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

HAMISH PEPPER AND DAVID GILES WIN BACARDI CUP
New Zealand's Hamish Pepper, the current Star Class World and North American champion, sailing this week with his crew and coach David Giles of Australia, won the 2007 Bacardi Cup Star Class Regatta Friday on the waters of Biscayne Bay, near Miami.

Despite the duo's seventh place in today's final race of the six-day series, Pepper and Giles held on to their first place overall to win the coveted Trofeo Bacardi in one of the most prestigious Star Class events in the world.

Sweden's Fredrik Loof and Anders Ekstrom, reigning Rolex Miami Olympic Class Regatta champions, finished third (in the final race) and climbed to second in the overall standings.

German sailors Matthias Miller and crew Manuel Voight won Friday's Day Six race, just ahead of their countrymen Marc Pickel and crew Ingo Borkowski who took second place honors. With their Day Six victory, Miller and Voigt edge out Bermuda's Peter Bromby, a two-time Bacardi Cup champion, and crew Bill McNiven for sixth place in the final standings, while Pickel and Borkowski finish the regatta in fifth overall.

Poland's Mateusz Kusznierewicz, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist in the Finn Class, and crew Dominik Zycki finished 11th Friday and drop to third in the final standings, while Australia's Iain Murray and crew Andrew Palfrey finished fourth Friday and remain in fourth overall.

The prestigious Trofeo Bacardi was presented to the winners dockside where skipper, crew and Jose "Tito" Argamasilla Bacardi, the retired former vice president of public relations at Bacardi U.S.A., Inc., drank Bacardi Rum from the Cup in an annual tradition that dates back to the first Bacardi Cup Regatta sailed in Cuba in the 1927.

David Giles was presented with the "Tito Bacardi" Cup, a special cup that was created last year to honor the crew of the winning team. -- Janet Maizner

Final top ten:

1. Hamish Pepper / David Giles, NZL, 15
2. Fredrik Loof / Anders Ekstrom, SWE, 18
3. Mateusz Kusznierewicz / Dominik Zycki, POL, 23
4. Ian Murray / Andrew Palfrey, AUS, 29
5. Marc Pickel / Ingo Borkowki, GER, 36
6. Matthias Miller / Manuel Voight, GER, 37
7. Peter Bromby / Bill McNiven, BER, 41
8. EIvind Melleby, Petter Morland Pedersen, NOR, 60
9. Luca Modena / Michele Marchesini, ITA, 60
10. Henrik Dannesboe / Eki Heinonen, SUI, 62

www.bacardicup.com and
starclass.org

* Photos from Ingrid Abery at www.hotcapers.com and in the Scuttlebutt Europe photo gallery, scuttlebutteurope.com/photos/

SIDNEY GAVIGNET MAKES IT SKIPPER NO.10 FOR BARCELONA WORLD RACE
French team Delta Dore, skippered by Jeremie Beyou, have confirmed Sidney Gavignet as co-skipper for the Barcelona World Race that starts on 11th November. Gavignet was a crew member onboard ABN AMRO ONE the winner of the Volvo Ocean Race 2005/06 and has an impressive CV including, the Transat Jaques Vabre, Solitaire du Figaro, participation in two Volvo Ocean Races, the Whitbread, and the Quebec - St Malo.

Although Beyou and Gavignet have never sailed together they have been opponents and have a mutual respect for each other. Beyou sees one of the key's to his success in his choice of co-skipper, the duo will spend the next year preparing and exchanging information. Their first training session will take place as soon as the IMOCA Open 60 Delta Dore is back in the water, this is due to happen in mid march. In the meantime Gavignet is getting to know the project and the team.

Sidney Gavignet is the tenth skipper to be named for the new double-handed Barcelona World Race, five top IMOCA 60 campaigns are confirmed so far and more are expected over the coming months. These ten skippers already represent five different nationalities - French, British, Australian, Swiss and Irish.

www.barcelonaworldrace.com

SWAN 601 ARTEMIS IS AVAILABLE FOR CHARTER FOR THE 2007 SEASON
This is a rare opportunity to charter this 2005 stunning high performance German Frers-designed Swan. Sporting full carbon composite construction and renowned Nautor Styling, Artemis will provide you with the ultimate racing experience. She is fully race-prepared to the highest standard and raring to go.

Racing with a maximum crew of 16, Artemis is available for Caribbean and UK based race charters and corporate entertainment. She will also be available in the Mediterranean for America's Cup 2007 series viewing.

Please contact Peter Bresnan on +44799097081 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

ERICSSON RACING TEAM PURCHASES ABN AMRO ONE
The Ericsson Racing Team is now totally involved in the next Volvo Ocean Race, having worked hard since November in the fields of research, computer simulations and tank tests. Meanwhile, the last Volvo Ocean Race winner, ABN AMRO ONE, has been purchased for training and speed tests, confirming the team's commitment to develop a successful campaign.

After five months of research, computer simulations and tank tests, the construction of the racing yacht will soon start in Kista (Sweden). "The build site is going to be state of the art", comments construction manager Killian Bushe. Since November, we have worked hard at putting the right team in place and getting all the necessary tools ready. This includes two ovens - one of them as big as the boat (25 meters) - and a smaller one for all the components. Our team is ready to start the construction and we are looking forward to this new challenge."

In the meantime, Ericsson Racing Team Principal Designer Juan Kouyoumdjian and his team have been developing what they believe is the best evolution of the VO 70 rule so far. "We have put a lot of effort into CFD (computational fluid dynamics) analysis", comments Kouyoumdjian. We have based our work on the new route, and have run more than 6,000 virtual races around the world with several models. Today, we know precisely which boat we are going to build and why."

Fifteen people have been fully involved in the design of the Ericsson yacht since November. Their best designs have been built as models and tested in France, at the "Bassin d'essais de carenes de Paris". This tank testing unit belongs to the Ministry of Defense, and has been allocated exceptionally to the Ericsson Racing Team for the duration of the tests.

In order to make sure that Ericsson's customers can be part of the experience, the team will use the old "Ericsson", which raced in the last campaign, for extensive hospitality sailing around the world - starting in Scandinavia this spring. As a training and crew selection platform the team will use the old ABN AMRO ONE, recently acquired from ABN Amro. The boat will be delivered to the team in mid-July 2007.

DARSENA KEYRING
With the America's Cup arriving in Spain today as the Road to Valencia travels to Madrid, there are many more shiny silver items available at the 32nd America's Cup webstore.

In addition to our range of exclusive limited edition writing instruments by prestigious Italian handcrafters, Montegrappa, there are many smaller shiny items available.

The Darsena keyring takes its name from the site of Port America's Cup and is an expert design in pewter and sailing cord by Swiss design school, ecal. Available in four colours, we hear these are already being used to hold many important keys throughout Valencia...

www.americascupstore.com/cart/add_to_cart.asp?id=AC610P.1

QUEEN OF THE HARBOUR
Sydney Harbour, Australia: Leify Porter became the 2007 18ft Skiff Queen of the Harbour when she teamed with John Winning Jr., Anthony Young and Dave Ewings in appliancesonline.com.au to take out the annual race (each team includes an additional female crew member) on Sydney Harbour today.

Appliancesonline.com.au defeated Pure Blonde (Nick Press) by 19secs with Fisher & Paykel (Andrew Cuddihy) a further 35secs back in third place. Minor placings were filled by Asko Appliances (Hugh Stodart) in fourth place, followed by Ssangyong Yandoo (John Winning) and De longhi (Grant Rollerson)

Today's full results are attached along with the current season point scores. A few photographs are on www.18footers.com.au

Race Reports and more will appear later this week.

Next Sunday will be race 5 of the Club Championship. -- Frank Quealey

SAILROCKET IN NAMIBIA
The radical UK backed Sailrocket project has added two huge pieces to the puzzle in its quest to be the fastest sailing boat in the world.

The Sailrocket project has been relocated to the incredible Walvis Bay speed-strip in Namibia. The team and craft are on site and ready for action.

Hometrack, the UK based housing information business has recently joined up as a major sponsor of the Sailrocket team.

Malcolm Barnsley, Sailrocket's British designer, has had all of his performance predictions and real world data independently scrutinised.

Malcolm comments: "It's very important that we have a second opinion on some of the assumptions, simplifications and data that go into the VPP (Velocity Prediction Program) - especially when the craft is so far away from the norm. This input has come throughout the project from a number of professors and engineers outside the team but most recently from the world renowned Wolfson Marine Unit in Southampton. They have confirmed that the general basis is sound and that the data being used is reasonable.

What the VPP shows is a capability to sail (in smooth water ) at around 2.6 times wind speed in 20 knots of wind assuming the foil keeps the water flow attached."

In theory this means Sailrocket should be able to break the existing word record of 48.7 knots in a little over 19 knots of wind. It is our challenge to convert this theory into reality.

The team now have everything they need to become major contenders for the Outright world speed sailing record.

www.Sailrocket.com

* Photos at scuttlebutteurope.com/photos/ look in the Launchings section...

FORMULA YACHT SPARS NEED A PROJECT MANAGER
Due to the continued growth of the business a Project Manager is required to join the existing projects team.

The successful candidate will need excellent organisational skills and an ability to keep track of multiple projects and supporting paperwork. Direct and relevant project management experience, particularly of racing yachts, is essential.

The successful candidate will be working as a part of the project team liaising regularly and closely with very busy design and production personnel. He or she will have good knowledge of the yachting industry and practical experience in IRC and Grand Prix racing. A sound working knowledge of rigging, masts and spars would be an advantage.

Initially based at our Lymington facility, travel to the other sites may be required in relation to overseas projects.

Send your CV to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or ring on +44 (0)1590 610063 www.formulaspars.com

SHORT TACKS
* The EUROSAF Annual General Assembly is to be held on 31st March 2007 in Dubrovnik. The meeting papers for the forthcoming EUROSAF Annual General Assembly are available at www.eurosaf.org/1173

These have also been sent to all Member National Authorities by e-mail.
The Croatian Sailing Federation and EUROSAF look forward to welcoming you to Dubrovnik. -- John Friend, Secretary General, EUROSAF

* The Notice of Race for the 2007 Olympic Test Event, the ISAF Grade 2 Qingdao International Regatta, has been published on www.sailing.org and the event website - www.sailing2008.org. The Qingdao Olympic Sailing Centre will host the regatta from 9-24 August, with racing on Fushan Bay from 15-23 August.

* Just a few weeks away from the launch of his new IMOCA Open 60 "VM Materiaux", Jean Le Cam is fine-tuning his plans for 2007. He has chosen Yann Regniau, 39 a sail designer with North Sails, to join him as his co-skipper in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2007 from Le Havre to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. Le Cam said that he had chosen Regniau because "he is competent and they get on well". The two men got to know each other on the trimaran Bonduelle. Regniau has described Le Cam as "a bible" and said that he thinks he is the best in France. The team are hoping to put the boat in the water mid-April and will be taking part in the Calais-Round Britain Race starting on June 3rd.

* With his new IMOCA Open 60 SAFRAN due to be launched in May 2007, Marc Guillemot has chosen his co-skipper for the Transat Jacques Vabre 2007. Guillemot will be joined by Charles Caudrelier the winner of the Le Figaro-Afflelou solo in 2004. In addition to regular training runs out of Port-la-floret and open sea trials off La Trinite, the duo will participate in the Calais Round Britain Race, the Record SNSM (Saint Nazaire - Saint-Malo) in June, and in the Rolex Fastnet Race in July.

* The Royal Southampton Yacht Club is pleased to announce that title sponsorship of its forthcoming Double Handed race series has been awarded to Waverley TBS Ltd in conjunction with McGuigan Wines, one of Australia's top quality producers.

The series is to be known as:The McGuigan Wines Double Handed Series 2007.

The series runs from April to October and regularly attracts well over 100 entries. It comprises four inshore races including the legendary Island Double around the Isle of Wight, plus four offshore races to destinations further afield.

* UK-Halsey Sailmakers has just posted the newest animated quiz in a long series of quizzes to help sailors learn the racing rules. This quiz has three different situations where boats sailing downwind mix it up. They offer these quizzes as a service to the sport, so go ahead and test your knowledge or learn the rules. Full motion computer graphics make learning the rules extremely easy. You'll learn the rules by watching an animated situation as many times as you want - you can even start and stop the action. The answer to the rules quiz is posted separately and explains in depth the rules that apply. -- www.ukhalsey.com/RulesQuiz/index.asp

* Volvo Ocean Race Podcast #2 is now up at volvooceanrace.org/podcast/

Guy Swindells will have 2 exclusive interviews this week. First up is Simon Fisher, navigator for The Victory Challenge at the America's Cup. Following this, we'll be taking an Olympic tack as Guy speaks to Olympic silver medallist and 470 sailor Nick Rogers. Nick has already picked up gold at the Miami Olympic Regatta this year with partner Joe Glanfield. The second of our 'Letters from Valencia' feature looks at the latest in boat design and technology. Lastly we review all the week's sailing news including the Miami Race Week with James Boyd.

* This year's dinghy show saw the arrival of the Bartercard 12 Foot Skiff class in the northern hemisphere. This was the first chance for the general public to see these incredible machines and the opportunity wasn't wasted.

The fully branded boat was awash with people studying how it was put together and gasping at the enormity of the rig. With the new promotional video and pictures from the recent Interdominions in Australia there was plenty to see.

Photos and video at www.12footskiff.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From D. Baker: Shosoloza's use of Archbishop Desmond Tutu as a 17th man represents a sinister escalation of the use of outside influence in Yacht racing and should be immediately stamped out. Rock stars and Royalty are quite acceptable. We have all come across helmsmen and tacticians that have sold their soul to the Devil but the use of someone with a direct line to the supreme being represents an unacceptable upping of the ante.

You can well imagine the situation. '' My son, how are we doing? ''Not well Archbishop, those guys have picked up a lift on the right,and a band of wind to go with it. We need serious help! ...5 minutes later, well done! Archbishop. They've sailed into hole, their spinnaker has collapsed... and... and they're sinking! A clear violation of rule 41, 2 and possibly 42.

THE LAST WORD
I think it is good that books still exist, but they do make me sleepy. -- Frank Zappa

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

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