Brought to you by boats.com Europe with the support of OC Events, Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

JEANTOT'S LEGAL WOES WORSEN
The disgrace of Philippe Jeantot, the founder and organiser of the Vendee Globe solo round-the-world race, continued yesterday as he faced three new charges of financial irregularities.

Jeantot, 53, was given a suspended two-year sentence and fined 15,000 Euros in November 2003 for tax evasion, upheld on appeal. The case now being heard in the court at Les Sables d'Olonne, the port city from where he ran the Vendee Globe race, alleges avoidance of corporation tax by his SailCom company, forgery and the abuse of the 'social good'. Forensic accountancy has allegedly found that in excess of 1 million Euros passed through an Irish account rather than SailCom's bank in France.

Jeantot is a former deep sea diver who become one of France's sailing heroes by winning the first two editions of the BOC Challenge (the forerunner to the Velux 5 Oceans Race) before setting up his rival solo round-the-world event, which he lost control of in 2004. -- Tim Jeffery in The Telegraph, www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/02/06/sosail06.xml

* Jeantot is still the object of complaints from skippers registered for the last Vendee Globe who paid registration fees to him. Those fees, they claim, were not restored to them when the race organisation and ownership were stripped from Jeantot by French courts. -- SeaSailSurf.com

SEAHORSE SAILOR OF THE MONTH
Last month's winner: Mike Golding (GBR)

"Oh dear... How can you possibly choose between two such fine sailors? Jud Smith made his mark by winning in many different mostly small boat classes and at many different events, and by giving selflessly in helping out his rivals along the way. Mike made his name sailing very big boats under difficult circumstances and by saving a life... also a truly great sailor and sportsman. To pit the two against each other in a vote is reprehensible" - Pat Stadel, we are sorry!

More typical was this comment from Australia: "Mike is the only choice, due to his superb awareness and seamanship he has saved one of our great friends in yachting... thank you Mike" - Fraser Brown. "It was Mike's impressive awareness in slowing down ahead of being called to assist that saved Alex Thomson's life" - Tony Smith, Auckland.

This month's nominees:

Grant Dalton (NZL)
Why and why now... because by putting the fight - and money - back into what has become Emirates Team New Zealand this former Whitbread Race winner has made the next few months in Valencia a lot more interesting. We know this team will fight hard, and having seen the latest boat from the mighty BMW Oracle we know that ETNZ is on the button in terms of design. Alinghi apart of course...

Michael Perham (GBR)
OK, so he was shadowed by Dad in another yacht all the way across, but how many 14-year-olds do you know who you'd feel comfortable about attempting the same feat. We were doubtful at first, about this nomination, because of there being another boat involved, but this was still a solo Atlantic crossing nonetheless, one plenty of more experienced sailors would be proud of. We grow 'em good here!

Seahorse Sailor of the Month is sponsored by Harken McLube, Dubarry & Henri Lloyd.

Cast your vote at seahorsemagazine.com

YNGLING NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP: BRITS TAKE THE HONOURS
The world #2 team of Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson (GBR) finished top of the pile at the ISAF Grade C1 Yngling North American Championship, beating Miami winners Sally Barkow, Carrie Howe and Debbie Capozzi (USA) to the gold medal on Biscayne Bay.

Athens gold medallists Ayton and Webb and new crew Wilson took the title with a fantastic finish in Miami, going 3,1,2,2,3 in the final five races to win by nine points. Having beaten the Brits to gold in the Medal Race just a week ago, Barkow, Howe and Capozzi came in second, with an OCS in race 7 proving to be a costly mistake.

Athens Europe gold medallist Siren Sundby (NOR), back in the Olympic Classes after a near two-year break, finished the series strongly to come in seventh overall with crew Lise Birgitte Fredriksen and Alexandra Koefoed (NOR).

The Yngling North American Championship is taking place as part of the Winter Circuit surrounding the ISAF Grade 1 Rolex Miami OCR.

Top Ten Results

1. Sarah Ayton / Sarah Webb / Pippa Wilson, GBR, 33
2. Sally Barkow / Carrie Howe / Debbie Capozzi, USA, 42
3. Vlada Ilienko / Ekaterina Kovalenko / Nina Shtromberger, RUS, 46
4. Silja Lehtinen / Maria Klemetz / Livia Varesmaa, FIN, 46
5. Anna Basalkina / Vladislava Ukraintseva / Ekaterina Maximova, RUS, 46
6. Sharon Ferris / Raynor Smeal / Shandy Buckley, NZL, 52
7. Siren Sundby / Lise Birgitte Fredriksen / Alexandra Koefoed, NOR, 64
8. Ulrike Schuemann / Julia Bleck / Ute Hoepfner, GER, 65
9. Anne-Claire Le Berre / Alice Ponsar / Julie Gerecht, FRA, 70
10. Victoria Rawlinson / Sue Monson / Emma Rawlinson, GBR, 72

www.ussailing.org/olympics/rolexmiamiocr/wintercircuit/yngling/

LASER RADIAL NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
2006 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Paige RAILEY (USA) held her nerve to beat Sari Multala (FIN) to the ISAF Grade C1 Laser Radial North Americans by the tightest of margins in Fort Lauderdale, USA. The 19 year old American took a tiebreak victory as her and Miami winner Multala finished second and first in the crucial final race.

Railey won her second North American title on countback thanks to her two second place finishes to Multala's one (both had three bullets on their scorecard). Going into the final race, Railey led by a single point, from ISAF Grade 1 Rolex Miami OCR winner Multala.

World #1 Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) secured third place overall in the 40 strong fleet, with a fourth in the final race.

The Laser Radial North American Championship is taking place as part of the Winter Circuit surrounding the ISAF Grade 1 Rolex Miami OCR.

Top Ten Results

1. Paige Railey, USA, 24 points
2. Sari Multala, FIN, 24
3. Anna Tunnicliffe, USA, 37
4. Katarzyna Szotynska, POL, 40
5. Gintare Volungeviciute, LTU, 47
6. Tania Elias Calles, MEX, 52
7. Andrea Brewster, GBR, 54
8. Lisa Ross, CAN, 55
9. Lizzie Vickers, GBR, 64
10. Karin Sodderstrom, SWE, 66

www.lyc.org

AN ABSORBING INTEREST
Don't miss the opportunity to obtain a signed copy of "An Absorbing Interest", Bob Fisher's complete history of the America's Cup - 1851-2003 in two volumes, by registering your interest before February 15th. For full details go to: www.wiley.com/go/americas

SOLENT TRAGEDY
A yachtsman who died after a Solent-based yacht capsized in the English Channel has been named by police.

Jamie Richard Butcher died after the Hooligan V rolled in the early hours of Saturday after losing its keel near the south Devon coast.

Mr Butcher, 27, from Mildenhall, Suffolk, was recovered by Salcombe Lifeboat.

Four other crew members were rescued, including skipper Ed Broadway, a member of the Royal Southampton Yacht Club, who comes from Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire.

After an extensive air and sea search the capsized yacht was found at 8.20am yesterday morning and was being towed into Plymouth by salvage contractors.

The incident seven miles off Prawle Point sparked a major rescue operation which launched after red flares were spotted by a merchant vessel, and the capsized yacht and life raft were seen in the water.

www.thisishampshire.net

CHALLENGER COMMISSION MEETING
The Challenger Commission for the 32nd America's Cup ("CC") met at the call of the Chair, Alessandra Pandarese (ITA) of Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team at the Holiday Inn Valencia on Tuesday, 30 January from 0900 to 1800. Working parties met on Monday, 29 January in preparation for the main CC meeting on the 29th, and in follow up on Wednesday the 31st.

A brief outline of some decisions and discussions:

Regatta Director's Report
Dyer Jones reported that he expected to have the LVC Sailing Instructions out to the teams in draft form by 6 February, and that following consultation the SIs would be issued by the 15 February deadline in the LVC NOR.

Notice of Race for the Louis Vuitton Cup
The CC gave a vote of thanks to the NOR Working Party and Regatta Director Dyer Jones for all the time and effort that went into getting this document negotiated, word-smithed and issued earlier than ever (a full three and a half months before the start of the LVC). Luna Rossa proposed changes to the pairing list, that the Regatta Director had distributed with the NOR, that would further improve the balance of port-starboard entries, north-south course assignments, etc. The CC supported the Luna Rossa proposal, and CC reps will meet with the Regatta Director and Principal Race Officer Peter Reggio (USA) next week to progress this.

Use of Masthead Sails before the Start
The CC voted unanimously to continue a ban on using masthead sails during the pre-start, which would continue to apply for all 2007 racing: Act 13, the LVC, and the AC 32 Match. Since Marseille Act 1 pre-start use of masthead sails (which was legal in AC 31) has been prohibited under the various Notices of Race. However, the CC felt it was more appropriate to have such a ban in the AC Class Rule. Subsequent to the CC meeting Alinghi also agreed, and an amendment to the Class Rule has now been issued by ACC Technical Director Ken McAlpine (AUS).

Umpire Signaling System
The CC supported continuance of the Umpire Signaling System that has been used experimentally since the Malmo Louis Vuitton Acts in 2005, provided certain questions were resolved before 1 March.

Umpire Calls
The LVC Notice of Race requires that all umpire "calls" (interpretations) and answers to questions from teams be issued by 1 March. This to give the teams, particularly the afterguards, time to digest them, and to avoid a repeat this year of teams being inundated with new paperwork just before racing begins. With a number of questions/calls pending, and temporary calls issued during Acts 10-12 having expired, the CC requested the Regatta Director to call an urgent meeting with reps of the umpiring team, the CC and Defender to finalize the interpretations thus allowing them to be published to the teams before the 1 March deadline.

Subsequently, the Regatta Director called such a meeting in Valencia on 9-10 February, which both Chief Umpire Brad Dellenbaugh (USA) and umpire Sally Burnett (GBR) will attend.

AC 33
After a brief discussion, it was agreed to defer further discussion on AC 33 to a later date when more information on various options and possible 2007 events (post AC 32) would be available.

Next Meetings
The CC will next meet on 5 March via conference call, and then in person in Valencia on 26-27 March. -- Tom Ehman

Much more at www.challengercommission.com

23ND PRIMO CUP - TROPHEE CREDIT SUISSE
Two Irishmen came out top in their one-design classes as the first weekend of the 23rd Primo Cup-Trophee Credit Suisse kicked off the Mediterranean sailing season.

Michael Cotter in Whisper beat off 26 competitors in the Dragon class to take first prize, while Colin Galavan at the helm of Flash walked away with top honours in the Laser SB3 series, again out of 26. Remarkable triumph of three Swiss teams in the Surprise class, which was the largest fleet, with 37 entries. Thanks to three victorious legs, Sky Sweeper, skippered by Olivier Legeret won a few points ahead of Philippe Durr and Alain Marchand, winner of the 2006 Primo Cup.

A brisk easterly breeze ended the first weekend of Monaco's Primo Cup which brought together some of the best sailors from 13 nationalities divided into five classes: Dragon, Star, Laser SB3, J24 and Surprise. The wind whistled up and down the Beaufort scale, giving the 122 sailors a chance to flaunt their talents in all types of weather.

The second part of the Primo Cup-Trophee Credit Suisse begins on February 9th and promises to be just as passionately fought out as the first. A number of personalities are expected: Dimitri Deruelle, Jimmy Pahun, the Italian Nicola Celon, world champion in the Melges category, also the New Zealander Hamish Pepper, world champion in the Farr 40 2005, on board the Italian Mumm 30, Matrix. Note too the presence of numerous foreign teams, from USA, Spain (Bribon the Beneteau 25), Russian and Croatia. -- Isabelle Andrieux

Final ranking:

Dragon (26 particpants) - 10 legs - 8 counted to final result
1. Whisper (Michael Cotter), IRL, 26 points
2. Gaudium (Ulli Libor), SUI, 27
3. Justine (Jesper Bendix), DEN, 34

Laser SB3 (26 participants) - 10 legs - 8 counted
1. Flash (Colin Galavan), IRL, 33
2. Risk Premium (Mark Rushall), GBR, 38
3. Marçon Yachting (Xavier Leclair), FRA, 43

Surprise (37 participants) - 8 legs - 6 counted
1. Sky Sweeper (Olivier Legeret), SUI, 19
2. Fou du Vent (Philippe Durr), SUI, 27
3. St Jacques (Alain Marchand), SUI, 29

J24 (18 participants) - 8 legs - 6 counted
1. Topo Too (Blandine Medecin), MON, 8
2. J Di Quadri (Claudio Buiatti), ITA, 12
3. Quick Step (Rydlof Hahan), USA, 16

Star (15 participants - 8 legs - 6 counted
1. Arctur (Vasil Gureyev), UKR, 8
2. Etoile de Mai II (Regis Berenguier), FRA,14
3. Dr Evil (Graham Bailey), GBR, 17

Yacht Club de Monaco: www.ycm.org

COUTTS BEATS MACARTHUR - JUST
"Doing a hand-break turn at 90 miles per hour," is how Ellen MacArthur described today's experience at the Omega Bobsleigh Cup in St Moritz.

MacArthur who was racing head to head against fellow Omega brand ambassadors - three-times America's Cup winner Russell Coutts, and Olympic Finn gold medallist Mateusz Kusnierewicz - was first out the blocks this morning but despite a super-fast run of just 1:15:15 minutes she was out-paced (just) by Coutts and had to settle for 13th. A happy-smiling Mark Turner (MacArthur's business partner at Offshore Challenges) was, not surprisingly, satisfied with his first experience in a bob, finishing 9th overall.

Other British teams out on run today included - in GBR1 team - yachting correspondents Tim Jeffery and Stuart Alexander who were fairly surprised at their relatively 'slow' recorded time. Actually it was only just over two seconds behind MacArthur which wasn't bad going. However, the best British recorded time Team GBR2 - Graeme Beeson* and your correspondent Sue Pelling - who recorded seventh overall with a time of 1:14:44. -- Sue Pelling/Yachting World

Full story and pics at
www.yachting-world.com/auto/newsdesk/20070102222130ywnews.html

* Editor: Graeme's from Team Eurobutt, he's our sales manager...

NEW WORLD RECORD
The World Sailing Speed Record Council announces ratification of a new World Record:

Kitesail Nautical Mile
Rob Munro, GBR
30th October 2006
35.65 knots at Walvis Bay, Namibia
Board was a "Cape Doctor Custom" with a 10m Naish Raven kite.

Previous record was 35.44 kts by Dirk Hanel, GER at Walvis Bay, Namibia in Oct 2005. -- John Reed, Secretary to the WSSR Council

sailspeedrecords.com

A GOOD GUY
Eight Bells. Mitchell C. Gibbons-Neff passed away Sunday, February 4, 2007 due to complications from lung cancer.

In 1971, Mitch went to work for Palmer Johnson as a salesman and in 1973 he co-founded Nautor, USA. In 1977, Mitch showed up at Sparkman & Stephens for an interview. As Mitch told the story, after meeting with the company's managing broker, Mitch was told the company would get back to him - Mitch asked if an empty desk outside the manager's office was being used by anyone and when told "no", said he would be there the next day to start. In 1985, Mitch became President of Sparkman & Stephens. Mitch was a member of the New York Yacht Club and served on the Club's Model Committee. He was also a member of the Noroton Yacht Club, the Cruising Club of America, and the Storm Trysail Club. Mitch was an active supporter of the Mystic Seaport Museum and the SEA Education Association.

Mitch is survived by his two sons, TM and Paul, his father Morton, his brothers Morton, Peter and Henry and his many nephews and nieces. Mitch will be laid to rest at a private family service. A memorial service for friends is being organized and details will follow. Memorial contributions may be made to the SEA Education Association, http://www.sea.edu/supportsea

Mitch also used to say "Don't worry about me, the good guys go first." Mitch, you were a "good guy". We will miss you. -- Greg Matzat, President, Sparkman & Stephens

THE LAST WORD
They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. -- Andy Warhol

OC Events, www.ocevents.org , organisers of two major IMOCA 60 oceanic events, the new double-handed Barcelona World Race 2007, and the original solo transocean race, The Transat 2008 (ex-OSTAR) plus the Extreme 40 Sailing Series for The iShares Cup.

Over 80,000 boats for sale on www.boats.com

Scuttlebutt Europe is available via email:
To subscribe, send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit scuttlebutteurope.com

Editorial and letter submissions to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or see www.scuttlebutteurope.com/content/view/7/6/