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Brought to you by Yachtworld.com Europe and boats.com Europe, 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
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Medal Races Determine Champions in Four Olympic Classes
by Barby McGowan
Miami, Florida, USA: After a short 30-minute "Medal Race" in each of four Olympic classes, Laser, Laser Radial, Star and Yngling, US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR officially concluded. The regatta, an ISAF Grade 1 world ranking event that attracts elite sailors as well as up-and-comers, hosted 369 sailors from 34 countries and crowned champions in three Paralympic classes, SKUD-18, Sonar and 2.4mR. The awarding of gold, silver and bronze medals in those classes were based on scores from fleet racing that began last Monday for everyone; however, because of a new sailing format that will debut at the 2008 Olympic Games in Qingdao, China, the Olympic-class sailors stayed on for an extra day. Fleet racing scores determined these classes' top-ten sailors, who then advanced to the medal-racing round, which counted double in the scoring and acutely effected strategy plays for medals.
France's Xavier Rohart, sailing with crew Pascal Rambeau, (pictured above, photo by Ingrid Abery, www.hotcapers.com) emerged as the overall Star class winner after winning that class's medal race. Even though he came into today's races in second overall, Rohart thought his chances of walking away with a gold medal were slim, due to the strength of previous leader Elvind Melleby with crew Petter Morland Pedersen, NOR and the rest of the fleet, which has no less than six world champions in it, Rohart counting as one. "There are so many good teams that were really faster than we were all this week, so we felt it would be difficult to gain so much," said Rohart. However, when the Norwegian team started prematurely, Xavier said "the plan got easier." Elvind and Pedersen finished seventh in today's race, good for the silver medal, while Flavio Marazzi and Enrico De Maria, SUI took the bronze.
Polish Laser sailor Maciej Grabowski won the gold medal in the Laser fleet on the strength of a third-place finish today. Grabowski strayed from the norm by choosing to come to Miami rather than participate in the Laser World Championships in Australia this February. Conflicting World Championships were the reason, in fact, that seven of the 2008 Olympic classes were not included this year at the Rolex Miami OCR. "For me it made sense to sail in a place with lighter winds that will be more like Qingdao," said Grabowski. Winning today's medal race to take the silver medal was Grabowski's fellow countryman Marcin Rudawski, while Denmark's Anders Nyholm won the bronze.
Yesterday's leading team in the Yngling class, Mandy Mulder, Mary Faber and Merel Witteveen, NED, finished seventh today to take the gold medal over Ekaterina Skudina, Diana Krutskikh and Natalia Ivanova, RUS, who settled for silver.
As the host country for the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, China, which sent two teams to compete in the Ynglings and one in Stars, gets an automatic berth in each sailing class while other countries must earn theirs. The Yngling and Star classes are both holding their World Championships in Miami, next week and in April, respectively to determine the last few countries to qualify.
On-demand video of racing by T2p.tv is available at www.rolexmiamiocr.org , where complete results also can be found.
FInal Top-Three Results
Laser, 23 boats -- 13 races
1. Maciej Grabowski, POL, 38
2. Marcin Rudawski, POL, 45
3. Anders Nyholm, DEN, 46
Laser Radial, 39 boats -- 12 races
1. Paige Railey, USA, 41
2. Anna Tunnicliffe, USA, 44
3. Karin Soderstrom, SWE, 62
Star, 66 boats - 9 races
1. Xavier Rohart/Pascal Rambeau, FRA, 30
2. Eivind Melleby/Petter Morland Pedersen, NOR, 38
3. Flavio Marazzi/Enrico De Maria, SUI, 46
Yngling, 28 boats -- 13 races
1. Mandy Mulder/Mary Faber/Merel Witteveen, NED, 76
2. Ekaterina Skudina,/Diana Krutskikh/Natalia Ivanova, RUS, 86
3. Renee Groeneveld/ Annemieke Bes/ Marge Kampen, NED, 104
2.4mR, 25 boats -- 12 races
1. Damien Seguin, FRA, 35
2. Stellan Berlin, SWE, 50
3. Paul Tingley, CAN, 61
SKUD-18, 10 boats -- 11 races
1. Nick Scandone/Maureen McKinnon-Tucker, USA, 14
2. Scott Whitman/Julia Dorsett, USA, 21
3. John McRoberts/Stacie Louttit, CAN, 33
Sonar, 11 boats -- 10 races
1. Jens Kroker/Tobias Schuetz/Siegmund Mainka, GER, 19
2. Bruno Jourden/Herve Larhant/Nicolas Vimont Vicary, FRA, 32
3. Paul McCarthy/Richard Whealey/Paul Ryan, IRL, 40
www.rolexmiamiocr.org
Heading For Home
Photo of Pachi Rivero shaving onboard by Mutua Madrilena.
After tacking overnight, the leader of the Barcelona World Race, Paprec-Virbac 2, is now heading towards Gibraltar, the penultimate scoring gate of the race, and the doorway to the Mediterranean Sea. Entering the Med and finishing off the race can't come soon enough for the race leaders. Sunday marks 85 days at sea and with just over a week left, body and mind, not to mention boat, are getting tired.
Behind them, Hugo Boss has faced much the same conditions. The second placed boat has gained a further 120 miles this week and skippers Alex Thomson and Andrew Cape have been sniffing for an opportunity to get off the track of Paprec-Virbac 2 in the hope of finding a way to close the gap further. But to this point, they haven't found anything tasty enough to grab a hold of.
The battle for the third podium position continues to be hard fought between Temenos II and Mutua Madrilena. The 'elastic band' effect has been in force this week as first one and then the other boat makes a gain. But the net effect for the week has been almost nil, with Mutua Madrilena closing a further four miles over the past seven days. The gap is now just 74 miles, with both boats passing the doldrums this weekend.
Day 85 - February 2, 14:00 GMT - Position report with distance to leader
1. Paprec-Virbac 2 - Jean Pierre Dick / Damian Foxall - 1569 To Finish
2. Hugo Boss - Alex Thomson / Andrew Cape - 534 nm to leader
3. Temenos 2 - Dominique Wavre / Michele Paret- 1385
4. Mutua Madrilena - Javier Sanso / Pachi Rivero - 1459
5. Educacion Sin Fronteras - Servane Escoffier / Albert Bargues - 2852
barcelonaworldrace.org
Ericsson 2 For Sale
After demolishing the fleet in the last Volvo Ocean Race, she cleaned up in virtually every IRC race afterwards from Antigua to Cowes Week. A perfect platform for a last minute Volvo entry, the owners are finding it difficult to design a better one. She would also suit for an IRC racing machine, perfect for that offshore blast or big trophy winning. She is now known as ERICSSON 2, and is available to write a cheque for and pick up in May. Call Berthon on +44 1590 679222, or email at
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for more details.
Brokerage through Berthon: www.berthon.co.uk
Vendee Globe
* Arnaud Boissieres has completed his application forms for the Vendee Globe. The skipper from La Rochelle achieved his qualification on board Akena Veranda during the Transat Ecover B to B, finishing in ninth place. "Cali" sailed solo in this race after the Transat Jacques Vabre, where he finished twelfth with Jean-Philippe Chomette as his co-skipper.
* Some top names complete the list of the first ten official entrants for the Vendee Globe : Marc Guillemot (Safran) and Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) have completed their registration, after qualifying during the Transat Ecover B To B. The two highly experienced Breton yachtsmen are up there among the favourites for the next Globe. By coming first and second in the last Transat Jacques Vabre and by doing well in the Transat Ecover B to B, they have shown they are top contenders. Sailing on boats from the latest generation, which were the most impressive in 2007 with their speed, they could both figure on the podium for the 2008-2009 Vendee Globe in a year's time….
* The 60' Estrella Damm skippered by the Spanish skipper, Guillermo Altadill and the American, Jonathan McKee were forced to retire from the Barcelona World Race due to a damaged rudder. After being transported by cargo ship from Cape Town to England, then crossing th English Channel under sail, the Farr design, which will be sailed by Sebastien Josse is back in her base in Lorient, where she will stay for the winter months in Foncia's shed. A refit is planned, during which she will be decked out in the colours of BT, Sebastien Josse's partner for the next Vendee Globe.
* Dee Caffari has just returned to Britain after spending some time on holiday on Fiji, but will be heading off again very shortly for an intensive physical training course in Bavaria. She will be following a programme developed by a former commando and member of the Special Forces in the Alps. On her return to England, she will continue the gruelling exercises with climbing lessons, which may be very useful when she needs to go up the mast of her Open 60, Aviva. Meanwhile, the monohull is currently on board a container ship heading for Portugal, where sea trials will be carried out next month with her sister-ship Ecover.
www.vendeeglobe.org
18ft Skiffs Australian Championship
by Frank Quealey
Sydney Harbour, Australia: A lack of wind forced officials to abandon Race 6 of the Australian 18ft Skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour today.
Under the sailing instructions for the regatta each skiff will count her best four placings from the five races sailed and consequently the points after last Sunday's Race 5 will stand as the final placings.
Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton and Robert Bell had already won the championship (regardless of Race 6) in Gotta Love It 7 with a total of six points, followed by Fiat (Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Nathan Ellis) on 11 points and defending champion Macquarie Real Estate (Micah Lane, Jack Macartney and Drewe Waller) third on 14 points.
Friday (8 February) will see the fleet line up for a Twilight Race , followed by another race in the Club Championship on Sunday (10 February).
These will give all crews a final opportunity to tune up for the Giltinan International Championship, which starts on Sydney Harbour on Friday 15 February. -- Frank Quealey
Top six:
1. Gotta Love It 7, Seve Jarvin
2. Fiat, Michael Coxon
3. Macquarie Real Estate, Micah Lane
4. Rag & Famish Hotel, John Harris
5. Club Marine, Adam Beashel
6. Omega Smeg, Trevor Barnabas
Slight Repositioning
Translation by Kate Jennings
After a sequence of six gybes on Saturday, Groupama 3 hooked her trajectory once again this Sunday morning to catch onto a front, the prelude to an initial austral low, which should push the giant trimaran at least as far as the Crozet islands.
Whilst it is still very mild aboard Groupama 3, already positioned at 35 degrees South, a small series of manoeuvres has enabled the crew to stretch their muscles. Indeed, the three man watch helped by the three men on stand-by and the off-watch navigator, had to link together six gybes in half a day on Saturday. This was performed so as not to bury into the high pressure associated with the Saint Helena High, whilst remaining on its southern edge to keep hold of the pressure. This pressure has begun to fill in and, after repositioning themselves again early this Sunday morning, Franck Cammas and his nine crew are now on a direct course towards the tip of South Africa at an average of nearly thirty knots in a 25 knot N to NW'ly breeze.
As a result, the sailing conditions are almost ideal this Sunday. For her eleventh day at sea, Groupama 3 still has a lead of over 600 miles on Orange II, a separation which is set to increase as they pass the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope. This disturbance which is creeping up behind the giant trimaran, will continue its course eastwards very rapidly, generating W'ly winds in excess of 35 knots. -- Translation by Kate Jennings
www.cammas-groupama.com
XXIVth Primo Cup - Trophee Credit Suisse
by Isabelle Andrieux
A brisk easterly wind dominated the first weekend of the Primo Cup in Monaco which saw top sailors from 17 nations battle for supremacy in the six classes: Dragon, Star, Smeralda 888, H22, J24 and Surprise. With four days of breezy conditions, alternating between south/west and east, the 116 crews found their talents being tested in all types of conditions. The Dragon class boasted the most entrants with no less than forty taking part. It was also the only series to race over four days.
Given the gruelling conditions and heavy swell, we congratulate all those who were there to assist and watch over the regatta. The 116 competitors who were tossed around, with many incurring damages, knew they could count on the sixty-plus volunteers who were there to ensure safety on the water. Each boat was escorted back to port, even when they had not asked for assistance.
Dragon (40 registered) - 10 races of which 9 counted
This class was of a particularly high level with competitors strung out along the starting line and where barely five minutes separated the first from the last of the fleet at the finish. Throughout the weekend it was a duel between the Ukrainian team Bunker Queen, led by Markus Wieser, 2007 European champion and second in the international classification, and the English crew of Jerboa, skippered by Vincent Hoesch, world champion title holder. With four race victories under their belts the Ukrainians dominated.
Gavia Wilkinson-Cox had the biggest smile in this 24th edition as she became the first woman to mount the podium for the Dragons at the Primo Cup.
Top three, Dragons:
1. Bunker Queen, Marcus Wieser, UKR, 39 points
2. Jerboa, Gavia Wilkinson-Cox, GBR, 72
3. Ariston, Harro Kniffka, SUI, 80
Star (7 registered) - 6 races of which 5 counted
1. Fritz The Cat, Philipp Rotermund, GER, 7
2. Fram, Christoph Gautschi, SUI, 10
3. www.tracciadigitale.com, Vito Moschioni , ITA, 16
Surprise (34 registered) - 7 races of which 6 counted
1. Dream, Albino Fravezzi, ITA, 13
2. Cer 3 Real Time Forex, Jerome Clerc, SUI, 18
3. Cer 1 Implenia, Etienne David, SUI, 20
Smeralda 888 (10 registered) - 7 races of which 6 counted
1. Vamos Mi Amorm, Perris Gianluca / Charles Bourbon, MON, 12
2. Fire, Roberto Mangifesta, MON, 13
3. Another Affair, Paul Basson, MON, 14
J/24 (11 registered) - 7 races of which 6 counted
1. Topo Too, Stuart Jardine, SWE, 8
2. J. Hard Ultragas, Davide Gorgerino, ITA, 11
3. Just A Joke, Gilles Gastaud, MON, 23
H22 (14 registered) - 7 races of which 6 counted
1. Stilo, Ludovico Fassitelli, ITA, 11
2. Mintakino, Francesco Ivaldi, ITA, 17
3. Vetille, Pierre Mazarguil FRA, 20
Turning to the second weekend, around a hundred participants are expected to take part in the seven classes. They are: Platu 25, Mumm 30, First 40.7, Melges 24, Swan 42 and Melges 32, and Laser SB3, who will race from Thursday 7 February. -- Isabelle Andrieux
www.ycm.org
2009 Pineapple Cup Montego Bay Race
The popular Pineapple Cup Montego Bay Race (formerly known as the Miami - Montego Bay Race) has attracted prestigious international entries since its inception in 1961.This classic ocean race is run biennially (on the odd year) under a joint race committee of the Southern Ocean racing Conference, the Lauderdale Yacht Club, the Montego Bay Yacht Club and the Jamaica Yachting Association. Skippers, crews and boats, in IRC and PHRF divisions will challenge the course of 811 nautical miles to vie for the Pineapple Cup, awarded for best overall performance, the IRC Class Seahorse trophy, the PHRF Arawak trophies, and the Robert J. McNeil Trophy, awarded for breaking the course record.
The course from Florida, through the islands of the Bahamas and the Windward Passage to Montego Bay is a classic beat, reach and run, providing different challenges and conditions along the route. Frequently called "ocean racing's most complete test", the "MoBay" Race stretches the seamanship and navigational skills of even the most experienced blue water sailors.
Since the first race in 1961, the elapsed time of winning boats in different years gives a strong indication of the changing conditions of the course from a frustrating 10 days in 1961, to the new record run of 2 days, 10 hours, 24 minutes and 42 seconds achieved by Titan 12 in 2005.
Ted Turner, three times winner of the Race, became an enthusiastic endorser of this Race as "the world's greatest ocean racing course". This enthusiasm is shared by many, and anyone who has ever raced this course holds a nearly fanatical affection for the Race.
The 2009 Race starts on on February 6th, 2009 at 14:00 hours off Port Everglades Inlet, Florida,and ends when the finish line is crossed off the Montego Bay airport.
www.montegobayrace.com
Letters to the Editor
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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 Christian Fevrier: Long fellow Nigel Irens has a huge historical knowledge of the multihulls development. How he can forget the great navigator David Lewis, who modified Rehu Mohana, a Colin Mudie original design, during his long circumnavigation ? Lewis added a 17ft long wood keel bolted to each hull to his great satisfaction. Hey, he sailed 41,609 miles in 3 years and 2 months ! Not bad ! It was Nigel himself who recommended me to read the Lewis's great book " Children of Three Oceans". Somebody here reminded us recently the Mike Henderson's catamaran Misty Miller, built in the end of the 50's and fitted with two keels. And if you look further back in history, you will find a catamaran built by John Mackenzie in 1868 had with keels beneath the hulls. It is not to the ISAF to decide that multihulls have no keel or cannot have one. It simply belongs to the navigators or designers decisions.
The Last Word
America had often been discovered before Columbus, but it had always been hushed up. -- Oscar Wilde
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