory Challenge
Desafío Español 2007
Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team
United Internet Team Germany
China Team
Racing Italian wins OSTAR Act 4. Tornado Worlds
News Pointing to Brazzaville. Fish Bowl effect. Prize money problems. Lexus teething
Great Lakes Erie Water Level. Safety drill
IN BRIEF
* SKANDIA 8TH OVERALL GOING IN TO NEXT OFFSHORE LEG - ELEVEN RACES TO GO...
* FIGARO SUPREMOS AND SOLITAIRE FAVOURITES DOMINATE TOP FOUR PLACES AT THIS STAGE ALTHOUGH SAM IS FOUR POINTS AHEAD OF ONE OF THE RACE FAVOURITES ERIC DROUGLAZET...
* YESTERDAY'S INSHORE RACE CANCELLED DUE TO LACK OF WIND...
IN DETAIL
SKANDIA skipper, Sam Davies, is now positioned 8th overall after five days of racing in the two-week Generali Solo Figaro event. Sam is currently four points ahead of one of the race favourites Eric Drouglazet (winner of the 2003 Solitaire du Figaro) who is in 9th place and only four points adrift of Kito de Pavant (winner of the 2002 Solitaire du Figaro) in 7th. Other race favourites are already positioned in the top four with leader Gildas Morvan (2nd in the Generali Solo 2004), Jéremie Beyou in second place and Yann Elies (winner Generali Solo 2004) in fourth.
Yesterday's inshore race was scheduled to take place off the French port of Gruissan in the Mediterranean but lack of wind forced the organisers to abandon the seventh race of the event and the 22 skippers returned to port to prepare for their next offshore leg today (Thursday) starting at 1000BST.
The Generali Solo is a notoriously testing event combining inshore windward/leeward races and offshore races, one after the other, with little respite in between. So far, Sam has had a mixed bag of results scoring an 8th, 5th, 5th, 16th, 5th and 20th. Her worst results so far have been the result of a miscalculation and a dose of bad luck that ultimately proved costly: "In Monday's inshore, I had gone out early to get used to the wind, it was going right the whole time and I got used to it being like that. Then just before the start there was a windshift and it went left so that wasn't a good start. I felt confused and everything went wrong after that."
Tuesday saw the start of the second offshore leg, a 40-mile race from Port Leucate to Gruissan. The fleet set off in 25 knots of wind from the northwest, spinnaker reaching and fast sailing with boat speeds up to 12 knots. After rounding the first race mark, SKANDIA ran into trouble: "I got stuck in no wind 15 miles after the start. There was only about 50 metres separating SKANDIA from the rest of the fleet but the breeze didnít reach us. I tried everything to get us going but I was stuck there long enough to know there was nothing I could do to catch up. I can normally make some ground up on the leaders but not today - it was just one of those things and typical Figaro racing!"
But Sam can be encouraged by her three top-five results - two inshore races and the other, a 130 mile offshore race. "I am not stressed about where I am at this stage of the competition. We are not even halfway yet and we still have 11 races to go. Also, my objective for this event is to capitalise on this short-style racing experience and to try and improve my tactics on these race courses which are both coastal and offshore which is all really good preparation to the Solitaire du Figaro event. It's important to me to do well but it's more important for me to learn from my mistakes and try not to repeat them!"
OVERALL TOP 10 RANKINGS 16/06/05 (AFTER 6 RACES)
(Boat name / skipper / points)
1. CERCLE VERT / MORVAN Gildas / 35 pts
2. DELTA DORE / BEYOU Jéremie / 39 pts
3. THALES / TABARLY Erwan / 41 pts
4. GROUPE GENERALI ASSURANCES / ELIES Yann / 50 pts
5. BANQUE POPULAIRE / GREGOIRE Jeanne / 53 pts
6. ESPOIR CREDIT AGRICOLE / KRAUSS Oliver / 58 pts
7. GROUPE BEL / DE PAVANT Kito / 62 pts
8. SKANDIA / DAVIES Samantha / 64 pts
9. MALONGO / DROUGLAZET Eric / 68 pts
10. CLIPTOL SPORT / PELLECUER Laurent / 75 pts
For full results, go to http://www.generalisolo.com/Front/generique/page.php?P=static/classements
RACE 1 INSHORE : COASTAL, LA GRANDE MOTTE (10/06/05)
1. ESPOIR CREDIT AGRICOLE / KRAUSS Oliver
2. DELTA DORE / BEYOU Jéremie
3. GROUPE BEL / DE PAVANT Kito
4. NANNI DIESEL / D'ALI Pietro
5. GROUPE GENERALI ASSURANCES / ELIES Yann
--
8. SKANDIA / DAVIES Samantha
RACE 2 INSHORE: COASTAL, LA GRANDE MOTTE (10/06/05)
1. CERCLE VERT / MORVAN Gildas
2. PASSEPORT FFVOILE : j'apprends à respecter... / PRATT Christopher
3. BANQUE POPULAIRE / GREGOIRE Jeanne
4. DELTA DORE / BEYOU Jéremie
5. SKANDIA / DAVIES Samantha
RACE 3 OFFSHORE: LA GRANDE MOTTE - PORT LEUCATE (11/06/05)
1. GROUPE GENERALI ASSURANCES / ELIES Yann
2. THALES / TABARLY Erwan
3. BANQUE POPULAIRE / GREGOIRE Jeanne
4. GEDIMAT / TRIPON Armel
5. SKANDIA / DAVIES Samantha
RACE 4 INSHORE: WINDWARD/LEEWARD, PORT LEUCATE (13/06/05)
1. CERCLE VERT / MORVAN Gildas
2. DELTA DORE / BEYOU Jéremie
3. PASSEPORT FFVOILE : j'apprends à respecter... / PRATT Christopher
4. ESPOIR CREDIT AGRICOLE / KRAUSS Oliver
5. THALES / TABARLY Erwan
--
16. SKANDIA / DAVIES Samantha
RACE 5 INSHORE: WINDWARD/LEEWARD, PORT LEUCATE (13/06/05)
1. MALONGO / DROUGLAZET Eric
2. DELTA DORE / BEYOU Jéremie
3. CERCLE VERT / MORVAN Gildas
4. ESPOIR CREDIT AGRICOLE / KRAUSS Oliver
5. SKANDIA / DAVIES Samantha
RACE 6 OFFSHORE: PORT LEUCATE - GRUISSAN (14/06/05)
1. NANNI DIESEL / D'ALI Pietro
2. CERCLE VERT / MORVAN Gildas
3. THALES / TABARLY Erwan
4. GROUPE GENERALI ASSURANCES / ELIES Yann
5. GROUPE BEL / DE PAVANT Kito
--
20. SKANDIA / DAVIES Samantha
REMAINING RACE SCHEDULE
Thursday, 16 June: Offshore leg 3, Gruissan - Hyères (150nm)
Friday, 17 June: Boats arrive, Hyères
Saturday, 18 June: Inshore race 5/6, Hyères
Sunday, 19 June: Offshore leg 4, Hyères - La Giraglia - Beaulieu sur Mer (240nm)
Monday, 20 June: At sea
Tuesday, 21 June: Boats arrive, Beaulieu sur Mer
Wednesday, 22 June: Offshore leg 5, Beaulieu sur Mer - Porquerolles (70nm)
Thursday, 23 June: Inshore race 7/8, Porquerolles
Friday, 24 June: Inshore race 9/10, Porquerolles
Saturday, 25 June: Inshore race 11/12, Porquerolles
Alinghi crew list:
Bow: Pieter van Nieuwenhuyzen
Midbow: Matt Mitchell
Mastman/grinder: Francesco ‘Chico’ Rapetti
Pitman: Josh Belsky
Grinder: Mark ‘Sting’ McTeigue
Grinder: Enrico De Maria
Trimmer: Lorenzo Mazza
Trimmer: Claudio ‘Chicho’ Celon
Grinder: Will McCarthy
Mainsail Trimmer: Warwick Fleury
Strategist/Traveller: Jordi Calafat
Runner/Grinder: Rodney Ardern
Runner/Pit: Dean Phipps
Navigator: Juan Vila
Afterguard: Jochen Schuemann
Tactician: Brad Butterworth
Helmsman: Peter Holmberg
Word from the weatherman is: “Light Easterly sea breeze “
Oh and: “Sunny – don’t forget the sun cream!”
Act 4 kicks off today and with it the start of the fight for the America’s Cup, the Defender Alinghi (SUI75) will be lining up against AC newcomer China Team (CHN69) on the South Course (Juliet Circle) for flight one.
Alinghi Flight One
The Alinghi match will be match six (the last) of this first flight and the start time will be at 14:05.
Alinghi has drawn the Blue Flag and will therefore have port entry into the pre-start box.
China Team
* Yacht Club: Qingdao International Yacht Club
* Country: China
* Syndicate established: 2005
* Sail number: CHN69
* Syndicate Head: Chaoyang Wang
* Skipper and team leader: Luc Gellusseau
* Helmsman: Pierre Mas
* Website: www.china-team.org
Alinghi Flight Two
For flight two, Alinghi comes up against the first ever challenger from South Africa, Team Shosholoza (RSA83). This match will be match five of the second flight and will also take place on the South Course – Alinghi will carry the Yellow Flag and will therefore have starboard entry into the pre-start box.
Team Shosholoza
* Yacht Club: Royal Cape Town Yacht Club
* Country: Republic of South Africa
* Syndicate established: 2003
* Sail number: RSA 48
* President: Mafika Mkwanazi
* Managing Director: Captain Salvatore Sarno
* Skipper: Geoff Meek
* Designer: Jason Ker
* Website: www.sachallenge.com
After five months testing in Auckland it’s time to measure ourselves against the other teams.
Managing director Grant Dalton says, “We think we’re going faster than we were last year, but we don’t know for sure. We know our crew work is good, better than in Acts 2 and 3. We know our organisation is good. But are the other teams better too?
“We will learn the answers over the next two weeks”.
“We have come to Valencia with high expectations but we are realists. And realists take note of the fact that we are up against some stiff opposition in Alinghi, BMW Oracle and Luna Rossa.
“And with 12 teams sailing here, we won’t be surprised if there are a few nasty upsets out on the water,” Dalton said.
“In the few days that we have been sailing here, we have seen some impressive sailing….. crews looking sharp, yachts are looking good and crews fired up. I think we are in for an interesting couple of weeks.”
Reviewing the team’s southern summer programme, Dalton said the weathermen had dialed up some excellent sailing weather. We started sailing in early December and didn’t stop until early April. The testing programme started with NZL81 and the former GER68 while the shore team repaired NZL82 and modified it to comply with Version 5 of the rule.
Those five months have been productive. It gave the sailing team time to settle down, get to know each other and learn to sail together. It gave the design team the opportunity to interact with the sailing team and consolidate designs directions for the first of our 2007 generation yachts.
The shore crew and operations unit got into full swing over those five months. The base in Auckland if functioning at a high level and throughput is impressive. Another operations unit is working on planning the base in Valencia which should be completed by the end of February next year.
“We sailed NZL82, without a hula, for 10 days towards the end of the programme. That opens up another question. How good is NZL82 without a hula?
“That’s another one of the answers we expect to get over the next two weeks.”
The race crew is vamping up for their first challenger encounter since October 2004 in Valencia. Peter Holmberg, at the helm for this event comments: “I think it is a fantastic opportunity for us, we’ve been testing and doing lots of things to the boats, so it will be a chance to see what everyone else has been up to and we’re looking forward to it”.
Back at the base and behind the scenes, the team push forward with preparations to get a successful boat and crew on the start line – the clothing department make sure that all the sailors have the right kit, from flip-flops to wet weather gear and sunglasses, the sail-loft add logos and finalise the racing-wardrobe.
America’s Cup chief measurer Ken McAlpine pays Alinghi a visit to measure the competing ACC Yacht SUI75, he explains his trade: “Basically we make the playing field as level as we possibly can, all the boats are measured in the same way by the same people very consistently. What we do is I guess, give everybody confidence that we’re treating everybody the same and that everybody is playing by the same set of rules”.
Dirk Kramers, one of the Alinghi designers adds: “the other thing that will be happening at this regatta, is… well it’s like a drug test in cycling… they’ll pick a boat everyday and weigh it and check it”.
The sailing crew has been two-boat testing and training daily for the last few months and the result is an adrenalin inducing experience.
Alinghi trimmer Simon Daubney sums up the atmosphere: “It’s good to get going again with some serious racing, we’ve had a few months to settle into life here and do some testing and now it’s time to vamp it up another notch.”
HELLOMOTO on first start line for 2005 in Round the Island Classic, 18th June
On Saturday 18th June, the newly refitted Open 60 HELLOMOTO will be on her first start line of 2005 alongside 4 other top monohulls in their own class in the JP Morgan Asset Management RTI race. Skipper Conrad Humphreys is now well and truly rested and raring to get out on the water again after completing his 104 day solo, non-stop circumnavigation in the Vendée Globe this February. He will be lined up against other experienced and renowned circumnavigators, including Mike Golding, Emma Richards and Frenchman Roland Jourdain, to race this time all the way around the Isle of Wight.
The anti-clockwise course, starting and finishing in Cowes, may be all of 50 nautical miles, but is fiercely competed as the ‘Grand National’ of sailing, and is one of the world’s biggest yacht races with nearly 1700 entries this year. The 5 Open 60 boats will be the first class starting off the Royal Yacht Squadron line in the JPMAM RTI race at 0640 GMT. They will head in a westerly direction towards The Needles Lighthouse, then St. Catherine’s Point, rounding Bembridge Ledge Buoy, and back to the finish line at Cowes.
The key factor as to how quickly these boats will get round is obviously the weather. With 3 days to go, the forecast is still looking light and so it won’t be a record-breaking run this year. The skies will be sunny but that means the high pressure will only generate light 5 knot winds with their class start so early in the morning, and the Open 60’s will only benefit from the 20 knot sea-breeze when it kicks in around midday. However, these boats are so light and fast that they will create their own apparent wind and be able to keep going in the small breeze. The last third of the race back into Solent waters is likely to pick up for an exciting finish, which is provisionally going to be around 3 – 4pm.
Crewing onboard HELLOMOTO will be Conrad’s Motorola Ocean Racing team: Project Manager and successful inshore regatta sailor, Joff Brown; Alex Sizer (female!) Craig Bowie (“Scottie”), boat builder Marco Le Fevre from the V1D2 yard in France, plus a few guests from his sponsor, Motorola, no doubt excited to have a once in a lifetime chance of experiencing what it’s like to race onboard one of these Formula 1 ocean-racing machines. The boat is now moored in Ocean Village, Southampton after her refit in Caen, France.
Photos and a full race report will be posted after the event on the Motorola Ocean Racing web site at www.o6t.com
Racing AC acts begin. Tornado Worlds
News Volvo Crew named. Overdue. Isler signs on
Great Lakes Canoe re do. Surfing
US SAILING, national governing body for the sport, has announced that Team McLube, a division of McGee Industries in Aston, Pa., has renewed its decade-long partnership with US SAILING as the "Official Lubricant Supplier" to the US Sailing Teams, which include the US Sailing Team, US Disabled Sailing Team, and the US Youth World Team. Under the multi-year agreement, which runs through 2009, Team-members will receive high performance lubricants specifically designed for marine use.
"We are thrilled to be continuing our strong relationship with the US Sailing Teams," said Ward McClatchy, president of McGee Industries, Inc., the parent-company of Team McLube. "We first became involved with the US Sailing Team back in 1996 as an Official Supplier, and since that time we have developed and grown alongside many of these fine athletes. With McLube's support, the athletes excel across all disciplines of the sport of sailing, similar to our products."
"This is an exciting and challenging time in the lifecycle of the U.S. Olympic Sailing Program, and we are very pleased to be moving forward with our long-time partner Team McLube," said Dean Brenner, Chair of US SAILING's Olympic Sailing Committee. "Team McLube's support will play a critical role in the success of the U.S. program, helping our athletes perform at their best on the water, and helping our program achieve its goals on shore."
The 12 skippers of the teams of the 32nd America's Cup met the media on Wednesday morning ahead of the start of racing in the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts. With the new point scoring system agreed earlier this month, the races in Acts 4 & 5 will count towards a bonus point system for the challengers, meaning the racing on Thursday has an impact on the results in 2007.
The 12 competitors at the America's Cup represent a full spectrum in terms of nationality, experience, and preparedness, including five new challengers since the end of the 2004 racing season. The addition of the China Team and United Internet Team Germany add two countries which have never competed in the America's Cup before. In fact, the 12 teams from 10 nations make for the most diverse list of competitors in the long history of the Cup.
The Defender of the 32nd America's Cup, Alinghi, is competing in each of the Louis Vuitton Acts ahead of the America's Cup Match in 2007. This is a new development in the America's Cup and offers both the challengers and the Defender a sense of how far and fast the other is progressing.
"We see this as an opportunity, as I'm sure it is for these teams as well, to square up against us," said Peter Holmberg, the helmsman of Alinghi. "I think it is good for both parties. We at Alinghi are really happy. We get to measure our progress and keep our team sharp. And I'm sure these other teams will gain something from it, but that's what sailing's all about.taking what you've got and learning to do the best with it."
Following the press conference, some of the teams headed out for some final training and preparation. For South Africa's Team Shosholoza, Wednesday was the last opportunity to take RSA 83 out for its maiden sail before racing. The team has been battling to work out some kinks with the mast of its new design, and was scheduled to sail the boat for the first time on Wednesday.
"We are hoping to have our first sail this afternoon," confirmed skipper Geoff Meek. "We have had a few hiccups. We have had to buy a second-hand rig and put it on the boat and hopefully we will sail today. We are trying to keep the boat in one piece for this regatta while trying to race it.We know we have heaps to learn and we are out to learn as much as we can all the time."
While racing begins tomorrow, this evening the teams will bring the spirit of the America's Cup to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento in the centre of Valencia, as all the competitors of the 32nd America's Cup will gather together to meet the public. The ceremony will include a presentation of each team in turn, and be followed by a fireworks spectacle.
The pairings list was also published on Wednesday morning, and offers an intriguing all-Italian match-up in the first Flight, when the Luna Rossa Challenge meets Mascalzone Latino - Team Capitalia.
Other highlights on the day are the first matches for the local Desafío Español 2007 team, which didn't race last year, but is competing on home waters Thursday, as well as the first ever America's Cup racing for German and Chinese teams.
Seawall collisions are becoming so frequent that several Lake Michigan communities are considering stringing lights along breakwaters to ward off boat strikes. On face value this approach seems prudent; however, it is ostensively misleading and what seems apparent could result in not fewer boating mishaps but more. Let me explain.
Although seawall or breakwater collisions occasionally occur, it’s important to ask: how many do not? Countless boaters have safely entered harbor systems at night without incident. That tells me that the current aids to navigation on these structures serve their intended purpose: safely guiding boaters into port at night. I believe that most boaters are aware of the location of harbor structures and that most approach them at night with caution.
However, during daylight that is not the case. Take Muskegon harbor. I have stood at the end of Muskegon’s South Breakwater and have watched numerous boaters race towards the harbor, round the breakwater light, and roar down the boat basin, only to bring back the throttles as they near the inner pier heads.
At night do they roar into the harbor in similar fashion? I doubt it, but what if they now have a lighted breakwater as a reference point. I believe it would encourage throttle jockeys to turn daytime behavior into a nighttime hazard. What about boaters or people in the water that could be readily seen in daylight that are now shrouded in darkness? Harbor officials and commercial captains from the Straits of Mackinac to Chicago report a noticeable increase in man-powered craft on the water at night particularly kayaks. Rather than hitting the seawall and inflicting self-imposed mayhem, they will inflict mayhem on others who for what ever reason might be near the structures. And if you light these structures up, you will undoubtedly draw more people out into the lake at night.
Not only will lighted structures draw more watercraft out into the lake, but lights will also draw breakwater strollers. I discussed foot traffic with Chief Warrant Officer Brad Hinken, Aids to Navigation manager at Coast Guard Group Milwaukee and former officer in charge of Station Muskegon. He raised an interesting point in the form of a question: “How many boat collisions have resulted in fatalities and how many people have died off breakwaters and piers?”
I told him that over my 23 years of Coast Guarding on Lake Michigan, I know of three fatalities resulting from seawall collisions, and all involved alcohol. One involved a 20-year old male who slammed into the Saugatuck pier at a high rate of speed, in early morning and in fog, so the light issue is irrelevant in this case. On the other hand, I know of 12 fatalities occurring off Lake Michigan seawalls and breakwaters between 2003 and 2005. Ironically, one of these fatalities that occurred on November 30, 2003, took place off Grand Haven’s South pier when a 10-foot wave snatched a 19-year-old male off the pier late at night. And wouldn’t you know, the catwalk on the pier is lined with lights, and it’s a short pier compared to Muskegon’s north and south breakwaters that extend 2,300 feet out into Lake Michigan. The breakwater offers a walkway that sits much closer to the water than the Grand Haven pier, and when the breakwater becomes awash with running seas it poses a threat to foot traffic.
The foot traffic concern is not an issue in Chicago where officials are considering placing lights on the breakwater off the Navy Pier since access to the breakwater is not accessible by foot. Thank God! Chicago also must deal with city background lights that compete with lighted aids to navigation, as does Calumet Harbor. I discussed the background light issue with Captain Dean Hobbs, Car Ferry Badger, who in addition has operated tug boats out of Chicago. Captain Hobbs voiced concern that boaters might confuse a lighted breakwater with background lights and slam into a breakwater. I have made countless approaches to harbors at night and background lights can play havoc with night vision.
Notwithstanding the pros and cons of lighting up breakwaters, there is a common deterrent regarding all breakwater and pier collisions that totally lies in the hands of boaters-- bring back the throttles. Throttle jockeys can be restrained in two ways: by the boat operator or by law. Yes, law and Indiana has one on the books that offers a pliable alternative to stringing lights along breakwaters. During a discussion with Chief Paul Decker, Officer in Charge, Michigan City, Indiana, I discovered that Indiana has a state law that prohibits motorized boats from exceeding 10 mph when operating on Lake Michigan within the state border and inland bodies of water under Indiana jurisdiction.
This could explain why Indiana has few seawall and breakwater collisions, especially at Michigan City where a 1,300 foot-long detached breakwater with lighted aids at opposite ends marks its location some 2,000 feet off shore. This open-water structure invites mishaps, yet they seldom occur. I spoke with Lieutenant Shepherd of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. He told me that in his 27 years of dealing with Lake Michigan boating he can recall only four boat collisions with seaward structures. The law was in effect when he began with the department.
Indiana has clearly placed the burden of responsibility on the boater, where it appropriately belongs. And a smart boater would have it no other way.
Recently Mikee Anderson of USC was named the College Sailor of the Year. Anderson's accomplishments included a 2nd place as skipper at Sloop Nationals, 1st at the Navy Fall Intersectional and 1st at the Thompson Trophy. At the recently completed co-ed dinghy nationals he finished 3rd.
At those same co-ed nationals skipper Brian Lake and crew Jennifer Warnock won A division for the third time. Only one other sailor has accomplished this. Additionally at the PCIYRA elims Lake finished ahead of Anderson by 2 points. In addition to not being named Sailor of the Year, Lake was named only to honorable mention, not full all american status.
I feel that Lake has gotten the short end of the honor stick. Many feel that since Lake rarely travels to the mainland to compete, Anderson should win for having more quantity of competition, if not quality.
That maybe so, but Lake's historic 3rd A division win and his defeat of Anderson at the PCIYRA elims says to me that the wrong sailor won the award. Anderson did sail more and posted more top results. However, the one sailor he did not beat was Lake. Even without the prepatory competition that Anderson had, Lake was able to win.
Lake should been college sailor of the year and also should have been a full fledged All American. As Lake said, "And now we know who's the fastest in the nation." Too bad those who determine awards missed this.
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Emirates Team New Zealand and Spanish Brewery Estrella Damm announced today a sponsorship agreement for the teams America’s Cup campaign.
Estrella Damm is the last major sponsorship deal for the team. As an elite sponsor, the Estrella Damm brand logo will appear on the yacht hulls and sails.
Emirates Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton said the team was very happy to welcome Estrella Damm. It is a very important day for the team,” he said. “This elite sponsorship agreement is the last major piece of the team’s funding for the 2007 America’s Cup.
“We welcome to the team a respected, high-profile, innovative Spanish company with a proud tradition and an ethos that fits well with the team. We will carry the Estrella Damm logo proudly into the Louis Vuitton Act 4 regatta which starts on Thursday.
“We look forward to building a strong relationship with Estrella Damm over the next two years,” Dalton said.
“Wile funding is not complete, the team can now confidently set about the serious business at hand – winning the America’s Cup.
“That is a daunting task. We know only too well that we face some very professional, well prepared opposition and that we cannot leave anything to chance.”
Grant Dalton said the team already had a strong Spanish connection through principal designer Marcelino Botin.
“Marcelino and his business partner Shaun Carkeek have had a major impact on European yacht racing in recent years with their winning IMS designs. He has brought to the team design experience and expertise as the team finalises plans for the first of our 2007-generation America’s Cup class yachts.”
He said that over coming months, the team would have a more visible presence in Valencia with work starting on the team’s permanent base next month.
This year Emirates Team New Zealand is competing in the three Louis Vuitton Acts – at Valencia starting in a few days, Malmo, Sweden in August and Trapani, Sicily, in September/October.
June started to behave like summer on the Solent today with the Rolex Race Around the Isle of Wight, epilogue to the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge.
With three yachts still to finish in the Classic Division of the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge, 12 yachts started the race clockwise around the Isle of Wight on the old America's Cup course. First away, at 0910 BST was the Grand Prix class, featuring Charles Dunstone's Rolex Fastnet Race winner Nokia Enigma and the American maxi Breakaway as well as the two Rolex Transatlantic Challenge Grand Prix yachts Mari-Cha IV and Maximus.
In six knots of northwesterly breeze, it was the nimble form of the 78-footer Nokia Enigma who made the best start eastwards across the Royal Yacht Squadron line. But Robert Miller's giant schooner Mari-Cha IV, making an impressive spectacle flying her mainsail, mizzen, Code 0 and mizzen staysail, and with Volvo Ocean Race skipper Mike Sanderson at the helm, hit the line with the best speed. Sailing both higher and faster, she quickly overhauled Maximus and then Nokia Enigma to take the lead. Mari-Cha IV was never threatened for the remainder of the race.
After an hour and 40 minutes, Mari-Cha IV rounded the special mark of the course--the Nab Lightship, placed by Trinity House to recreate the original America's Cup course. Once the fleet rounded the red lightship, the wind dropped off for the leaders, who were forced to head inshore to avoid the worst of the tide. Fortunately, this lull was short-lived, and a new breeze filled in from the southwest, forcing the boats to beat to make it around St. Catherine's Point.
Enjoying the light conditions, Nokia Enigma made a valiant effort in fending off the larger Maximus but was overtaken soon after rounding the Nab Lightship. However, this was short-lived, as soon after, Maximus experienced a technical breakdown. "We had a problem with an electrical diode that failed and meant we couldn't cant the keel," explained Maximus's co-owner Charles Brown. "It was something I guess from the Transatlantic Race. Our boat is designed to be fully canted in 8 knots of air. We couldn't sail with the keel in the centre, so we had to withdraw."
This left Mari-Cha IV free to beat to St. Catherine's Point and head off on a fetch to the Needles at the eastern tip of the island as the seas built and the breeze increased to 16 knots. She reached the Needles by 1415 local time and bore away, gybing back down the Solent under full sail at speeds approaching 20 knots, surrounded by press and spectator boats struggling to keep up. Mari-Cha IV crossed the finish line off the Royal Yacht Squadron at 1503 with an elapsed time of 5 hours, 53 minutes and 52 seconds. This was outside of the record for this course of 4 hours, 47 minutes set by the late Gianni Agnelli's Stealth during the 2001 America's Cup Jubilee.
"It was a very exciting race--I'm delighted," said Robert Miller upon finishing. "We went upwind very nicely, and there was some good tacking, and we gybed very nicely coming into the finish line. The crew handled the boat beautifully. We were hoping to break the record, but the slow start made that impossible. But it was a beautiful day with great sailing."
Being held up in the light patch after the lightship also cost Mari-Cha IV the handicap prize. On corrected time she finished third behind winner Nokia Enigma and Breakaway
The Performance Cruising division was won by Richard Matthews's new Rob Humphreys design Oystercatcher XXV.
I am writing this from dry land for a change and it is a lot easier to type when the keyboard is not heeled at 30 degrees! I flew back home from Bermuda to see my family and catch up on work for a few days before flying back for the second leg of the Bermuda 1/2 race. Now that nearly all the boats are in, I thought I would offer a little commentary on the first leg and some thoughts regarding the return leg.
The first leg from Newport to Bermuda really split the fleet. The larger and faster boats made it to Bermuda on one weather system while the smaller boats got stuck in very light winds and had a much longer passage. For Gryphon Solo, after a Friday, June 3rd start, we crossed the finish line off St. David's Light in Bermuda on Monday morning after 70 hours, with an average speed of about nine knots. By contrast, a number of the smaller boats were still finishing on Thursday and Friday, meaning they were at sea for more than double the time I was. Sometimes having a fast boat really pays off! Gryphon Solo placed second in class and second in the fleet for a very strong showing.
In each race, sailors encounter difficulties involving equipment and injuries and this race was no exception. Here is the wounded report:
Gore Tex - Skipper fell into a winch, breaking a number of front teeth
Dirigo - broken boom, retired from race
Alegria - electrical fire just before the start caused skipper to withdraw
Nimros - A water tank burst and flooded the boat. A Coast Guard rescue helicopter was dispatched as the skipper thought he was sinking, but the problem was discovered and the boat continued on.
Strummer - A jammed rudder caused steering problems but the problem was fixed
Passages - This is the only boat remaining at sea. There has been no direct communication with the skipper in four days and the "iboat" tracking device aboard shows the boat is moving in a northeasterly direction (towards New England) at one to two knots. The Coast Guard is being consulted for a possible rescue.
As you can see, sailing offshore is a risky business and every skipper has to take sole responsibility for his safety.
For the return leg from Bermuda to Newport, right now the concern looks more like light winds than storms, but it is still four days to the start and weather patterns can change quickly. The challenge for Gryphon Solo will be to beat our rival Open 50, Artforms, by a margin of more than the 3.5 hours they beat us in Leg 1 in order to win the race overall. Artforms skipper, Kip Stone, will be joined by the boat's designer, naval architect Merf Owen, who is probably the world's leading designer of these kind of boats, making a formidable team. Merf also designed Gryphon Solo's new daggerboards and keel hydraulics so he has been working both sides of the aisle! I will be joined by Gryphon Solo Project Manager Brian Harris, who has sailed many ocean miles on Open 60's and 50's with the Gartmore and Pindar programs in past 5-Oceans Around-The-World races. It should be a great match-up and we are looking for more of the heavy air, off-the-wind conditions I experienced in the fi! rst leg, to let Gryphon Solo do her thing.
Stay tuned for a final pre-race bulletin on Thursday June 15th and more daily commentary while we are offshore.
It?s a world of difference from the 38-mile long glacially formed Seneca Lake in upstate New York, the second deepest lake in the USA, to the 65-mile-long artificially created Lake Travis in Austin, Texas. But the sailors from Hobart/William Smith Colleges (HWS) -- who are used to sailing in 20-30 degree temperatures -- made the best of this week's sunshine and 90+ degree temps while parlaying their lake-sailing experience into their second straight Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) championship title in less than a week.
On Tuesday, June 7, the Hobart/William Smith Colleges team lay claim to the ICSA/Layline Team Race Championship -- their first-ever win of that title. The Herons then took up the gauntlet thrown down by The Rainbows of the University of Hawaii -- defending champions of the ICSA/Gill North American Coed Dinghy Championship -- when that event kicked off on Wednesday. Although The Rainbows held the lead at the end of day one, The Colleges moved from second to first overall by the conclusion of day two. For today's final day of the championship series, only eight races (four apiece in both A- and B-Divisions) stood between HWS and the title.
Sailing for The Colleges in A-Division were skipper and graduating senior John Storck (Huntington, N.Y.) with sophomore crew Amanda Markee (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) and junior Zach Goldman (Huntington, N.Y.). Sophomore skipper Trevor Moore (Pomfret, Vt.) with junior crew Augusta Nadler (Marion, Mass.) sailed in B-Division. The Colleges picked up finishes of 6-4-7-8 in A-Division today to place fifth with 114 points. Moore and Nadler chipped in 1-2-2-6 to win B-Division with 83 points giving HWS a combined 197 points for the win. Although they have previously been close, placing third last year and second in 2000, winning the 2005 ICSA/Gill North American Coed Dinghy Championship is another historic first for HWS.
The University of Hawaii Rainbows, after slipping to third overall by mid-regatta, fought back hard on the final day of racing. Winning two of the series final four races, sophomore skipper Bryan Lake and junior crew Jennifer Warnock (both San Diego, Calif.) were the ultimate winners of A Division with 82 points. Unfortunately, the Rainbows stumbled in B-Division, dropping to 12th on 153 points to ultimately claim the runner-up spot on the podium with a combined total of 235 points.
Dartmouth College also lost some ground on the final day dropping from second to third despite the efforts of their A-Division team led by sophomore skipper Erick Storck (Huntington, N.Y.) -- younger sibling to HWS skipper John -- who sailed with senior Clementine James (Easton, Md.) and sophomore Jimmy Attridge (Annapolis, Md.). Dartmouth finished with 247 points for a one-point advantage over Georgetown, followed by the University of Southern California in fifth overall with 259 points. Complete results and photos can be found at: http://collegesailing.org/nas/spring05/index.htm
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IN BRIEF
* SKANDIA IN 3RD PLACE OVERALL AFTER THREE RACES
* SAM FINISHES FIRST OFFSHORE LEG IN 5TH AFTER LOSING ONE PLACE WHILE STUCK ON SANDBANK 2NM FROM THE FINISH
* SKANDIA RESULTS SO FAR, 8TH - 5TH - 5TH
IN DETAIL
After three races, SKANDIA is currently sitting on the podium in the overall rankings of the Generali Solo. The first day of inshore racing took place on Friday 10th June at La Grande Motte with two coastal races of approximately 13nm each. This tested the skippers on their navigation skills and their knowledge of Mediterranean. Sam had a solid start on her first day of the racing, finishing in 8th and 5th, putting SKANDIA in 4th place in the overall rankings.
In the first race, Sam finished in 8th, beating two race favourites Eric Drouglazet (Malongo) 11th & Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert) 12th. Winner Oliver Krauss (Espoir Credit Agricole) finished just 2 minutes ahead of 2nd place Jérémie Beyou (Delta Dore). In the second of the day SKANDIA crossed the line in 5th with Gildas Morvan (CERCLE VERT) taking 1st.
“For the first race, there was hardly any wind so it was a lottery all the time. My start was terrible – I didn’t go the right way at first and to be honest, I was probably one of the worst boats out there! But, I decided to tack soon after the start, and I ended up sailing past loads of boats gaining some places, so by the time I rounded the windward mark I was in 5th! In this race, I decided to go a certain way because I didn’t seem to have another choice at the time, but it looks like I made the right decisions so I’m pleased about that! There was hardly any time in between races today – no more than 20 minutes to eat, drink, put an extra layer on, pack everything up and get ready for the next one!
For the 2nd race, I felt like I was sailing too fast! The breeze filled in - we had 18-20 knots of wind so was a lot more enjoyable than the first one. It was a bit frustrating at the finish when Jéremie Beyou overtook me just before the line but it was so close! I enjoyed both of the races today although I had a better result in the 2nd race, I didn’t feel like I sailed differently. I’m not entirely sure what I did but I’m happy with the results! If someone was to ask me what I did today to achieve the results I did – my answer would be ‘I just followed my nose!’– it was all about being sensible, smart and having confidence.”
On Saturday, the 23 boat fleet left La Grande Motte on their first offshore race, 130nm to Port Leucate. SKANDIA was positioned in 9th place going round the last marker buoy on Saturday afternoon and stayed in the top 10 for the duration of the race. Weather guru, Gilles Chiorri gave his view that some skippers would opt for the direct course while some would play the tactical game to stay in the best breeze. Either way, Sam and the skippers had a long night ahead of them, “We spent most of the night under autopilot so I managed to get some rest. We had a good night - there was always a little bit of wind - we never got becalmed. I hardly put the spinnaker up, which was tempting but although it would have made us sail faster, it would force us to sail too low with a risk of getting trapped in a no wind corner. So we stayed sailing high. I just stuck to my plan and it paid off.”
On Sunday morning, as the fleet approached the finish line off Port Leucate, no more than six lengths separated each boat in the leading pack, and the leaders were cross-tacking to the line. With less than 2 miles to go, SKANDIA ran aground on a sand bank off Port Leucate. “The waves and wind were pushing me on the beach and there was a limit to what I could do. I had already touched the bottom, then I tacked and heard a thud - then realised the keel was stuck on the sand. The boat was moving around a lot, bouncing on and off the sand. I spent 10 minutes trying to free the boat and get us going again. I was just about to put the spinnaker up in another attempt to pull us off the sandbank but the boat bounced off and we were going again!”
Before hitting the sandbank, Sam was in 4th position but with the race finish being so close, Armel Tripon (GEDIMAT) overtook SKANDIA while she was stuck there. “It was quite frustrating but there was nothing I could do about it but - I wasn’t stuck there for too long – I really didn’t think I’d be able to get off! The 4 boats in front of me were really lucky – we were all on the same course so they must have just missed it. We were all SO close! In the last few miles before I hit the bottom, I was tacking with Jeanne (Banque Populaire) – we were sailing right next to eachother. It was an exciting end to the race! When I went in to the race office after I finished I found out that Christian Bos (Raynal et Roquelaure) had also run aground!”
After losing one place, Sam finished in 5th but was relieved to finish the race with SKANDIA unharmed. Yann Eliès (Group Generali Assurances) was the 1st boat to cross the line, followed by Erwan Tabarly (Thalès) in 2nd, Jeanne Gregoire (Banque Populaire) 3rd & Jeremie Beyou (Delta Dore) 4th. After seeing the only two females in the fleet both with podium place in the overall rankings (Sam 3rd & Jeanne Gregoire 1st) Jeremie Beyou (Delta Dore) joked yesterday saying, “Thank goodness there’s not 23 girls in this race!”
Today, Monday 13th June, 22 boats will be taking part in two windward/leeward 'banana' races off Port Leucate. The weather conditions for today are ideal with an established southeasterly wind, force 3. Christian Bos (Raynal et Roquelaure) will not be racing today after getting stuck on the same sandbank as SKANDIA yesterday. Unfortunately his Figaro Raynal et Roquelaure was damaged as a result and now he must undergo repairs of his keel and hull.
OVERALL TOP 10 RANKINGS 13/06/05 (AFTER 3 RACES)
(Boat name / skipper / points)
1 - BANQUE POPULAIRE / GREGOIRE Jeanne / 19 pts
2 - GROUPE GENERALI ASSURANCES / ELIES Yann / 20 pts
3 - SKANDIA / DAVIES Samantha / 23 pts
4 - DELTA DORE / BEYOU Jéremie / 24 pts
5 - THALES / TABARLY Erwan / 26 pts
6 - CERCLE VERT / MORVAN Gildas / 29 pts
7 - CLIPTOL SPORT / PELLECUER Laurent / 36 pts
8 - GEDIMAT / TRIPON Armel / 38 pts
9 - DEFI SANTE VOILE / PETIT Benoît / 41 pts
10 - ESPOIR CREDIT AGRICOLE / KRAUSS Oliver / 43 pts
For full results, go to http://www.generalisolo.com/Front/generique/page.php?P=static/classements
RACE 1 INSHORE : COASTAL – LA GRANDE MOTTE (10/06/05)
(Boat name / skipper )
1. ESPOIR CREDIT AGRICOLE / KRAUSS Oliver
2. DELTA DORE / BEYOU Jéremie
3. Groupe BEL / DE PAVANT Kito
4. NANNI DIESEL / D´ALI Pietro
5. GROUPE GENERALI ASSURANCES / ELIES Yann
6. DEFI SANTE VOILE / PETIT Benoît
7. BROSSARD / DUTHIL Frédéric
8. SKANDIA / DAVIES Samantha
9. CLIPTOL SPORT / PELLECUER Laurent
10. BANQUE POPULAIRE / GREGOIRE Jeanne
RACE 2 INSHORE: COASTAL - LA GRANDE MOTTE (10/06/05)
(Boat name / skipper)
1. CERCLE VERT / MORVAN Gildas
2. PASSEPORT FFVOILE : j´apprends à respecter... / PRATT Christopher
3. BANQUE POPULAIRE / GREGOIRE Jeanne
4. DELTA DORE / BEYOU Jéremie
5. SKANDIA / DAVIES Samantha
6. GROUPE BEL / DE PAVANT Kito
7. CLIPTOL SPORT / PELLECUER Laurent
8. NANNI DIESEL / D´ALI Pietro
9. THALES / TABARLY Erwan
10. MARSEILLE ENTREPRISES / MOUREN Jean-Paul
RACE 3 OFFSHORE: LA GRANDE MOTTE - PORT LEUCATE (11/06/05)
(Boat name / skipper)
1. GROUPE GENERALI ASSURANCES / ELIES Yann
2. THALES / TABARLY Erwan
3. BANQUE POPULAIRE / GREGOIRE Jeanne
4. GEDIMAT / TRIPON Armel
5. SKANDIA / DAVIES Samantha
6. GERMANY TOO / RIECHERS Jörg
8. CERCLE VERT / MORVAN Gildas 8. NANNI DIESEL / D´ALI Pietro
9. DELTA DORE / BEYOU Jéremie
10. CLIPTOL SPORT / PELLECUER Laurent
RACE SCHEDULE
Friday, 10 June: Inshore race 1, La Grande Motte
Saturday, 11 June: Offshore leg 1, La Grande Motte - Port Leucate (130nm)
Sunday, 12 June: Boats arrive, Port Leucate
Monday, 13 June: Inshore race 2, Port Leucate
Tuesday, 14 June: Offshore leg 2, Port Leucate – Gruissan (40nm)
Wednesday, 15 June: Inshore race 3, Gruissan
Thursday, 16 June: Offshore leg 3, Gruissan – Hyères (200nm)
Friday, 17 June: Boats arrive, Hyères
Saturday, 18 June: Inshore race 4, Hyères
Sunday, 19 June: Offshore leg 4, Hyères – La Giraglia - Beaulieu sur Mer (240nm)
Monday, 20 June: At sea
Tuesday, 21 June: Boats arrive, Beaulieu sur Mer
Wednesday, 22 June: Offshore leg 5, Beaulieu sur Mer – Porquerolles (70nm)
Thursday, 23 June: Inshore race 5, Porquerolles
Friday, 24 June: Inshore race 6, Porquerolles
Saturday, 25 June: Inshore race 7, Porquerolles
Winning their second championship this year,
Hobart & William Smith took this year's title for the
first time as the 2005 ICSA/Gill Co-ed North American
Champions with a total of 197 points. Congratulations
to John Storck 05, Mandi Markee 07, Zach Goldman 06,
Trevor Moore 07, Augusta Nadler 06 for sailing a
beautiful regatta! Keeping their over-earlies to a
minimum and sailing fairly consistent races (averaging
a 6th place finish overall), the high 18-knot winds
and 25-knot gusts were not enough to dampen their
pristine sailing abilities.
A division = 18 Races
B division = 18 Races
A B TOT
1. Hobart/ WmSmith 114 83 197
2. Hawaii 82 153 235
3. Dartmouth 101 146 247
4. Georgetown 106 142 248
5. USC 102 157 259
6. Old Dominion 125 141 266
7. Harvard 136 137 273
8. Brown 159 127 286
9. Yale 178 117 295
10. St. Mary's 155 148 303
11. South Florida 173 134 307
12. Charleston 203 150 353
13. Boston College 225 130 355
14. Texas A&M Galveston 224 209 433
15. Washington 207 274 481
16. Minnesota 241 265 506
17. Tulane 253 273 526
18. Michigan 286 279 565
COED ALL-AMERICANS
Mikee Anderson, USC '06
Zachary Brown, Yale '08
Andrew Campbell, Georgetown '06
Molly Carapiet, Yale '06
Clay Johnson, Harvard '07
Justin Law, St. Mary's '07
Stuart McNay, Yale '05
Trevor Moore, Hobart/WmSmith '07
Patrick Rynne, Brown '05
Erik Storck, Dartmouth '07
John Storck, Hobart/WmSmith '05
Anna Tunnicliffe, Old Dominion '05
COED HONORABLE MENTION
Scott DeCurtis, Hawaii '07
Charles Enright, Brown '07
Ben Gent, Boston Coll '05
Bryan Lake, Hawaii '06
Lee Sackett, Hobart/WmSmith '05
JM Modisette, MIT '05
Kevin Reali, South Florida '06
David Siegal, Tufts '06
Scott Stanton, Texas A&M Galv '07
Harrison Turner, USC '05
Frank Tybor, UC/Irvine '07
Andrew Watters, St. Mary's '07
WOMEN ALL-AMERICANS
Molly Carapiet, Yale '06
Anne Davidson, Brown '05
Sloan Devlin, Harvard '06
Alana O'Reilly, Charleston '06
Genny Tulloch, Harvard '05
Anna Tunnicliffe, Old Dominion '05
Sara Wilkinson, Charleston '05
Caroline Young, Stanford '07
WOMEN'S HONORABLE MENTION
Anne Bowen, Charleston '05
Emily East, Dartmouth '06
Blaire Herron, Georgetown '08
Emily Hill, Yale '07
Katie Lovelace, Brown '07
Lauren Padilla, Dartmouth '05
Adrienne Patterson, St. Mary's '08
QUANTUM WOMAN SAILOR OF THE YEAR
Anna Tunnicliffe, Old Dominion '05
CREW ALL-AMERICANS
Emily Bartlett, Old Dominion '08
Dorothée Bergin, Georgetown '05
Arlene Chung, Brown '06
Christina Dahlman, Harvard '07
Vanessa Decollibus, USC '07
Paige Hannon, St. Mary's '05
Sarah Himmelfarb, Yale '06
Jenn Hoyle, Yale '05
Clementine James, Dartmouth '05
Elisabeth Kreter, Dartmouth '05
Meredith Killion, Yale '05
Caroline LaMotte, Georgetown '07
Susan Lintern, Charleston '06
Joy MacDougall, Boston Coll '05
Amanda Markee, Hobart/WmSmith '07
Augusta Nadler, Hobart/WmSmith '06
Melanie Roberts, USC '07
Louise Sherman, Brown '05
Emily Simon, Harvard '07
Hilary Wiech, St. Mary's '07
COLLEGE SAILOR OF THE YEAR
Everett B. Morris Trophy
Mikee Anderson, USC '06
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Robert H. Hobbs Trophy
JM Modisette, MIT '05
TEAM OF THE YEAR
Leonard M. Fowle Trophy
Harvard University
In a super performance given the conditions, French multihull racing star Loick Peyron at the helm of Nicolas Grange's orange catamaran Okalis took line honours in the 67th Bol d'Or Rolex. Grange's Decision 35 took the lead off Lausanne en route to the turning mark and half point of the course at Bouveret and clung on to it to take line honours by a comfortable 55 minutes from Philippe Cardis' earlier leader Ferrier Lullin.
In Classe ACVL 1, the largest monohull class the first four finishers were all the extreme Sebastien Schmidt-designed Psaros 40s each featuring a canting keel, water ballast and six crew on the trapeze. The racing was a lot less clear cut here with the yellow Syz & Co rounding the turning mark at Bouveret first, only to drop to last of the four by the time they reached the finish line. The monohull elapsed time winner ended up being Oyster helmed by sail maker Jean-Marc Monnard.
For Eric Delaye, Oyster's owner, victory was all the sweeter having broken several ribs in an accident just over a month ago and still being in some pain. They had got off to a bad start and at one point were 45 minutes to an hour astern of the leading group. However they got back into contention off Lausanne and by the turning mark at Bouveret they were just five minutes astern of Syz & Co. On the return run they benefited from being on the south side of the lake, enabling them to take the lead, crossing the line just over three minutes at ahead of Tilt.
Since last year when they finished last Delaye says they have made several changes to the boat. "We changed the design of the sails, because last year I had this boat with very old sails and I realised that the sails of Tilt were a little bit big for me when the wind was 7/8 knots. We designed, with Jean-Marc Monnard, something more compact and we have a smaller sail area. And I asked Monnard if he was okay to join and I was out for a month, so he ran the crew and the team and he is a really good sailor."
But the 67th Bol d'Or Rolex will be remembered as being the slowest in the recent history of the race. While the multihull and monohull records for the 93 nautical mile course stand at 5 hours 1 minute and 8 hours 45 minutes respectively, this year Okalys finished in a pedestrian 16 hours 29 minutes and 43 seconds, while Oyster came in just before 6am local time in 20 hours 56 minutes and 37 seconds. Okalys' time is the slowest since the race was won by MA Schiess' trimaran Holly Smoke in 1983. "I think around 300 boats have abandoned," admitted President of the Race Organisation Jean-Loup Gabayet.
"It has been very very for the competitors and for the organisation."
Loick Peyron said he was happier at lunchtime today than he had been when Okalis had arrived ready to drop from exhaustion in the early hours this morning. In the fluky conditions "with the wind coming from everywhere" Peyron said they had benefited from not being in the lead, when they saw Ferrier Lullin and Alinghi fall into a big wind hole ahead of them. Chasing the breeze to the south, they gained the lead and tenaciously hung on to it even when the wind died completely on the run into the turning mark at Bouveret, rounding nine minutes ahead of the 2004 winner Etienne David on Axiom.
>From there Philippe Cardis on Ferrier Lullin took over second place and Peyron said it was a case of 'controlling them'. However this proved hard. "There was a westerly wind off Evian and we saw the last monohull coming towards us under spinnaker as we were sailing towards it under genniker - so one of us needed to do something." Last night the westerly breeze restarted the race for the smaller monohulls, 200 boats all under spinnaker in a line that spanned the width of Lake Geneva. Going into this transition Okalys was 50m ahead, but heading for the south (French) side of the lake they were first to reach the new breeze and this is what allowed them to extend their lead.
"I am very impressed by winning the Bol d'Or Rolex," said Peyron. It is a huge event and there are a lot of very good skippers who have previously won it. We did a good job and in all parts of the game we were very very efficient."
TietoEnator has struggled to keep up so far in Nokia Oops Cup. But this Sunday they finally got up to speed after changing roles on board the Finnish trimaran. Kenneth Thelen took the helm and Thomas Johanson the role as tactician. TietoEnator secured first place in Oslo Speed Race
– You can always trust Kenneth when he is at the helm, and now I got to do what I am best at, said Thomas Johanson, former Olympic champion in 49er.
Up until Oslo City Race TietoEnator was in 5th of the six boats in Nokia Oops Cup, but when the to sailors changed roles they took a huge step forward.
- It feels fantastic to finally win, said Thelen, soaking wet after the Polish team on Bonduelle threw him in the water as a celebration of the victory.
After some beautiful days in Oslo the rain and cold came creeping in over the capital this Sunday. It was raining and blowing a light breeze over the course in the inner harbour, and the wind was very unstable. But even with little wind there was no lack of drama around the buoys. In the second race the Finnish boat and Stena Sovcomflot crashed in to each other just a few metres from the finish line.
– They had the whole fjord to avoid a collison. If they had done the same in a Olympic class they would have taken a beating back on shore, said Johanson.
Luckily it didn’t come to a fist fight, but a session in the protest room where Johanson came out with a big grin. Stena Sovcolmflot got disqualified and TietoEnator kept their victory.
Team Academy with Knut Frostad came second, Stena Sovcomflot with Bruno Peyron third, Swedish HiQ took fourth, Nokia fifth and Bonduelle sixth. Next race in Nokia Oops Cup is Sjaelland Rundt next Friday.
Results Oslo Speed Race
1) TietoEnator, Finland, Kenneth Thellen, 5 points, 2) Academy, Norway, Knut Frostad, 6 p, 3) Stena Sovcomflot, Russie/Sweden, Bruno Peyron, 7 p, 4) Nokia, Sweden, Magnus Olsson, 13 p, 5) HiQ, Sweden, Klas Nylöf, 14 p, 6) Bonduelle, Poland, Roman Paszke, 15 p.
Nokia Oops Cup after 5 of 11 races: 1) Stena Sovcomflot 8 points, 2) Academy 11 p, 3) Nokia 15,5 p, 4) HiQ 16,5 p, 5) TietoEnator 19,5 p, 6) Bonduelle 24,5 p.
Those who race yachts regularly on Lake Geneva expect conditions to be light usually. As a result local boats have adapted into some of the most lightweight, high powered sailing craft afloat. However today on the lake even this has not been enough to bring salvation for the 500+ strong fleet of yachts competing in the 67th Bol d'Or Rolex.
Starting in Geneva this morning at 0900 local time and running the length of Lake Geneva to a turning mark off Bouveret before returning to Geneva, the Bol d'Or Rolex was late this afternoon turning into a record breaker - but for all the wrong reasons.
Rather than being merely light winds, this year's race will be remembered for it's almost complete lack of wind. While the 11-year-old record for the 93 nautical mile course stands at five hours one minute, this year the first boat arrived at the Bouveret turning mark - the halfway point in the course - after a painstaking nine hours. After nine hours in last year's race the first boat were just mooring back in Geneva and 400 yachts had passed Bourveret and were on their way home.
Somehow ghosting along in a flat calm it was Loick Peyron at the helm of the Decision 35 catamaran Okalys that rounded the barge off Bouveret at the mouth of the Rhone river at 18:04 local time. She was followed at 18:13 by Axiom and two minutes later by the third Decision 35 Ferrier Lullin.
The third of the new breed of 28ft M2 catamarans, Banque Raiffeisen, rounded in the middle of the Decision 35 fleet at 18:25 in fifth place overall. Ellen MacArthur on board Guy de Picciotto's Zen Too rounded in seventh at 18:30 ahead of Russell Coutts at the helm of Banque Gonet at 18:35.
Normally by the Bouveret turning mark the multihulls are miles ahead of the monohulls, but on this occasion the first monohull, the Psaros 40 Syz & Co, rounded just 41 minutes astern of the multihull leader.
"It has been a long time since the first roundings were this late," admitted Alex Tournier Secretary General of the Bol d'Or Rolex's organising club, the Societe Nautique de Geneve. "It is very difficult for all the boats and we think that all the people from Lausanne will go straight home." Speaking from Geneva, Tournier said that there was a light southerly breeze blowing at his end of Lake Geneva. "We think that the return will be much much quicker," he said.
The final deadline for finishing the Bol d'Or Rolex is 1400 local time tomorrow. For a majority of the fleet it will be a long night.
Bouveret mark roundings (local time):
1 - Okalys - 18:04
2 - Axiom - 18:13
3 - Ferrier Lullin - 18:15
4 - Banque Piguet - 18:20
5 - Banque Raiffeisen - 18:25
6 - Cadence - 18:26
7 - Zen Too - 18:30
8 - Banque Gonet - 18:35
9 - Syz & Co - 18:45
10 - Team Seven - 18:45
11 - Oyster - 18:50
12 - Star Logistique - 19:02
13 - French Connection - 19:20
14 - Alinghi - 19:21
15 - Flam Gestion - 19:35
16 - Full Speed Rayf's - 19:35
After an intensive 11 hours of hard racing Knut Frostad and Team Academy secured their first win in Nokia Oops Cup 2005. Stena Sovcomflot, with the duo Bruno Peyron and Roger Nilsson in charge, was just a few metres behind over the finish line in the Faerderrace.
It was perfect sailing conditions for all the 1028 boats that started this year overnight classic Helly Hansen Faerderrace in Oslo, Norway. They had the northerly breeze pushing them out of the Oslofjord and the sun made sure that they got a first real taste of the Nordic summer.
The Faerderrace is a Norwegian classic that every year draws over 1000-boats and this years it was the 58th edition of the race. The longest course, which takes the boats out to Faerder Lighthouse, is 83 nautical miles and the race finishes in Horten. The speed machines in Nokia Oops Cup always draws special attention from spectators and fellow sailors alike, and this year was now exception. Team Academy hit the starting line with perfect timing and soon all the six tris where flying their genakers and speeding along in 15 knots in the light breeze in Oslos inner harbour.
Team Academy and Stena Sovcomflot got a small advantage on the four other boats, and soon the rich got richer as they found new breeze on their way south. The Swedish HiQ with Klas “Klabbe” Nylöf at the helm where the only boat that managed to threaten the leading two boats on their way towards the Norwegian-Swedish border. But they didn’t get close enough to really join the fight.
Frostad and Peyron stayed in shouting distance from each other almost all the way around the course, and several times switched places. On the final approach the adrenalin pumped fast as the two boats ducked and avoided smaller cruising boats as they also tried to get first.
- If the wind had picked up and turned to reaching condition Stena Sovcomflot would have caught us. They did, but we managed to keep them behind us by tacking in front of them all the way in to Horten. We won by making fewer mistakes, says Knut Frostad with a big smile.
Frostad also won the tri-battle in the Faerderrace last year, but the competition was not nearly as hot as the 2005 edition. The victory gives Frostad and his crew a push back up to second place in the overall standing in Nokia Oops Cup. Stena Sovcomflot is still in the lead with a healthy 4 point lead.
HiQ secured a third place in the Faerderrace. The three last boats also had a massive battle on the course. Finnish TietoEnator, with Thomas Johanson at the helm, finally got the better of Magnus Olsson on Nokia and Roman Paszke on Bonduelle.
The next event in Nokia Oops Cup is Oslo City Race on Sunday.
European's largest regatta in enclosed waters sets sail tomorrow morning at 0900 local time with the start of the Bol d'Or Rolex. This race begins from a line off Geneva and takes the boats the length of Lake Geneva (Lake Leman) to a turning mark off the French southeastern extremity of the lake at Bouveret and then back to Geneva - a course of 150km (93 nautical miles).
550 boats are due to take the start line tomorrow. This is down from the 1990 high of 684, but the number the organisers at the Societe Nautique de Geneve were expecting. The start off Geneva should be spectacular with all the yachts starting simultaneously from a line spanning the width of the lake. This line is divided into three with the small monohulls starting at the south end of the line, the multihulls on the north end with the large monohulls in between.
For Alec Tournier, Secretaire General of organising club, the Societe Nautique de Geneve, the Bol d'Or Rolex is coming of age. "We have more and more international stars who are interested in coming and sailing here, like Ellen MacArthur, Russell Coutts, Loick Peyron, Alain Gautier, etc." Tournier notes that even among non-sailing stars international numbers are growing.
One example is Britain's Ian Loffhagen, racing his trimaran Shiek Yerbouti. "It is a stunning event," he says of the Bol d'Or Rolex. "It is one of those things you have got to do at least once. But I suspect that once you've done it once it is something you will want to come back and do it again."
Most of the top stars will be competing in the Decision 35 one design catamarans. This class will also see America's Cup legend Russell Coutts go up against his Alinghi boss Ernesto Bertarelli.
The Bol d'Or starts tomorrow at 0900 and the first multihulls are expected to finish in the mid-afternoon, the first monohulls early evening.
While the Decision 35s first raced in the Bol d'Or Rolex last year, this year's race will see the advent of the new M2 class of 28ft long multihulls. The multihulls will also be attempting to break the outright elapsed time record for the course of 5 hours 1 minute and 51 seconds set 11 years ago by Peter Leuenberger on the trimaran Triga 4.
While the multihulls competing include some of the world's most powerful and lightweight sailing craft, the monohulls are no less extreme with four super-fast Psaros 40s, featuring not just a canting keel and water ballast, but also having six crew hanging out on trapeze wires. The boat to beat is Alex Schneiter's Tilt, winner of this class in the Bol d'Or last year. However also in the running is French Connection, a giant Libera class skiff where the entire crew trapeze, and the radical Full Pelt of British owner Stephen Fein, skippered by 1984 Soling Bronze medallist, Jo Richards, also the boat's designer.
"The Bol d'Or Rolex is a fascinating race as much as anything else because they have real racing boats up here. They don't confuse it with having cruising boat because there is no where particularly to go cruising," says Richards of the Bol d'Or Rolex.
Richards and Fein have been racing their lengthy series of Full Pelt monohulls and multihulls at the Bol d'Or since 1989. This year will be the first they will be sailing their new canting keel yacht. They will also be up against their previous Full Pelt monohull, now called Full Speed.
The monohull record stands at 8 hours 45 minutes and 40 seconds, set by Beat Siegfried's Corum Modulo 108 in 1994. Unfortunately Richards doesn't believe that 2005 will be a record breaking year for the event. "The chances are it will be a light northerly or easterly," he forecasts.
Alec Tournier, another past veteran of the race also reckons it will be light. "We think it will be good until the end of the Petit Lac and then you will have to make choices." For competitors such as Richards, one of the attractions of the Bol d'Or Rolex are the complicated meteorological conditions due to the proximity of large mountain ranges that can result in extreme gusts.
The Bol d'Or starts tomorrow at 0900 and the first multihulls are expected to finish in the mid-afternoon, the first monohulls early evening.
As mentioned in our May newsletter we introduced high-speed, wireless Internet access especially created for sailors. The new service is now up and running. The following is a refresher as to what is offered with this new service.
Sailors using the service at Torresen Marine will also have Internet access at Muskegon Yacht Club, Harbor Towne Marina and Yacht Club and most of the Bluffton Mooring area adjacent to Torresen Marine. Once sailors leave Muskegon Lake they can access the service in dozens of other ports around Lake Michigan and beyond. Users will find the system easy to use with no configuration needed on most computers and free technical support available by a toll-free call if problems do arise. Anyone with a wireless compatible computer will simply open their wireless connection and a web browser (Internet Explorer). Once the connection is open the Internet is available for use.
Limited services are available free of charge with full Internet access available by subscription. Subscriptions range from a one-hour package to full season or full year access. Informational brochures are now available at the Torresen Marine Ships Store and Service Departement. If you need more information you can also visit Torresen Wireless , email wireless@torresen.com or call Christopher at 231-759-8596.
VICTORIA, BC: Clipper Ventures PLC has selected the port of Victoria, British Columbia, as the first ever Canadian stopover for the prestigious Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race. The AIM listed company chaired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston also announced that Victoria, The Garden City, will sponsor one of the ten yacht entries in the competitive event.
The Clipper 05-06 Race sets sail on Sunday, 18 September 2005 from Liverpool (UK) and returns some 10 months later after 35,000 nautical miles of intense competition on the high seas.
The sole Canadian stopover is scheduled for Saturday, 25 March 2006, with the 10-strong fleet of identical 68ft racers berthing in Victoria BC for 10 days, before heading to Panama City on the penultimate leg of the race.
In addition to Victoria being a host port for the Clipper 05-06 Race, the race line-up will include a yacht named “Victoria, Canada” on the start line. The Canadian entry will face strong competition from a formidable international field including race title defenders Jersey (Channel Islands), as well as Liverpool (UK), Durban (South Africa), Fremantle (Western Australia), Singapore, Glasgow (Scotland), Qingdao (China) and New York (USA).
“I am delighted to be able to announce that Victoria BC will be having a yacht named after their city in the Clipper 05-06 Round the World Race,” noted Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures and the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world.
“The harbour in Victoria is one of the most spectacular in the world and there is tremendous enthusiasm for this yacht which will represent the whole of Canada.”
Tourism Victoria President & CEO, Lorne Whyte, added: “One of the major benefits to Victoria from this event lies in the destination awareness we will gain from the extensive global media coverage. It is estimated that the Clipper 05-06 Race will generate in excess of $100 US million in media value. We look forward to showcasing Victoria’s incredible harbour on the world stage.”
The Royal Victoria Yacht Club will be the host yacht club during the Canadian stopover and will provide race support for the event. The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority will provide berthing and general support for the race village and 10 day stopover.
Clipper 05-06, the fifth running of the company’s flagship event, will be divided into seven individual crew legs as international teams fight for the prestigious ‘Clipper Cup.’ The ‘Victoria, Canada’ yacht will be skippered by Ewan Hind (27) from Brixham in Devon (UK), and there are selected berths available for Canadians interested in sailing as crew members on various legs of the race.
Participation in each leg costs approximately $16,000 CDN and the main requirement for prospective crew members is the burning desire to represent their nation around the globe, as comprehensive Clipper training will prepare competitors for the challenges ahead.
News 76 Transpac Entries. Medals Stolen
Great Lakes Harbor carries Biodiesel
College Sailing HWS takes lead at Dinghy Champs. Race winners include: South Florida, Georgetown and Boston College
The Cedar River State Harbor will be the first public harbor in Michigan to offer boaters the option of purchasing environmentally friendly biodiesel marine fuel, state recreation officials announced today.
Boaters have the option of purchasing unleaded gasoline, diesel fuel or a 5-percent blend (B5) of biodiesel fuel. An intensive education campaign, coordinated by the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee and the harbor, will help educate boaters about the benefits of using biodiesel fuels.
The DNR Parks and Recreation Division's Green Initiatives Committee is monitoring the use of a 20 percent bio-blend diesel fuel (B20) in park equipment and also will measure boaters' demand for the alternative fuel. The Green Initiatives Committee researches, recommends and tests environmentally friendly products and management practices in state park and recreation facilities.
"We're very interested in educating boaters about this option to help protect Michigan's waterways," said Carl Lindell, who heads the Green Initiatives Committee.
The new harbor, dedicated by the Michigan State Waterways Commission, adds another harbor of refuge for boaters and represents the newest amenities at state harbors.
"We've made the commitment to build a beautiful harbor," said Christine Cope, harbor manager. "I'm very glad to see the same commitment to ensuring that green products will be available to the boaters who use this harbor."
Currently used along Eastern and Western seaboards, marine biodiesel fuel has not been available at marinas on the Great Lakes, except for a limited trial of marine biodiesel in the Chicago area in the late 1990s. Cope said she hopes that boaters will lead the demand for more locations to offer biodiesel blends and increase the use of this cleaner, safer, American-grown fuel.
The DNR is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural resources for current and future generations.
Sailors from Hobart/William Smith Colleges (HWS) are trying to make the magic work for the second time in less than a week. After winning the ICSA/Layline Team Race Championship on Lake Travis earlier this week, four of The Colleges sailors have moved on to the ICSA/Gill North American Coed Dinghy Championship which is in its second day of racing for the championship title. A steady south-southeasterly started out in the mid-teens this morning and built to 17 knots by late afternoon by which time both A- and B-Division racers had sailed 8 races.
The Colleges were second overall after yesterday's six races in each division thanks to the work of A-Division graduating senior John Storck (Huntington, N.Y.) with sophomore crew Amanda Markee (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.), and B-Division sophomore skipper Trevor Moore (Pomfret, Vt.) with junior crew Augusta Nadler (Marion, Mass.). Although Storck and Markee slipped a little today, picking up a pair of nines and a 14 along the way, Moore and Nadler came on strong with bullets in races 11 and 12. When the overall scoring was calculated, HWS had moved into the series lead with 161 points. The University of Hawaii Rainbows, defending champions and early leader, slipped down to third overall on 172 points.
In an interesting twist on rivalry, Dartmouth College moved from third to second overall on the strength of a consistent performance by their A-Division team led by sophomore skipper Erick Storck (Huntington, N.Y.) - younger sibling to HWS skipper John. With senior Clementine James (Easton, Md.) and sophomore Jimmy Attridge (Annapolis, Md.) crewing, Dartmouth stands first in A-Division with 63 points. The efforts of skippers Peter Fleming (Portsmouth, R.I.), a graduating senior, and junior Andrew Loe (Baton Rouge, La.) with senior Elisabeth Kreter (Severna Park, Md.) and junior Todd Whitehead (Huntington, N.Y.) placed the Big Green sixth in B-Division with 104 points for a combined total of 167 points in the overall standings.
Four races remain to be sailed tomorrow, Friday, June 10, on Lake Travis to wrap up the ICSA/Gill North American Coed Dinghy Championships. For complete results, visit: http://collegesailing.org/nas/spring05/index.htm
Today was a good day for heavy air crews as the winds became a steady
18 kts from the SSE and the teams battled for position throughout the
day. There were several lead changes throughout the day as Dartmouth,
Hawaii, and Hobart/William Smith each held the top place at one time
or another. With only four races in each division reamaing for the
third and final day tommrow, each race is vital for final positioning.
The final scores for the day are as follows:
A division = 14 Races
B division = 14 Races
A B TOT
1. Hobart/ WmSmith 89 72 161
2. Hawaii 69 103 172
3. Dartmouth 63 115 178
4. Georgetown 95 104 199
5. USC 84 121 205
6. Harvard 105 110 215
7. Old Dominion 100 117 217
8. Yale 139 82 221
9. Brown 136 101 237
10. South Florida 134 114 248
11. Charleston 149 113 262
12. St. Mary's 128 135 263
13. Boston College 180 96 276
14. Texas A&M Galveston 173 162 335
15. Washington 157 210 367
16. Minnesota 181 204 385
17. Tulane 195 211 406
18. Michigan 219 227 446
Seventy-six boats---the second largest entry list ever---are signed up to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Transpacific Yacht Race in next month's 2,225-nautical mile contest from Los Angeles to Honolulu.
That number is topped only by the 80 boats that competed in 1979, followed by 74 in 1981.
Even with high-profile competitors like Genuine Risk, Morning Glory, Pyewacket, Windquest and Magnitude 80 with professional crews at the top end, the 2005 fleet is heavily weighted toward smaller boats of weekend sailors who comprise more than half the fleet. Those include 14 Cal 40s marking the 40th anniversary of their breakthrough debut in the race with competitors ranging from circumnavigator Mark Schrader and Sally Lindsay Honey's talented all-woman crew to Lloyd Sellinger's team of veterans all over age 65.
The entries represent nine countries, matching the record set in 2003, and a dozen states.
All want to be part of the historic Centennial Transpac, which as centerpiece of Long Beach's Sea Festival will have a rousing sendoff from its new pre-race Transpac Village home in downtown Rainbow Harbor, as well as the traditional individual aloha welcomes for all the boats in Waikiki.
The smaller boats will start July 11 off the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Next on July 15 will come the middle classes and then the big boats on Sunday, July 17, sending the fastest in pursuit of the "Barn Door" trophy for the fastest elapsed time and, if conditions are favorable, the monohull record of 7 days 11 hours 41 minutes 27 seconds set by Roy E. Disney's former Pyewacket in 1999.
That record has never seemed so much in jeopardy. The race will mark the Transpac debut of the fastest boats ever to sail the race---the maxZ86s Pyewacket, Hasso Plattner's Morning Glory and Dick and Doug DeVos's Windquest, plus Randall Pittman's Dubois 90, Genuine Risk, and Doug Baker's Andrews 80, Magnitude 80. Although Windquest, with its slightly older technology, and the smaller Magnitude 80 will rate slightly slower, all are considered to be as much as a day faster than the record with similar conditions.
Genuine Risk is slightly longer and thereby faster than all but will power down to meet the special Transpac rating established earlier at the maxZ86 level. As configurations stand now, for purposes of corrected handicap time contention, Morning Glory is the scratch boat and will owe Genuine Risk one one-hundredth of a second per mile---only 23 seconds for the race. Pyewacket gets 92 seconds, and if it comes down to that it will be the wildest finish in race history.
The race also marks a change of pace for Philippe Kahn. His Pegasus maxi sleds were first to finish in the last two races, but this time he cares little about Barn Doors. With a new boat, Kahn will be the newest member of the Transpac 52 group, joining Charles Burnett's Braveheart, Roger Sturgeon's Rosebud and Fred Detwiler's Trader as representatives of that fast-growing international class.
"Our team wanted to do something new and exciting," Kahn said. "The Transpac 52 class is pretty much level racing, so we will have four equally matched and identical boats racing to Honolulu. Then we’ll race the Waikiki offshore series and the San Francisco Big Boat Series.
"My prediction is that the Transpac 52 is the class for the next decade. When it comes to rating and performance these new smaller boats are similar to the classic Santa Cruz 70s. This is exciting because all these boats can basically compete boat for boat. However, you must remember that we have a brand new boat, so it will take us a bit to be competitive. I think that there are many other Transpac entries with a much greater chance at the Overall trophy, which is really the most prestigious trophy of all."
All 76 boats are eligible for the Governor of Hawaii and King Kalakaua trophies for first overall on corrected handicap time. Although ratings and class breaks are not yet announced, the smaller boats have gained leverage with the rating distance raised to 2,300 miles for this race, giving them a longer track to collect precious seconds owed them by bigger boats.
The former include the Cal 40s whose class predecessors won overall in 1965, '67 and '69, and seven J Boats. Psyche, Don Salisbury's winning Cal 40 in '65, is returning for the first time under its new owner, Steve Calhoun of Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. Two J/35s will compete among seven doublehanded entries. One will be Transpac's first women's doublehander: Charmed Life, a Catalina 470 sailed by Patricia Garfield and Diane Murray of San Francisco.
Then there's the Aloha class for boats with heavier displacement or less race-rated technology. One is the 76th and final entry, Cesar de Saracho's new Jeanneau 54, Enchilado, from Mazatlan, one of three Mexican entries. De Saracho, 67, a retired tomato grower, will sail with Maria Teresa, his wife of 42 years, and their three grown children Cesar Jr., Ricardo and Anna Lucia.
"I've been thinking of doing it for years," said de Saracho, a veteran racer in Mexico. "The whole family wanted to do it."
They almost waited too long. De Saracho had just taken delivery of the boat late last month when he phoned Robbie Haines, the Transpac representative for San Diego, and said, "I want to do the race . . . how do I do it?"
"Do you know the deadline is a week away?" Haines replied.
With Haines' help, de Saracho got his paperwork in order just in time.
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Transpac Trivia Quiz
What does "Enchilado," the name of Cesar de Saracho's boat, translate to in English? Answer below.
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An Invitation to Transpac Boats of the Past
Transpac Rear Commodore Dale Nordin has issued an invitation to former competitors to join in the Centennial celebration and special commemorative events in conjunction with the start of Transpac 2005.
There will be a ceremonial start and parade of classic boats on Sunday, July 17, crossing the start line with recognition of each participating boat. After the race boats start, the ceremony will continue with a Classics "fun race"---motoring allowed---to Long Beach, finishing before an audience of dignitaries and spectators at the Queen Mary.
Free slips will be provided for participants at Rainbow Harbor July 15-17. Any boat that has completed a Transpac race is welcome to participate. Those interested may contact Nordin at (562) 244-6450, (714) 846-4944 or at Dale_Nordin@hotmail.com, or contact Betsy Crowfoot at (805) 448-1439 and Betsy.Crowfoot@Verizon.net.
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Rainbow Harbor Applications Pouring In
Shoreline Yacht Club Commodore Gary Schneider reports that 44 entries have applied for moorings in Long Beach's downtown Rainbow Harbor, site of the Transpac Village for pre-race activity.
"The first boat will be Renegade and it is scheduled to arrive on June 17," Schneider said.
Transpac veteran Dan Sinclair will bring his Andrews 70 from Vancouver, B.C. Boats with drafts too deep to be accommodated in the Alamitos Bay Marina may take up residence well ahead of their class starts. Windquest is due in on July 1.
Boat owners interested in securing free mooring may contact Commodore Gary Schneider of Shoreline Yacht Club for information: syclb@hotmail.com or captaingary1@hotmail.com
Shoreline Yacht Club is the official resident host for the Transpac Village venue.
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Trivia Answer
You might think it has something to do with Mexican cuisine, but you'd need a daring appetite. De Saracho says it means "Raging Bull," especially a red one. His boat is red.
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Competitors Urged to Contact Hawaii Boat Hosts
With a large number of entries, Transpac Commodore Jerry Montgomery has urged competitors to contact the boat host committee in Honolulu about arrangements to ensure the traditional welcome party in Waikiki.
Offers of assistance and any special needs or requests may also be addressed. The chairperson is Barbara Silvey at hawaiipianolady@aol.com
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Challenged America Hosts 'Stars' Fundraiser
Challenged America will host "Night With the Stars," a fundraising event for the disabled team's second Transpac effort, at the Bali Hai Restaurant on San Diego's Shelter Island Friday night, June 10.
The gala event will start at 6 p.m. with food, beverage, entertainment, meeting the Stars and an auction.
Information: www.sail-world.com/ChallengedAmerica/
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Final Official Entries
(listed alphabetically; class breaks to come)
Artemis (Andrews 53), Louis Bianco, Seattle.
Atalanta (Tripp 73 ketch), Richard Hedreen), Seattle.
Azure (Cal 40), Rodney Pimentel, Alameda, Calif.
Azure (Swan 441), Samuel Beckey, San Diego.
Barking Spider 3 (MacGregor 65), David Kory, Concord, Calif.
Beecom (Reichel/Pugh 72), Isao Mita, Yokohama, Japan
Bengal 2 (Ohashi 52), Yoshihiko Murase, Nagoya, Japan
Between the Sheets (Jeanneau 52), Ross Pearlman, Marina del Rey, Calif.
Blue (J/160), Ken and /Cheryl Sears, Nashville, Tenn.
Bolt (Nelson/Marek 55), Craig Reynolds, Newport Beach, Calif.
B'Quest (Tripp 40), Challenged America, San Diego.
Braveheart (Transpac 52), Charles Burnet, Seattle.
Brown Sugar (Express 37), Steve Brown, Santa Ana, Calif.
Bubala (Cal 40), Lloyd Sellinger, Newport Beach.
California Girl (Cal 40), Don and Betty Lessley, Richmond, Calif.
Callisto (Cal 40), Jim Eddy, Glendale, Calif.
DH-Camille (Stewart 42), James Read, San Francisco.
DH-Charmed Life (Catalina 470), Patricia Garfield, San Francisco.
Cipango (Andrews 56), Bob & Rob Barton, San Francisco.
Chasch Mer (S/C 50), Gib Black, Honolulu.
Coruba (N/M 68), Rob and Suzanne Fleming, Seattle.
Dancing Bear (Cal 40), Mark Schrader, Sitka, Alaska.
Dasher (S/C 50), Roger Groh, Sausalito, Calif.
DH-Diablo (J/35), Reed Barnard, Anacortes, Wash.
Enchilado (Jeanneau 54), Cesar de Saracho, Mazatlan, Mexico.
Far Far (Cal 40), Don Grind, Naples, Fla.
Genuine Risk (Dubois 90), Randall Pittman, La Jolla, Calif.
Iataia (Beneteau First 40.7), Marcos Rodriguez, Acapulco, Mexico.
Illusion (Cal 40), Sally Honey, Palo Alto, Calif.
Incredible (Swan 53), Rick Gorman, Los Alamitos, Calif.
Innocent Merriment (J/160), Myron Lyon, San Diego.
DH-Jacaré (J/35), Jeff Young/Rich Blackman, San Diego.
Jeito (J/145), Francisco Guzman, Acapulco, Mexico.
Kahoots (Andrews 43), Kerry Deaver/Bob Williamson, Newport Beach.
Madrina (Cabo Rico 56), Dick Simon, Dana Point, Calif.
Magnitude 80 (Andrews 80), Doug Baker, Long Beach.
Medicine Man (Andrews 61), Bob Lane, Long Beach.
Merlin (Lee 68), Patricia Steele, Maui, H.I.
Mongoose (Santa Cruz 70), Bradley Thorson, Bellevue, Wash.
Morning Glory (R/P maxZ86), Hasso Plattner, Kiel, Germany.
Odyssey (58' yawl), Audrey Steele Burnand, Long Beach.
Pegasus 52 (Transpac 52), Philippe Kahn, Honolulu.
Pendragon IV (Davidson 52), John MacLaurin, Encino, Calif.
Pipe Dream (CF 37), John Davis, Long Beach.
Plan B (Peterson 48), David Johnson, Long Beach.
Psyche (Cal 40), Steve Calhoun, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.
Pursuit (Custom 48), Norman and Rosemary Dawley, Solomons, Md.
Pyewacket (R/P maxZ86), Roy E. Disney, Los Angeles.
Radiant (Cal 40), Fin Beven, Pasadena, Calif.
Ragtime (Spencer 66), Peterson/Richards/Welsh/Zimmer, Honolulu.
Ralphie (Cal 40), Davis Pillsbury, Woody Creek, Colo.
Reinrag2 (J/125), Tom Garnier, Portland, Ore.
Renegade (Andrews 70), Dan Sinclair, Vancouver, B.C.
Rosebud (Transpac 52), Roger Sturgeon, San Francisco.
Scout Spirit (R/P 77), Bill Turpin, Newport Beach, Calif.
Seafire (Cal 40), John Harrison, Honolulu.
Sensation (1D35), Gary Fanger, San Francisco.
DH-Serena (T1150), David Kuettel, Bel Marin, Calif.
Shaman (Cal 40), Steve Waterloo, Alameda, Calif.
Shanakee II (Pedrick 74), James Warmington, Costa Mesa, Calif.
Showdown (IMX 38), Pete Meade/Mike Luna/ Paul McDonald, Irvine, Calif.
Skylark (S/C 70), Doug Ayres, Newport Beach.
So Far (Swan 48), Larry Hillman, Chicago.
DH-Soap Opera (Hobie 33), Scott Self/Nigel Brown, Rockwall, Tex.
Spectre (Cal 40), Lee Rogge, Seattle.
Stealth Chicken (Perry 56), Timothy Beatty, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Super Gnat (Beneteau First 40.7), Cliff Thompson, San Diego
Tabasco (1D35), Alamitos Bay Syndicate, Long Beach.
The Cone of Silence (Super 30), Jamie and Jenny Neill, Sydney, Australia.
Trader (Transpac 52), Fred Detwiler, Pompano Beach, Fla.
DH-Two Guys On the Edge (1D35), Dan Doyle, Kailua, H.I.
Uproarious (Olson 40), Robert Bussard, San Diego.
Wild Impulse (J/120), Larry Barels, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Willow Wind (Cal 40), Wendy Siegal, Sunset Beach, Calif.
Wind Dancer (Catalina 42), Paul Edwards, Ventura, Calif.
Windquest (R/P maxZ86), Dick & Doug DeVos, Holland, Mich.
While more than a week has passed since the first boats arrived in the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge race, the three boats in the classic division continue to slog it out.
Older and smaller than the rest of the boats in the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge, the classics were never expected to be as fast as the modern racers and larger performance cruisers, but they have also been very unlucky with the weather conditions. Closing on the Western Approaches, they should now be enjoying a fast broad reach in favourable westerly winds, but instead they are once again beating upwind into easterlies.
This morning at the 0800 UTC position update, A. Robert Towbin's 94-foot (28.7m) Fife ketch Sumurun, built in 1914, was still tackling the Atlantic Ocean with 543 miles to go to reach the finish line at the Needles Fairway Buoy off the western tip of the Isle of Wight. In terms of distance to the finish line, Sumurun was 50 miles ahead of Hans Albrecht's 88-foot (26.8m) Nordwind, and 100 miles in front of Carlo Falcone's 80-foot (24.4m) Fife yawl Mariella, the latter two boats originally built in 1938.
One hundred miles is extremely close, considering the classics have been at sea for more than two and a half weeks. However the distance to the finish only tells half the story. The canny A. Robert Towbin, a veteran class winner from the New York Yacht Club's 1997 Transatlantic Race, has spent a long time on port tack heading for northern Spain and is now considerably farther south than Nordwind and Mariella. In theory this should put Sumurun on a faster point of sail to make the final run in past the Lizard and on toward the Isle of Wight. However, in an email from the boat, Towbin wrote, "We have had 20- to 30-knot winds from the northeast for two days and expect them to continue for another day. This has brought heavy seas coming also from the northeast...just the direction we want to go."
>From on board Mariella, Sophie Luther wrote last night, "Our rivals have now tacked on to starboard and are making a very northerly course for the Lizard, while we are still trying to get as east as possible for the new wind shift." She continued, "Tension is building for the last leg to the Needles. Looks like it could be a nail-biting finish. The good news is our speed is still good, and the log has just hit over 3,000 nm from New York, so surely we must be nearly there?!"
The question remains: will the Classics reach Cowes in time for the prizegiving on Sunday night? The forecast shows easterlies continuing to blow in the Western Approaches and in the English Channel, only turning favourable on Sunday. Based on her having 543 miles to go and having averaged 6.1 knots over the course so far, Sumurun should reach the finish line at 0400 UTC on Monday morning. This will give Towbin and his crew just four hours to prepare for the gun for the Rolex Race Around the Isle of Wight.
Skipper A. Robert Townbin is philosophical. "Whatever happens in the race of the classics, our hats are off to Norwind and Mariella and their crews. As we write this, 420 miles from the Lizard, these two beautiful boats are right with us, making this Rolex Transatlantic Challenge not only a contest to beat Atlantic's record, which has now been done, but a modern day challenge to keep boats built before 1950 competing, as they did in the past." Sixteen yachts are presently entered in the Rolex Race Around the Isle of Wight, clockwise around on the original America's Cup course. John Grandy, Rear Commodore of Yachting of the Royal Yacht Squadron, says they have tried hard to recreate the same course as sailed in the 1851 race, won famously by New York Yacht Club Commodore John Cox Stevens aboard America in what would subsequently become the America's Cup.
"Due to the generosity of Trinity House, we have the services of a disused light vessel that will be in the approximate position of the old Nab light vessel that was there in 1851," said Grandy. The light vessel has long since been replaced by the Nab Tower, northeast of the light vessel's original position. "I have put in for safety reasons various passing marks, but otherwise it is straight around the Isle of Wight, starting and finishing at the Squadron Line. I am sending them around the Bridge buoy off the Needles, because if we have to shorten course, that is the obvious place to do it," continued Grandy.
The present forecast indicates that the wind will be northwesterly by race day on Monday, June 13. Competitors will also have to deal with strong tides that flow in and out of the Solent and around the Isle of Wight. "They start off with a fair tide," says Grandy. "They have to be back through the Needles by 1500 to avoid the ebb which will start building up after that."
Aside from concluding the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge, the Rolex Race Around the Isle of Wight is also a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, and the winner will receive a silver plate, a replica of one once awarded to Lord Nelson.
The Rolex Race Around the Isle of Wight will start from the Royal Yacht Squadron line with a first warning signal at 0800 UTC (0900 local time).
IN BRIEF
* SKANDIA SKIPPER, SAM DAVIES, COMPETES IN FINAL COMPETITIVE TRAINING EVENT, THE GENERALI SOLO STARTING TOMORROW, BEFORE THE MAIN EVENT OF THE FIGARO SEASON, THE SOLITAIRE DU FIGARO IN AUGUST…
* GENERALI SOLO SERVES UP TWO WEEKS OF INTENSE RACING WITH FIVE OFFSHORE AND SEVEN INSHORE RACES…
* SAM WILL LINE UP AGAINST 22 COMPETITORS INCLUDING SOLITAIRE PODIUM FAVOURITES YANN ELIES (2ND 2004 SOLITAIRE DU FIGARO) AND ERIC DROUGLAZET (WINNER 2003 SOLITAIRE DU FIGARO)…
IN DETAIL
The Generali Solo starts tomorrow, Friday 10th June. Today a short prologue race was held off La Grande Motte in the South of France, and from tomorrow Sam will be competing in two weeks of intense racing along the Mediterranean coast. The event consists of five non-stop offshore legs [the longest being 240 miles] and seven days of inshore windward/leeward racing, finally finishing in Porquerolles on Saturday 25th June. The first inshore race is tomorrow (Friday) followed by the first offshore race starting on Saturday 11th June (see below for full schedule). The fleet are due to leave the dock at 0830BST, with the first windward/leeward race due to start at 1000BST. The forecast for tomorrow is for light winds from the north, potentially turning into a seabreeze from the south, varying from 0-15 knots!
Along with Jeanne Gregoire, Sam is just one of the two female competitors in the 23 strong fleet. Sam, on board her Figaro Bénéteau SKANDIA, is up against some of the best Figaro sailors in the circuit and certainly some of the pre-start favourites for the 2005 Solitaire podium including Eric Drouglazet (2003 Solitaire du Figaro champion and winner of the Trophée BPE 2005 - Sam finished in 5th); Yann Elies (2nd Solitaire du Figaro 2004 and winner of last year’s Generali Solo); Gildas Morvan (3rd in the Trophée BPE 2005 and 2nd Generali Solo 2004); and Jéremie Beyou (3rd Solitaire du Figaro 2004 and 3rd in the Generali Solo 2004).
This is certainly Sam’s final competitive training event before this year’s Solitaire and realises the importance of building her confidence with some impressive performances on the water: “I’m really looking forward to getting out there. SKANDIA was put in the water for the first time on Monday since the finish of the Tropheé BPE, so although we haven’t had a lot of time together since the last race, we have had sufficient time for the preparation for this race and I feel ready to go. I have been studying the weather and tactics for the last few weeks – the Mediterranean is a notoriously tricky area to sail and at last year’s Generali we had to contend with everything. The longest leg is only 240nm so the event will be very tactical and my weather tactics and maximising boatspeed will have to be spot on. The Trophée BPE race gave my confidence a real boost as for the majority of the race, I was up there with the leaders so I know my skills have improved ten-fold since my first season in the Figaro in 2003. I will be giving this race 100% but part of my mind is already on the next event – the Solitaire du Figaro – this is the Wimbledon of the Figaro season and everyone wants to win.”
RACE SCHEDULE
Friday, 10 June: Inshore race 1, La Grande Motte
Saturday, 11 June: Offshore leg 1, La Grande Motte - Port Leucate (130nm)
Sunday, 12 June: Boats arrive, Port Leucate
Monday, 13 June: Inshore race 2, Port Leucate
Tuesday, 14 June: Offshore leg 2, Port Leucate – Gruissan (40nm)
Wednesday, 15 June: Inshore race 3, Gruissan
Thursday, 16 June: Offshore leg 3, Gruissan – Hyères (200nm)
Friday, 17 June: Boats arrive, Hyères
Saturday, 18 June: Inshore race 4, Hyères
Sunday, 19 June: Offshore leg 4, Hyères – La Giraglia - Beaulieu sur Mer (240nm)
Monday, 20 June: At sea
Tuesday, 21 June: Boats arrive, Beaulieu sur Mer
Wednesday, 22 June: Offshore leg 5, Beaulieu sur Mer – Porquerolles (70nm)
Thursday, 23 June: Inshore race 5, Porquerolles
Friday, 24 June: Inshore race 6, Porquerolles
Saturday, 25 June: Inshore race 7, Porquerolles
ENTRY LIST (23 competitors)
(skipper/ boat name/ boat number)
ELIES Yann / GROUPE GENERALI ASSURANCES / 1
BEYOU Jéremie / DELTA DORE / 2
TABARLY Erwan / THALES / 4
MORVAN Gildas / CERCLE VERT / 5
DROUGLAZET Eric / MALONGO / 6
DE PAVANT Kito / Groupe BEL / 7
PETIT Benoît / DEFI SANTE VOILE / 9
DAVIES Samantha / SKANDIA / 10
RIECHERS Jöerg* / GERMANYTOO / 11
MOUREN Jean-Paul / MARSEILLE ENTREPRISES / 13
BOS Christian / RAYNAL & ROQUELAURE / 14
KRAUSS Oliver / ESPOIR CREDIT AGRICOLE / 25
EMIG Marc / TOTAL / 30
PELLECUER Laurent / CLIPTOL SPORT / 31
GREGOIRE Jeanne / BANQUE POPULAIRE / 40
PRATT Christopher / PASSEPORT FFVOILE : j´apprends à respecter l’environnement marin / 42
SVILARICH Etienne* / SOGETI-TRANSICIEL / 48
TRIPON Armel / GEDIMAT / 57
DUTHIL Frédéric / BROSSARD / 60
DEFERT Eric* / SIBELIUS / 64
D´ALI Pietro* / NANNI DIESEL / 65
NIGON Erik* / AXA ATOUT COEUR POUR AIDES / 77
VENIARD Gérald* / SCUTUM / 94
* Rookie (first Figaro season)
Official race website: http://www.generalisolo.com (French only)
Racing OSTAR
News Hall of Famer
Great Lakes Levels and Prices
College Sailing Hawaii leads dinghy championships. Race Winners inclde: Charleston, USC and Texas AM Galveston
Yesterday evening, the Team Racing banquet was held on the patio of
Austin Yacht Club to the tune of country music, family style BBQ,
pinatas, and (of course) a moonwalk. Texas was able to show the rest
of the country "how it's done down South" as festivities continued
until the wee hours of the morning. All teams managed to show up this morning (however, some later than others) to begin the first day of the 2005 ICSA/Gill Co-ed Championships. Racing began after the
competitor's meeting and a short inspirational speech by Gill's North
American president Jerry Richards, who was disappointed that he could
only stay for one of the three days of the event.
With continuing luck on the weather front (sunny skies, 10-18 knots of wind, high of 95), six races were run in each division, producing the following top teams and their scores:
Hawaii 66
Hobart/William Smith 72
Dartmouth 75
Yale 78
Harvard 85
Tomorrow looks to be just as gorgeous for the second day of Co-eds, or as one Hawaii competitor put it, "Dude, this is awesome!"
Complete results, pictures and regular updates (several times a day)
are available on the ICSA Spring Championships Website at:
http://collegesailing.org/nas/spring05/
It's a lovely afternoon here in Bermuda, sunny and warm with clouds that threaten afternoon showers but promise good weather. I'm having a hard time looking at clouds these days without trying to imagine what the wind is like around and underneath them. Often enough, that's what winning boat races is really all about and every once in a while a cloud drifts by that absolutely makes your day.
Yesterday afternoon, I was waiting for a long expected (and overdue!) lift after 300 miles of fast running on starboard tack across the Gulf Stream and almost all the way to Bermuda. The lift was just what I needed to gybe over for a clean run to the finish. Sailing across a clear spot in the sky, I came up to the edge of a large cloud but instead of finding lift, I found myself in a header deep enough to point me to the finish - incredible! I rode the edge of that cloud for as long as I could and I'm sure I chopped an hour or more off my finishing time.
Of course, this is the first race of the season and the few smart things I managed do right only just made up for some of the horrors. I'm not quite ready to tell the story yet, but it's hard to ignore the telltale sign that something must have gone completely awry when I pulled into Bermuda with the lifelines missing from the starboard side of the boat and one less sail on board. When you're racing these boats, It's always a delicate balance trying to decide how much is too much and, once again, I found out firsthand you don't have to miscalculate by much before things start to go really wrong really fast.
Back on the positive side of the ledger, I had a nice clean start and worked my way out of Narragansett Bay looking like I knew what I was doing. Although I spent most of the last five weeks in the area, it was the time spent on and off the water with Paul Cronin of PC Sailing that largely contributed to that success. Paul is a wizard at reading wind on the water - he sees things you and I simply don't see and he has a keen understanding of how to take advantage of the tactical opportunities presented as the wind and water flow in and out of the bay. I picked up just enough from Paul to get it mostly right this time.
I also benefited hugely from all the work done to the boat since it launched in April. There are a lot of people to thank, but right at the top are Tim Sadler, Ryan Finn, and Jeff Pritchard, as well as Greg Feldman. These guys worked non-stop to get the boat in perfect working order and allowed me to focus on the sailing. Thank you and congratulations on raising the preparation bar to new heights!
As for my part, I mostly stuck to the basics, driving the boat as much as possible and not straying any further from the rhumb line (direct course) than I had to. Between the ever swirling eddies in the Gulf Stream and two weather systems that shaped the course, there were a number of compelling reasons to lure a navigator one way or the other. I picked the one or two I felt were right and discarded the rest as low return for the risk - a nerve-racking process that had me second-guessing myself right up to the very end.
In a sprint race like the Bermuda 1-2, I found the 10- 15 minute naps to be the only real option - if you grab them at the right time and if you can grab enough of them, they'll keep you going for a few days of hard sailing. The only thing to keep in mind is that you're absolutely the worst judge of your own level of fatigue, especially the more fatigued you become. In this race, working backwards through the drama that ended up costing me my lifelines and a sail, there's no question that fatigue played a starring role.
Joe Harris, on the Open 50' Gryphon Solo crossed the finish line just hours behind me. Until I ended up on the favorable side of a wind line yesterday afternoon, the gap was much closer and I felt him pushing me the whole way. It was a great race between the two big boats in the fleet with plenty of the strong downwind conditions - conditions that allow these Open Class boats to gobble up the miles.
The double-handed return back to Newport starts Thursday, June 16. Merf Owen, the boat's designer, is joining me for the ride and we'll have our work cut out for us defending our lead. Until then, it's time to catch up on some sleep, fix the broken bits, and start working on a strategy that gets Artforms back to Newport quickly.
Kip Stone Artforms
www.ksopen50.com
Right on schedule, the VO 70 “movistar”, the Spanish participant in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006 arrived Sunday afternoon in Galicia. The fastest monohull sailboat in the world sailed past the Cíes Islands before heading for the mouth of the Ría de Vigo at 16:00 h, as planned and is now safely docked in the port of Vigo. The team is now recovering from their trying transatlantic journey, gradually recovering their physical and mental capacity to live comfortably on land after weeks at sea.
Intitally flanked by dozens of boats wanting to welcome the team home,the procession gradually grew in number until an impressive fleet wasformed to escort the boat in its journey across the Ría until her final destination, the A Laxe Dock in Vigo. Hundreds of fans gathered to watch the arrival of the “movistar” from the dock in a splendid summer afternoon, for the sight of the VO 70 movistar sailing through Galician waters was too good to be missed for the many gathered there.
“It was quite a show – said Iker Martínez when he disembarked -. The
crew members who had been here before were moved by the number of boats which came to welcome us, but those who hadn’t before were dazzled by the beauty of the Ría. The fine weather made this a perfect moment”.
Upon her arrival in Vigo, Pilar Rojo -Regional Minister for Sports-,
Pedro Campos -General Manager of the Team-, and Francisco de Bergia -CEO of Telefónica- came on board the VO 70 by the Cíes Islands and sailed on the “movistar” the last 13 miles of the 5,000 mile-long journey that started last May 17 in Rio de Janeiro.
“It was very exciting to come on board and to be greeted by the crew -said Pedro Campos-. As soon as we raised the 500 sq. m. of spinnaker, the boat took off and many of the boats escorting us fell behind, but the mere sight of the boat sailing in front of the Cíes Islands with all sails raised was worth it”.
The most emotional moment of the day happened upon arriving in port,
when the crew’s families approached the “movistar”