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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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Audi Medcup Carthagena
Photo by Thierry Martinez, www.thmartinez.com. Click on image for photo gallery.
The fifth venue of the 2008 Audi MedCup, Carthagena in Spain, proved to be just as challenging as expected today, with Platoon powered by Team Germany coming out best to take the practice race win.
With between 9 and 11 knots of wind the Carthagena race course was affected by two wind systems: a gradient breeze from around 180 degrees and, closer inshore, and a more northerly thermal pressure system from around 120 degrees. "It's actually a very difficult place to go sailing in, there's two winds - a gradient wind and a sea breeze - and it's very subtle," explained Matador's navigator Steve Hayles. "Thierry [Pepponet, Matador's tactician] and myself spent quite a lot of time before the start trying to fathom it out, and it wasn't easy."
Platoon's first place was a timely present for Tim Kroger (GER), their mainsail grinder, who is 44 today. "I think if we get our act together this week we can be on the podium again; the boat and team have the potential but you also need that little bit of luck to get the show rolling. We are quite confident but not overly so, as the competition is very tough, but today we had some good practice starts and good speed, so I think we have a good chance. We will certainly work very hard to make it happen."
Ed Reynolds (USA), Project Manager of Quantum, the current Audi MedCup leaders: "This of any of the events had us the most worried since it was such an unknown - trying to get weather data, or any historical perspective has been really tough, but I'm pretty sure everyone has been through the same thing. We came here thinking it would be a light air venue but now it looks like it may well be a breezy regatta right through to Friday which makes us feel a little better, especially in the situation we are in right now. A light flukey racecourse is just so nerve-racking! We would like some nice consistent breeze, see where the shifts fall and take it from there!
Racing for the Region de Murcia Trophy starts Tuesday August 25th)at 1300hrs with up to three windward-leeward races scheduled.
www.medcup.org
Takumi Nakamura Wins the 2008 Knickerbocker Cup
Port Washington, New York, USA: Takumi Nakamura, Albatross Match Racing Team (JAP) has won the 2008 Knickebocker Cup and secured an invitation to the prestigious Bermuda Gold Cup, a grade 1 match racing event that is part of the World Match Racing Tour. Nakamura, with crew Norio Igea, Nathan Hollerbach and Tetsuya Sasaki, won every Cup match except for one on the first day of racing. Rounding out the top teams were Sergey Musikhin (RUS), followed by Keith Swinton, Black Swan match Racing (AUS), and Chris Van Tol, Van Tol Match Racing Team (USA).
With Day 4 another windless day on Manhasset Bay and Long Island Sound, RC was hard pressed to finish the final matches completed. When a southerly finally filled in with just about an hour or so of racing left, PRO Sue Miller got the matches off quickly. With the help of Nakamura and Swinton, competitors were swiftly dispensed with. It was Nakamura over Musikhin (2-0) and Swinton over Van Tol (2-0).
Nakamura is a team to watch. They came to the Knickerbocker Cup with a crew that hadn't sailed together before, and won every match except one, which was against Chris Van Tol, last year's Cup champion. Commodore Robbie Lager remarked that the Albatross Match Racing Team "won several grade 4 events, went on to a second place in a grade 3 event and now have won a grade 2 event. Hopefully this is the beginning of being launched to be first in a grade 1 event." That opportunity is just around the corner, as the Knickerbocker Cup is an official feeder to the prestigious Bermuda Gold Cup.
Nakamura joins a long list of match racers who have come to the Knickerbocker Cup in past years and have gone on to make an impact on the match racing world. Some past winners whose names are engraved on the Cup include: Paul Cayard (USA), Russell Coutts (NZ), Roy Heiner (NED), Terry Hutchinson (USA), Terry McLaughlin (CAN), Peter Gilmour (AUS), Ed Baird (USA), and Dave Perry (USA).Now it is time to add Takumi Nakamura to the Cup.
The Knickerbocker Cup has long been a regatta that has launched many a match racing career. It looks as if the Cup has just launched yet another team, and it couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of young, extremely talented match racers.
Final results:
1. Takumi Nakamura, JAP
2. Sergey Musikhin, RUS
3. Keith Swinton, AUS
4. Chris Van Tol, USA
5. Evan Walker, AUS
6. Andrew Arbuzov, RUS
7. Blythe Walker, BER
8. Francesco Bruni, ITA
9. Phil Robertson, NZL
10. Juan Ignacio Grimaldi, ARG
11. Robbie Allam, GBR
12. Liz Baylis, USA
www.kyc.net
Spidertech at the Carthago Dilecta Est
Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia: After 40 hours of navigation last 9th August concluded the Tenth Edition of Carthago Dilecta Est, the historic regatta "Rome-Carthage" which is a long distance race on the Mediterranean. Competitors start from Rome Fiumicino racing to Ventotene in the Tirrenian then down to the finish line at Sidi Bou Said. Second place IRC and ORC overall Comet 45S Dakar 2008-Libertine skippered by Sergio Papagni with sails made by Banks Sails Italy and designed with Spidertech Integrated System. The Comet won the first part of the regatta, Fiumicino-Ventotene both in IRC and ORC Class, sailing a tactically brilliant race under light and instable wind conditions. The suite of membrane sails is available to all sailmakers, so ask your local sailmaker for more details.
www.spidertechsail.it/news/archives/category/news-english/
1000 Milles Brittany Ferries
Yesterday afternoon was beautiful - sunny, almost warm, and straight line sailing, until just before dark when the wind shifted to the south. We put in a few tacks to reach the tidal funnel at the top of the Chenal du Four, and made it all the way to the Raz de Sein on favourable current. 40 Degrees has done this route several times, and Peter mentioned that he has never seen it in daylight. Some of the jagged rocks are visible at night, however.
Now we are in the Bay of Biscay on our way to the next pit-stop in Santander. We have one boat close behind, ensuring we sail as fast as possible. It is grey, shifty and drizzling. We have sailed almost all year in midlayers, foulies and boots. We may yet get summer though - in the form of a high pressure ridge (ie no wind at all) parked right across Biscay, which we need to cross. Could take a while! -- Miranda Merron, www.40-degrees.co.uk
Current top ten positions:
1. Bruno Jourdren, Lord Jiminy, 558 nm to finish
2. Tanguy De Lamotte, Novedia Group-Set Environnement, 566
3. Gonzalo Botin, Tales, 568
4. Peter Harding, 40 Degrees, 568
5. Wilfrid Clerton, Cgmer, 573
6. Erik Nigon, Axa Atout Coeur Pour Aides, 574
7. Olivier Grassi, Grassi Bateaux, 575
8. Gilles Dutoit, Techneau, 579
9. Jacques Fournier, Oceans Eleven, 587
10. Pascal Doin, Groupe Phr, 588
Class 40: www.class40.com
Event site: millemilles.snbsm.com/presentation.html
Audi Hamilton Island Race Week
Photo by Jack Atley, www.jackatley.com. Click on image to enlarge.
Ray Roberts' Cookson 50 Quantum Racing now leads the IRC Grand Prix division 1 pointscore following an outright win in today's 59 nautical mile Club Marine Classic Hayman Island Race. Despite having to cop a 720 degree penalty turn off Dent Island for clipping Pussy Galore's backstay with their kite, tactician Steve McConaghy and the rest of this winning outfit were able to make up for lost time to beat Michael Hiatt's Living Doll and Anataole Masfen's Pussy Galore from Auckland to the post.
Roberts and his crew are again showing ominous form following their double line and handicap honours victory in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Race earlier this month, and a handicap win in the lead in Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week last week.
Rod Jones' Archambault 40 Alegria is leading the IRC Grand Prix division 2 series pointscore by just one point from Ray Harris' Beneteau First 45 Honeysuckle after four races. Jones placed second today to Honeysuckle, the two enjoying nail biting tussle as the competition approaches the mid way point.
In a day of high dramas and high winds three sailors were injured and some of the best racing ever was experienced at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week today.
While none of the cruising division sailors were seriously injured, all three were treated in the Hamilton Island Medical Centre before being transferred to a mainland hospital for further observation.
It's even scores in the line honours stakes after four races at the 25th anniversary Audi Hamilton Island Race Week with the Mark Richards skippered Wild Oats X shaking off its near sistership on the longest race of the week, the 59 nautical mile Club Marine Classic Hayman Island Race. "The good start helped, and we pulled our socks up today," said Richards dockside this afternoon once he'd shaken hands with Mark Bradford, skipper of Black Jack which finished just under four minutes astern.
"Upwind we thought they had the legs on us but we held our own comfortably. We made a gain on the reach also," added Richards.
The fleet set a blistering pace today in the moderate to fresh sou'easterly breeze, Wild Oats X recording a top speed of 20 knots and averaging just over 11 knots around the track.
Tomorrow is a well earned lay day for all divisions, an opportunity for crews to take a break from the racing schedule and enjoy some land based activities including the Audi Drive Challenge and UBS Moet & Chandon Lunch.
There are many boats still racing with the tail enders due around 7pm tonight.
www.hamiltonislandraceweek.com.au
Ricoh Musto Skiff Worlds
Photo by Blasi Beat. Click on image to enlarge.
Silvaplana, Switzerland: Day 1 of the Ricoh sponsored Musto Performance Skiff World Championships run by Segel Club St. Moritz was held in 13-19knots of the classic Maloja wind of Silvaplana, Switzerland.
All three scheduled races started on time after a memorable opening ceremony organised by the club with local Swiss singing and accompanying music. -- Yachts and Yachting, www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=143132
Top ten after three races:
1. Richard Stenhouse, GBR, 4 points
2. Graeme Oliver, GBR, 10
3. Tom Wright, GBR, 17
4. Pablo Arandia, GBR, 19
5. Bruce Keen, GBR, 22
6. Ian Trotter, GBR, 24
7. Andrew Peake, GBR, 24
8. Rob Chaplin, GBR, 25
9. Kit Stenhouse, GBR, 28
10. Rick Perkins, GBR, 35
Event site (French and German):
www.mustoskiff.ch/regatta/2008/worlds/main.htm
BMW Oracle's New Boat Hits The Water
Photo by Gilles Martin-Raget/ BMW ORACLE Racing. Click on image for photo gallery.
Anacortes, WA, USA: BMW ORACLE Racing's new 90-foot multihull yacht touched water for the first time today and the trimaran was commissioned with the traditional bottle of champagne smashed across the bow.
In a team gathering at the water's edge, the carbon fiber boat was lowered into Fidalgo Bay in front of the boat yard where it was constructed on the Anacortes waterfront. Melinda Erkelens, Golden Gate Yacht Club board member and BMW ORACLE Racing team member, broke a bottle of Moet et Chandon as she commissioned the new BMW ORACLE Racing 90.
"We have learned a lot and developed a lot of new technology in building this boat and I'm really looking forward to testing it on the water," said team CEO and Skipper Russell Coutts. "It is going to be an interesting challenge and we will need to build up slowly and carefully to testing its full potential," Coutts said.
The team expects sea trials to begin in early September once the fit-out is complete and structural load tests are conducted dockside.
The team partnered with Van Peteghem and Lauriot Prevost (VPLP) of France and one of the most successful skippers in multihull racing, Franck Cammas, to design the innovative trimaran.
Led by Mark Turner and Tim Smyth, the BMW ORACLE Racing construction team has worked in a purpose-built composite yacht construction facility housed in a 100-foot x 200-foot, three-story shed. Janicki Industries in nearby Sedro- Woolley provided high-tech precision tooling. -- Jane Eagleson
www.bmworacleracing.com
New York Yacht Club World Invitational Cup
New York Yacht Club (NYYC) Commodore Charles H. Townsend announced today the inaugural New York Yacht Club World Invitational Cup, an invitational fleet-racing regatta. Its essence is to bring together amateur yacht-club teams to compete against teams from around the world. The sailing will be tough and demanding, allowing each club to demonstrate the skills of its top sailors.
Invitations have been sent to many of the world's most prominent yacht clubs to compete in this first biennial event, to be held September 15-19, 2009 at Harbour Court, the NYYC's on-the-water clubhouse in Newport, RI. (A preliminary list of invited clubs can be found at www.nyyc.org/worldinvitationalcup ).
The NYYC World Invitational Cup is for Corinthian (amateur) sailors representing their yacht clubs and their nations.
Racing on Rhode Island Sound will utilize the newly developed NYYC Swan 42 fleet, and we anticipate that many teams will bring their own boats in which to compete. Other teams will have the opportunity to charter boats through the Club.
Prizes will be awarded to the top-three teams, and the winning yacht club's name will be engraved on the NYYC World Invitational Cup that will be permanently on display at New York Yacht Club's 44th Street Clubhouse in Manhattan.
The entry deadline is November 1, 2008, Yacht Clubs providing their own boats will be accepted for entry into the regatta. The Organizing Authority will award spots to other clubs based upon the availability of charter boats. -- Michael Levitt
www.nyyc.org/worldinvitationalcup
Fireball UK National Championships
Photo by Lee Whitehead, www.photolounge.co.uk. Click on image for photo gallery.
Mounts Bay Sailing Club, Marazion, Cornwall: An impressive 90 Boat fleet assembled for for a great week's racing off the Cornish coast. The forecast was for a mixed week weather wise and that's how it turned out. The entry list was littered with past National, European and World champions from the Fireball and other classes. The competition was expected to be fierce and it was. All races were sailed on a triangle/sausage/triangle/sausage course with gate starts.
Racing was tight throughout the fleet with the silver and bronze fleet titles not being settled until the last day. Simon Kelsall and Tom Williamson (Staunton Harold) gave Simon Lomas-Clarke and John Piatt (Weston) a run for their money in the silver fleet. In the bronze fleet Nick McLeod and Matt Rawson had a storming last day to overtake David and Michelle Ryder for the title. In a week of tough conditions, even for the front of the fleet, a mention must go to Stewart and Lesley Scarff who won the Typhoon Perseverance Trophy - last boat on points to complete all the races. They finished 69th overall - and there were many pairings above them who retired from races! -- Tim Saunders
Final top ten, Gold fleet:
1. Dave Wade / Ben McGrane, 17 points
2. Chips Howarth / Vyv Townsend, 18
3. Matt Mee / Richard Wagstaff, 22
4. Andy Smith / Jonny Mildred, 23
5. Tom Jeffcoate / Mark Hogan, 43
6. Kevin Hope / Russell Thorne, 57.5
7. Matt Burge / Paul Davies, 63
8. Martyn Lewis / Richard Byne, 70
9. Phillip Popple / Gavin Tillson, 74
10. Sam Mettam / Richard Anderton, 74
Letters To The Editor
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* From Blue Robinson: Tim Jeffrey's blog yesterday mentioned the British sailing team all mucking in tidying up all their boats and containers after the Qingdao regatta. I was covering the Finn worlds in Melbourne in January, and coach Jez Fanstone was as meticulous off the water as Ainslie was on it.
An hour after the finish, all the boats were hosed off and being packed away. Everybody was mixing and chatting, a few beers were out. Well away from the crowd, Fanstone was in quiet conversation with one of the squad, listening, nodding, and offering a few words here and there. Chipping away, checking everyone and everything, keeping Skandia team GBR (Finn dept.) on track.
Not earth shattering stuff, but as Ainsle secured his fifth Finn World Championship just seven months out from the Beijing games, the Chinese proverb , "Behind every able man, there are always other able men" seemed very appropriate.
* From Wendy Moline: Thanks for the great coverage of the Olympic Sailing. And special thanks now that it's over for mentioning the Paralympics, and the dates for the Paralympic Sailing. To me, the Paralympic competitors are the epitome of what the Olympic spirit should be about - people facing sporting challenges and overcoming whatever life has dealt them in a way which demonstrates a love of life and a hunger to be the best at what they do, be it sailing or in any of the other sports the Paralympians compete in.
I had the privilege of getting to know one of Australia's great Paralympic sailors, Canberra's Peter Thompson, in his campaign in the 2.4mR class for the 2000 and 2004 Olympics. How we can call such athletes "disabled" is beyond me. They have enabled not only themselves to lead productive and competitive lives, but have inspired others with similar challenges to get into sport, at whatever level, and just enjoy this aspect of their lives, which can be so enriching and rewarding.
I wish all the Paralympians, and especially the sailors (and of course, especially the Australians) the very best of luck in China in September.
The Last Word
A professional is someone who can do his best work when he doesn't feel like it. -- Alistair Cooke
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