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Carroll Wins Melges 32 Gold Cup
Photo by Joy Dunigan. Click on image for photo gallery.
Fort Lauderdale, FL USA: The final day of the 2012 Melges 32 Gold Cup, hosted by the Lauderdale Yacht Club in Ft. Lauderdale, FL was nothing short of spectacular. Big breeze conditions and moderate-to-monster wave action gave Jason Carroll and his Argo Team comprised of tactician Cameron Appleton and crew members Scott Norris, Anthony Kotoun, Mark Towill, Erik Aakhus, Lindsay Bartel and Peter Crawford their very first Gold Cup victory.
Roberto Tomasini Grinover on Robertissima 1, with Vasco Vascotto on tactics fell to finish second overall after leading the event for two days. Andrea Pozzi's Bombarda with tactician Lorenzo Bressani finished third overall.
Two final races were held on Sunday with Joel Ronning on Catapult winning the first heat, while Alex Jackson on Leenabarca proudly took top honors in the race two of the day.
Final top ten after 8 races, 1 discard:
1. Jason Carroll/Cameron Appleton, Argo, 22 points
2. Roberto Tomasini Grinover/Vasco Vascotto, Robertissima, 26
3. Andrea Pozzi/Lorenzo Bressani, Bombarda, 28
4. Lanfranco Cirillo/Michele Paoletti, Fantastica, 30
5. Steve Howe/Charlie Ogletree, Warpath, 33
6. Richard Goransson/Hamish Pepper, Inga From Sweden, 48
7. Dalton DeVos/Jonathan McKee, Delta, 52
8. Joe Woods/Rob Greenhalgh, Red, 55
9. Joel Ronning/Steve Hunt, Catapult, 58
10. William Douglass/Chris Larson, Goombay Smash, 60
Full Results:
www.yachtscoring.com
melges32.com
Le Cleac'h Breaks Riou's Record
Armel Le Cleac'h (Banque Populaire) is the new race record holder for the fastest Open 60 from Les Sables d'Olonne to the Cape of Good Hope, clocking a time of 22 days 23 hours 48 minutes and managing to knock an astounding 24 hours 2 hours and 22 minutes off the record set by Vincent Riou in the 2004 edition of the Vendee Globe.
There is just over 50 miles to go before the fleet reaches the longitude of South Africa's most southern tip, the Cape of Agulhas, which serves as the true gateway into the Indian Ocean. However, the symbolic crossing of the meridian may go unnoticed by the competitors because they have their sights firmly set on the Gate of Crozet.
But the leading trio, lead by Armel Le Cleac'h (Banque Populaire) but with Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac Paprec 3) and François Gabart (MACIF) hot on his tail are engaged in a fight with unusual intensity.
Over the last 24 hours the boats have slowed down following the record breaking speeds of a few days ago and it has given the skippers the respite they needed to be able to scrutinise their boats and ensure they are still intact. "The sea is getting bigger and bigger. There are some 4-5 meters holes. The sun is coming back; we have softer conditions than the days before. It allows me to check out the boat. We have been sailing very fast for the last couple of days so it's important to check out the boat." Armel Le Cleac'h (Banque Populaire) said today, on Vendee Globe LIVE.
The next hurdle to overcome is which route to choose when negotiating the quickest path through the wallowing high, which blocks their road to the gate of Crozet. They have two options available to them; the short cut around the western edge of the high and then dive into the south, or make an attempt to circumvent the high on the south side, the longer distance but with stronger winds and then join it the eastern edge gate. By the first option they run risk of being trapped in the high and with the second, the software depicts a busy road south, traversing through a minefield of icebergs located between Heard Island and the Crozet Archipelago.
Top Ten Rankings as of Tuesday 04 December 2012, 05h00 (FR)
1. Banque Populaire, Armel Le Cleac'h
2. Virbac Paprec 3, Jean-Pierre Dick, 33.6 nm
3. MACIF, François Gabart, 56.0 nm
4. Cheminees Poujoulat, Bernard Stamm, 68.8 nm
5. HUGO BOSS, Alex Thomson, 183.8 nm
6. Gamesa, Mike Golding, 479.7 nm
7. SynerCiel, Jean Le Cam, 521.5 nm
8. Mirabaud, Dominique Wavre, 547.8 nm
9. ACCIONA 100% EcoPowered, Javier Sanso, 1045.1 nm
10. AKENA Verandas, Arnaud Boissieres, 1574.7 nm
www.vendeeglobe.org
Racing Starts at the 2012 ISAF Sailing World Cup in Melbourne
Photo by Jeff Crow. Click on image for photo gallery.
Melbourne, Australia: Just after noon, it was clear that the first day of racing had begun in the 2012 ISAF Sailing World Cup, for the yard at the world-class Sandringham Yacht Club on the shores of Melbourne's Port Phillip was pretty empty indeed.
Olympic classes, such as 470s, Finns, Lasers and 49ers were out on their respective courses and were joined by invited classes like 29ers, Vipers, Skuds and Access Liberty dinghies. Winds were 7 to 12 knots for most of the morning, predominantly from the Sou'west. This was well below expectations.
Out on the track, it made 17 knots as the afternoon worn on, but definitely kept clocking North as it did so. -- John Curnow
Class leaders after day 1:
Laser - Ryan Palk, AUS
Radial - Ashley Stoddart, AUS
Finn - Brendan Casey, AUS
470 M - Mathew Belcher / William Ryan, AUS
470 W - Sasha Ryan / Jaime Ryan, AUS
49er - Steven Thomas / Rhys Mara, AUS
49er FX - Tessa Parkinson / Kate Lathouras, AUS
RSX M - Samuel Treharne, AUS
SKUD 18 - David Staley / Michael Lewenhagen, AUS
Kite M - Florian Gruber, GER
Kite W - Ariane Imbert, FRA
Radial M - Mark Spearman, AUS
Liberty - Gregory Hyde, AUS
29er - James McLennan / Thomas Trotman, AUS
420 - Xavier Winston-Smith / Joshua Dawson, AUS
Laser 4.7 - Sam Hannah, AUS
Viper - Jason Waterhouse / Lisa Darmanin, AUS
Full results at
www.sailmelbourne.com.au
An Absorbing Interest. The America's Cup - A History
By Bob Fisher (£250 + p&p)
Revised edition
This beautifully designed book charts the history of sailing's most enigmatic and greatest prize. In two volumes it covers the drama, boat design, personalities and sheer fascination of the America's Cup, from 1851 in Cowes to 2003 in Auckland. It is illustrated with photographs, cartoons, paintings and figures and can rightly claim to be the definitive history.
The work contains full records of all races and is made up of 32 Chapters - one for each of the 31 challenges and one for the race around the Isle of Wight in 1851 for the One Hundred Pound Cup, presented by the Royal Yacht Squadron as a prize for the regatta.
"This is the Bible of the America's Cup." Bruno Troublé - Louis Vuitton
View sample pages:
www.southatlanticpublishing.com/aai_sample.htm
Purchase online at
southatlanticpublishing.com
For The Record... Vestas Sailrocket 2 Breaks Its Own Record
The WSSR Council announces the the establishment of a new World Record.
Record: Outright World and World "B" Division Speed Sailing Record
Venue: Walvis Bay. Namibia.
Name: Paul Larsen. AUS.
Equipment: Vestas SailRocket 2. Inclined rig Hydrofoil Proa.
Date: 24th November 2012. @ 13.32 hrs
Course length: 500 metres
Current: Nil
Elapsed time: 14.85 secs
Speed: 65.45 kts
Comments: Previous Outright and "B" Division Record: 2012. Vestas SailRocket 2. Paul Larsen AUS. Walvis Bay NAM. 59.37 kts
John Reed
Secretary to the WSSR Council
Yacht Racing Image Of The Year
The world's 24 best yacht racing photographs of the year 2012 have been selected by the public.
They can be viewed here:
www.yachtracingimageoftheyear.com
The winner will be celebrated during the World Yacht Racing Forum, on December 12.
No less than forty-six yacht racing photographers from all over the world have submitted the photograph of their choice, taken after December 1, 2011 in order to be eligible for the Yacht Racing Image of the Year, presented by Mirabaud & Cie, Private Bankers.
The dedicated website has been visited by 90,342 individual visitors, and there have been 1,393,967 page views.
The next phase of selection will take place during the World Yacht Racing Forum (December 11-12, Gothenburg), when the delegates will vote to select the best five images.
Finally, an international and independent Jury comprising Christian Fevrier, yacht racing photographer, Shirley Robertson, double Olympic Gold Medallist and TV Presenter, Ben Ainslie, quadruple gold and silver Olympic medallist, Antonio Palma, partner and CEO, Mirabaud and Will Morris, CEO, Informa will select the Yacht Racing Image of the Year 2012 amongst the top five photographs selected by the delegates of the World Yacht Racing Forum.
The winner of the Yacht Racing Image of the Year will be announced - and celebrated during the World Yacht Racing Forum, on December 12, in Gothenburg.
Re: That Creative Reading of the Protocol on Spying...
Statement from ORACLE TEAM USA General Manager Grant Simmer regarding recent protest filed by Luna Rossa Challenge:
"Further to reports, we confirm that Luna Rossa Challenge has filed a protest claiming a breach of the Protocol regarding observation within 200 meters of their yacht. We will make a submission to the International Jury together with submissions from other teams, which will be focused on an interpretation of the Protocol. The Jury has permitted us to make this statement, however in accordance with the Jury confidentiality guidelines, we are not permitted to disclose further information in advance of the decision."
* Editor: Break out the popcorn, this is going to be a good one...
18ft Skiffs AEG 3-Buoys Challenge, Race 7
Photo by Frank Quealey. Click on image for photo gallery.
Sydney Harbour, Australia: Jonathan Whitty's Panasonic-sponsored Lumix became the seventh winner from as many races in the series when she won Race 7 of the 18ft Skiffs AEG 3-Buoys Challenge on Sydney Harbour today.
After a moderate start, Whitty and his Lumix team of James Hozack and Archie Massey moved through the fleet to take the lead on the second lap of the four-lap windward-leeward course.
Lumix crossed the finish line 39s ahead of second placed Asko Appliances (Marcus Ashley-Jones, Ash Rooklyn and Geronimo Harrison), with De'Longhi-Rabbitohs (Simon Nearn, Keegan York and James Smithers) just 7s back in third place.
With the last race of the Challenge to be sailed next Sunday, Pure Blonde (Tom Clout, Rob Bell and Matt Wark) leads the points on 28, followed by Asko Appliances on 33, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers (Michael Coxon) on 34, Mojo Wine (James Dorron) 37, Fisher & Paykel (Andrew Chapman) 40 and Gotta Love It 7 (Seve Jarvin) 43.
Today's race was sailed in a moderate SE breeze with the fleet split between the choice of #1 and #2 rigs.
The series has achieved the desired result of producing close racing and seven winners from seven races is proof of its success.
An interesting sidelight to the race today was the performance of Brisbane boat Winning Appliances (Shane Smith) which took line honours although only competing by invitation.
Race 8 (last for the series) of the AEG 3-Buoys Challenge will be sailed next Sunday. -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League
www.18footers.com.au
www.flying18s.com
www.18footerstv.com
World Yacht Racing Forum
Running alongside the World Yacht Racing Forum is the 4th edition of the Yacht Racing Design & Technology Symposium. This event brings together leading designers, engineers, builders and technology suppliers to hear presentations and take part in discussion on the latest developments on the technical side of yacht racing.
This year's programme includes a session on the new Volvo One Design with speakers from a number of the companies involved in the project including Marcel Muller - Green Marine, Pat Shaughnessy - Farr Design and Yann Perfornis - Multiplast. Other sessions include an update on CFD developments; a look at how high performance super yachts can balance performance, speed, safety and comfort; a discussion on the ideal project plan process for high performance race boats; Race boat reliability vs risk management and also a discussion on some of the design features on the AV72's.
Be part of the discussions and enjoy the opportunity to network with leading figures from both the technical and commercial worlds of yacht racing by confirming your delegate place today.
View Website
Download Conference Flyer
Register Today for a Conference Delegate Pass at only 250 Euros + VAT
www.worldyachtracingforum.com/register.html
Royal St. George Yacht Club Wins Millennium Bowl
An Irish team racing team has emerged as winners of the triangular team racing event between the Royal Thames Yacht Club, the Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire's RStGYC. The event was held on Queen Mary Reservoir in London over the weekend.
After three round robins in light airs the George team beat a strong RN&CYC team which included many rock stars from the team and match racing circuit by 9-8.
The victorious George team was led by Andrew Fowler, Ireland's 1980 Olympic silver medalist David Wilkins and Tim Pearson. Team members as follows:
David Wilkins/ Paul Maguire / Derek Jago / Jean Jago
Andrew Fowler / Owen Pay */ Aidan Maguire / Gillian Wilkins
Tim Pearson / Peter Bowring / Marcus Pearson / Mary McLoughlin
From Afloat Magazine:
afloat.ie
Afloat subscriptions for the holidays:
afloat.ie/magazine
2012 Garmin Hamble Winter Series Final Race
Photo by Paul Wyeth,
www.pwpictures.com
. Click on image for photo gallery.
Despite the combined efforts of a pessimistic forecast and ABP, who helpfully removed nearly all the racing marks in the Solent last week, boats racing in the final day of the Garmin Hamble Winter Series managed to squeeze in a race before the wind shut off completely.
Using inflatable marks instead of the missing racing marks, the race team set a series of windward-leeward courses, but were forced to shorten at the first leeward mark as the wind threatened to disappear completely. Nonetheless, some extremely close racing could be witnessed, even if it was in nerve-jangling slow motion.
In IRC 0, Mark Lloyd's Mills 43 Chaos sailed a masterful race to finish nearly 15 minutes ahead of the next boat, Andrew Arthur's Vixter. In IRC 1, Stuart and James Wilkie's Mitchellson Interceptor beat the Reflex 38 Visit Malta Puma to win the race, but this wasn't enough to stop Visit Malta Puma taking first overall in the series by nine points.
IRC 2 was shown the way this week by Malcolm Roberts' Ker 9m Sunshine, who finished 8 minutes ahead of the next boat, but David Franks' Strait Dealer won the series in class 2 despite not sailing the final two races.
The A31 of Steve Bromley, Aneet Djinn, topped the IRC 3 class, tied first with Andy Howe's Blackjack, but it was Craig Cossar's Vital Eyes that won the class overall.
Tony Mack's McFly won in the J/111 class, but David and Kirsty Apthorp's J Dream took to top spot overall. In the J/109s, Owain Franks' Jynnan Tonnyx beat Paul Griffith's Jagerbomb to take the day prize, with Jagerbomb winning the series by three points.
In the Sigma 38s, it was class newcomers, Nick Woolven's Rho who topped the fleet. They sailed a great race, beating the series winner, Kevin Sussmilch's Mefisto by just under a minute.
In IRC 4, Quarter Tonner Menace extended their lead at the top of the class with another first. X-95 Crakajax sailed a great race to take 2nd, with Mustang 30 Erik the Red in third. -- Ben Meakins
Full results:
www.hamblewinterseries.com
Changing of the Afterguard. Artemis 'Release' Hutchinson
The Defender of Record for the 34th America's Cup - Artemis Racing has released Skipper Terry Hutchinson from duties at the team. While Artemis Racing flies the Swedish flag, Hutchinson was the only American helm of any of the cup teams.
Naturally, the move has sparked intense speculation as to the reasons why this decision was taken by Artemis Racing, but the America's Cup is not racing around on a Saturday afternoon to decide who buys the beer. This is high-stakes, professional sport and team owners are looking to put the best team on the water.
Hutchinson might be a successful, respected sailor, but the 34th America's Cup was purposefully designed to be a young-man's game - highly physical with decisions having to be made faster than sailing has seen in the past.
The result has been a changing of the (after)guard, which should be good for the sport in the long term. Sailors who have clung onto 'on-the-boat' positions have moved on into management roles making way for younger talent.
The new Artemis Racing leadership team on the water will include Iain Percy, Nathan Outteridge and Santiago Lange. The team has also recruited Loïck Peyron, whose experience is not just with multihulls, but with big mulithulls which is where the Cup will be won or lost.
YachtRacing.biz:
www.yachtracing.biz
A2B Yacht Race Announced Today
New Zealand has a new high profile yacht race on the calendar with the launch of the A2B Blue Water Classic Yacht Race announced today at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club.
The opening edition of the race is set to take place in February 2014 and its anticipated the A2B will become an iconic kiwi blue-water ocean race.
Yachting New Zealand Chief Executive David Abercrombie has this to say; "I believe that the A2B represents an exciting opportunity for New Zealand to attract a fleet of national and international yachts, to capture greater profile for keelboat racing in New Zealand, and also to showcase the race start and finish ports."
Auckland's Royal Akarana Yacht Club is charged with the role of Race Organising Authority working in collaboration with the Bluff Yacht Club who will provide a warm welcome at the race destination.
Celebrations and festivities will be staged at both the starting and finishing ports with the Deep South keen to capitalise on this opportunity to develop a reputation as a yachting destination and to encourage new marina development locally.
For more information contact:
A2B Director
Murray Francis
Email:
Muzza@filmbusiness.co.nz
Featured Brokerage
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The SWAN 41 is probably one of the most desirable S&S designs EVER....2 cabins + a head and shower, new North sails, VERY NICE condition.....ready to go sailing IMMEDIATELY....lowest priced SWAN 41 on the market.
Brokerage through Southern Trades Yacht Sales, Charters & Management:
www.yachtworld.com/southerntrades/
Complete listing details and seller contact information at
uk.yachtworld.com
The Last Word
I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend.... If you have one. -- George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill.
Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second... If there is one. -- Winston Churchill, in response.
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