SCUTTLEBUTT EUROPE #1301 – 27 AUGUST 2007
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with the support of OC Events ( http://www.ocevents.org ), 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 editor [Email address: editor #AT# scuttlebutteurope.com - replace #AT# with @ ]
GOOD JOB DONE
In like a lion, out like a lamb, racing for the Breitling MedCup TP52
circuit’s Portugal Trophy on the beautiful Algarve coast may have opened
Tuesday with an invigorating blast of over 25 knots, but with insufficient
wind Friday and Saturday, but it expired with barely a whimper today as the
current Breitling MedCup 2006 champions, Peter de Ridder and his crew,
emerged with their first overall regatta win this season.
Monaco based De Ridder and his crew – which includes six members of the
Team New Zealand America’s Cup team – collect the Portugal Trophy, the
Corinthian Trophy for the regatta’s top owner-helm, and the Santa Ana
Trophy for winning the 25.18 miles coastal race.
After finishing second in Alicante at the 2007 season’s curtain raiser in
June, Valle Romano Mean Machine’s Portuguese triumph is the first this
season by a 2006 build boat.
De Ridder’s crew, with Ray Davies calling tactics supported by Tom Dodson
as strategist, won four of the six races including winning both stages of
the coastal race.
Their final score of 17 points gave them a cushion of 15 points over
Russell Coutts and his crew of Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis, while Ian
Walker and the crew of Patches, Eamon Conneely’s Irish flagged Reichel Pugh
designed boat earned their first podium place of the season, finishing
third, ten points behind Artemis.
An exciting showdown is set for Hyeres, France where the five regatta
Circuit concludes, starting on September 10th.
De Ridder is in the advanced stages of ordering a new boat for next season,
asked if he might have second thoughts, given how well his 2006 Judel
Vrolijk design, which was built in Wellington by Hakes Marine, has
performed here, he responded:
“No, we are having a new boat. We certainly seem to get the best out of the
old lady, but the fact is that her younger sisters – the 2007 generation
boats – are a little bit quicker, but it is also interesting to note that
already this season the leaders have more points after four regattas than
we won the series with last year over six regattas.”
Final overall standings:
1. Valle Romano Mean Machine (P de Ridder, MON-Judel Vrolijk 2006) 17
points
2. Artemis (T Tornqvist, SWE-Judel Vrolijk 2007) 32
3. Patches (E Conneely, IRL-Reichel Pugh 2007) 42
4. CxG Corporacion Caixa Galicia (V Tirado, ESP-Botin & Carkeek 2007) 44
5. Windquest (D de Vos, USA-Botin Carkeek 2006) 49
6. Bribon (Jose Cusi, SM Juan Carlos, ESP-Judel Vrolijk 2007) 55
7. Stay Calm (S Robinson, GBR-Judel Vrolijk 2006) 58
8. Siemens (A Roemmers, ARG-Judel Vrolijk 2007) 62
9. Cristabella (J Cook, GBR-Judel Vrolijk 2006) 70
10. ONO ( Inaki Castaner-Botin Carkeek) 71
2007 Breitling MedCup, Standings after 4 of 5 regattas:
1. Artemis 173 points
2. CxG Corporacion Caixa Galicia 173
3. Bribon 193
4. Patches 200
5. Valle Romano Mean Machine 204
* Photos by Thierry Martinez, http://www.thmartinez.com , at
http://scuttlebutteurope.com
RIGGED TO WIN – TP52 CLASS
Congratulations to Peter de Ridder and his TP52 team, winning the latest
Breitling regatta. It’s nothing short of unadulterated ‘on the edge’
excitement for TP52 sailors and spectators in this year’s Medcup. Different
winners for each regatta, demonstrating not only the depth of talent but
the variations in design/technology used on the four winning yachts. Rig
design has played a key part in performance gains this year. Southern
Spars’ latest TP52 rig development has produced a 20% increase in fore/aft
rig stiffness without compromise as well as other enhancements. Learn more
about these sophisticated TP52 rigs, visit
FORMULA SPARS UK 18FT SKIFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The English Riviera lived up to its name when Torbay laid on blue skies and
sunshine for day 1 of the Formula Spars UK 18ft Skiff National
Championship. With a high pressure sitting over the south coast, the only
hope for any wind would be a sea breeze, and by 11 o’clock 5-8 knots
started to place some ripples on the glassy calm. By the time the fleet got
to the start line nearly 10 knots had built, however this was pretty
variable in direction and kept all the teams on their toes.
In a marked improvement on previous years, the fleet has now matured with a
depth of talent that could have any one of 4 or 5 boats capable of taking
this years title.
In race one, it was reigning UK champions Pindar Radii who got a great
start and overhauled early leaders Gill Wet and Wild by the second leg.
In the second race, it was Gill Wet and Wild who led at the first mark with
Fat Face and Grapefruit graphics just behind. Pindar Radii followed in
fourth, but gybe set having spotted a shift in the breeze and managed to
take the leading pack by the end of the downwind leg. They then proceded to
pull out an unnasailable lead to take their second bullet of the day. Gill
Wet and Wild put in another consistent second, while this time Fat Face got
the better of GE Commercial Finance to take third.
The Royal Torbay Yacht Club race committee then tried to run a third race,
however just after the start what little gradient breeze there was got the
better of the sea breeze and turned the upwind leg upside down. This led to
the race’s abandonement, with time running short to bar opening the race
officer called it a day. Forecast is for better sea breezes to build over
the the last two days of the championships when hopefully the skiffs will
be able to stretch their legs a bit. — Andy Richards
Results (2 races, no discards)
1. Pindar Radii, 2 points
2. Gill Wet and Wild, 4
3. Fat Face, 7
4. GE Commercial Finance, 7
5. PICA, 10
6. Base 1, 12
7. Grapefruit Graphics, 15
8. Hurley Palmer Flatt, 17
9. SBR Racing, 20
* Photos by Christophe Favreau, http://www.christophefavreau
http://scuttlebutteurope.com
THOUGHTS ON QINGDAO
As a venue Qingdao finally delivered the ingredient that money can’t buy -
wind. Ashore the facilities are being given the big tick, by the ISAF and
Chinese bigwigs – but most sailors will be more interested in seeing fair
racing in good winds, rather than the degrees of incline of the Olympic
launching ramp.
For much of the regatta, it had all of the excitement that you’d expect of
a Formula 1 Grand Prix event staged in the middle of a petrol strike. For
most of the fans of Olympic sailing the view they have of a regatta is of
the action on the water – and if there is no wind, then there is no event.
How TV coverage can be scheduled in such circumstances beggars belief.
Full marks to the race officials who stuck to their guns and allowed the
racing to get underway only when there were fair sailing conditions – even
though these may not occur until late in the day. Whether their resolve can
withstand the pressure in Olympic year to run races to suit TV schedules,
remains to be seen.
If not, then the scene will be set for a full on crap-shoot. Maybe the
sports funding and investment bodies around the world would be better
advised to use 2007 as a better benchmark of Olympic campaign progress and
return on their investment. — Richard Gladwell in Sail-World New Zealand,
http://www.sail-world.com
B&G RELEASES NEW DECKMAN V8.2 WITH INTEGRATED GRIB.US WEATHER DATA
Following the teaming up of B&G and GRIB.US, B&G has launched a new version
of its highly regarded Deckman tactical navigation software, offering
sophisticated new functionality, including integrated weather data
delivery.
Deckman v8.2 includes as standard integrated GRIB file functionality in the
form of UGRIB from leading weather data specialist GRIB.US. This gives
Deckman users instant access to high quality and reliable weather
information, enabling enhanced routing decisions and increased tactical
prowess for navigators.
UGRIB weather data that can be viewed within Deckman as a weather overlay,
integrated into Deckman routes for optimal tactical decision making. Free
upgrades available within v8.
BRITTANY FERRIES 1000: NICK BUBB
I am racing this season onboard the new Rogers designed Class 40, built in
Thailand by Pom Green and his team at CMI. The owner of the boat is a close
friend of mine, Tanguy de Lamotte, and he along with his French sponsors,
NOVEDIA GROUP and SET ENVIRONNEMENT, have kindly asked me to be co-skipper
for the 2007 season. Tanguy, who was involved in the design with Simon
Rogers and his team, has also been out in Thailand managing the build of
the boat and on the eve of her first race, is like a proud father. There is
some slightly disappointing news however, as we will not be receiving an
official classification (i.e. can’t take home the chocolates) in the
Brittany Ferries 1000. This is due to the boat not quite measuring on the
maximum righting moment test. Currently we are 5% over so we will have to
remove a little lead from the bulb after this race and re-measure. Although
slighlty annoying, it is always hard to get to the favourable limits of all
the rules first time and we are pleased to know that after this slight
modication we will be one of the lightest and most powerful bosts in the
fleet, a good combination!
The Brittany Ferries 1000, our first race this season starts Sunday August
26th), at 1100 BST from St Malo. Tanguy and I will race to Plymouth,
Santander and then back to St Malo, a total of just over 1000 miles. A
unique feature of this race are the compulsory 6 hour pit stops in Plymouth
and Santander. These could be especially useful to us as we try to keep on
top of the inevitable long job list that accompanies a new boat.
One of the race favourites has to be Dominic Vittet (ATAO AUDIO), the
current class ‘world’ champion and former winner of the legendary Solitaire
in the Figaro class. By his standards, Dominic came a disappointing 8th in
the Route du Rhum and he’ll be looking to make amends. Other top skippers
include: Yvon Noblet (APPART CITY) who earlier this year won the Azores
race, Benoit Parnaudeau (JARDIN BIO) who is a relative veteran of the class
and Vendee Globe hero and Miranda Merron on 40 DEGREES who has competed in
most of offshore racings top events and along with co skipper Peter
Harding, has got some good miles under her belt already this season.
On paper Tanguy and I match up with all the top crews and we certainly have
a boat which offers a lot of potential, whether this race is a little too
early in her development or not, we will have to wait and see. The main
focus of the race is to complete the 1000 mile course which is also our
qualifying passage for the TJV. I should tell you that we will be taking it
easy and slowly pushing harder as we get to know the boat. However,
experience tells me that this will not be the case and we will end up
giving it everything from the off! With a relative short run up to the TJV,
we need to learn as much about the boat as we can in the short time we have
available.
Our Sat C system will be regularly providing the organisers with an update
of our position but as yet it is unclear what they’ll be doing with this
information.
The event website is http://millemilles.snbsm.com , it is all in French but
I’m sure you’ll understand the results section. We are unsure whether we
will feature in the results as unclassified or not but our actual latitude
and longitude will be reported along with everyone else, so with a little
maths you can see how we are doing! I will send out updates from each pit
stop and, if I get a chance during the quieter moments, from onboard. You
can find further information and some pictures at
http://www.tanguydelamotte.com — Nick Bubb
* Editor: Including Nick and Tanguy’s boat, there are a total of nine Class
40’s in the race. They left St. Malo Sunday morning at 10 AM and are
expected at the beginning of the night. Each boat must stay in port for six
hours.. but it’s based on arrival time. Those coming in later in the
evening may face a very difficult departure with virtually no wind forecast
and an adverse tide.
THE FASTNET QUIZ…
Last week’s question:
Which boat set a new course record in 1985 of 60 hours, 41 mins, 15 secs?
Answer: Nirvana
This week’s question:
What is the name of the 27m yawl that held the Fastnet race record for 19
years?
Two correct answer winners this week and for the following weeks of our
contest: one will win a copy of the new Fastnet book “Beyond Endurance” (
see http://www.randomhouse.com
Another lucky sailor wins a Dubarry Knot Ur Dubes T-shirt. With its soft
handle and made from 100 per cent faded cotton, it’s ideal for on and off
the water.
At the end of the competition, one entrant will win a pair of Dubarry
Fastnet boots – with GORE-TEX breathable inner lining and Non-Slip
Non-Marking sole. See the Dubarry Fastnet boot at http://dubarry.com
Submit your answer for this week’s quiz question at:
http://www.scuttlebutteurope
LEDRO CARPISA CUP – INTERNATIONAL SAILING FOR THE GRASSROOTS
The seventh Ledro Champions Cup, now sponsored by Carpisa, for Optimist
team-racing by club teams again showed that international racing need not
be just for the hot-shots.
The fifteen teams, each of which had won its national team-racing
championship, represented a wide range of clubs from the famous such as El
Masnou (ESP) and the Royal Lymington (GBR) to much smaller clubs such as
Radolfzell (GER) from the Untersee of Lake Constance. The sailors too are
from a wide range of levels and certainly the majority were not “full
internationals”: the winners C. Tevere Remo (Tiber Rowing Club!) included
no Worlds sailors.
The hosts, A.V. Lago di Ledro, match the spirit of the participants. A
small club on a small (3km x 1 km) lake in a remote mountain valley calls
on the help of a high proportion of its members as well as from
neighbouring Fraglia Vela Riva to run superb events. This year they have
bought 40 Optimists, jointly sponsored by what might translate into English
as the union of village councils of the valley (population 4,500) and the
local farmers’ bank.
This track record has led to the decision this year to hold the Optimist
European Team-Racing Championship at the club for the next three years.
This will be sponsored by the provincial government of Trentino and, like
the Ledro Cup, offers free entry and accommodation for 16 teams.
At the prize-giving ceremony IODA president of honour Helen Mary Wilkes
stressed that the new event, for national teams, would not replace the
inter-club championship and there would now be two events at the same
venue.
And next week the club hosts a Women’s Match Race Grade 1 event.
http://www.teamlab.ch/sail
SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW
The Southampton Boat Show in association with ITV Meridian returns to
Mayflower Park this September. Celebrating its 39th year the Show, which
has Europe’s largest purpose built on-water marina, takes place from 14-23
September 2007. This year, the Show will see an exciting line up of famous
boats on the feature berth of the Hydropool Marina. Not only will Sir Robin
Knox-Johnston be there with his Open 60 “Lombard Marine Finance:, along
with Mike Golding and the Open 60 ECOVER but TEAMORIGIN, Official
Challenger for the 33rd America’s Cup, will bring the newly liveried GBR 75
race training America’s Cup boat to the Show.
http://www.southamptonboatshow
LOCH NESS MONSTER RACE
Team Basilica overcame challenging conditions to take line honours in the
Loch Ness Monster Race, sailing past the finish line over forty minutes
ahead of the pack with its closest contender the Tornado out of sight. The
Team which included Scottish sailing legend Mike McIntyre and Americas Cup
Sailor David Carr, James Grant, Nick Houch and James George, battled the
persistently changing weather conditions to come in second place overall,
behind the first placed Tornado, taking into consideration its quarter time
handicap.
An hour of little or no wind at the start of the race made it impossible
for Basilica to win on its handicap, but conditions improved and as the day
progressed the sun came out and the wind picked up. Basilica reached the
windward mark at Fort Augustus after three hours of stop start sailing but
the crew managed to push the boat to speeds of over twenty five knots
against the wind.
On the return journey with miles of water in between Basilica and the rest
of the field, the Team showed spectators what it was made of, flying down
the centre of Loch Ness with the sun behind it. A succession of gusts led
to a few knife edge moments but the crew maintained control and crossed the
line at 15.53, finishing the fifty mile course in four hours and thirty
three minutes.
Team Basilica are currently leading the iShares Cup with the final leg
being held in Amsterdam from 14th – 16th September.
http://www.basilica.co.uk – http://www.extreme40.co.uk -
http://www.isharescup.com
* Photos by Mark Lloyd, http://www.lloyd-images.com at
http://scuttlebutteurope.com
ROUND THE ISLAND RACE AT LARGS ANNUAL REGATTA WEEK
Racing Round the Islands of Great and Little Cumbrae was the format of the
day at Larg’s annual Regatta. The Yachts set off first and were followed
by the dinghy fleets and windsurfer fleet. The start line was just south
of the marina entrance and the first leg of the course took the boats
through the Largs Channel before continuing round the islands.
With Westerly winds the spinnakers were hoisted through the ‘Tann’ between
the islands which must have looked spectacular if you happened to be on
Millport beach. The Keel boat fleets were doing a figure of eight course
and as a result there were boats crossing in the ‘Tann’ all with spinnakers
but some going North to South, whilst others, making the return coming
South to North.
The Dinghies had a fantastic downwind leg on the west side of Cumbrae and
the 49er and the formula windsurfers were really moving fast in the fresh
force 4. Liz Balmforth, Pure Magic, said “it was great breeze and fantastic
to watch the dinghies and the formula windsurfers speeding through the
keelboat fleets”. Eleven Toppers made the 12 mile sail round and the
winner was Jamie Noyes in his boat haggis. Andy McDaid won the laser fleet
and will be challenging his competitors in the series of evening races
starting on Tuesday.
In Class 1 Local Hero dominated the fleet of 17 yachts and not only won the
days race but was also awarded the Scottish Enterprise Rose Bowl for
overall winner of the event. Owner Geoff Howison said “it has been the
best racing weekend this season with well set courses and excellent
organization.”
Midweek racing will have keelboats and dinghies racing in the Channel over
three evenings. The Scottish 2 handed race will take place over Saturday
and Sunday with class 1 boats circumnavigating Arran.
The full results are posted on http://www.scottishsailinginst
http://www.largssc.co.uk
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR – editor [Email address: editor #AT# scuttlebutteurope.com - replace #AT# with @ ]
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 Jack Turnstin: With reference to the delay in the Fastnet taken by
the organisers, RORC, what would have happened if the system had stalled or
slowed long enough to put the fleet in the Celtic Sea? This would have
caused bigger damage and crew injury or even loss of life. Who would be
responsible then? I know that the responsibility lies at the door of the
skipper, but by moving the start that takes a large proportion of
responsibility and choice away from the skipper.
THE LAST WORD
A man’s penmanship is an unfailing index of his character, moral and
mental, and a criterion by which to judge his peculiarities of taste and
sentiments. — Philip Dormer Stanhope
==============================
The opinions expressed in Scuttlebutt Europe do not necessarily
reflect those of its editors or OC Events
OC Events, http://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.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, go to
http://www.scuttlebutteurope
Letters and submissions to: editor [Email address: editor #AT# scuttlebutteurope.com - replace #AT# with @ ]
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Graeme Beeson gb [Email address: gb #AT# beesonstone.com - replace #AT# with @ ]
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