Record Breaking Quadriplegic Woman Re-Launches Solo Sail Around Britain.
Hilary is preparing to complete the round Britain dream starting from Plymouth at the end of May, 2009. Hilary Lister, 36, will officially re-launch the “Round Britain Dream”, in which she aims to become the first disabled woman to sail solo around Britain, on stand P80 at this year’s Earl’s Court Sail, Power & Water Sports Show. Hilary first came to prominence when, in 2005, she became the first disabled sailor to cross the English Channel, single-handed. In 2007 she became the first disabled woman to sail around the Isle of Wight
and here
newsletter-march-2009-bach-yachting
At 0050 GMT this morning, (19/03), Felipe Cubillos and José Muñoz sailed into the history books on Desafio Cabo de Hornos when the Chilean duo rounded Cape Horn earlier today. Instantaneously, their offshore sailing CV has quadrupled in size. The first yacht in the Portimão Global Ocean Race to pass the cape; the first Chilean team to round Cape Horn in a race; the first modern, 40ft yacht to race around the bottom of the globe and the first Class 40 to take on the Southern Ocean and reach 56°S.
The overture to rounding of the world’s southernmost cape has been dramatic for Cubillos and Muñoz. At 1700 GMT yesterday (18/03), Desafio Cabo de Hornos passed three miles south of the Islas Ildelfonso: nine jagged, uninhabited and unlit stacks of rock at the western entrance to Drake Passage. Immediately, Cubillos fired off an email to the rest of the fleet: “Please take care of these rocks,” he warned. “They are north of our current position, but my impression is that they are a little bit south of the position marked on the chart and they’re unlit.” Three hours later, a Chilean Navy P-111 spotter plane buzzed Desafio Cabo de Hornos, quickly followed by a congratulatory call from the office of the Chilean President and greetings from Boris Herrmann and Felix Oehme 85 miles astern in second place on Beluga Racer.
must be a special place.
YOUNG GUNS COME OUT BLAZING
Minoprio takes early Tour lead with victory in Marseille
London, UK – In having scored their first World Match Racing Tour victory on Sunday at the Marseille International Match Race, Adam Minoprio (NZL) and his Emirates Team New Zealand/BlackMatch Racing team have taken an early lead in the Tour standings over some much more established teams. Their win, along with the 3rd place finish of 22-year old Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and his Mirsky Racing Team, shows that these young teams are a force to be reckoned with for the upcoming 2009 Tour season.
Taking the very talented runner-up Mathieu Richard (FRA) and his French Match Racing Team/Team French Spirit to three matches in the first-to-three point Finals at an event hosted in their native land, Minoprio showed signs of talent and poise under pressure well beyond his 23 years. And while Mirsky could not get past Richard in the Semi-Finals, he did take that series to three hard-fought matches, and then proceeded to dominate another native French team led by Damien Iehl 2-0 in the Petite Finals.
For their efforts, Minoprio won €10000 of the €50000 purse and 25 points on the Tour leader board, while Richard won €8000 and 20 points, and Mirsky €7000 and 15 points.
So with these two young Antipodeans having gotten off to an impressive start to the ten-event 2009 season, they may very well present a formidable obstacle to Richard, fellow Frenchman Sebastian Col and his French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge, and reigning World Champion Ian Williams (GBR) and his Bahrain Team Pindar to once again dominate the podium positions in this year’s Tour standings. Col finished down the pack in 6th in Marseille, his hometown, while Williams finished deep in 8th place.
But ironically there was another surprise in Marseille, but at the other end of the age spectrum: veteran Tour campaigner and reigning America’s Cup champion Ed Baird and his team from Alinghi sailed to the top of the 12-team field in the Round Robin, and went on to finish a respectable 5th in the event. After a several year hiatus to focus on the America’s Cup competitions and training, Baird said “It is great to be on the Tour once again and to get an opportunity to sail against these guys. The game has clearly moved on since I was last on the Tour, so we’re pleased we can come out and learn and still be competitive.”
And speaking of hiatus, there will be a long break in Tour action until 27 May which marks the start of Stage 2 of the 2009 schedule, Match Race Germany held on the beautiful Bavarian shore of Lake Constance in Langenargen. This event will feature several teams holding Tour Cards, including Minoprio, Mirsky, Richard, and Col.
Highlights of WMRT shows can be seen on http://www.sail.tv/ and vimeo.com/channels/wmrt
Current World Match Racing Tour Leaderboard (top eight teams after stage one of ten):
1. Adam Minoprio (NZL) Emirates Team New Zealand/Black Match Racing, 25
2. Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team/ French Team Spirit, 20
3. Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team, 15
4. Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team, 12
5. Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi, 10
6. Sebastien Col (FRA) French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge, 8
7. Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Shosholoza, 6
8. Ian Williams (GBR) Bahrain Team Pindar, 4 points
About the World Match Racing Tour:
• The World Match Racing Tour is the leading professional sailing series featuring 10 World Championship events across the globe
• The World Tour is sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) with “Special Event” status
• The World Tour awards over US$1.5million in prize money
• Points are awarded at each event culminating in the crowning of the ‘ISAF Match Racing World Champion’
• Events utilize the same “match race” format used in the America’s Cup with racing taking place in identically supplied racing yachts which places a focuses on team work and skill. Racing takes place close to the shore for the general public to follow the races as virtual on-the-water stadiums.
• Media and television highlights coverage reaches over 600 million households in excess of 90 countries around the world.
• World Match Racing Tour sponsors include Line 7, Pindar, Custom House, Travel Places, Wedgwood and Sail.TV
The sound of grown men getting drunk on nostalgia could be heard at the point where the Pacific and Atlantic oceans meet last night. Cape Horn had intoxicated the hearts and minds of another batch of Whitbread/Volvo sailors.
One of those most affected was PUMA’s Ken Read. A maiden rounding of the Horn is a significant entry on a professional sailor’s CV and Read, who has been there and done almost everything else, is no exception.
ERICSSON 3 PROMISES A FIGHT TO THE FINISH
The crew of Ericsson 3 is still marvelling at the fact that they led the whole Volvo fleet past Cape Horn and back into the Atlantic yesterday, claiming top marks at the scoring gate at the same time.
Speaking in a radio interview today, skipper Magnus Olsson said that rounding Cape Horn is a peak in both his career and his life.
“It is my sixth time,” he said. “I am most happy for all the rookies on the boat who have never done it before, because I could see how happy they were. It is a fantastic achievement to go round first, I can hardly believe it.”
Olsson also said that whoever dares to challenge Ericsson 3 would have to work for it, promising that his team was going to work harder than ever before to finish the race in pole position.
“We have the motivation and the spirit to fight to the bitter end, that is for sure,” he added.
After passing through the Le Maire Strait, the narrow channel between the Isla de los Estados and the eastern end of Tierra del Fuego, the team ran into a light spot and their lead diminished to only five miles.
Ericsson 4 came barrelling in; only to meet a brick wall, which kept them stationary for two hours after Ericsson 3 was set free to build back her lead to around 45 nm.
Now, the leading pack of three, which includes PUMA, is approximately 50 nm west of the Falkland Islands, and the leader has less than 2,000 miles to run to the finish.
Ian Walker’s Green Dragon, which rounded the Horn early this morning, is the only boat now that has the option of leaving the Falklands to port.
The Dragons had over 30 knots of wind and big waves for their Cape Horn rounding, and the team dropped the spinnaker for two hours to ride out the worst of the storm. In the darkness, they passed 20 miles offshore and saw nothing of the famous Cape.
“It feels great to be back in the Atlantic and heading north again,” said Walker who planned to celebrate with a special bottle once the boat was in the Le Maire Strait.
Meanwhile, a day or so away from the exit of the Southern Ocean is Telefónica Blue, racing to stay ahead of a chasing storm, which threatens to engulf them with 50-knot winds.
Skipper Bouwe Bekking plans to take the blue boat as close to the rocks as possible. “It’s not only good for an impressive view, but, more important, it cuts the distance to Rio to a minimum,” he said.
Telefónica Blue is still making the most of the Southern Ocean conditions, surfing at a steady 19 knots, while the rest of the fleet is managing around 18. Green Dragon’s average speed has dropped to around 10 knots as she negotiates the light airs at the exit to the Le Maire Strait.
Caterpillar lays off workers
By IBI Magazine
Caterpillar said that it is laying off workers at facilities in Indiana and Georgia that produce engines and other components for marine applications. A statement today noted that the engine manufacturer would lay off 439 employees at its Lafayette, Indiana engine facility for at least six months beginning the end of May. This decision impacts 405 production employees and 34 management and support employees in Lafayette.
The company said lower demand for products made in Lafayette prompted the announcement. Lafayette is the company’s main source for medium-speed diesel engines for marine, petroleum, electric power, locomotive and industrial applications.
The company also said that it is laying off 200 other employees in a plant in Griffin, Georgia that manufactures engines, generators and oil service units. Caterpillar also said it intends to close its Jefferson, Georgia fuel systems facility by the end of June. It will transition work to fuel systems facilities in Thomasville, Georgia and Pontiac, Illinois. The decision will impact 89 employees.
In January, Caterpillar announced job cuts that will ultimately eliminate 20,000 positions. It also said it would cut executive compensation by up to 50 per cent and offer buyouts to about 25,000 US-based employees. The company employs about 112,000 people worldwide. “Caterpillar is rapidly executing strategic ‘trough’ plans and implementing actions throughout the company to deal with a very challenging global business environment,” said the statement. “Depending on business conditions, more layoffs and separations may be required as the year unfolds.”
Bavaria are going to be even cheaper than before!
Bavaria completes Giebelstadt yard expansion
By IBI Magazine
Germany’s Bavaria Yachtbau is offering its customers and authorised dealers a range of attractive price advantages through its new “Economy-Boost-Program’ following a major expansion at its Giebelstadt yard.
From now until May 31, the company will offer “comprehensive complete packages” and individual price advantages that are described by the company as “not inconsiderable”.
Bavaria CEO Andres Cardenas says: “Especially in a rather weak marketing environment, we want to offer our customers an extra incentive to decide for a yacht from Giebelstadt.”
After a construction period of 10 months and a €10m-plus investment in new production lines and installations, Bavaria’s yard expansion in Giebelstadt is now complete, enabling the company to build sail and motorboats of over 15m (50ft) in length.
At the same time, the painting plant and further installations have been extended by means of further investments. “With this raised efficiency and additionally improved productivity and product quality, too, Bavaria is well placed, even in hard times,” Cardenas adds.
Bavaria builds round 3,000 sailing yachts and motorboats per year at its production site in Giebelstadt, Germany. In July 2007, Bain Capital funds, together with the company’s long-time managing director Winfried Herrmann, acquired 100 per cent of Bavaria’s shares.
IN SAILING YOU CAN ONLY WIN AS A TEAM.
Bavaria Yachts presents the Bavaria Cruiser 55.
Designed by Farr Yacht Design and BMW Group DesignworksUSA.
Working together with award-winning partners Farr Yacht Design and BMW Group DesignworksUSA, Bavaria Yachts has put together a team of designated experts who complement each other perfectly and symbolize high performance in yacht design and construction.
Never before have maximum functionality and premium design standards come together to such a striking effect.
The interaction of our three expert teams has produced a sailing yacht that sets new standards: its clearly defined contours and its aesthetics will enchant you right at first sight.
The Bavaria Cruiser 55 can be ordered as of spring 2009.
Book an individual appointment with your local dealer to learn more about the 55.
VPLP and Guillaume Verdier came together in a unique and somewhat unexpected union to design Safran and Groupe Bel both IMOCA 60′ monohulls.
This was seen by purists as quite a departure for VPLP who have honed their skills over quarter of a century designing the fastest and most exclusive multihulls on the planet. With his intimate knowledge of these racing machines, Guillaum Verdier brought monohull experience to the drawing board and together the collaboration has delivered one of the most innovative designs in this edition of the Vendée Globe.
Not only has Safran proved itself over the miles, the skipper showed determination, courage and resilience in a solo circumnavigation defined by its rate of attrition. Stamina is what is needed from the man and from the machine. Marc Guillemot did justice to the VPLP / Verdier design placing 3 rd in the 6th edition of the Vendée Globe, his first attempt at a circumnavigation.
A current project
Saïdia is a project on the drawing boards that has been commissioned by a private client. She is designed to fulfil the dreams of a gentleman adventurer who wishes to share the wonders of the world with his family and friends. Saïdia is outfitted with a jacuzzi, swimming pool, three tenders from 15’ to 24’, a variety of water toys, jet skis, diving gear and even a two-person submarine for exploring reefs in the Pacific and Caribbean. Below deck attractions include an 8-seat cinema and full multimedia entertainment area with sound systems. For “keeping in trim” there is the gym and sauna which opens directly onto the aft-terrace for swimming.
This post is tagged adam, baird, bavaria, cape horn, cian, col, damien, disabled sailing, dragon, ed, ericsson, green, hilary, ian, ibi, imoca 60, lehl, lister, louis vuitton, match, mathieu, minoprio, mirsky, ocean, paolo, portimao, puma, race, Racing, richard, round britain dream, scheurer 53, sebastien, southern, torvar, volvo, vplp, williams
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