Latest News October
Virgin Money’s Dreams Dashed By Monster Wave
Virgin Money Mission Control, 2pm BST, 24th October 2008:
After approximately 2 days and 4 hours at sea in the face of impossible odds the crew of Virgin Money had to admit defeat on their first attempt to set a new world record for the fastest mono-hull crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. After 2 days that saw the crew and Virgin Money overcome seas of 40ft and gale force winds of between 7 and 9 their dreams were finally dashed when a ‘monster wave’ took out the spinnaker, washed a ten man life boat overboard and ripped a huge gash in the mainsail.
Speaking to Mission Control after the decision to abandon the record attempt this time round, the crew were frustrated but upbeat about the boat’s performance and chances of success in the future. Co-skipper Sir Richard Branson said: “I am surrounded by the most amazing group of world class sailors – all of whom are still committed to getting this record – it’s just a shame it wasn’t to be on this attempt. Virgin Money will soon be fighting fit and ready to take on the Atlantic again in the very near future. Taking on an ocean like the Atlantic was never going to be easy – I know that only too well having been defeated by her once before on Virgin Challenger 1 – you learn to respect the awesome power of this ocean and to admit when she has you beat. But I truly believe that next time, as with Virgin Challenger 11, Virgin Money will set a new world record that will secure its place in the record books for many years to come.”
From onboard Virgin Money fellow co-skipper Mike Sanderson was characteristically laid back: “Well that was a fairly exciting trip… We all knew, as a result of leaving so late in the season, we were in for a bumpy ride – we just didn’t suspect it to be this bumpy. We had a good go at repairing the mainsail at sea but it wasn’t possible in the conditions we were experiencing. Lady Luck was not smiling down on us this time round. Virgin Money performed well and she’ll be good to go again just as soon as we get the mainsail repaired.”
Triple Gold Olympic medal winner Ben Ainslie had just spent his first 2 days ocean racing on Virgin Money: “I’m just as disappointed as Richard and Mike that we didn’t achieve our goal this time out of the dock but I’m looking forward to breaking the record next time out. Virgin Money is an awesome piece of kit – a real beast.”
Holly and Sam Branson were equally up for the next challenge, Holly said: “It’s been an amazing trip to be part of. I didn’t have to use my medical skills too much, despite the crew taking a real battering during the 2 days on board. I’m not too upset though as I’m looking to stepping onto dry land and taking in some Bermudan sun!”
Sam added: “It’s a bit of a shame to be heading back. As beginners it took Holly and I a full day to find our sea legs but the last day has been amazing. It’s been all hands on deck and incredible to share the experience with all of the guys involved. With a bit more luck and the right weather conditions the next attempt will be great to be part of.”
The crew and Virgin Money are expected in St George’s Customs Dock, Bermuda at 5pm local (9pm BST).
Torbay Sailing club – Sir Peter Blake memorial Regatta
Sir Peter Blake Memorial Torbay Regatta will be held on 6-7th /December , the anniversary of Sir Peters death is the 6th Dec. the notice of race is on our new website torbaysailingclub.org.nz and we are expecting 400 entries from NZ and overseas.
The marquee will be on the waterfront reserve with the red Socks cafe with coffee to go so will be a great place to catch up during the weekend even if you arent sailing.
Please contact us for more info.
cheers
Barbara Peat
http://www.torbaysailingclub.org.nz/
FIRE-BREATHING DRAGON
Ian Walker/GBR and the Green Dragon team is breathing fire on the rest of the fleet from their western corner of the Volvo fleet as the eight boats pick their way through the black clouds and squalls of the Doldrums. The next 24 hours will be critical and it will be partly about luck and partly about who gets the new breeze first and can edge out into the south-easterly trade winds.
Although Green Dragon snatched the lead from the claws of PUMA (Ken Read/USA) at 1600 GMT yesterday, her lead is decreasing as Telefonica Black (Fernando Echávarri) creeps closer, gaining nine miles on the Dragon in the past three hours. The fleet is now spread out over 254 nautical miles west to east.
Delta Lloyd (Ger O’ Rourke/IRL) is the most easterly yacht of the fleet, PUMA, in third place is 31 miles off Green Dragon’s port flank, and Ericsson 3 (Anders Lewander/SWE) in fourth has found a new friend in Telefónica Blue and the two boats are now happily latched together, both 28 nm to the west of Kosatka, Team’s Russia’s blue boat, currently in seventh place.
The last 24 hours has been good for Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/NED). “The boat has been going really nicely, we’ve found good wind and we’ve really improved on things,” said navigator Simon Fisher in a radio interview today. “Everyone is working very hard and hoping we will get the speed to get out of here,” he said. “We have really, really been focusing on our strategy but it is good to get on deck and you can see quite a lot as well. It is as much about using your eyes as using your computers.”
Conditions are horrible for the crews. Lots of big clouds and plenty of rain has meant that although the crews have been able to enjoy a fresh-water shower, the novelty soon wore off after the first five minutes when everyone got cold. “The squalls come out of the blue, and everything has to be prepared in advance” says Mikel Pasabant, MCM onboard second placed Telefónica Black.
Today, a massive signal appeared on the radar and onboard the black Spanish boat, the crew got ready to experience the worst: “Trimmers preparing peelings (preparing to change sails), helmsman pointing the boat to where the on-duty watch said, harnesses on, the MCM preparing his arms as if in a pre-war notice… still camera, handheld camcorder and the infra-red stern cam,” described Mikel.
Everything was in position to get the most from the situation, but as the boat approached the cloud, King Neptune intervened. “The cloud started to split in two as if letting us go by without disturbing us and we crossed exactly through a gate that opened for us as if on purpose, with massive storm clouds each side,” Mikel explains. “Thanks Neptune, it seems you are with the Blackies!”
Away out to the east, Delta Lloyd has had a problem with the rig, when, during a sail change from the A4 downwind sail to the masthead code zero, the leeward jumper (part of the mast) came falling out of the rig, bounced down the deck and landed in the back of the boat narrowly missing the crew. It has taken 12 hours to repair it. “Martin Watts has come up with an ingenious solution to re-attach the jumper back to the mast,” explained Matthew Gregory in a radio interview today. It took Martin and Johnny (Gerd Van Poortman) an hour and half up the rig to complete the job. “It was a pretty big project,” said Gregory.
The next stage of the course will be the rounding of the Brazilian Island, Fernando de Noronha, approximately 673 nautical miles away to the south-west where another round of scores can be added. The fleet is expected to be in the region in about two day’s time.
During the past three hours, only Team Russia (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) has lost out to Green Dragon, while the bulk of the fleet has made small gains. Although PUMA has slipped back through the fleet to third place, she has averaged the highest boat speed over the last three hours, while Telefónica Black has the best 24-hour run of 223 nautical miles.
Leg One Day 10: 1300 GMT Volvo Ocean Race Positions
(boat name/country/skipper/nationality/distance to leader)
Green Dragon IRL/CHN (Ian Walker/GBR) DTF 4031
Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri/ESP) +27
PUMA Racing Team USA (Ken Read/USA) +35
Ericsson 3 SWE (Anders Lewander/SWE) +41
Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED) +45
Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA) +46
Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) +51
Delta Lloyd IRL (Ger O’Rourke/IRL) +86
From max ranchi
NZ yacht designer Des Townson dies
3:00PM Thursday Oct 16, 2008
Des Townson with a model of his radio controlled ‘Electron’ in 2001. The Aucklander created some of the most well-known classes in NZ sailing. Photo / Paul Estcourt
Des Townson with a model of his radio controlled ‘Electron’ in 2001. The Aucklander created some of the most well-known classes in NZ sailing. Photo / Paul Estcourt
* Boat designer Des Townson
Related NZHerald links:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10537857
* Des Townson, in a class of his own
* Legendary touch visible in yachts both big and small
* Boat Designer’s micro economy
Prominent New Zealand yacht designer Des Townson has died after a long fight with cancer.
Des Townson was the creative genius behind some of the most well known classes in New Zealand sailing, including the Starling, Zephyr, Mistral and Pied Piper, with about 3,500 yachts and boats carrying the Townson name.
Mr Townson was recognised for his contribution to yachting in the Queen’s Birthday Honours this year when he was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
A public service will be held at Bucklands Beach Yacht Club early next week.
Mr Townson began his climb up the sailing ladder from P-Class to keelers after winning the Tanner Cup sailing Vanity in 1950. Three years later he had opted out of a motor body building apprenticeship and was designing boats.
The first were Pennant class 3.6m racing dinghies, Eagle, Mercury and Nimble. In 1956 came the first commercially successful Townson design, the 3.4m Zephyr. The cold-moulded ply racing dinghy caused a sensation and soon big fleets were racing in Auckland. More than 200 were built over the next 15 years.
In 1959 came the Mistral. A foot longer than the Zephyr, the new design came after a request for a similar boat with both jib and spinnaker. It was the beginning of another hugely successful class, with 89 being built.
The launch of the first Dart 3.4m sailing dinghy came in 1961. Fifty of these were built and there is still a big fleet racing out of Waiuku. That year also saw the first Townson keeler, the 7.9m cold-moulded Serene.In 1962 came one of the most successful Townson designs, the 6.7m Pied Piper.
In his book Classic New Zealand Yachts, Bill Endean describes the boat as being well ahead of its time. The Pied Piper became a favourite of youngsters who craved the independence and freedom to go sailing on their own boats rather than crewing for an older generation.
Perhaps the most outstanding feat recorded by this pretty little craft was a circumnavigation of the North Island, including a detour to Dunedin, by Murray Gilbert in Lelant in the summer of 1979. This was much to the horror of Townson, who never intended the diminutive yacht to venture outside the confines of the Hauraki Gulf.
In 1968 Townson created the Starling, to become a stepping-stone from the P-Class that dad and the kids could build themselves. Today there are more than 1200 sailing around the country.
The same year he designed Moonlight, the 32ft (9.7m) cruiser/racer that became the forerunner to the successful Townson 32. The boat was a departure, not only from his previous designs, but from the mainstream of New Zealand light displacement keelboat design like the Stewart 34 and the many John Spencer hard chine plywood yachts.
The heavier displacement Moonlight was built to perform well across a range of wind and sea conditions experienced on the Hauraki Gulf. The boat exceeded all expectations and was later to shock the racing fraternity when Peter Mulgrew skippered it to a sensational win in one of the offshore trial races to select the New Zealand team for the 1971 One Ton Cup. She stayed in contention for a place in the team until the last race, a considerable feat for a local boat not designed to the IOR rule and taking on much more expensive overseas designs, including Wai Aniwa and Young Nick.
Then came the Starlight and Twilight designs, which were followed in 1974 by Dreamtime, the first of about 100 Townson 34s. He later built a number of smaller yachts modelled on the design of Serene and the Townson 30, of which Alan Warwick’s Magic Flute was the most successful.
After the 1987 stockmarket crash, the client base for yachts was so seriously affected that Townson decided to develop his interest in model yachts – creating the 1 metre Electron.
- NEWSTALK ZB and NZHERALD STAFF
Des Townson, in a class of his own
By ROBIN BAILEY
Des Townson designs boats for the people. His dinghies and small keelers have set performance boundaries and expanded the sailing horizon for hundreds, if not thousands, of sailors.
Until next Sunday the National Maritime Museum at Hobson Wharf is honouring Townson and his achievements. It is a tribute that is well deserved.
The Aucklander began his climb up the sailing ladder from P-Class to keelers after winning the Tanner Cup sailing Vanity in 1950. Three years later he had opted out of a motor body building apprenticeship and was designing boats.
The first were Pennant class 3.6m racing dinghies, Eagle, Mercury and Nimble. In 1956 came the first commercially successful Townson design, the 3.4m Zephyr. The cold-moulded ply racing dinghy caused a sensation and soon big fleets were racing in Auckland. More than 200 were built over the next 15 years.
In 1959 came the Mistral. A foot longer than the Zephyr, the new design came after a request for a similar boat with both jib and spinnaker. It was the beginning of another hugely successful class, with 89 being built.
The launch of the first Dart 3.4m sailing dinghy came in 1961. Fifty of these were built and there is still a big fleet racing out of Waiuku. That year also saw the first Townson keeler, the 7.9m cold-moulded Serene.In 1962 came one of the most successful Townson designs, the 6.7m Pied Piper. In his book Classic New Zealand Yachts, Bill Endean describes the boat as being well ahead of its time. The Pied Piper became a favourite of youngsters who craved the independence and freedom to go sailing on their own boats rather than crewing for an older generation.
Perhaps the most outstanding feat recorded by this pretty little craft was a circumnavigation of the North Island, including a detour to Dunedin, by Murray Gilbert in Lelant in the summer of 1979. This was much to the horror of Townson, who never intended the diminutive yacht to venture outside the confines of the Hauraki Gulf.
In 1968 Townson created the Starling, to become a stepping-stone from the P-Class that dad and the kids could build themselves. Today there are more than 1200 sailing around the country.
The same year he designed Moonlight, the 32ft (9.7m) cruiser/racer that became the forerunner to the successful Townson 32. The boat was a departure, not only from his previous designs, but from the mainstream of New Zealand light displacement keelboat design like the Stewart 34 and the many John Spencer hard chine plywood yachts.
The heavier displacement Moonlight was built to perform well across a range of wind and sea conditions experienced on the Hauraki Gulf. The boat exceeded all expectations and was later to shock the racing fraternity when Peter Mulgrew skippered it to a sensational win in one of the offshore trial races to select the New Zealand team for the 1971 One Ton Cup. She stayed in contention for a place in the team until the last race, a considerable feat for a local boat not designed to the IOR rule and taking on much more expensive overseas designs, including Wai Aniwa and Young Nick.
Then came the Starlight and Twilight designs, which were followed in 1974 by Dreamtime, the first of about 100 Townson 34s. He later built a number of smaller yachts modelled on the design of Serene and the Townson 30, of which Alan Warwick’s Magic Flute was the most successful.
After the 1987 stockmarket crash, the client base for yachts was so seriously affected that Townson decided to develop his interest in model yachts into a commercial venture. He designed the Electron and has built 827 so far.
Museum visitors will see them in action between 10am and 4pm tomorrow when the Electron Club holds a special Townson Tribute regatta.
Navenka Townson 36 seen here starting another 2 handed race, this time to White Island and back.
Des has been credited with designing the very popular Pied Piper. However in a recent interview with me, he told me that a friend of his wanted some input into a 22ft keel yacht the friend had designed. Des’s comment to where “I just prettied it up.” I now know the friend Des talked about was his younger brother.
http://crew.net.nz/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9442
GREEN DRAGON IN HIDING
At 0400 GMT today, StealthPlay came into action for the first time on this 6,500 nautical mile leg of the Volvo Ocean Race from Alicante to Cape Town. In the approach to the Canary Islands, Ian Walker/GBR and his crew onboard the Green Dragon played their joker and decided it was time to go into hiding. They will disappear now for 12 hours, reappearing on the 1600 GMT position report this afternoon. Only the Race Office in the UK will know where the boat is, and that is for safety reasons.
At the time that StealthPlay was activated, Green Dragon was only 12 nautical miles from Ericsson 3 (Anders Lewander/SWE), the leaders at the time, and set up to the west of the Canary Islands, with Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri/ESP) just on her starboard hip.
Over the past 12 hours, the Canary Islands have caused the fleet to scatter. Telefónica Black will go to windward (west of the islands), but we will not know if Green Dragon went with her until she reappears on our screens at 1600 GMT today.
Ericsson 3 went straight through the middle of the islands and is currently less than 2 nm off the coast of Gran Canaria. The rest of the fleet went to leeward (east). Delta Lloyd/IRL (Ger O’Rourke/IRL) and PUMA/USA (Ken Read) and Ericsson 4/SWE (Torben Grael/BRA) gybed close in to the shore and are now just 17nm off Cabo Falso Bogador the African coast. Choices have been made and the east/west split of the fleet is a clear 211nm, from Telefónica Black out to the west and PUMA and Ericsson 4 away to the east. Bouwe Bekking’s Telefónica Blue also favoured the eastern side, and is following almost the same course as Delta Lloyd, but has slipped back through the fleet after damaging her large A2 running spinnaker this morning.
“It seems in the 18-20 knot wind range, we are not so fast, and we can’t sail very deep,” explained Bouwe. “The spinnaker just gave up and tore right through the middle and it was all hands on deck to prevent it from falling in the water,” he said. Two of his crew, Daryl Wislang and Jordi Calafat are putting it back together, but it has been a bitter blow for this Spanish team, as they continue to race with a spinnaker 150 square metres smaller. “We have to keep sailing the right angle for this sail otherwise we are cheating ourselves. It is very tempting to sail the same angle as before, but then we will sail way slower,” he explained.
PUMA and Ericsson 4 had a sleepless night trying to shake off each other. “Honestly, I thought the racing would be close, but this is ridiculous,” wrote PUMA skipper Ken Read this morning. Every time a move was made to shake free, all the gear had to be moved from one side of the boat to the other. Read says the onboard action is intense and all being filmed by onboard media crew member, Rick Deppe. “Besides that,” he says, “it’s business as usual and there is nowhere we would rather be right now.” Will he still be saying that in 20 days from now?
At the 1300 GMT position report, the fleet had a good north-northeasterly breeze of around 19 knots. PUMA had the fastest 24-hour run of 367nm and Ericsson 4 had the highest average boat speed of 19 knots over the past hour.
Leg One Day 5: 1300 GMT Volvo Ocean Race Positions
(boat name/country/skipper/nationality/distance to leader)
PUMA Racing Team USA (Ken Read/USA) DTF 5436
Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA) DTL 2nm
Ericsson 3 SWE (Anders Lewander/SWE) DTL 37nm
Delta Lloyd IRL (Ger O’Rourke/IRL) DTL 67nm
Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) DTL 89nm
Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri/ESP) DTL 90nm
Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED) DTL 107nm
Green Dragon IRL/CHN (Ian Walker/GBR) StealthPlay
NEW MATCH RACING BOAT PROPOSED FOR 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES
A Working Party from the International Sailing Federation has made a submission to the International Sailing Federation supporting the previous submission from Yachting New Zealand that the Elliott 6m be chosen as the equipment for the 2012 Olympics in the new Womens Match Racing Event.
The proposal, if accepted by the ISAF Events Committee and eventually endorsed by the ISAF Council would see the Elliott 6M renamed as the ‘ISAF 6M’ and used for the Olympic event.
The proposal also means that the women’s match racing event would be conducted in a sportsboat rather than an international keelboat class like the Yngling currently used for the Womens Fleetracing event.
OUR VISION”, BY FRANCK CAMMAS AND MARK TURNER
Mark TURNER
CEO of the OC Group, Mark Turner is one of the most successful and respected events organizers in the sailing business.
Skipper of Groupama, Franck Cammas is one of the world’s best offshore sailors.
Both answer our questions on the current and future state of offshore multihulls racing. Will these extraordinary boats survive the current crisis or disappear altogether? Find out what they think:
* WYRF: Franck Cammas and Mark Turner, why have the 60’ multihulls almost disappeared?
Mark Turner: “The main problem was that the ORMA 60 had to face too many compromises. The 60’ were sailed alternatively single-handed and with crews, they were used for grand-prix and offshore regattas… Their demise is a real shame, but I wasn’t surprised, the commercial equation became unsustainable.”
Franck Cammas: “From our (Groupama) point of view, it was perfect. The cost / return ratio was just right and the format was ideal ; however it wasn’t promoted well by the Class’ skippers and sponsors. I think that the sailors didn’t show enough enthusiasm. They should have spoken with one common voice. This has never happened.
* WYRF: Are we likely to see more maxi multihulls sailing around the world?
FC: “The course is obviously great for records, and one-off attempts. However, very few partners are interested by such attempts and there aren’t many competitors. As for single handed attempts, I don’t think that most sailors dream to go round the world on their own on such boats.”
MT: “The round the world route is the ultimate offshore racing course. The world has become smaller, and the course is more accessible (which doesn’t mean it’s easier in any way). It’s just more approachable, by more people.
Jules Verne attempts on big boats are fantastic, but they have to be one-offs. On the other hand, I think that a new class of multihulls could compete around the world, and not just across the Altantic – but I’m not sure you can get good racing with very large multihulls; the boats are just too different.”
* WYRF: Were the boats too expensive?
Franck CAMMAS © Yvan ZEDDA
FC: The budgets for 60’ monohulls are roughly similar and they succeed, which is the proof that budgets & costs isn’t the issue.
MT: The problem is that the budgets and the risks have increased whilst the return hasn’t increased with it. If you look at the IMOCA 60’ monohulls, you notice that the fleet is international whereas the ORMA 60 multihulls were all French. The fact of having many countries involved automatically guarantees a better international return to all the teams. That’s one of the reasons why the IMOCA 60’ monohulls have continued for longer and still have some good years ahead.
* WYRF: Weren’t the boats too fragile – the rules too lax?
FC: There have always been breakages because this is a mechanical sport. I have never seen a Formula 1 GP where all cars finish. We just have to manage them better. Look at what Mark Turner does with the iShares Cup: it’s all about the collisions, breakages and capsizes. We could have treated it the same way with the 60’s.
MT: I think breakages are part of the game, but one of the difficulties with ORMA 60 was that the breakages were often putting boats out of the game for many months, and with big financial bills to pay. All skipper led Class associations will struggle to evolve a class rule right because they are run by the very people who have vested interests in keeping costs down and avoiding rule changes that devalue their boats. So progress is tough, just when you need it. The Extreme 40’s are on purpose overpowered, and they crash and burn a fair amount – but they are out racing the next morning. An ORMA 60 mid-ocean can’t do the same…
* WYRF: What is the right combination for the sponsors in your opinion?
FC: I think a lot of people have been over-selling their projects. There is only one winner in each race, and if you sell victory chances are high that you are going to disappoint your partner. Projects must be viable even if you finish at the eight place. There must be a hospitality component etc…
MT: The main difference between sailing and any other sport is that you can take people out sailing. There are plenty of opportunities, even in offshore races: the start, the arrival, the stopovers… This high value experiential offer is a real differentiator for sailing – and we see with the iShares Cup it can be the very bedrock of a sponsor ROI. I also think that it makes sense for sponsors to combine the platforms, and to have for example a 60’ mono and multihull as well as an Extreme 40, or two of the three – the additional cost of an Extreme 40 for an IMOCA team for example is relatively low. It is a powerful formula that at Offshore Challenges Sailing Team we would struggle to move back from now having seen how well it works.
* WYRF: Do the sailors have enough influence in the decision making process? Or do they have too much influence?
Groupama 2 © Yvan ZEDDA
FC: Sometimes too much, sometimes not enough… The problem is that they do everything and they don’t always have a global vision. However at the end of the day they are the ones that are taking the risks. Generally speaking, they are intelligent people. And stubborn.
MT: It’s a difficult question. Some teams have excellent project managers; others don’t and the skippers are trying to do it all. The commercial aspects should be clearly separated from the sportive elements. From a technical point of view, it is essential to listen to the sailors. On the other hand, from an organiser’s point of view, it is much more difficult to organise an offshore regatta with the sailors than say an iShares event where the clients are commercially funded professional teams. I really think that sailing needs strong, competent and professional organisers. However, the sailors don’t always agree with this and sometimes believe that the organisers make a lot of easy money. In reality, it is very hard to avoid losing money, and all events organisers face the same difficulties. People forget that in most events there is between 5 and 20 (yes, 20) times more funding in the boat sponsorships than the event…
* WYRF: Do you think the 60’ trimarans have a future?
FC: Well, it is a spectacular support, great for the sailors, fascinating for the designers, fantastic for the sponsors so I’m sure they have a future. They should just be better organised.
MT: I think that the multihull class will have a new start for sure at some point. It’s a great Class, both for the public and the sailors. I just can’t imagine that this Class is finished, but I can’t see the previous ORMA 60 itself being reborn. It will come from something like the MOD 70 project which has been well conceived, but maybe both too late and now too early for a full rebirth of this amazing class of ocean racing multihulls.
Mark TURNER
A LIVE LINK TO VIRGIN SPEEDBOAT AS VIRGIN LAUNCHES A NEW WEBSITE…
Hello All,
Thanks for checking in on us .
Well we are still standing by, waiting for the right weather, with the met guys giving us weather updates every six hours, we certainly feel like we are on the constant look out for favourable conditions to blast across the Atlantic on. We all know that once we get the green light, things will happen very quickly and we need to be fully prepared.
We do have some exciting news though!! You will now have the opportunity to follow our record attempt in far more elaborate detail on the Virgin Money website. The website boasts a tracking system for the boat and regular footage and blogs coming from on board. I will be sending updates along with Richard Branson and his two children Holly and Sam, who will be joining us for the record attempt.
I hope this way you will be able to feel like you are out there with us!! Thanks again for your support, it really helps keep us going out there…
http://uk.virginmoney.com/challenge
Cheers
Mike
Tuesday 7th October
High-speed training sessions
Alain Thébault and his crew have increased the record speed of l’Hydroptère from 47.6 to 52,86 knots on Saturday 4th October. This recording is from the official Trimble measurement system, required by the WSSRC.
This performance shows the boat’s potential.
In these very strong wind conditions with gusts records at over 40 knots, l’Hydroptère is the first sailing boat to break the wind barrier of 50 knots in top speed.
more here
Refit Complete for the Maxi Trimaran Sodeb’o
Click on image to enlarge.
This Monday 6th October Thomas Coville and his crew relaunched the Maxi Trimaran Sodeb’O (105 feet) after three weeks’ refit in the yard at Lorient.
The Sodeboys have been working over recent weeks on the optimisation of the trimaran for the solo round the world record, which Thomas will be attempting to beat this winter. “This work is an important stage as it’s the last opportunity to adapt the boat according to everything we’ve learnt during the past year spent sailing aboard Sodeb’O” explains the skipper, before going on to detail the modifications: “Besides the centreboard and sails, we’ve optimised the balance of the helm, which is an essential point for the solo sailor, as is the constant work on the automatic pilots. My living space has been adapted to make it even more functional, and a window has been cut into of the cockpit hood so as to enable me to keep an eye on the sails whilst staying protected”.
Thomas knows that his boat is fast and totally suited to being sailed single-handed. In a little over a year, she has already covered the equivalent of one and a half circumnavigations of the globe and set a new 24 hour speed record. She is also the new North Atlantic record holder.
This week, the skipper will perform some trial sails to test the latest modifications and from 15th October, he will be on standby in La Trinite sur Mer, south-west Brittany, to await favourable weather conditions to set off around the world.
www.sodebo-voile.com
PRESS RELEASE –
The RC 44 fleet is ready to compete for the Friuli Venezia Giulia RC 44 Cup
Ten teams, that include some of the world’s best sailors, are waiting impatiently for the first start tomorrow. “The fleet is more even than ever and at least seven teams could win this event”, says Russell Coutts,
Trieste, 6 October 2008 – The fifth event of the RC 44 Championship Tour 2008 starts tomorrow, October 7, in Trieste (ITA). Some of the world’s best sailors, including Dean Barker, Mateusz Kusznierewicz, Cameron Appleton, Morgan Larson, Russell Coutts and many more have been practicing earlier in the week and the game is more open than ever.
During the opening press conference, held this morning at the Yacht Club Adriaco, Russell Coutts explained that “the RC 44 fleet has evolved a lot since the beginning of the year. In Dubai, Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano had a little speed advantage thanks to their sails. This advantage has now vanished and the fleet is even. ”
The regatta will mark the arrival of some new prestigious teams and sailors. Amongst them, Torbjorn Tornqvist will sail his brand new RC 44 “Artemis” for the first time, with Dean Barker at the helm for the match races. Pieter Heerema (NED) and his pro sailor Peter Wibroe will discover the Class onboard Mascalzone Latino. 23 year old Wibroe, from Denmark, is the current European Match Race Champion and an established name on the World Match Race Tour. Peter de Ridder joins Larry Ellison’s BMW ORACLE Racing as fleet race helmsman, whilst Morgan Larson replaces James Spithill on board Ceeref for this regatta.
“We have seen different teams winning races this year than last year”, observes Coutts. And I wouldn’t be surprised if different teams win the next regattas, because the fleet is very even and the one-design aspect of the boat is controlled very strictly.”
With only two more events to complete before the end of the season, the battle for the podium positions on the RC 44 Championship Tour 2008 is reaching its climax and the competition will be intense on the Gulf of Trieste this week.
The Friuli Venezia Giulia RC44 Cup starts on Tuesday October 7 with the match racing event. After a full round robin, the team owners will take (or keep) the helm for three days of fleet racing. A long distance race – the DHL Trophy – will take the fleet around the Gulf of Trieste. The winner of this race will be awarded with the DHL Trophy, whilst the points of the regatta will be incorporated in the fleet race ranking.
On Sunday, October 12, most RC 44’s will participate in the Barcolana regatta, one of the world’s biggest regattas with over 1500 boats on the starting line.
2012 Olympic Moth Proposal
The Background…
* The Laser was selected as the Men’s Single Hander Event in the 2008 Olympic Games but in November 2008, the ISAF Council will make a decision on the most suitable Class/Equipment for the Men’s Single Hander Event in 2012.
The Status…
* The International Moth Class has been proposed by the Hong Kong Sailing Federation as a suitable Class for the Men’s Single Hander Event at the 2012 Olympic Games.
The Competition…
* In addition to the Moth, the Laser, Finn, Musto Skiff and Europe have also been shortlisted as possible Equipment choices the Men’s Single Hander Event in 2012.
The Objective…
* To select a Bladerider Moth for the Men’s Single Hander Event in the 2012 Olympics.
The Choice…
* Option 1: The Bladerider FX Moth – cheaper alternative to the carbon version.
Weight: approx 40kg (fully rigged)
Price: 7.750 Euro or US$11,500
* Option 2: The Bladerider RX Moth – lighter alternative to the fiberglass version
Weight: approx 32kg (fully rigged)
Price: 9.750 Euro or US$13,950
The Requirement…
* ISAF Council to vote in the Moth Class for the Men’s Single Hander Event and select the most suitable Bladerider for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Designed for the recent Classe 9.50*, the FoX9.50 has been developed with the yard Arctic Composite based in northern Sweden. Simplicity and efficiency have been leading the design process, with the aim to produce a versatile, reliable and highly capable yacht suited for most of the European sailing areas. The moderate beam waterline, a hull shape adopting the progressive chine boosting up the power when heeling, a high aspect and well balanced rig, some refined appendages are the main exterior signs of this design philosophy. The boat is fitted with full Harken hardware as standard and the very light and low drag Lombardini sail drive engine. The Launch of the prototype is planned for spring 2008, initiating at the same time the start of the series production of the craft. Complete specification and pricing are available on demand.
* You are keen on offshore cruises and races, you’re thrilled by the performances of the mini transat 6.50s though you would need more internal volume without being able to afford the price tag of a 40 footer? This new rule has been created just around your sailing program! Learn more at classe950.blogspot.com
http://www.fox-tech.fr/950construction.html
Yesterday the Lüderitz Speed Challenge saw Sebastien Cattelan of France become the first human being to sail at more than 50 knots (93kph) – a world record he held for only 24 hours before compatriot Alexandre Caizergues snatched it away with not one but three runs over 50 knots – reaching a top speed of 50.57 knots (93.65kph).
Alexandre Caizergues
• Alexandre Caizergues (France) – new outright world speed sailing record of 50.57 knots
(F-One, Ouest Provence, Volkswagen Utilitaires, ION, Placide)
• New outright Netherlands speed sailing record: Rolf van der Vlugt 45.99 knots (Airush, Mystic, Protest, TUDelft, X-tremeboards)
• New outright UK speed sailing record: David Williams 44.78 knots
(Best Kiteboarding, Dead Man clothing, KMS)
• New outright France women’s speed sailing record: Charlotte Consorti 43.53 knots (F-One, Nike, Maui Magic, Baracuda, Weleda)
• New outright Slovenia speed sailing record: Jernej Privsek 41.97 knots
(Jägermeister, Cocta, Kitesfera, Garmin)
• New outright Belgium speed sailing record: Christian Baret 40.87 knots
(Summerwood Guesthouse)
• New outright Netherlands women’s speed sailing record: Katja Roose 37.18 knots (Protest, Maui Magic, Airush)
• New UK women’s kitesurf record: Jemma Grobbelaar 35.61 knots (Flexifoil, Xelerator, Dakine, Arnette, Derevko, Cti, Lizzy, Island Tribe)
These speeds are verified, but are still subject to ratification by the WSSRC.
The massive winds that blew yesterday were exceeded today, although a later low tide meant a slightly delayed start. Several of the top competitors, including Cattelan and American Rob Douglas (who set a new world record in the first few days of the Lüderitz Speed Challenge), selected slightly smaller kites in today’s exceptionally strong conditions, but then swapped back – possibly costing them a few valuable fractions of a second on the 500m run. They still achieved top results, with Cattelan getting a 49.69 and Douglas a 48.82. Other top performers today were Christophe Prin Guenon (FR), who reached 49.54, and Jerome Bila (FR) who hit 49.09.
more here
http://www.luderitz-speed.com/default.aspx
Valencia Sailing
http://valenciasailing.blogspot.com/
The BMW Oracle temporary compound in San Diego with the trimaran getting ready to sail. San Diego, 4 October 2008. Photo copyright Goli
meanwhile
03.10.2008 CET
Friuli Venezia Giulia RC44 Cup with BMW ORACLE Racing.
BMW ORACLE Racing will compete in the fifth event of the RC 44 Championship Tour 2008 October 7th to 11th in Trieste, Italy. With Larry Ellison (USA) helming and Russell Coutts (NZL) calling tactics, the team looks forward to lining up against some of the world’s best match racers.
The Friuli Venezia Giulia RC44 Cup will start on Tuesday 7th October with a match racing regatta. Once the full round robin is completed, three days of fleet racing are scheduled. A long distance race – the DHL Trophy – will take the fleet around the Gulf of Trieste. The winner of this race will be awarded the DHL Trophy, whilst the points from the regatta will be incorporated in the fleet race ranking.
Also on board with Ellison and Coutts are BMW ORACLE Racing’s Dirk de Ridder (NED), mainsail trimmer; Ross Halcrow (NZL), trimmer; and Alan Smith (NZL); bow.
Peter de Ridder joins BMW ORACLE Racing as helmsman for the fleet racing while Coutts will join Patrick de Barros’s team for the fleet racing. BMW ORACLE Racing’s Hamish Pepper (NZL) will be the tactician for de Ridder in the fleet racing regatta.
Other BMW ORACLE Racing team members competing in Trieste include Michele Ivaldi (ITA) and Joe Newton (AUS) with Team Cereef and Daniel Fong (NZL), Alberto Barovier (ITA) and Julien Di Biase (SUI) will sail on de Barros’ Team Banco Espirito Santo.
BMW ORACLE Racing is currently in second place overall in the match racing standings, seven points behind the leaders, Team Ceeref. However, BMW ORACLE Racing did not take part in the first regatta of the season and the duel has been very intense ever since. With Ellison at the helm against the pro drivers, he has obtained the same number of points as Team Ceeref since he joined the class in Cagliari, claiming two victories and a third place compared to two seconds and a first for Ceeref.
more here
http://bmworacleracing.com/en/news/articles/1003_rc.html?track.refer=/en/index.html&track.type=home
Photo Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race
Saturday, 04 October 2008 18:25:21
By Mark Chisnell
It was won by Bouwe Bekking, Iker Martinez and their boys on Telefonica Blue, with a beautiful day’s sailing – fast, tidy and with few if any errors. But the Play of the Day was all PUMA’s – sixth in the first race and up against the ropes, they pulled a blinder that got them right back into it, almost won them the second race and gave them a third for the day overall.
It was all about the code – specifically, the Code Zero. The rules have changed since the last Volvo Ocean Race to allow these huge sails – hoisted all the way to the top of the mast from the bow, and overlapping the mainsail almost back to the end of the boom.
And once they were legal, everyone started to wonder how best to use them. The rules specify only three of these masthead sails, and two of the slots were always going to be used by conventional downwind sails – spinnakers, that would try and cover the widest possible set of conditions.
But the opportunity now existed to try and build a sail that would go upwind. The sail area could potentially generate huge extra horsepower, and transform the boat’s performance in the light winds.
But was it practical – could the rigs be built strong enough, could the boats be built strong enough, and would the sails hold their shape sufficiently under the huge loads? No one really knew the answers to that – until today.
Kenny Read and his trimmers were clearly keen to use the sail in the first race, they only swapped it out for a conventional headsail at the last minute.
But it takes a lot of bottle to start the first race of a long series against completely unknown opposition with an entirely different sail up.
And we’re not talking about the difference between the light and the medium jib here, we’re talking about maybe another 100 sqm.
Speaking afterwards, Read said: “We’ve practiced a lot in those conditions before, and I’m only kicking myself for not using it in the first race. We knew we could do it and no one else had it up and I changed it with five minutes to go.”
But they came out a little punchier for the second, and the Code Zero was hoisted. They stuck with it right through the aborted first start – although there was a headsail on the foredeck just in case.
And it worked – with half the fleet jammed up at the committee boat (and some serious contact between the Russians and Delta Lloyd), and Ericsson 3 over the line, PUMA just cruised away in clear air and very good shape.
And sailing upwind they looked awesome. Yup, the tacks are pretty ugly – the sail has to be furled as the boat is pushed through the eye of the wind, and the boat is really slow until the sail is unfurled again, but once they’re moving, they’re off like a robber’s dog. As Read commented: “It would have been smoking in the first race too, just a shame.”
The only boat to match the play was Green Dragon, and perhaps that means that only Green Dragon have set the boat up to use these sails in these conditions.
But it didn’t really work for Ian Walker and his Irish/Chinese team – that may just have been a question of a less well developed sail, or one that wasn’t intended to go as far up the wind range, or as close to the breeze.
And Green Dragon have not had as much time on the water as Puma, and less time to learn how to handle the sail through the tacks. They didn’t look quite as slick.
It’s an open question whether the Telefonica boats – with structurally lighter looking rigs and no jumpers – could take the sail as far up the wind range and match PUMA with a Code Zero hoist in those conditions. Read reckons their Code Zero will go fine in 11 knots, it’s just that much slower to tack and harder to use on a short beat.
But when asked about the sail, Bouwe Bekking said: “We could use it as well, but if you use it in a fleet race you can’t tack or protect as well.”
And in the end it was Telefonica Blue who got the better of the race, drawing closer on the second beat, as PUMA tried to balance the extra tacks to stay in phase with a seriously shifting breeze, against the six or so boat lengths they lost with each tack.
Telefonica Blue finally slipped through on the final run, as Puma either hit a light spot or slightly overstood the gate – hard to tell from where we were positioned – and Telefonica Blue rolled by.
Nevertheless, Read and his team will take a valuable lesson away from today – although he warned about drawing any conclusions in conditions that were dominated by positioning and clean sailing, rather than boat speed.
He said: “We learned we got a little weapon there …” It’s part of a wider strategy, which Read explained as “build a big old powerful boat, and hopefully have something that can get you through the light stuff.”
It’s the strategy that Read reckons won ABN AMRO ONE the last race, and one that his team have taken to heart. And remember, while in today’s conditions PUMA didn’t – as Read put it – “light the world on fire” neither did ABN AMRO ONE in the first, light air day in Sanxenxo in 2005. But there I go, trying to draw conclusions when I really should wait to see what happens next …
Photo Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race
WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR TELEFÓNICA BLUE IN VOLVO OCEAN RACE ALICANTE IN-PORT RACE
Portsmouth (England) – 4 October 2008 – Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/Iker Martinez) made it a win-win situation in today’s in-port races held in Alicante, Spain, and now head the leaderboard of the Volvo Ocean Race.
After two races held in the bay of Alicante in glorious Mediterranean sunshine, leading from start to finish in race one, and winning an intense battle from Puma to take race two, Telefónica Blue finished in first place overall in front of their home crowd.
“It was a very difficult day, the wind shifted a lot but we had a good time, both boats did very well and we enjoyed ourselves,” said Bouwe Bekking after his win.
Tension has been mounting in Alicante, Spain, all week in anticipation of today’s in-port race where the eight-strong Volvo Ocean Race fleet showed their form for the first time.
The short windward/leeward track set close to the shore was lined by over 500 spectator craft and thousands of people watched from the many vantage points on the shore. The quay walls which gave an excellent view, were packed, and huge crowds gathered around the big screen in the race village as well as around the screens showing the race live in nearby hotels. Four helicopters hovered overhead, beaming back live footage to www.volvooceanrace.tv.
The first of two races got away at just after 1300 local time in a light south-easterly breeze, and was led from start to finish by Bouwe Bekking and Iker Martinez with local boat, Telefónica Blue, putting in an impressive performance.
The battle for second place in race one was hard fought but at the gun it was Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri) who claimed second place with Green Dragon (Ian Walker) in third. Both Telefónica boats have their training base in Alicante and their experience in this light and fluky breeze was evident, sailing high and fast throughout.
Green Dragon displayed some impressive speed in these conditions and led the fleet across the pin-end of the start line, while the rest of the fleet did not look so comfortable in this wind range.
Race two was postponed just 30 seconds before the start as the wind shifted violently and then carnage ensued at the committee boat end of the line when the gun eventually fired. Team Russia (Andreas Hanakamp) collided with Delta Lloyd (Ger O’Rourke) and both boats were holed close the water line. Team Russia subsequently took a penalty turn and Ericsson 3 (Anders Lewander) had to dip back across the line after being OCS (on course side) when the gun fired.
Puma (Ken Read) smoked away from the fleet looking very impressive, flying her massive Code Zero headsail with ease, but Telefónica Blue was hot on her heels. This short course was very effective in churning out the action today as the rest of the fleet struggled to hoist and drop their massive headsails at the turning marks and the latest generation of Code Zero sails caused problems across the fleet as the boats experimented.
Telefónica Black and Green Dragon scrapped as they approached the spectator fleet in third and fourth place while Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael) sailed confidently in clear air and Green Dragon was spat back into fifth as the group approached the top mark for the second time.
Telefónica Blue closed to within a boat length of Puma as they approached the mid-course gate for the final time and Puma struggled to hold onto their lead. Telefónica Blue finally rolled Puma as the American team went slightly wide at the gate and Telefónica Blue snatched the advantage to claim a double victory.
Puma skipper Ken Read said, “We are really pleased with the day. It was an ugly first race, but we’re happy with a third overall. The guys like each other and, after so much time, it’s good to go racing. It was a hard day and you have to put yourself in the right spot.”
The duel for third place between Telefónica Black and Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael) continued, while Ericsson 3 and Green Dragon continued to scrap and the two damaged boats, Delta Lloyd and Team Russia held a private fight at the back of the fleet.
The points for the day were calculated from the finishing positions in both races.
1. Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/Iker Martinez) 4 points
2. Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri) 3.5 points
3. Puma Il Mostro (Ken Read) 3 points
4. Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael) 2.5 points
5. Green Dragon (Ian Walker) 2 points
6. Delta Lloyd (Ger O’Rourke) 1 point
7. Ericsson 3 (Anders Lewander) 0.5 points*
8. Team Russia (Andreas Hanakamp) 0.5 points
*one point has been deducted from the Ericsson 3 score as per the jury decision number JN04 2 October.
Two races were held with a mid course gate set as a pinch point in the windward/leeward race course. Points from both races were amalgamated to give an overall score for the day’s racing. Tie breaks were decided by finishing positions in race two.
The Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 is the 10th running of this ocean marathon. Leg one will start from Alicante in Spain, on 11 October 2008 and will, for the first time, take in Cochin, India, Singapore and Qingdao, China before finishing in St Petersburg, Russia for the first time in the history of the race. Spanning some 37,000 nautical miles, stopping at 11 ports and taking nine months to complete, the Volvo Ocean Race is the world’s premier yacht race for professional racing crews.
The rig has been canted to Starboard for this weeks speed runs.
Photo Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race
Sat, 04 October 2008 07:00:00
by Mark Chisnell
The Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 will open in Alicante, Spain, today with the first of seven in-port races. The action kicks off at 13.00 local time and there have been plenty of changes to the format.
The layout of the race course and the spectator areas are shown in the diagram (link at end of story), and anyone who watched last time around will see that the course is tighter and more difficult. If there’s strong breeze (and at this stage that looks unlikely) then this race course will score a difficulty quotient of 11 out of 10.
The fleet will race into the wind initially, from a start line at the bottom of the course. Tacking upwind (as yachties say), they will have to pass through a 300-metre wide mid-course gate (like a chicane) on every leg. Once through the gate and around the top mark (which they will have to leave on the port, or left hand side of the boat) they will head back down the course.
Now they will be sailing downwind, and once again will have to pass through the mid-course gate. The bottom of the race course will also be a gate, giving the yachts a choice of rounding the buoys at either end, before they turn back up, into the wind for the second and final lap.
The scoring is straightforward – the winner of each race gets four points, second 3.5, third gets three points and so on. The yacht with the highest number of points from the two races wins the day.
This time around there will be two races each day, both lasting for a couple of laps, with a target time for each race of just 50 minutes. The sailors amongst you can do the maths – the implications for the crew work are stark – with four legs per race that’s an average of 12.5 minutes a leg (give or take a bit).
And with the mid-course gate to be negotiated as well, that means the fleet will be pushed back together every six minutes or so.
That’s going to put a lot of pressure on crew work, especially on boats that were designed to primarily race around the world, rather than around short courses inshore. And it’s going to mean that a clean lane – or space to sail, free from the opposition’s bad air and wake – will be worth more than gold bars in a credit crunch.
The boats are allowed another couple of crew members for these in-port races, so you will find some America’s Cup grinding legends on the crew rosters. I’ve already bumped into (and that can hurt) Andrew ‘Raw Meat’ Taylor on the dock – sailing with Kenny Read aboard PUMA, before returning to duty with BMW Oracle (whatever that entails, these days) and not worrying about the weather in the South Atlantic anytime soon.
Another thing to watch out for is that we are going to be using Addendum Q for protests and penalties. (For those of you who have rule books, there’s not much point getting them out and having a look, as these are still experimental and aren’t published in the printed editions.
But they have been brought together with the in-port race sailing instructions which you can download here (http://noticeboard.volvooceanrace.org/?cat=13).)
Boiling it down to the bones, Addendum Q says that the umpires can give on-the-water penalties in the same way as they would in a match race like the America’s Cup. If there is an incident in which one boat thinks another may have infringed a rule, they can ask the umpire for a decision by shouting protest (which you probably won’t hear) and waving a red flag (which you might see).
The umpires can then penalise a boat by blowing a whistle and waving a red flag at the guilty party – who must complete a penalty turn, involving a tack and a gybe, and a minimum rotation of 360 degrees.
If the umpires don’t think a rule has been broken they can wave a green flag. There’s a bunch of other stuff to account for more serious infringements, but let’s hope we don’t need any of that …
The high pressure that has dominated the weather in Alicante recently will continue drifting east, and that will ease the northerly gradient wind over the race course, and veer the wind (shift it to the right, looking into the wind) round to the south-east.
The race forecaster, Jennifer Lilly, is calling for an average of ten knots (nothing more that 12), with maybe a lull around midday (so that could affect our start). We’re hoping that we’ll see a south-southeasterly breeze this afternoon, at 7-10 knots, with some thermal or sea breeze reinforcement. That would mean very similar conditions to those we had for Thursday’s practice race – and would make for a perfect opener.
As to who’s going to win and what it’s going to tell us … the opening in-port race of the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race was won by Ericsson, who subsequently slid down the rankings to finish fifth overall, with only movistar (abandoned to the elements to sink on Leg 7) and Brunel (who missed the middle half of the race) behind them. So er … like, last then.
And who was last in that first in-port? – ABN AMRO ONE – the run-away winner of the last Volvo – so don’t expect to learn too much today.
The Fifty Knot barrier and new world record falls to France’s Sebastien Cattelan
Friday, 03 October 2008
It was a massive Friday at the Luderitz Speed Challenge, with a new outright world record, and the magic 50 knot barrier broken by Sebastien Cattelan of France with a blistering run of 50.26 knots (93kph). The new record, still subject to ratification by a sitting of the World Speed Sailing Records Council, has placed the small coastal town in the southern part of Namibia firmly on the map for the extreme sport of speed sailing, where sailing boards, windsurfers and kitesurfers use only the natural elements to power them to almost 100kph speeds.
In the 35 to 40 knot winds that blew today, gusting to more than 45 knots (83kph), the speed sailors braved very rough water conditions to achieve these records speeds, with numerous runs by top sailors of over 49 knots. Several new outright records were set:
* Sebastien Cattelan 50.26 knots – new world outright speed sailing record, and the first person to break the magic “50 knot” barrier
* Rolf van der Vlugt 44.9 knots – new Dutch outright speed sailing record
* David Williams 44.82 knots – new UK outright speed sailing record
* Charlotte Consorti 42.19 knots – new French women’s outright speed sailing record
* Katja Roose 36.83 – new Dutch women’s outright speed sailing record
Other top times today were from Jerome Bila 49.26 knots and Alexander Caizergues at 49.21 knots. Note that these times are verified by the official time keeper, but are still subject to final ratification by the WSSRC.
Cattelan, who has been kiting for over ten years, is a pioneer of speed sailing, and was the driving force behind establishing this speed strip in Lüderitz, where a smooth stretch of water in the lagoon is buffeted by the already strong winds of the area that are accelerated by a shallow valley. His new record ups the ante in this 2008 edition of the month-long Luederitz Speed Challenge, where American Rob Douglas’ 49.84 knots on the 19th September smashed the 49.09 knot world record set by windsurfer Antoine Albeau in the ‘trench’ at St Marie de la Mer in France earlier this year.
Coming into today’s event, he was struggling with an unrelated small injury, requiring him to reduce his activity. “I’ve been in bed the last three days, concentrating on what I would do today. Then I just did it,” he says. According to Cattelan, his record breaking run of today saw a maximum speed of 58 knots – 107kph – on the GPS, with an average of 54.5 knots over 200m.
Saturday promises even stronger winds, with a new milestone ahead of the competitors – the psychological barriers of 60mph and then 100kph.
Both the competitors and ESF Events, the organisers of the Luederitz Speed Challenge are expecting even more world-beating performances tomorrow.
http://www.speedworldcup.com/general-news/the-fifty-knot-barrier-and-new-world-record-falls-to-france-s-sebastien-cat-3.html
Emirates continues Team New Zealand support and backs new TP52 campaign
01/10/08
Emirates, the Dubai-based global airline, on Wednesday confirmed its continued support for New Zealand and the sport of sailing by renewing its successful partnership with Emirates Team New Zealand.
Following on from last week’s announcement that Emirates has become the first Worldwide Partner to sign up for Rugby World Cup 2011, the airline has also committed to backing Emirates Team New Zealand on the Mediterranean TP52 regatta circuit next year.
TP52s are pure racing platforms, high performance monohulls capable of racing in both buoy regattas and offshore races. They are 52ft long and race with a crew of 15.
TP52s do not have water ballast, canting keels or running back stays; owners preferring to keep it simple, safe and reliable. They can easily exceed 25 knots off the wind and frequently break 30 knots, and have won the majority of bluewater regattas that they have entered, as well as a number of high-profile buoy races against the best boats in the world.
The team has started building a TP52 yacht in Auckland. It will be launched on February 17 and shipped to Europe in mid-March. It will compete under the Emirates banner, with the award-winning airline and Matteo de Nora, a strategic adviser to the team, funding the project.
In signing the sponsorship agreement in Auckland on behalf of Emirates, Gary Chapman, President Group Services, Emirates Group, said: “We saw a fabulous 33rd contest for the America’s Cup, with Emirates Team New Zealand winning the Louis Vuitton challenger series and then putting up a fantastic effort in the America’s Cup challenge itself. We were as inspired by this great challenge as much as the New Zealand public was and we are delighted to once more get behind Emirates Team New Zealand with this TP52 initiative, and beyond to 2011.
“Emirates Team New Zealand has proved its worth on the water as a real competitor, and, it is fair to say, it surpassed our international expectations promotionally on the global stage as a brand builder.
“Our participation has also underlined our commitment to the New Zealand market, in which we are now a key player with four wide-bodied services a day from New Zealand to Dubai and beyond via Australia.
“When we first backed the team in 2004 we saw in it many features that we could relate to, including its drive, focus and competitiveness. The team continues to also seek excellence in all aspects of its operation and in all these respects we feel there a strong compatibility with Emirates Airline as an award-winning international airline.”
Mr. Chapman said Emirates Team New Zealand now had the opportunity to take its performance to another level.
“With new inflight comfort, services and entertainment features in our fleet, and the Airbus A380 super-jumbos coming into New Zealand in 2009, we are also going up another notch.”
Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker said the Grand Prix TP52 circuit is one of the most competitive in the world. “A team entry on the circuit is the next logical step in our preparation for a next multi-challenge America’s Cup.
“The Med Cup circuit got going three years ago and each year has got better and better to the point where it is now the absolute top-end of keel boat racing outside the America’s Cup.
Many of the 2007 America’s Cup teams are involved as teams or with crewing on the boats.
The aim has been to use the expertise available within the team to compete on a circuit widely regarded as the most competitive in the world.
The ETNZ TP52 was designed by the team’s principal designer Marcelino Botin and structural and mechanical engineers. Sail and rig designers have also been involved. Members of the sailing team have designed the deck layout and internal systems.
Building started at Cookson Boats on the North Shore on 15th September. It will be launched on 17th February next year. Sea trials and testing will follow and the yacht will be shipped to Europe in mid-March 2009.
Dean Barker said: “The TP52 is still a development class and there’s scope to optimise every part of the boat’s equipment and operation, much as there has been in the America’s Cup Class.
“The TP52 will give us the opportunity to continue to develop and test the sailing team in preparation for the next multi-challenge America’s Cup.”
“With a crew of 15 we will be able to work on combinations and communications that we use on the Cup boats. These boats at 52ft long are like big, high-performance dinghies, something like the new AC 90 class and they definitely reward good crew work.
“If a team is to stay sharp and focused it needs to sail as a team. With a crew of 15, the TP52 will let us work combinations and communications in full-on racing conditions.”
ETNZ sailing team members have been represented on the Med Cup circuit previously, most notably on board Mean Machine the 2006 winner. This year Bribon, often helmed by the King of Spain, was sailed into second place overall by Dean Barker.
Grant Dalton said he appreciated the continued support from the team’s naming sponsor, Emirates. “This project and continuing support gives us a team-wide focus while we wait for final resolution to the Oracle/Alinghi legal action.”
more here
http://www.emiratesteamnz.com/news/081001_01.aspx
Valencia Sailing
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Imminent solution to the America’s Cup debacle?
It appears the end of the long and tedious legal battle that has stalled the America’s Cup is not as far as most people think, in fact it could be much closer, at least according to information we received on Friday, from sources in Valencia we deem to be reliable.
According to our sources, the meeting that took place between Ernesto Bertarelli and Larry Ellison in San Francisco a week ago was much more than “cordial” or “positive” (two words used by the two teams in their press releases). It appears the two billionaires had more than a simple talk and probably set the foundations for a possible deal which could be formalized before the end of October or during the first week of November.
In fact, always according to the same source, the two men will meet once again during the Friuli Venezia Giulia RC 44 Cup that starts on Tuesday in the Italian city of Trieste. Even if the deal is not finalized there, an important step forward might be taken. BMW Oracle will become the Challenger of Record CNEV will remain the Challenger of Record with a Protocol quite similar to that of the 32nd America’s Cup. The Cup will be raced on monohulls, less than 90 feet long, in Valencia, in 2010 or 2011.
Bladerider Grants a Licence for Topkey
to Manufacture the New X-Series
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Bladerider International, a leading manufacturer of extreme sailing boats, today announced that they have licensed Topkey Corporation to build two new Bladerider models.
With the potential of reaching a much wider market, Bladerider set out to make an affordable alternative to its already successful X8 model. With the release of the FX and RX, now everyone will be able to go Bladeriding.
The Bladerider FX is a low cost and highly durable single handed hydrofoiler that is ideally suited to sailing clubs, junior/youth sailors and those that want to get into foiling.
The lighter Bladerider RX replaces the two-time World Champion X8 as the more extreme foiler for experienced dinghy or Grand Prix sailors. The RX will not only be stiffer, stronger, and more durable than the X8, but it will also be 20% lower in price.
Topkey Corporation will build these two new models according to aerospace standard AS9100 as well as ISO9001. This is a first in the boat building industry. Bladerider recently moved it’s manufacturing from McConaghy Boats in China to Topkey because of the years of experience they have in using a wide variety of composite materials, as well as Topkey’s proven ability to manufacture high volumes without compromising quality.
As Bladerider s really do fly, it’s only logical that they should be built to aerospace standards!
Topkey starts manufacturing Bladerider s in October 2008 and from November 2008, Topkey will be dispatching container loads of Bladerider s to Europe, US and Australia .
PRESS RELEASE – RC 44 Championship Tour – Friuli Venezia Giulia RC44 Cup
New teams join the RC 44 Class for the Friuli Venezia Giulia RC 44 Cup
Formerly known as the Trieste Cup, the Friuli Venezia Giulia RC 44 Cup will take place next week in Trieste (ITA). Some prestigious sailing teams and skippers join the RC 44 Championship Tour, and will certainly add spice to the end of the season.
The fifth event of the RC 44 Championship Tour 2008 will take place in Trieste (ITA) on October 7-11. The regatta will assemble some of the world’s best sailors on board ten strict one design RC 44’s. It will also mark the arrival of some new prestigious teams and sailors.
Torbjorn Tornqvist will sail his brand new RC 44 “Artemis” for the first time, with Dean Barker at the helm for the match races. Barker knows the RC 44 Class well, having already competed in many events. However it will be his first outing on an RC 44 with Torbjorn Tornqvist and his team.
Peter de Ridder joins Larry Ellison’s BMW ORACLE Racing as fleet race helmsman, whilst Pieter Heerema and his pro sailor Peter Wibroe will discover the Class onboard Mascalzone Latino. 23 year old Wibroe, from Denmark, is the current European Match Race Champion and an established name on the World Match Race Tour.
Finally, Morgan Larson replaces James Spithill on board Ceeref for this regatta.
With only two more events to complete before the end of the season, the RC 44 Championship Tour 2008 is well on its way and some early leaders have emerged.
The Slovenian team Ceeref is the leader of the match race ranking, ahead of Larry Ellison’s BMW ORACLE Racing – who didn’t take part in the first regatta of the season and sits therefore seven points behind the leader. The dual is very intense: Larry Ellison has obtained the same number of points as James Spithill since he joined the Class in Cagliari, with two victories and a third for the American against two second and a first for the Australian.
In the fleet regatta, Team Hiroshi – Città di Milano enjoys a comfortable lead over Igor Lah’s Ceeref. Patrick de Barros’ Banco Espirito Santo is only two points behind Ceeref: no doubt that the race within the race will be tough between these two teams.
Finally, Patrick de Barros and his Team Banco Espirito Santo are the clear leaders on long distance courses, with three victories and a fifth place in the DHL Trophy.
The Friuli Venezia Giulia RC44 Cup will start on Tuesday October 7 with the match racing event. After a full round robin, the team owners will take (or keep) the helm for three days of fleet racing. A long distance race – the DHL Trophy – will take the fleet around the Gulf of Trieste. The winner of this race will be awarded with the DHL Trophy, whilst the points of the regatta will be incorporated in the fleet race ranking.
On Sunday, October 12, most RC 44’s will participate in the Barcolana regatta, one of the world’s biggest regattas with over 1500 boats on the starting line.
Blast from the past
