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

GITANA 13 SUFFERS RUDDER BLADE DAMAGE
Tuesday 20 March at around 22:30 (French time), the crew of the maxi-catamaran Gitana 13 informed its HQ ashore that the boat had just hit an UFO (unidentified floating object). The starboard rudder has apparently been broken at stock level but remains attached to the float, which is impeding the boat's correct functioning. This minor damage is however sufficiently prohibitive to cause the boat to turn around. All is well on board, but Gitana 13 has had to abandon its attempt at the record for the Discovery Route between Cadiz and San Salvador - Gitana 13 left Cadix Sunday 18 March at 09 :08.07 UT.

Lionel Lemonchois and his crew are currently heading for the nearest dry land, in this case the island of Gran Canaria in the Canaries. But before stopping off on the holiday island, the crew are planning a dive in order to free the section of the rudder that risks damaging the rear underside of the starboard float and is the reason for the boat's very slow speed. This essential work must be carried out swiftly, but it's going to be tricky on account of current weather conditions.

Depending on the final diagnosis made on Gran Canaria, a temporary repair may be made in order to allow the boat to return to Trinite-sur-Mer.

www.gitana-team.com

29ER EUROCUP 2007 ROUND 1 - SPAIN
Real Club Nautico Denia was the venue for the first round of the 2007 29er Eurocup. Their hospitality and organisation is legendary and as usual they lived up to expectations.

The event included lunches and suppers and was sponsored again by CCTV. The weekend coincided with the festival of the Fallas which was basically very loud fireworks all day and night and the burning of amazing sculptures in the middle of the town.

Competitors from France, Germany, Poland, Great Britain, Denmark and Spain all made the trip and had 3 days of excellent racing.

The first 2 days were very light and gave some of the newer teams a chance to get to grips with both racing and sailing the boats. Fridays wind held all day enabling the race team to get 5 races in, Saturday proved a little more difficult and a fading wind meant only 2 races were sailed. The final day brought typical Denia weather - Sun and wind. 3 races were competed in 20 knots giving some spectacular sailing and a great memory to go home with.

James Rusten and Ben Saxton proved to be steady all round putting together a very constant series and sailing well in both the light and the breeze. They didn't make it easy on themselves giving a 1st away with an OCS. The Danish team of Oliver Rechnitzer and Peter Lang were not so consistent in the light weather but stormed away in the breeze to leave the fleet in the dust with 3 1sts on the last day. Lukasz Prybytek and Krysztof Mongrid from Poland were neck and neck with the British team of Rusten / Saxton until the last day when the breeze allowed the heavier teams to have their day. -- report from Ovington Boats

Top ten:
1. James Rusden / Ben Saxton, GBR, 19 points
2. Oliver Rechnitzer / Peter Lang, DEN, 23
3. Lukasz Przybytek / Krzysztof Mongird, POL, 32
4. Vincent Berthez / Thiszult Hevrley, FRA, 39
5. Robin Cnudde / Hugo Kerhascoet, FRA, 41
6. Pauline Courtois / Nolwenn Lemaitre, FRA, 60
7. Sven Stadel / Rebecca Lutz, ESP, 61
8. Mathieu Audern / Thomas Nicolaou, FRA, 67
9. Sofian Bouvet / Nicolas Rossi, FRA, 71
10. Katrine Ditmar / Rie Luxhoi, DEN, 72

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IN VENICE, A SAILING RACE FOR THE ITALIAN RED CROSS
Venice, Italy: Last Sunday A special race has been sailed on occasion of the 6th Venice International Boat show: ten teams has taken part to the first edition of the Italian Rad Cross Trophy on the wonderful sail area along the Giudecca Channel and San Marco Place.

Among the teams, sailing the Cino Ricci's Giro 34 yachts, an Austrian crew from Innsbruck headed by Christian Aste: the team finished in the seventh position in the race won by Garda team with Gianni Torboli at the helm. The second one and the third one in the final results were respectively the sailors headed by Lorenzo Bortolotti and Venetian team headed by Alberto Sonino.

The 1st Italian Red Cross Trophy has been created by Venetian sailor Mirko Sguardo and the money collected though the event will be devolved to assistance to ill children: Italian Red Cross will restore a house entitled to Nicola Ciardelli who died in the terroristic attack at Nassirya (Iraq) with some other Italian Army men in 2006.

All prizes awarded to 1st Italian Red Cross Trophy have been donated by Venetian glass company Venini. -- Laura Jelmini

1st Italian Red Cross Trophy - Final results

1. Garda (ABM MERCHANT), Gianni Torboli
2. Lorenzo Bortolotti (CIA)
3. Venice Male crew(HABITAT), Alberto Sonino
4. Cortina (TAVOLO MARINA), Enrico Zennaro
5. Monaco (INTERPORTO VE), Roberto Manifesta
6. Barcola Grignano (MAG GEM), Fabio Rochelli
7. Innsbruck (SISTEMI TERRITORIALI), Christian Aste
8. Venice town policemen crew (BERTON CAMDEO), Igor Bortolozzo
9. Dolcemare, Enrico Fasolato
10. Venice Female crew (CREDEM), Lucia Simionato

ISAF MATCH RACE RANKINGS
France stay on top in the latest release of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings on 21 March, with both Sebastien Col (FRA) and Claire Leroy (FRA) holding on to their world #1 spots. However, Col is coming under increasing pressure from Ian Williams (GBR), who is aiming to become the first ever British world #1 on the Open Rankings.

Williams was an impressive winner after an incident-packed finale at the ISAF Grade 1 Marseille International Match Race, taking the final 2-0 against Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA). The British leader of the World Match Racing Tour standings will be looking to mirror Col's performance last year, when the Frenchman used his victory in Marseille as a springboard onto a fantastic European season which led him into the world #1 spot.

Behind the leading pair, Mathieu Richard's (FRA) failure to make the final in Marseille sees him drop down one place to #4, with Paolo Cian (ITA) replacing him in the world #3 slot. Eugeniy Neugodnikov (RUS) was disappointing in Marseille, but made up for it with victory at the ISAF Grade 2 Algarve Cup in Portugal to climb up from #7 to #6. Staffan Lindberg (FIN) also gains one place up to #9 after victory over Richard at the ISAF Grade 2 JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge 6. Damien Iehl (FRA) moves up to two spots to replace LIndberg at #10 and give France three skippers in the world top 10.

Claire Leroy's (FRA) reign at the top of the Women's Rankings continues, with the French skipper completing her 18th consecutive release in the world #1 spot. Leroy was in action in February at the ISAF Grade 2 Women's Final of the JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge, although she suffered a shock defeat in the final to the Finnish team led by 21 year old Silja Lehtinen. After breezing through the round robin and brushing aside world #2 Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen (DEN) in the semis, Leroy suddenly found herself on the wrong end of a 3-0 whitewash in the final.

The next Rankings release will be on 9 May 2007 following on from the ISAF Grade 1 Women's International Criterium in Spain.

Top Ten: Men
1. Sebastien Col, FRA
2. Ian Williams, GBR
3. Paolo Cian, ITA
4. Mathieu Richard, FRA
5. Peter Gilmour, AUS
6. Eugeniy Neugodnikov, RUS
7. Chris Dickson, NZL
8. Bjorn Hansen, SWE
9. Staffan LIndberg, FIN
10. Damien Iehl, FRA

Top Ten: Women
1. Claire Leroy, FRA
2. Lotte Meldgaared Pedersen, DEN
3. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED
4. Silke Hahlbrock, GER
5. Marie Bjorling, SWE
6. Katie Spithill, AUS
7. Jenny Axhede, SWE
8. Linda Rahm, SWE
9. Josie Gibson, GBR
10. Silja Lehtinen, FIN

ISAF: sailing.org

SWAN 601 ARTEMIS IS AVAILABLE FOR CHARTER FOR THE 2007 SEASON.
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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

MUSEE NATIONAL DE LA MARINE: TOY BOATS
The Musee National de la Marine's own collection is joined by exceptional loans in this impressive showing of toy boats. A major exhibition for the diversity, number and rarity of the pieces on display, it retraces 100 years in the history of these nautical toys.

With some 350 rare, sometimes unique, historic objects and documents, the exhibition tells how the popularity of toy boats spread in Europe, from the middle of the 19th century to the end of the 1950s.

This extraordinary fleet, on display at the Musee National de la Marine from March 21st 2007, constitutes a unique heritage. The sailing boat, that symbol of toy vessels, is of course included, surrounded by an astonishing variety of mechanical models propelled by ever-more ingenious means.

Each boat has its very own means of propulsion, from the most elaborate to the most simple. Compare, for example, the Comte de Hainaut, the oldest steam-driven toy in the collection (1859) with the Godilleur, manufactured by Fernand Marin in 1893, and driven by a simple rubber band. Visitors can admire some of the boats in action on an indoor pool, while short animated films, specially created for the exhibition, explain the six main mechanisms which, before the days of remote-control, brought these toys to life.

The exhibit is open from March 21st to October 1st 2007 at the Musee National de la Marine, Paris, Palais de Chaillot with the kind support of the Groupe Banque Populaire Corporate Foundation in partnership with France Info, Le Figaroscope, Planete Thalassa, metro and fnac.com

METRE RULE CENTENARY REGATTA
The Metre Class Centenary Regatta is set to start welcoming dozens of entries as the Notice of Race was released yesterday. The organisers, the Royal Yacht Squadron are preparing to welcome over 90 owners who have indicated their intention to bring their Metre yachts for the event, as their interest now turns to reality.

The event, which runs from 24th - 27th July 2007 will take place in Cowes, UK.

A unique concentration of the finest classic racing yachts: 2.4m, 5m. 6m, 8m, 10m, 12m and 23m are travelling from the corners of the world to take part in the event. The Centenary Regatta is part of a festival of classic and Metre racing which, as well as this event, includes the 6 Metre World Championships and the British Classic Yacht Club Regatta in Cowes, and the 8 Metre World Championships on the

In the 8 Metre Class alone 19 yachts have confirmed that they are proposing to attend the Centenary Regatta, including several who will be coming fresh from competing in the Clyde. The 8 Metres are benefiting from the generous sponsorship of Avia Willment of Universal Marina, who will be assisting their transport costs to the tune of 1000 pounds each.

Staff are being sent to Scotland to assist in packing boats for transport, and to help with reassembly on the South Coast. An agreement has been formed with Hamble Yacht Services for launching.

As well as these, and the dozens of 6 Metres which will follow their world championships with this event, six 12 Metres are pre-registered along with a number of 5 Metres and 5.5 Metres.

The Metre Rule was first drawn up in 1907, which marked the beginning of an era of competitive racing, the most well recognized being the America's Cup which was raced in 12-metre yachts between 1958 and 1987. The 6-metre class also raced in good numbers throughout the first half of the 20th Century and now all the Metre classes are enjoying a resurgence, many having undergone immaculate restorations.

The Royal Yacht Squadron - the setting for the first America's Cup race in 1851 is managing on-the-water aspects of the event, and visiting yachts will be assisted in every way possible with shipping and launching. A full programme of Solent racing is on offer, not to mention shore-based entertainment.

www.imeta.org and www.rys.org.uk

Q & A WITH LUNA ROSSA'S PHILIPPE PRESTI
Skipper B for Luna Rossa, Philippe Presti presented his analysis during an interview with Sports.fr's Axel Capron.

Familiar face on the one-design circuit, Philippe Presti believes that the boats are very close in terms of potential and the real competition the real difference will be made by the team.

"The level of development concerning the boat is more likely to decrease than increase", he said. "Obliging the challengers to remain in Valencia generated a healthy emulation between the teams".

"I'm sure that the difference will be made by the men", he added. "Everybody will want to have the best start, it will be really essential. So, we have to look after the operation of afterguard, the strategy and the capacity to quickly develop our tools, in particular the sails".

In addition to the obvious skills of the team members, one of the real advantages of the Luna Rossa Challenge should be ITA 86 and ITA 94, presented by Philippe Presti as "two very powerful platforms".

Pre-race speculation had all eyes on "four guns" (Alinghi, Oracle, Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand) as the favorites but Philippe Presti considering some other syndicates as possible contenders.

"Shosholoza made very big progress and, according to what we could observe, they are rather consistent", he said. "The French have in my opinion a good base of development and a good crew, the Swedes gave them the means, the Spaniards won some experience with the arrival of Paul Cayard and have many resources, Mascalzone, a team we sailed, showed a large potential, their boat seems to go well".

For the former Areva Challenge's helmsman, there is no doubt that Luna Rossa will be one of them.

"We've got the weapons and we are going to show it, we are going to fight to win [the Louis Vuitton Cup]", he concluded. "Last year, we came very close to defeating the other bigs. We didn't and the result is that we are not a real favourite. Finally it is probably good". -- from CupinEurope.com, www.cupineurope.com/NewsEN/2007/LunaRossa.htm citing Sports.fr: www.sports.fr

COWES WEEK SEEKS HEADLINE PARTNER
Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK: After a 14-year tenure as title sponsor of Cowes Week on the Isle of Wight, UK, long-term savings group, Skandia UK, has announced it will not be renewing its sponsorship once the current contract expires in August 2008.

The regatta organisers will now market this great British institution and world-class sporting event as a prime opportunity to alternative sponsors, the intention being to sign new partners in good time for the 2009 regatta.

Cowes Week has grown considerably since Skandia took on the title sponsorship in 1995 and the regatta now attracts over 1,000 boats, 8,500 sailors and around 50,000 visitors over the Week.

Skandia will continue to be a long-term investor in sailing through sponsorship of Skandia Team GBR, the team in training for Beijing 2008 and through other activities such as the Skandia Sail for Gold Olympic grade competition in Weymouth and as personal sponsor to the Star campaign team of Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson.

Cowes Week sponsorship enquiries should be directed to Cowes Combined Clubs on: +44 (0)1983 295744 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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 David Lewin: Why do solo sailors always describe their predicament using the first person plural 'we' when they are obviously solely responsible for their own destiny, and politicians with departments of civil servants behind them always use the first person singular 'I'.....?

THE LAST WORD
Reputation is what other people know about you. Honor is what you know about yourself. -- Lois McMaster Bujold

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.

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