Best Sail Boats: March 2011

Thursday, March 31, 2011

DEHLER 36 CWS

Boat: DEHLER 36 CWS

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Enterprise Open Meeting at West Oxfordshire Sailing Club

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YachtsandYachting.com Enterprise Page

DEHLER 34 TM

Boat: DEHLER 34 TM

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Designer:

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Young sailors compete at the Volvo RYA Zone Championships

Author: Amy Bradley-Watson

Over 1000 youth sailors from across the country will be taking part in the Volvo RYA Zone Championships this weekend. Six zones will be hosting the event where sailors from all over the UK will be competing in this high level competition.

The Volvo RYA Zone Championships will be taking place in the following locations:

South: Lee on Solent SC
South West: Roadford Lake
South East: Bewl Valley SC
North: Ogston SC
West: Blithfield SC
East: Grafham Water SC

The classes that will be competing are Laser Standard, Laser Radial, Topper, Optimist, Mirror, Cadet, 420, 405, 29er, Hobie 16, Aloha, JOD, IMCO, 103 and handicap.

The championships are open to all junior and youth sailors of all standards and abilities, from first time racers to members of the National Squad. The Championships are aiming to provide young sailors with the opportunity to gain selection to the 2001/2002 Volvo RYA Zone Squads. RYA coaches and selectors will be on site to spot new talent and to provide advice.

This years Volvo RYA Zone Championships will form an integral part of the Ј1million Sport England funded, Volvo RYA Youth Sailing Initiative.

"The Volvo Zone Championships are a most important breakthrough for UK sailing. The Championships provide a unique opportunity for all of our Youth and Junior sailors to be seen in a competitive environment. The Championships provide an essential mechanism to identify and develop our future Olympians from club level" said Steve Joel; Youth Manager, Royal Yachting Association

2001 is a very exciting year for Volvo and Sailing. At present Great Britain's most promising youth sailors are competing at the prestigious Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships in France and on September 23rd The Volvo Ocean Race formally the Whitbread, the World's most famous ocean race starts in Southampton.

DEHLER 31

Boat: DEHLER 31

Builder: Dehler Yachts

Designer: E. G. van de Stadt

More: DEHLER 31 Specifications

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Tour Voile 2001 - Day 2, Le Havre Inshore Races

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YachtsandYachting.com Tour Voile Page

DEHLER 29

Boat: DEHLER 29

Builder: Dehler Yachts

Designer: Judel/Vrolijk

More: DEHLER 29 Specifications

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Mako Etchells National Championships - Day One

Four more races are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. This event will be the last opportunity for the highly competitive fleet to practice before the World Championships at the end of August which will be sailed in British waters for only the second time in its history.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Etchells Page

DEHLER 22

Boat: DEHLER 22

Designer: E. G. van de Stadt

More: DEHLER 22 Specifications

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National Geographic joins Volvo for Volvo Ocean Race

Author: Volvo Ocean Race

Two international brand leaders, National Geographic and Volvo Car Corporation, have signed a one-year deal valued at $9.7 million to provide global, multiplatform coverage of the Volvo Ocean Race, Round The World 2001-2002.

The cross-media package comprises scientific, adventure and environment themed content, which includes original television programming for the National Geographic Channel in at least 129 countries, Internet-based coverage and four special advertising sections in National Geographic magazine.

"We are delighted to be partnering with Volvo Car Corporation, as its concern for safety and the environment mirrors the National Geographic Society's primary mission in the 21st century of conservation and stewardship of the planet," said Steve Giannetti, Vice President and Publisher of National Geographic magazine. "National Geographic is uniquely positioned to offer advertisers cross-platform opportunities worldwide under one brand - the renowned yellow border."

Dieter Laxy, Senior Vice President, Volvo Car Corporation, said, "The Volvo Cars and National Geographic brands are synonymous with quality worldwide, so we have chosen National Geographic to help us tell the high-tech, high-adventure story of eight crews pitting themselves against the elements in one of sailing's ultimate challenges."

The 32,700-nautical-mile Volvo Ocean Race, formerly known as the Whitbread Round the World Race, will leave Southampton, England, September 23, 2001, and will finish in Kiel, Germany, around June 9, 2002.

"The deal with Volvo is a perfect fit with the National Geographic's commitment to conservation and its core genres of adventure, science and technology," said Giannetti. "Helen Feinbloom, National Geographic Channels International Senior Vice President for Advertising Sales, Richard Goldfarb, National Geographic Channel U.S. Senior Vice President for Media Sales, and Renйe Clepper, Director of Cross-Platform Sales, have worked together to devise a global and local cross-media strategy with Volvo that will reach the widest audience possible."

National Geographic Channel's coverage of the Volvo Ocean Race will include international television broadcasts over the nine months of the race to more than 110 million households in at least 129 countries. Original programming kicks off with "Science of Sailing," airing globally in September 2001. Other Channel programs will highlight the race and draw attention to the science of the oceans, and special features will focus on survival at sea and the culture and attractions of some of the port cities the yachts will visit. Ports en route include Cape Town, Sydney, Auckland, Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Baltimore, La Rochelle, France, and Gцteborg, Sweden.

Volvo's extensive media schedule will go beyond the TV specials to include other National Geographic Channel programming, including the flagship show, "National Geographic Today," a live, daily news program that airs across the United States at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET/PT.

National Geographic magazine coverage in the United States and international editions will include special advertising sections giving an overview of the race, mini-maps of places along the route and information on ocean plants and animal life. National Geographic magazine is read by nearly 50 million people in every country of the world.

Nationalgeographic.com, which attracts more than 4 million visitors a month, will have a dedicated Volvo Ocean Race, Round The World 2001-2002 Web site. At www.nationalgeographic.com/volvooceanrace , visitors will experience the day-to-day excitement of the race through news stories; dispatches from the sea; an interactive walk through of one of the boats taking part; information on the race route and ports; and information on major currents, trade winds and other geographic factors that affect the race. There will also be links to National Geographic Channel's race specials and Volvo Cars' web sites, including www.VolvoOceanAdventure.org , a free environmental education program for young people.

Volvo Car Corporation is well known for its commitment to vehicle and passenger safety and the environment. In 1927, the founders of Volvo included safety in the company's mission statement, and in 1959 Volvo was the first motor manufacturer to implement three-point safety belts in its vehicles. Since 1970's, when Volvo broadened its mission to encompass care of the environment, it has been at the forefront of minimizing vehicle emissions.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Volvo Ocean Race Information Page
www.VolvoOceanRace.org

DEFENDER 35

Boat: DEFENDER 35

More: DEFENDER 35 Specifications

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RYA Youth Sailors at the America’s Cup Jubilee Regatta

Author: Royal Yachting Association

The RYA along with the Royal Yacht Squadron and the Eric Twiname Trust have gathered twenty one talented young British sailors to enable them to experience the thrill of racing in the America’s Cup Jubilee Regatta in August.

The young sailors were selected from over sixty applications in January and have now all been assigned to the yachts they will crew on. The sailors are mostly dinghy sailors from the RYA youth squads, and have grasped this great opportunity to become involved with keelboat racing. Some have been aboard these yachts since March, and are now well accepted crew members.

Many famous yachts and their owners have agreed to accept the new crew members as they all support bringing youth sailors ‘up through the ranks’ to potentially develop world class crews. A particularly generous owner has even loaned the use of his ј tonner for racing in Cowes Week with a skipper and crew selected from this talented squad.

Adam Greene of Arun Yacht Club in Sussex is crewing on the 90ft ‘Skandia Leopard’ and talks of his experience so far:

“Well sailing with a huge crew which includes 3 Aussies is fun if not slightly unnerving to say the least. Add to that a 90ft long rocket ship and you’re getting someway to what I've been experiencing. The boat oozes 'slickness' and a huge sense of power even if you’re just looking from the dock. Sailing is something else. For instance, corporate sailing the other day with guests and cruising sails up and not pushing at all, we hit 13kts no probs. Trying to hit 13kts in our sportsboat is an achievement; in this boat, it’s a walk in the park.

I have mostly done all my sailing in dinghies and in the last few years on sportsboats. I'd like to think I was reasonably competent, but once you step on one of these boats its a different ball game. It's taking me a while to settle in and get used to the boat, but it's started easier than I'd first thought; everything is push button hydraulics. But most of all I'm having fun. The crew's great, the boats great and 'the life’, it’s superb. I can’t thank everyone involved enough!”

The Jubilee fleet, formed to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the America's Cup will consist of past and present America's Cup challengers and defenders. Yachts from many of the other America's Cup Challenger Clubs from the past will also be competing on the Solent.

The impressive line up for this regatta includes the last remaining J Class yachts Velsheda, Endeavour and Shamrock V. There will also be more than thirty 12 Metres and the modern day America’s Cup Class (ACC) yachts. The entry list will include 'Australia 2', the first yacht to lift the America's Cup from the New York Yacht Club in 132 years (1851 - 1983) through to Team New Zealand's IACC yacht, 'NZL - 32', winner of the 1995 Cup series. GBR Challenge, Great Britain's first entry in the America's Cup in 14 years, will also be competing in GBR 44.

The enthusiastic sailors will be mostly staying at the UKSA in West Cowes, where they are hoping to mix with keen young sailors from other nations. The assignments are as follows:

Henry Bulbeck - Evaine
Paul Campbell James - Rebecca
Andrew Cornah - Crackerjack
Thom D’Arcy - Crusade
Tom Finch - Desperado
Kit Glover - Babbalas
Scott Gray - Endeavour
Adam Greene - Skandia Leopard
Jonathon Griffiths - France 2
Ed Hill - Charlatan
Nick Hutton - Yellowdrama
William Jones - Yeoman
Caroline Lassen - Team Tonic
Stuart Laurie - Victory 1
Anna Ludgate - Desperado
Peter Marshall - Yeoman
Ross Monson - Skandia Leopard
Niall Myant - Moonbeam
Kate Sanders - Crusade
Nick Wilcox - Velsheda
John Wilson - Team Tonic

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com America's Cup Jubilee Page

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

DEE 25

Boat: DEE 25

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Blaze National Championship at Weston Sailing Club

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YachtsandYachting.com Blaze Page

DEBUTANTE 21

Boat: DEBUTANTE 21

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All-girl crew for the EDS Atlantic Challenge

Author: Rachel Anning

A TOUCH OF GLAMOUR FOR ALL-GIRL ENTRY IN EDS ATLANTIC CHALLENGE

Britain’s favourite glamour girl, Jordan, launches all-girl entry at an official boat-naming ceremony in London.

The EDS Atlantic Challenge is delighted to announce one week before the start on 3rd July in St. Malo, a very glamorous and gutsy seventh entry into this premier ‘Extreme Performance – No Limits’ fully crewed yacht race for the Open 60 fleet.

In a ceremony held in London, the one and only all-girl entry was officially named ‘Alphagraphics’ by Jordan, one of Britain’s best-known models. With an air of festive femininity, the yacht was named in recognition of their sponsor Alphagraphics, a leading multinational print shop. Joining Jordan was the youthful Swedish-born skipper Helena Darvelid, her formidable all female crew that will race the boat, and Tracy Edwards MBE, the famous yachtswoman with whom Darvelid sailed in 1998 in an attempt to set a new fastest circumnavigation record.

The crew themselves, nick-named ‘The Alpha Girls’, have a multitude of talents, not least in high performance sailing. American co-skipper Carol Archer comes from super-yacht sailing, and is joined by one of France’s top female sailors Frйdйrique Brulй, native-Hawaiian and America’s Cup veteran Suzette Smith, Polish-born offshore sailor Asia Pajkowska, and last but not least the youngest crew member, Philippa Richards, in fact the older sister of British yachtswoman Emma Richards.

“I am thrilled to be leading this team of terrific women in what I think will be a fantastic regatta,” said Helena Darvelid. “ ‘The Alpha Girls’ have got what it takes to race seriously, and to add a touch of glamour to the EDS Atlantic Challenge – watch out for our special crew racing gear when the sun comes out!”

Alphagraphics has a network of 360 rapid response print franchises located in more than 24 countries, and they now have a yacht bearing their name participating in the inaugural EDS Atlantic Challenge. The EDS Atlantic Challenge starts from St. Malo, France on July 3rd and races to Cuxhaven, Germany and Portsmouth, England before setting off across the Atlantic for Baltimore on the east coast of the United States. From there the fleet sails to Boston and then on to the finish in St. Malo with the first yachts expected to arrive between August 19 and August 22.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com EDS Atlantic Challenge Page

AMERICAN 14.6

Boat: AMERICAN 14.6

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Merlin Rocket Open Silver Tiller at Thorpe Bay Sailing Club

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YachtsandYachting.com Merlin Rocket Page

DC-14

Boat: DC-14

Builder:

Designer: MacLear and Harris

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Giraglia Rolex Cup 2001 - Offshore Race Start

Author: Susannah Bourne

GRANT DALTON'S NAUTOR CHALLENGE VOLVO 60 LED OFF THE MASSED START LINE

Grant Dalton's Nautor Challenge Volvo 60 led the 122-boat fleet off the massed start line at the beginning of the Giraglia race, the final and most important part of the Giraglia Rolex Cup.

Helmed by Bouwe 'Bekking in her first competitive outing, the grey and red 'Volvo 60 shot off the line set a mile away from the harbour of Saint-Tropez.

Soon the larger maxi yachts took their rightful place at the front of the fleet as they headed off on their 243-mile voyage to Genoa in Northern Italy via the Giraglia rock off the coast of Corsica.

Just who will take line honours tomorrow in Genoa is a tough one to predict and depends on whether the forecasted southerly winds arrive for a fast downwind ride.

If that happens then the brand new Open 60 Cometa could make the most of her extremely light weight to fly past the larger maxi yachts. At just 8 tons she is around a third of the weight of the conventional 80-footers.

The first two boats to pass the first mark of the course, Raffaele Raiola's Idea and Jim Dolan's Sagamore, seemed more intent on their personal match race than extending their lead over the next boats, My Song and Rrose Selavy.

The smaller boats,which range right down to the 6.5m Mini Transat yachts, will be hoping the wind builds in the latter stages of the race, as it did last year when the 30-footers stole the top prizes from the multi-million pound, professionally crewed big boats.

The top sailors were divided over whether the course record, set three years ago by the Open 60 Riviera di Rimini, was under threat. "The winds around the Giraglia rock are always difficult, but if it is south-easterly to Genoa then it could be good for the record."

But Rrose Selavy's Mauro Pelaschier, the former America's Cup helmsman, believed light winds would prevail. "We are not looking at record breaking condiions this year."

Grant Dalton said he was not concerned about records. "For us this race is about bedding in a new boat and a new crew," he commented. But some of those crew are top American keelboat racer Dee Smith and triple 49er world champion Chris Nicholson. If they see the record is on, they won't be able to resist the challenge.

The Giraglia Race is now in its 49th year, and is the climax of the Giraglia Rolex Cup, which runs from 17 to 24 June 2001.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com La Giraglia Page

DB-1

Boat: DB-1

Builder: Dehler Yachts

Designer: E. G. van de Stadt

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Byte Open Meeting at Cotswold Sailing Club

Author: William Gifford

10 bytes were greeted by Cotswold SC on the 16th June with wet weather forecasted for the day, the wind was lest than a force 1 in the morning but steadily increased for the afternoon. Overall the weather turned out even wetter than forecasted.

The first race started with Powell taking the lead followed by 17 year old Dominic Fastenedge from Cotswold SC, Fastenedge then took the lead holding it for nearly the whole race and the Powell got through and won the race. Will Gifford finished third with Fastenedge just crossing his bow over the line.

The second race started again with Powell in the lead with ever closing Gifford at bay, Gifford passed Powell on the third leg from the finish winning the race by about 12 boat lengths. Powell finished second and Fastenedge finished third.

For the last race the wind increased to about a force 2, perfect for certain sailors in the fleet. Gifford and Powell again were both battling it out for the first few laps when Gifford overtook Powell gaining water at the mark. Gifford went on to win the race and the event.

The 10 Byte competitors were very impressed by the kindness and the helpfulness of the members of Cotswold SC. Some great courses were made and the tea bar staff produced some superb food.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Byte Page

DAWN 48

Boat: DAWN 48

Builder: Kong and Halvorsen Marine and Engineering

Designer: German Frers

More: DAWN 48 Specifications

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Times Clipper 2000 fleet head to Cape Town

Author: MHL Press

The Times Clipper 2000 fleet are scheduled to arrive in Cape Town, South Africa's oldest city, on Tuesday 19th June 2001 following a 2,311 mile long race from Mauritius which has been characterised by highly variable weather conditions and ocean currents. This race has also seen Bristol Clipper's
renewed dominance of the fleet following Jersey Clipper's fourth consecutive race win into Mauritius.

Bristol Clipper has now left the friendly Agulhas current, which has rocketed her along the coast for the last 48 hours, having taken the decision to leave the current as it swooped to the SW along the 200 metre line round the Agulhas Bank. Until late last night they were still making good progress with a strong easterly wind, but this has also deserted them and they are now battling against gale force head winds as they beat up to Cape Agulhas. The adverse weather should not hold out for too long though and the wind will shortly back to the SW allowing Bristol Clipper to make
Cape Point. It would be realistic to expect her to finish tomorrow morning, Tuesday 19th June. After the cold front passes the next weather system will be a high pressure area over the southern cape giving fair weather but possibly light winds.

The fifth and penultimate leg of The Times Clipper 2000 is one of the most
popular for all those who wish to sail around one of the World's great
capes, the Cape of Good Hope. Starting out from the 10 million year old
volcanic island of Mauritius, the route for Race 12 of the 16 races which
make up The Times Clipper 2000 has seen the eight-strong fleet of identical
60-foot yachts race to the South of Madagascar, then to Agulhas Current
(East London area), before racing to Agulhas Point and onto Cape Town,
otherwise known as the Tavern of the Seas.

The voyage around the Cape of Good hope off the southern coast of Africa is
still considered one of the world's classic sailing passages although the
conditions can be greatly unpredictable, changing within a couple of hours
from flat calm to gale force winds. Such vagaries have resulted in several
changes amongst the fleet positions on this leg of The Times Clipper 2000,
whilst Bristol Clipper seem to have regained their past good form, managing
to re-establish their lead position ahead of her seven rivals - namely
Glasgow, Jersey, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Plymouth and Portsmouth.

On arrival at Cape Town the 120 crewmembers will be privileged to be hosted
by the Royal Cape Yacht Club, one of the world's most famous yacht clubs.
The yachts will be berthed at the yacht club marina in Duncan Dock, and
after essential maintenance work crewmembers will enjoy a well-deserved
9-day stopover, exploring the wonders of the 1,000-metre high Table Mountain
and sampling the products of the famous wine growing area around
Stellenbosch. The boats re-victual with food and stores before crossing
the Southern Atlantic to the port of Salvador in Brazil, founded by the
Portuguese before the Dutch started building Cape Town.

A mere 16 points currently separate the first 6 yachts in the fleet on the
overall leaderboard, proving just how similar the yachts now are in their
performance on the water. The crews have all learnt a huge amount since the
race start in Portsmouth last October and this is reflected in the
ever-changing fortunes of each of the yachts. After a stopover at Salvador
where some of the crewmembers will change over, The Times Clipper 2000
returns to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, via New York and Jersey, with an
expected arrival date of 21st September 2001.

Crew applications are now well underway for the Clipper 2002 Round The World
Yacht Race and are welcomed from budding sailors, men or women from every
walk of life and age, to compete on individual legs or to face the challenge
of the whole circumnavigation. Successful applicants, with or without
sailing experience, will undergo extensive training programmes to prepare
for the challenges of racing a 60-foot ocean going yacht.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Clipper 2000 Round the World Yacht Race Page
www.clipper-ventures.com

DAWN 39

Boat: DAWN 39

More: DAWN 39 Specifications

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Scott Bader Laser Masters at Grafham Water Sailing Club

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Laser Page

AMAZON 37

Boat: AMAZON 37

More: AMAZON 37 Specifications

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Enterprise Open Meeting at Minima Yacht Club

Author: M King

Alan Beaney from London Corinthian SC fought off a strong challenge from Paul Young of Birmingham Brookvale SC to win Minima yacht club's annual Enterprise open meeting on the Kingston Reach, Surrey, on Sunday (June 17).

A brisk North-westerly gave ideal sailing conditions throughout the three-race event staged jointly with Twickenham YC. Crewed by Chris Eade, Beaney won the first two races in a hard-tacking contest upstream from Kingston Bridge. At that stage Young, crewed by 13-year-old Richard Craddock, had a second and a third placing as did Minima's Alan Jales.

Young won the third race comfortably to take second place overall with Jales, crewed by Heather Elwin, finishing third. Les Rowlandson of Minima, now in his 80th year, was fourth overall in his Enterprise Frolic.

Minima and Twickenham , two of the oldest clubs on the Thames, combined the event with a Solo Open meeting over the same course. Ian Hurst of Twickenham YC, sailing Ned , won the Wolverson Cup with a couple of first places. Two Minima helmsmen, John Metzner in Firebird and John Kemp in Overtrick took second and third places overall.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Enterprise Page

DASH 34 TM

Boat: DASH 34 TM

More: DASH 34 TM Specifications

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Willy’s Pub Race 2001 at Humber Mouth Yacht Club

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Humber Mouth Yacht Club

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

DARTSAILOR 30

Boat: DARTSAILOR 30

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Designer:

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Round the Island race record smashed

Author: MHL Press

DEXIA EURE ET LOIR SHATTERS HOYA ROUND THE ISLAND RACE RECORD

Frances Joyon's (from La Trinite, France) 'Dexia Eure et Loir' has today broken the all time race record for the Hoya Round the Island Yacht Race in record time of 3 hours, 10 minutes and 11 seconds*, breaking the record by just under 45 minutes.

The Hoya Round the Island Race is the biggest and most popular yacht race of its kind in the world; today sees over 15,000 people on board 1,735 yachts take part.

Until today, the course record stood at 3 hours, 55 minutes and 28 seconds set by one of 'Dexia Eure et Loir's' co-skippers in 1986 on board 'Paragon'.

'Dexia Eure et Loir' is co-skippered by Rodney Pattisson and Frances Joyon. Rodney Pattisson has had a long standing ambition to break his own record that he set on board the trimaran 'Paragon' fifteen years ago.

Having started the race at 0800hrs this morning, 'Dexia Eure et Loir' was significantly ahead of the current record time all morning. In 1999, she was 1st multihull across the line in Hoya Round the Island Race and she came first in class last year in the Transat Europe 1 Newman Star.

SECOND RECORD LIKELY TO BE BROKEN

Mike Slade's giant monohull 'Skandia Leopard' and two Ultra 30s, 'Reloaded Red Square' and 'Hoya' are battling it out to break the fastest monohull record - of 5 hours 12 minutes 3 seconds. Current estimated finish time is approx 1300hrs BST.

The rest of the fleet, including the four America's Cup yachts, is also making good progress around the 50 nautical mile course around the Isle of Wight. This race is unique in that it pits professional, elite sailors against novices; all vying for the coveted prize: The Gold Roman Bowl.

This is the 6th year that Hoya Lens UK, manufacturer of high quality ophthalmic lenses, has sponsored the Round the Island Race.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Round the Island Race Page

DART HAWK

Boat: DART HAWK

Builder: Dart Sailboats

More: DART HAWK Specifications

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EDS Atlantic Challenge Web site launched

Author: Rachel Anning

New Web Site To Bring Challenge Racing From Atlantic Ocean To Your Desktop

The EDS Atlantic Challenge Web site will deliver up-to-the-minute race information to sailing enthusiasts through the World Wide Web.

The EDS Atlantic Challenge Web site, www.edsatlanticchallenge.com, went live today bringing this sailing event - the first race of its kind in the Open 60 Yacht Class - to followers around the world via the Internet.

The EDS Atlantic Challenge will break new ground for the Open 60 Class. By putting crews of five aboard these normally single-handed speed machines, the EDS Atlantic Challenge will provide thrills, high-seas drama and the prospect of shattered speed records.

The Web site will use cutting-edge satellite and Internet technologies to ensure seamless coverage over two months and 8,000 miles of North Atlantic sail racing. Challenge Business, the race organiser, will operate the Web site designed by Bath-based the Real Adventure; and EDS will provide Web hosting services.

Right now the EDS Atlantic Challenge Web site provides race calendars, skippers’ biographies, information about each port, special features, and downloadable photos.

“During active racing, the teams will communicate daily to this site filing team and personal emails, photos and audio reports," says Stephen Pizzo, Challenge Business editorial director for the Web site. “With reporters and production staff stationed in both Southampton and California working rotating shifts, coverage will be continuous. While you sleep, we work.”

The race begins July 3, 2001, in St. Malo and ends in the same French port in late August. Sometimes compared to the Formula One car racing, the EDS Atlantic Challenge will pit a fleet of Open 60s yachts in head-to-head competition. They will sail from St. Malo to Hamburg in Germany on to Portsmouth, across the Atlantic to Baltimore and Boston in the U.S., and then back across the North Atlantic to the finish in St Malo.

The chosen boats are the fastest and most radical monohulls afloat Open 60s, commanded by the world’s best open ocean skippers and co-skippers like Ellen MacArthur (UK), Mike Golding (UK), Brad Van Liew (USA), Roland Jourdain (France), Isabelle Autissier (France), Loic Pochet (France), Nick Moloney (Australia), Guido Broggi (Italy), Patrick Taberly (France), Javier Sanso (Spain), and Josh Hall (UK). Many international sports celebrities will also be part of this unique sailing event.

DART 16

Boat: DART 16

Builder: Dart Sailboats

Designer:

More: DART 16 Specifications

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GP14 Open Meeting at West Lancashire Yacht Club

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com GP14 Page

DARK HARBOR 20

Boat: DARK HARBOR 20

Builder: Lawley (George Lawley and Son)

Designer: Sparkman and Stephens

More: DARK HARBOR 20 Specifications

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Contender Open Meeting at Brightlingsea Sailing Club

More Information:

YachtandYachting.com Contender Page

DARK HARBOR 17 1/2

Boat: DARK HARBOR 17 1/2

Builder: Lawley (George Lawley and Son)

Designer: B. B. Crowninshield

More: DARK HARBOR 17 1/2 Specifications

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Swan European Regatta 2001 - Day Two

Author: Mark Bullingham

Photo ©: Mark Jardine

Perfect Sea Breeze Conditions Enjoyed At Swan European Regatta

After a frustrating wait for the wind, both of the Swan classes enjoyed a perfect afternoon race on Deutsche Bank Private Banking Race Day. Racing finally got underway at 2.30 as the sea breeze filled in.

Crackerjack was first over the start line but was soon overhauled by the fastest boat in the fleet, Island Fling. As with yesterday, the Swan 60 registered in Hong Kong was first around every race mark to take line honours.

In the small boat fleet, the French dominated for the second day in succession. As with yesterday, Menenes took line honours but Saga, a Swan 441, won on corrected time to take the Deutsche Bank Private Banking trophy. Yesterday's winner took second place, to lead overall at the Swan European
Regatta.

Jo Richards, tactician on board Menenes, which finished fourth overall commented: "It was a frustrating day. Although we got a good start, we didn't seem that quick upwind. Saga sailed through us on the first beat. We got them back on the run but it wasn't enough on corrected time."

The closest battle of the day was between two equally matched Swan 60's, Spirit of Jethou and Crackerjack. Crackerjack rounded the first windward mark two boat lengths behind but chose to gybe set and head for the mainland shore to escape the adverse tide. At the leeward mark, Crackerjack was half a boat length ahead only to lose the advantage once again on the beat. On the final run of the day, Crackerjack sailed close to the Island shore, in slightly less tide and managed to sail around Spirit of Jethou to cross the line six seconds ahead.

It was a day for the ketch rigs as Desperado and Eva, both Swan 65's, took first and second place respectively. Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson, steered reigning Swan European Champion Jacobite into third place.

Two races are scheduled again for tomorrow.

Big boat class:

Desperado (GBR) 1 point

Eva (GBR) 2 points

Jacobite (GBR) 3 points

Elan (GER) 4 points

Aera (GRE) 5 points

Small boat class:

Saga (FR) 1 points

Xaossa (FR) 2 points

Perseverance (GBR) 3 points

Shaytana (GBR) 4 points

Menenes (GBR) 5 points

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Swan Page
www.swanregattas.com

DARING

Boat: DARING

Designer: Arthur Robb

More: DARING Specifications

News:

Firefly Troy Trophy at Rickmansworth Sailing Club

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Firefly Page

Results generated and submitted using Sailwave - completely free Windows sailing scoring software

DAIMYO 31

Boat: DAIMYO 31

Builder:

Designer: Walter McInnis

More: DAIMYO 31 Specifications

News:

Proposed new cunningham and outhaul systems for Lasers

Author: Editor

Subject to ISAF approval there could be new control methods for the cunningham and outhaul on the Laser class very soon. A Laser working party has been looking at options since January 1999 to make the boat easier to handle for lighter sailors and for people coming into the class.

There is an excellent explanation with photographs of the new systems on the International Laser Class website. Just follow this link.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Laser Page

DAGGER 14

Boat: DAGGER 14

Builder: Chrysler Marine

Designer: J.R. (Rod) Macalpine-Downie

More: DAGGER 14 Specifications

News:

Toppers in the Pentagon Guernsey Youth Regatta

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Topper Page

D and M 22

Boat: D and M 22

Builder: Douglass and McLeod

Designer: Sparkman and Stephens

More: D and M 22 Specifications

News:

National 12 Open Meeting at Chipstead Sailing Club

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com National 12 Page

ALPA A9

Boat: ALPA A9

Builder: Alpa Yachts (ITA)

Designer: John Illingworth

More: ALPA A9 Specifications

News:

505 Open Meeting at Stone Sailing Club

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com 505 Class Information Page

Monday, March 28, 2011

CYGNUS 20

Boat: CYGNUS 20

Designer: George Hinterhoeller

More: CYGNUS 20 Specifications

News:

Lightning 368 Open Meeting at Coniston Sailing Club

The hospitality of Coniston SC was very much appreciated and a fine weekends sailing in difficult conditions was enjoyed by all.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Lightning 368 Page

CYCLONE

Boat: CYCLONE

Designer: Frank V. Butler

More: CYCLONE Specifications

News:

Match Racing - 2001 Volvo Lake Constance Regatta Day 1

Author: Shawn McBride

PRADA'S DAVIS UNDEFEATED AFTER ABBREVIATED DAY ONE

Prada's Rod Davis posted three wins in the morning wind to carry the first day of the Swedish Match Tour's Match Race Lake Constance presented by Volvo in Langenargen, Germany. Karol Jablonski of Poland is also undefeated at three wins and will face Davis in Saturday's first match. Due to light conditions which left Lake Constance glass-like for most of the day, event organizers were forced to postpone the balance of the round robin.

"In the three races we sailed we had decent breeze, unfortunately you can't
properly match race in light conditions," said Davis. "We sailed well at
times and are glad we know that we aren't sitting on the fence in regards to
advancing to the next round."

One of the biggest differences teams who competed in the ACI Ronhill Cup
last week are facing is adjusting to the smaller boats used at the Match
Race Lake Constance. For Davis, the learning curve is second to the
execution.

"When the breeze comes in it will be all about the boat handling, getting
the spinnakers up and down," said Davis. "If we have to race in light air it
will become a game of starting and finding the better wind. Either way, it
promises to be an interesting regatta."

Action will begin at 8:30am on Saturday as event organizers hope to take
advantage of early morning conditions excellent for sailing which have
marked the last couple of days.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Lake Constance Regatta Page
YachtsandYachting.com Match Racing Page

CUTLASS 24

Boat: CUTLASS 24

Builder:

More: CUTLASS 24 Specifications

News:

Contender Open Meeting at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club

More Information:

YachtandYachting.com Contender Page
Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club

CUMULUS 28

Boat: CUMULUS 28

Builder: Albin Marine

Designer:

More: CUMULUS 28 Specifications

News:

Firefly SW Area Champs at Restronguet Sailing Club

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Firefly Page

CT 56

Boat: CT 56

Builder: TaChiao (TAIWAN)

Designer: Robert Perry

More: CT 56 Specifications

News:

505 Eurocup at Riva del Garda, Italy Overall

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com 505 Class Information Page

ALPA A8

Boat: ALPA A8

Builder: Alpa Yachts (ITA)

Designer: John Illingworth

More: ALPA A8 Specifications

News:

Sunsail Cadet World Team Indicator at Stone Yacht Club

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Cadet Page

CT 49

Boat: CT 49

Builder: TaChiao (TAIWAN)

Designer: Scott Kaufman

More: CT 49 Specifications

News:

Bell Lawrie Scottish Series - Offshore Races Overall

Author: Andi Robertson

It is the Irish brogue which is the dominant accent in the pubs of the Kintyre village of Tarbert on Loch Fyne rather than the home Scots as the boats racing from Bangor on Belfast Lough completed their overnight passage race to Tarbert long before the first Clyde boats broke the finish line.
Not that the passage race from Northern Ireland was without its stops and
starts, but it proved a brisk canter by comparison to the stop start tour
of the Clyde glue pots which some of the 100 plus Gourock starters had to
endure. At one point the main turning mark off Brodick Bay by the Isle of
Arran had 70 boats milling around pointing aimlessly in different
directions. Many spent six hours rounding this single mark and early
evening tonight there are still most of the bigger class 1 and 2 boats
which raced from Gourock still struggling to finish having been set an 80
mile course down to the Heads of Ayr. Irvine Bay on the Ayrshire Coast was
one of their biggest sticking points.

By comparison, although they stopped at times and lost their lead to their
main rivals, the Corby 38 Gloves Off and Corby 40 Cracklin Rosie, the
offshore was a great debut for Bob Stewart's new Dublin based Ed Dubois
designed 40 footer Azure.

Just launched last weekend, rigged on Sunday and tuned on Tuesday, Azure
lead across the North Channel but soon marked a quiet spot on the Arran
shore which Gloves and Cracklin sailed round going on to lead by two miles.
After wriggling free Azure took their revenge when their two Dublin Bay
compatriots became ensnared in another calm.

" it was tough at times but we worked hard. We kept peeling the spinnaker
and kept going and that really made a big difference. We're delighted with
the boat." Commented Mark Pettit who has project managed this, the first
new IRC race boat design since Toy de Mulder's Victric which won regularly
on Loch Fyne.

Of the Gourock starters it was Hamish Mackay who guided the new Elan 362
Silver Darling, which was also just launched this week, to cross the line
first in IRC Class 3. They dropped to third on corrected time behind the
new X332 Tundra of Donald Sharp who won outright the Kip Regatta warm up
two weeks ago.

Race 1 Offshore Race from Bangor, Belfast Lough and Gourock, Clyde to Tarbert

More Information:

Clyde Cruising Club

CT 47

Boat: CT 47

Builder: TaChiao (TAIWAN)

Designer: Scott Kaufman

More: CT 47 Specifications

News:

RYA reacts to claims of ’deliberate harassment’

Author: Royal Yachting Association

The RYA (Royal Yachting Association) is disturbed by claims made by representatives of the Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that yachtsmen are ‘deliberately harassing’ dolphins. The RYA believes that yachtsmen are, by their nature, conservationists. As the national representative organisation for yachtsmen the RYA believes strongly in ‘education not legislation’ as the long-term route to responsible and safe behaviour at sea.

The RYA working with the World Wildlife Fund and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) has again recently been active in distributing guidelines on how sailors should respond to an encounter with a dolphin or whale at sea. Yachtsmen have also been asked to help in identifying and recording species for conservation purposes by the WDCS.

The RYA takes any activity that harms wildlife seriously and is committed to its current policy of education. Dolphins and whales are by their nature inquisitive animals and seem to enjoy the company of boats and are often to be seen riding on the boats bow wave. The RYA is concerned that these innocent and unexpected encounters will be misinterpreted under the new countryside legislation. In cases where harassment is clearly taking place by anyone the RYA would ask that these be reported to the Police or the RSPCA.

More Information:

Royal Yachting Association

Sunday, March 27, 2011

CT 43

Boat: CT 43

Builder: TaChiao (TAIWAN)

Designer: Ron Holland

More: CT 43 Specifications

News:

Laureus Regatta - Day One

Author: Swan Press Office

ITALY'S BRUNI TAKES HONOURS ON DAY ONE OF LAUREUS REGATTA

Italy's Francesco Bruni, by virtue of an unbeaten record in the round robin, was able to chose his opponent for the second day from the other three skippers who qualified to reach the semi-final of the Laureus Regatta on Monday.

After much musing, he decided to race "JJ" Isler of the United States on the grounds that she had lost to Britain's Chris Law in their first-day match. He did not add, though, that he too had beaten Isler when they met.

Racing in the light and fickle winds on the eve of the 2001 Laureus World Sports Awards was interesting and at times extremely close. None was closer than the match between Law and Ben Ainslie of Great Britain in which the lead changed hands three times and Law took a penalty turn on the final leg when they were sailing the two eighty foot Swans. Ainslie, who began match
racing with Law as one of his crew some four years ago, narrowly took this match.

Racing was in carefully matched pairs of boats - two Swan 46s, two Swan 59s, two Swan 60s and the biggest pair, the Swan 80s. The boats were brought to the regatta by their owners who must have had some heart-searching moments as these top-class skippers threw themselves and their borrowed vessels into the fray, passing within a foot or two of each other.

But they were carefully watched by pairs of international umpires who kept the peace and penalised offenders - a penalty turn being the get-out. Sometimes they turned a blind eye, or so some of the skippers believed.

Italy's Tommaso Chieffi, who won the inaugural event last year, may well have the umpires to blame for his relatively poor showing of one win and three losses.

Frenchman Thierry Peponnet was unlucky to miss the cut into the semi-finals, having the same 2-2 score as Law and Isler but, under the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Rules of Match Racing, the tie-breaker is clear. New Zealander Grant Dalton, who recently won the no-holds-barred race around the world in the 110-foot catamaran Club Med, scored only one win, against Law, in his match racing debut, as did Germany's Achim Griese.

Scores:

Francesco Bruni (ITA) 4 wins - 0 losses Ben Ainslie (GBR) 3-1 "JJ" Isler (USA), Chris Law (GBR), and Thierry Peponnet (FRA) 2-2 Grant Dalton (NZL), Achim Griese (GER) and Tommaso Chieffi (ITA) 1-3

More Information:

www.laureus.com

CT 41

Boat: CT 41

Builder: TaChiao (TAIWAN)

Designer: William Garden

More: CT 41 Specifications

News:

Team GBR windsurfers for 2001 Volvo Youth World Championship

Author: Royal Yachting Association

Completing the Great Britain team that will contest the 2001 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship, top youth Mistral windsurfers Daniel Ince and Bryony Shaw will join the six selected sailors (from last month's Volvo RYA Youth National Championships at Largs) that will travel to
Crozon-Morgat on Brittany's Atlantic coast for a shot at the prestigious youth world title in July (3-10th).

In only his first year in the Volvo RYA Youth Squad, Daniel Ince, 16, (from Grafham Water SC in Cambridgeshire) won the boys selection series after beating a competitive youth IMCO fleet in rounds two and three of the UKWA (United Kingdom Windsurfing Association) tour at Llandudno and Weymouth in April and May.

Shaw, 18, (Farmoor Reservoir SC in Oxford) is a member of the RYA's elite Olympic Development Squad. She secured her place in France through performances at the Palma Olympic Classes Regatta in March and Llandudno. She was narrowly beaten last year in the selection series for Sydney by
Catherine Potter but is looking to make up for the lost opportunity.

It is three years since Great Britain won a youth world medal in windsurfing with Nick Dempsey's thrilling last leg Bronze medal win at Table Mountain Bay, Cape Town, South Africa in 1998. But with Dempsey going on to claim a place in Team GB for Sydney 2000 and winning the first two
Eurolymp events of the 2000 season, the pathway to future success from the Volvo Youth Worlds is clear and an inspirational target for youth windsurfers in Great Britain.

Considering their prospects for the championships, RYA Competition Coach Barrie Edgington said: "Bryony has already shown that she can be on a par in certain conditions with some of the best women in the world so if she continues to improve at her current rate she has every chance of doing well. Daniel on the other hand can approach this event as part of his learning curve but he is improving rapidly so a good result is certainly possible".

CT 37

Boat: CT 37

Builder: TaChiao (TAIWAN)

Designer: Robert Perry

More: CT 37 Specifications

News:

Scorpion Open Meeting at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Scorpion Page
Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club

CT 35

Boat: CT 35

More: CT 35 Specifications

News:

HOYA Round the Island Race 2001 Safety Briefing

Author: Sue Warden-Owen

BSAFE AND SOUND IN THE SOLENT

A Safety Briefing Meeting was held today, Wednesday 16th May, at the Island Sailing Club in Cowes for this year's Hoya Round The Island Race, being held on Saturday 16th June 2001.

Well attended, representatives came from Associated British Ports, Cowes Harbour Commission, Marine Rescue Solent Centre, Marine Police Unit, Queens Harbour Master, Red Funnel Group and the R.N.L.I. in order to discuss the safety of the largest and most popular yacht race of its type in the world
and to formalise the Port Marine Safety Risk Assessment for this year's event.

Facts arising from the meeting include:-

The Island Sailing Club has carried out an in-depth risk assessment covering the key areas of collision, grounding, capsize, boat damage and personal injury
With an estimated 12,000 competitors expected for the 65th Hoya Round the Island Race, this year's finish line will be extended, angled and situated further to the west, in order to reduce congestion and encourage the quick and early dispersion of the finished yachts
The 50 nautical mile race will start at 08:00 on Saturday 16th June 2001 for the first group of boats off the Royal Yacht Squadron starting line at Cowes, Isle of Wight. A special Big Boat Class will depart at 10:00 competing for the Hoya Trophy, along with 5 International America's Cup
Class yachts
There will be fair tides from Cowes between 06:00 - 12:00, with High Water at 07:40 and in ideal conditions it is anticipated that new race course records could be set
The Marine Police Unit will operate boats at the start and the finish of the Hoya Round the Island Race. They will keep the channel clear for ferries and large vessels. There are no reported Cruise Ships or Container Vessels due in the area during the start of the race, at this time
The Chief Race Officer will carefully monitor the weather from a week prior to the race. Using the facilities provided by the Met Office, he will be able to judge, in advance, the safety of the race if extreme conditions arise

Anyone wishing to participate in the 65th Hoya Round the Island Race 2001 can obtain further information and entry forms from either the Island Sailing Club on 01983 296911 or from the website, along with other useful information on the race, ratings, tides and on the sponsor Hoya Lens UK Ltd, at www.hoyaroundtheisland.org.uk

CSY 50 TM

Boat: CSY 50 TM

More: CSY 50 TM Specifications

News:

RS200 Open Meeting at Covenham Sailing Club

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com RS200 Page

CSY 44 SD

Boat: CSY 44 SD

Builder:

More: CSY 44 SD Specifications

News:

International 14 Open Meeting at Beer Sailing Club

Author: Zeb Elliot

As the American's noted at the World Championships last year any venue where the main street leads straight into the ocean has to be pretty special and sailing at Beer is certainly that. 22 International 14 arrived early Saturday morning for the first open water meeting of the season.
Unfortunately the high pressure system over Devon refused the budge and the sea breeze struggled to take hold and an all too familiar scenario from last years World Championships prevailed.

After a short postponement Sunday morning the wind came in from the South West and without delay the race officer was setup for five sprint races in a 10-15 knot SW wind. Colin Goodman sailing with Sam 'the pup' Gardener was on excellent form showing good all round pace he won three out of the five races to win the series. Slightly less consistent but also showing some excellent pace were Zeb Elliott and Tim Hancock in their new Holt sponsored Bieker 3 finishing second with two wins and two seconds. Third overall went to the local Scot Ian Teasdale sailing with Simon Hewson who were never far behind the leading pair.

Perhaps the most impressive performance of the day came from the race officer and his team who turned the racing around with minimal fuss or delay, finishing the tail enders at the closest turning mark there was no waiting between races just to make sure the crews were absolutely worn out
by the end of the day.

As ever the fourteeners are in pursuit of more speed and excitement and the there is much going on with the class. With new rules on jib measurement there are an increasing number of self tacking jibs appearing on the new boats which should help simplify the boat handling. But to counter this
over the coming year the world council has approved trials to experiment with increased width. This was instigated by Paul Bieker and the Americans who advocate moving out to 7'2" but some of the crazy Brits are already looking at moving out by as much as 10'. Watch this space!

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com International 14 Page
Beer Sailing Club

CSY 42

Boat: CSY 42

Builder: CSY (Caribean Sailing Yachts)

Designer:

More: CSY 42 Specifications

News:

Record entries for this year’s Swan European Regatta

Author: Mark Bullingham

A record number of 65 yachts have entered this year's Swan European Regatta, taking place in Cowes, UK, from 8 - 14th June 2001. The biennial event that has been hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron since 1995, gives Nautor's Swan owners, and over 800 competitors, the opportunity for a week of top class competition.

Sydney Olympic Gold medallist, Shirley Robertson, will be at the wheel of the 1999 Swan European Champion, Jacobite, a Swan 48. Shirley, the ISAF/Sperry Female World Sailor of the Year, will be racing against Olympic Bronze medallist and GBR Challenge design team member, Jo Richards, who will
be calling tactics on board Menenes, a Swan 441. Racing along side the professionals will be an amateur fleet consisting mainly of families and friends. This epitomises the unique nature of Swan Regattas.

Based in Cowes, the 65 Swan yachts battling it out in the challenging waters of the Solent, will come from as far a field as Germany, Greece, Finland, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Ireland, Russia and Sweden.

Enrico Chieffi, Nautor's Marketing Director is clearly delighted with the response from the ClubSwan members. "The record entry into this years Swan European Regatta shows the importance of this unique event for Swan owners. With Accenture and Deutsche Bank Private Banking as partners and some of the Worlds top sailors competing, the 2001 Swan European Regatta will be a truly great event.

"Many of the competitors and yachts will remain in Solent for a summer of Swan sailing, culminating in the America's Cup Jubilee with which Nautor is delighted to be associated."

The Royal Yacht Squadron will host the prizegiving, with Nautor's Chairman Leonardo Ferragamo presenting the trophies to the winning owners and crews.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Swan Page

CSY 37

Boat: CSY 37

Builder: CSY (Caribean Sailing Yachts)

Designer: Peter Schmitt

More: CSY 37 Specifications

News:

Osprey Scottish & North Champs at Hornsea Sailing Club

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Osprey Page

ALPA A15

Boat: ALPA A15

Builder: Alpa Yachts (ITA)

Designer: John Illingworth

More: ALPA A15 Specifications

News:

Top sailors set to compete in La Giraglia Rolex Cup 2001

Author: Susanna Bourne

BATTLE OF THE GIANTS AT THE GIRAGLIA ROLEX CUP

The Giraglia Rolex Cup is shaping up to be the most competitive ever in its long history. Now part of the Mediterranean Big Boat Series, some of the world's most talented sailors are set to descend on Saint-Tropez in late June for the 49th edition of this 243-mile offshore race to the Giraglia Rock off the coast of Corsica, and on to the finish line in Genoa, Italy.

The first leg of the Big Boat Series in Portofino saw a who's who of talent competing - Kiwi's Grant Dalton & Warwick Fleury, American Paul Cayard and Dutchman Bouwe Bekking were there along with the legendary Sir Peter Blake.

The fact is, owners of racing maxis demand nothing but the best, whether in terms of equipment or crew, and like last year the Giraglia Rolex Cup will be contested by the most talented sailors.

Tiketitan has now passed into the ownership of a German motor racing magnate, and in place of Vasco Vascotto - the multiple world champion now training for the Italian America's Cup team Mascalzone Latino - the swing-keeled Wally yacht has three-time Olympic gold medallist Jochen Schumann calling tactics.

Olympic champion and French AC star Thierry Peponnet raced at last year's event aboard Carlo Perrone's spectacular custom-built Virtuelle, on her first competitive outing. The sleek silver yacht was not performing to her full potential in those early days, but later in the year at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup Peponnet steered Virtuelle to two consecutive victories in the windiest races of the event.

Now the Virtuelle crew are familiar with this stunning yacht and her capabilities, they will be hoping for breeze to propel them to a high placing at this year's Giraglia Rolex Cup.

Among the more conventional maxis will be Edimetra and Rrose Selavy, the latter owned by Riccardo Bonadeo who won the Trofeo Zegna in late April. He will have his usual contingent of highly skilled professionals aboard, headed up by former AC helmsman Mauro Pelaschier and backed up by more recent Cup participants including bowman Alberto Fantini and Stefano Rizzi from the Prada campaign.

Another America's Cup sailor, Bruno Troublй, will be back racing with L'Orиal cosmetics chief Lindsay Owen-Jones on the Wally 77 Magic Carpet. All in all we are looking at a highly competitive Maxi fleet who will be intent on scooping line honours in this prestigious race.

Line honours last year went to the Open 60 Riviera di Rimini which is back again for 2001. This lightweight flyer will be more than a match for the more conventional and higher displacement Maxis, unless the wind is against them when the superior upwind performance of the Maxis could be a telling factor. Riviera must also be aware of her fellow Open 60s such as Shining, which provided close competition in the early stages of last year's event.

With European sailors gearing up for the Rolex IMS Offshore World Championship in Valencia a week later, some owners will be using the Giraglia race for a final shakedown of crew and equipment. Thus the calibre of sailor in the IMS fleet is likely to be just as high as it is within the Maxi yachts, and it could be that we will see the overall winner on corrected time coming from this contingent.

That said, it was the amateurs on their little ships that stole the thunder from the professional stars in the 2000 edition of the Giraglia Rolex Cup. Rolling downwind towards the Genoa finish line on an ever-increasing breeze, the smaller yachts eclipsed the Maxis and Open 60s, with the wind gods smiling on them on that occasion.

When the results had been calculated on corrected time, the Giraglia Rolex Cup was destined for Enrico Panizza Piero, the owner of the X-332 called Malandrino. Behind her was a 20-year-old Swan 441 called Saga.

It could happen again, but the big boats with their big name sailors will be doing their best to prevent history repeating itself at the Giraglia Rolex Cup 2001.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com La Giraglia Page

Saturday, March 26, 2011

CS 44

Boat: CS 44

More: CS 44 Specifications

News:

Firefly Open Meeting at Dabchicks Sailing Club Overall

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Firefly Page
Dabchicks Sailing Club

CS 40 TM DK

Boat: CS 40 TM DK

Builder:

Designer:

More: CS 40 TM DK Specifications

News:

2001 Worrell 1000 - Leg 3 Finish

Author: Zack Leonard

Lonely Finish at Cocoa Beach, Penalty for Leg 3 DNS Yet To Be Determined

Cocoa Beach, FL, 5:15 PM - After a disastrous start in treacherous surf that decimated most of the fleet, just 5 boats completed the course to the finish today. In the18 years that this race has been held, never has a leg been so destructive. Hatteras has claimed parts of the fleet, but no shore break has ever been as destructive as Jensen Beach this morning. 15 boats were pummeled back to the beach by angry surf, causing race officials to halt the launching and find an equitable way to reward the 5 boats that sailed the course, while allowing the others to continue their quest. Masts were broken, sails shredded by broken battens and rudders snapped off like wishbones. Yet the sailors still continued to try to cross the ugly surf-line. Shore teams hustled to fit replacement rigs, and replaced battens and rudder castings hoping not to lose too much time to the leaders when race officials put a halt to the destruction. Katie Pettibone and Eleanor Hay eyed the surf preparing for a second attempt when beach master Lee Queensbury informed them that the launching was to halt. Pettibone repeatedly asked for permission to make another attempt, but officials refused.

At the finish race leaders Brian Lambert and Jamie Livingston recorded their third straight leg victory in one of the bumpiest legs in Worrell 1000 history.

"About 22 miles out Brian lost his footing on the wire and we went over, then again 5 miles later we went over again, then we just sailed it in nice and easy," explained Jamie Livingston.

Lambert wondered what perennial champion Randy Smyth would have done, "We were only single trapezing with the skipper hiking out a lot of the time, Randy would have been double trapping the whole time, pushing it." Lambert explained the secret to their success at the start, "We've got experience getting through surf, you have to wait for the right set, kind of the opposite of surfing, we want the little ones."

The Canadian team of Reigh North and Scott Macdonald took a similar approach. "We tried not to go up a big one," said North, "We were patient and waited for an opening with smaller surf." North and Macdonald sailed a great leg, arriving at the finish, third. But they approached the beach at the wrong angle and were cleaned out by a huge wave. The surf at the finish in Cocoa was possibly bigger than the nasty stuff at the start. Waves were overhead and breaking 6 rows deep off the wide, gradually sloped beach. North tried to run along a trough like a surfer, almost parallel to the waves as he continued upwind towards the finish line. But a big wave broke over him and he couldn't accelerate out of the whitewater and was flipped hard. His mast snapped immediately and the boat floated, boards pointing up, into the beach. He could only watch as Team Outer Banks sailed across the line for a third place finish in the leg. North and Macdonald dragged the boat down the beach with the help of their shore crew and pushed it across the line to finish fourth.

This was McLaughlin's highest finish on a leg in 5 tries at the Worrell 1000. "We sail on Hatteras Island," said McLaughlin, "we practice in big surf."

Team Fully Involved, sailed by Les Baumen and Craig Callahan of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, crossed the line in second with a surprisingly smooth run. Baumen and Callahan have only been sailing together for 6 months in preparation for this race and they have very little open-ocean sailing experience. "At the start we saw a giant wave crash on the beach and said, 'Ok, let's go'", said Bauman, "Craig was yelling UP, DOWN, guiding me through the waves." Bauman and Callahan were one of the only teams to sail most of the leg double trapped, but they did admit to doing the "rag doll" several times.

The rag doll is a high skill maneuver that requires the skipper to be swept off the side of the boat by a huge wave and dropped into the water between the two rudders and behind the rear beam, while still hooked to trapeze. The skipper is then bounced around like a nervous Englishman's teabag until the crew (if they are fortunate enough to have eased the main and kept the boat upright) stops the boat by slowly heading up, thus allowing the skipper to swim around the stern and climb aboard. Any attempt by the skipper to climb over the rear beam and onto the tramp can break the tiller bar connecting the two rudders together and is to be avoided at all costs. Bauman and Callahan were not alone in performing the rag doll today.

"It was really lumpy today," recalled McLaughlin, " I went off the back at least 3 times but we didn't capsize!"

The hard-luck and he-man award for the day must go to Team Guidant, sailed by Rod Waterhouse and David Wallace. Just 5 miles into the race they broke a rudder, but they soldiered on for another 50 miles when their second rudder broke. They phoned their shore crew and arranged to come ashore and receive replacements. The catch was that they would have to land with no rudders in 6 foot or larger surf then repeat their beach launch to continue the race.

Waterhouse and Wallace dropped the mainsail to improve their chances. "I told David to hold onto the boat no matter what," laughed Waterhouse, "but he jumped off in the big break, I can't blame him." "I just held on and rode the boat in to the beach capsized, David was way out there floating". The landing, according to Waterhouse, was the easy part. "It was harder getting off the beach the second time than it was at the start, the waves were steeper and bigger," recalled Waterhouse.

Race Officials have announced a 7 PM meeting for team managers, at which point the DNS scoring penalty will be announced. Most of the broken teams have secured spare masts and rudder fittings so the fleet should be back at full strength for tomorrow's 69-mile leg to Daytona Beach. The surf will still be rough, but it's hard to imagine anything worse than today. We'll have a report with the new scoring in the morning.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Worrell 1000 Page
www.worrell1000.com

CS 40

Boat: CS 40

More: CS 40 Specifications

News:

Ballyholme Yacht Club Spring Open Meeting Overall

More Information:

Ballyholme Yacht Club

Results generated and submitted using Sailwave - completely free Windows® sailing scoring software

CS 36 SD

Boat: CS 36 SD

Builder:

Designer:

More: CS 36 SD Specifications

News:

Snipe French Nationals at Plйneuf Val Andrй Overall

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Snipe Page

CS 36 MERLIN

Boat: CS 36 MERLIN

Builder: CS Yachts (Canadian Sailcraft)

Designer: Tony Castro

More: CS 36 MERLIN Specifications

News:

Comet Open at Fishers Green Sailing Club Overall

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Comet Page
Fishers Green Sailing Club

CS 36

Boat: CS 36

More: CS 36 Specifications

News:

Bermuda International Invitational Race Week - Day Two

Author: Regatta Press

Leads change in Keelboat classes in second day racing in Bermuda International Invitational Race Week sponsored by Bacardi

The J-24 class lead changed hands today as yesterday's leader Jon Corless fell back to 4th place. Last years champion, Sean McDermott (Halifax NS) moved into the lead with a 4th and a 1st today. In the second race he got a perfect committee boat start, got ahead with clean air and extended his lead all the way round the course. He seems to warm up in the first race each day with mid-fleet performance then get to the top of his game in the afternoons. Following in 2nd is Don Wagoner (Phoenixville PA) and in 3rd is Stuart Jardine (Milford-on-Sea, Hants, UK).

Courtenay Jenkins (Owens Mills MD) jumped into the IOD lead today with a 2nd and a 1st, sending Charlie Van Voorhis (Mattapoisett MA) back to 3rd. Sitting in 2nd is Bruce Dyson (Marblehead MA).

The International Etchells raced one race today. Local favorite Peter Bromby, Star class champion, took a 1st and moved from 4th into 1st for the series. Fellow Bermudian Andreas Lewin is close behind in 2nd with US sailor Tim Lynch (San Diego CA) in 3rd. Paula Lewin (Bermuda) is sailing with Lynch for some expert local knowledge. Tim Patton (Bermuda) who was 2nd yesterday took a DNF today with a broken spinnaker pole. Paul Fisher dropped 5th.

On course Bravo the Bermudians continued the domination of the dinghy classes. Ali Miller (Annapolis ND) was the exception taking two bullets as the 505s got in their first two races. Chuck Millican (Bermuda) was 2nd and James McDonald (Bermuda) was 3rd.

In the Sunfish, Malcolm Smith (Bermuda) continued his sweep of the class with two more bullets. And just behind him in 2nd is Donnie Martinborough (Nassau) with three duces. They were followed by Martin Vezina and Jim Stuart.

Action in the Laser class is heating up with Brett Wright getting tough competition from Sara Lane Wright, his wife. Sara missed Sunday's competition because she was travelling back from a regatta in France. Today she took a 2nd and a 1st and Brett a 1st and a 2nd. Brett is still in 1st place. Todd Olson is 2nd, Ted Wood 3rd and Sara Lane Wright is 4th. All are Bermidians.

Snipe class leader with three bullets is Stevie Dickinson, 2nd is Ian Brown (CAN), 3rd is Bill Welch (St. Petersburg FL) and 4th was Chris Hains (Oakville ONT).

Racing continues Tuesday with two races scheduled in all classes.

More Information:

Royal Bermuda Yacht Club

CS 33 SD

Boat: CS 33 SD

More: CS 33 SD Specifications

News:

RS400 Open Meeting at Oxford Sailing Club

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com RS400 Page
Oxford Sailing Club

CS 30 WK

Boat: CS 30 WK

Builder:

Designer:

More: CS 30 WK Specifications

News:

Match Racing - 2001 Congressional Cup - Day Four

Author: Rich Roberts

HOLMBERG PICKS READ; DAVIS AND PACЙ ALSO IN SEMIFINALS

It's not that Peter Holmberg felt like a man without a country, but he feels better now that Oracle is no longer an America's Cup team without a yacht club.

Buoyed by the news Saturday that Oracle software billionaire Larry Ellison had arranged to submit a challenge for New Zealand's 2003 defense through the Golden Gate Yacht Club of San Francisco, Holmberg and his crew outsailed rival contenders Bertrand Pacй and Ken Read to finish atop the fleet with 13 wins and 5 losses after the double round robin phase of the 37th Congressional Cup.

"We have to be careful not to celebrate," Holmberg said. "The real prize is [Sunday]."

Under the Congressional Cup's old format, with no sailoffs, the man from the U.S. Virgin Islands, who won in 1998 and '99, would already be the only person besides four-time winner Rod Davis to win more than twice.

Instead, he was left with the usual dilemma of a decision that haunts the leader: whom he would pick to meet in the best-of-three semifinals Sunday. His choices were Pacй (12-6), Read (12-6) or Davis (11-7), a native American who lives in New Zealand, sails for Italy and is representing the host Long Beach Yacht Club.

Holmberg chose Read, the skipper of the Stars & Stripes boat he sailed on as strategist in the last America's Cup. Holmberg beat Read twice in the round robins, as he did Pacй, while splitting with Davis.

America's Cup challenges must be filed through yacht clubs, and Ellison had been unable to work out agreements first with St. Francis YC and then with California YC of Marina del Rey.

"What this means now is to get involved with the other challengers to make the game better," Holmberg said, "to make the next Cup as good as it can be."

Holmberg this week has been deeply involved with several of those challengers, especially now Read and Davis, as well as the defender - Pacй and his all-Kiwi crew.

There also will be sailoffs for the lower positions - fifth against sixth, etc. Several skippers lobbied organizers to have those reduced to one race each to clear the race course for the title matches and to give the also-rans a rest. Thus, the semifinals will be sailed starting at noon, followed by the lesser sailoffs, then the final matchup. The winner will receive $6,000 of the $25,000 purse.

Saturday's racing on the Long Beach outer harbor was under a heavy marine cloud layer in light winds of 5-6 knots that strained the tactical skills of the world-class teams. Six of the 10 boats were in contention for the four semifinal slots, and the first knockout came when Morgan Larson, a member of Seattle's OneWorld Challenge, beat Britain's Andy Green.

Then Denmark's struggling Jesper Radich forced Read over the starting line early and took a 31-second win, OneWorld's James Spithill of Australia upset Holmberg and Pacй came from behind to beat Davis, creating a temporary three-way tie among Holmberg, Pacй and Read.

That didn't last long. Read and Holmberg came back to beat Sebastien Destremau and Pacй, respectively, while in another knockout match Larson luffed Davis upwind into a pre-start foul, then gave up his edge by running over the line and having to return to restart. Davis built a lead large enough to do his penalty turn at the end of the race and still win comfortably.

That secured the four semifinal berths with one round remaining, and Holmberg handled Read by 30 seconds to break their first-place tie - perhaps a psychological factor in the selection of his semifinal opponent.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Congressional Cup Page
YachtsandYachting.com Match Racing Page

CS 30

Boat: CS 30

Builder: CS Yachts (Canadian Sailcraft)

Designer: Tony Castro

More: CS 30 Specifications

News:

Kingfisher & GBR Challenge join forces for Fecamp regatta

Author: Mark Bullingham

Two of Britain's sailing stars are to unite for next week's Fecamp regatta as Ian Walker, Sailing Manager of Peter Harrison's GBR Challenge, is to join Ellen MacArthur's Kingfisher crew for the event.

Completing the crew are Nick Moloney, Simon Fry (also from GBR Challenge), Mark Turner, Anthony Merrington, Philipe Cairo and Ellen MacArthur.

At the regatta, to be held from the 30th April to 5th May, Kingfisher will face competition from some of the top single handed sailors in the world, including: Thierry Dubois, Thomas Coville, Bernard Stamm, Bernard Gallay and Roland Jourdain.

Walker outlined the benefits to both programmes "We're really looking forward to sailing with Ellen, and on board Kingfisher. It's great that two of the high profile sailing projects in Britain can work together. There's much that we can learn from the way Ellen and Mark Turner ran their programme and from the technology involved in Kingfisher. I also hope that we might be able to benefit their project and come up with some new ideas for Ellen and Nick."

Ellen commented "It will be great to be back on Kingfisher and will be interesting to race with a crew in a close quarters situation, in particular just to see the results of the improvements that Nick Moloney and the crew have been overseeing during the refit.

What better way to test Kingfisher than to sail with Ian Walker and Simon Fry from GBR Challenge onboard to teach us a few tricks about sailing closer to land! It's fantastic that we are bringing these two different areas of professional sailing together "

More Information:

GBR Challenge Website
Kingfisher Challenges

Friday, March 25, 2011

CS 27

Boat: CS 27

Builder: CS Yachts (Canadian Sailcraft)

Designer: Raymond Wall

More: CS 27 Specifications

News:

Semaine Olympique Francaise, Hyeres - Day 3

Author: Royal Yachting Association

DAY OF PROMISE FOR TEAM GBR

It was a day of promise for Great Britain's sailors at the Hyeres Olympic Classes Regatta (day 3) on the Mediterranean today, as several members of the World Class squad upheld their potential with six race wins across four fleets and now hold four places on the provisional podium.

Despite stating their intentions as "learning more about each others sailing style, the boat and gelling as a team" rates higher than regatta performance this week, Paul Brotherton and Olympic Silver Medallist Simon Hiscocks continue to lead the 49er class. Their 6,3,1 today increases
their lead over world champions Santiago Lopez and Javier de La Plaza (Spain) to eight points.

"We struggled a bit in the lighter winds (5/6 knots) due to the flatter sails," explained Paul after racing, referring to the new class sails introduced after Sydney, "but as the breeze came up they were never fast enough to give us an advantage but it was windy enough to make us competitive".

In the most buoyant mood after a very promising day were Team GBR's representatives in the 470 class with both Graham Vials & Dan Newman and Nick Rogers & Joe Glanfield second and third overall respectively in the men's 60 boat fleet.

Rogers and Glanfield, who were an agonising fourth at the Sydney Olympics by one point, led overall after the first day while their 1,9,5 today keeps their chances of winning here very much alive. "It was just what we needed," commented Joe. "A lot of other people didn't have good days but we couldn't afford that as a bad day would have really put us out of contention".

For Vials and Newman, their 6,1,12 also keeps them on target for a place on the podium, a highly encouraging result for such a new partnership although both are Youth World Championship Silver Medallists.

Former 420 women's world champion Christina Bassadone and crew Jenny Heeley perhaps posted the most promising result in the British camp, when after only five international races in the 470 class, they notched up their first race win.

After a steady first beat and downwind leg, Bassadone made steady inroads on the six boats ahead of them at the leeward mark to take the lead on the second beat, playing the shifts perfectly and holding their advantage to the end.

It is Great Britain's first race win in that fleet for over a year and proved they are keen and able to master the jump to the more technical and very competitive Olympic 470 class. "There are lots of things we need to work on as we are still new to the class so it's encouraging to do well
when we know we are nowhere near as good as we want to be," said Christina. They are now eighth overall.

In the Mistral fleet, Nick Dempsey, a member of Great Britain's highly successful sailing team in Sydney, won his first race of the day. More significantly, it was in the conditions (5-6 knots) Dempsey had always considered his weakest." It was my weak area before the Games so I've
devoted a lot of time to it and it seems to be paying dividends," remarked Nick.

Rounding off the Team GBR day, Andrew Simpson claimed the winners gun in series race four in the Finn class, winning even after receiving a yellow flag for excessive pumping from the on water jury. He is now third overall.

Racing continues tomorrow and concludes on Friday.

FRANCE; Hyeres Olympic Classes Regatta Provisional results (after 2 days)

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Semaine Olympique Francaise - Hyeres Page
Semaine Olympique Francaise - Hyeres Website

ALPA 9.5

Boat: ALPA 9.5

Builder: Alpa Yachts (ITA)

Designer: Sparkman and Stephens

More: ALPA 9.5 Specifications

News:

Statement from Peter Harrison about Chelsea FC speculation

Author: Mark Bullingham

Statement from Peter Harrison concerning the media speculation that he is to buy Chelsea Football Club:

I will continue to support Chelsea Football Club on the pitch and in my capacity as one of the Vice-Presidents. I also remain committed to my main sporting interest, GBR Challenge, which is Britain's first entry into the America's Cup since 1987."

More Information:

GBR Challenge Website

CRUISEMASTER 37

Boat: CRUISEMASTER 37

Builder: Cheoy Lee Shipyard

Designer: Alfred E. Luders

More: CRUISEMASTER 37 Specifications

News:

Musto appointed as clothing partner for GBR Challenge

Author: Mark Bullingham

Musto Ltd, world's leaders in the design and manufacture of foul weather gear, are the Official Clothing Partner to Peter Harrison's GBR Challenge. Musto will be responsible for the design and manufacture of the crew's sailing and shore clothing, as well as a commercial collection, which will
be on sale to the general public.

Nigel Musto, Deputy Managing Director, commented, 'It's a great honour to be appointed to work with Peter Harrison's GBR Challenge. As a British company, to work with the British Syndicate was something that we were very keen to do. Through extensive research and experience, we know that the clothing system supplied will be one of the many factors contributing to the sailors' performance. The guys will be wearing the most revolutionary inshore sailing clothing - the development opportunities that this project gives us are very exciting and work is already underway.'

Harrison clearly has confidence in the clothing supplier that GBR Challenge have appointed, 'I am delighted that Musto are joining GBR Challenge as our clothing partner. In addition to the unparalleled technical expertise that they offer our Sailing Team, I have every confidence that Musto will be an excellent business partner for the Challenge.'

David Barnes, General Manager of GBR Challenge stated, 'This is my sixth America's Cup project. I know what the sailors will go through out on the water. The expertise, knowledge and resources that Musto bring to the campaign are a great asset to the project.'

Just as with previous high profile projects, Musto are undertaking an extensive development programme to ensure that the foul weather gear's design is optimised.

Key issues to be addressed are mobility, weight and breathability. Musto will be working closely with key business partners, WL Gore (GORE-TEX) and Malden Mills (Polartec), to develop new fabrics and optimise their use in the clothing to give maximum performance.

More Information:

GBR Challenge Website
YachtsandYachting.com America's Cup Page

CRUISAIRE 30 CLIPPER

Boat: CRUISAIRE 30 CLIPPER

Builder: Cheoy Lee Shipyard

Designer: Alfred E. Luders

More: CRUISAIRE 30 CLIPPER Specifications

News:

Lark Easter Egg Trophy at Waldringfield Sailing Club Overall

More Information:

YachstandYachting.com Lark Class Information Page

CROWN 34

Boat: CROWN 34

Builder: Clark Boat Company

Designer: Hein Driehuyzen

More: CROWN 34 Specifications

News:

Saltash Sailing Club Dinghy Series - Race 1

Author: Chris Hampe

Race 1: Tuesday 17th April

A north westerly wind gusting up to 20 knots provided the competitors with tricky conditions with the start line sheltered from the true wind. The slow handicap class was the first away with Samantha Martin eventually pulling away to take line honours in her firefly. The result however is unclear with the win having been awarded to Samuel Phillips in his Topper whilst the firefly's handicap seams to have been miscalculated.

Once again the National twelve's underlined their suitability to the conditions on the river. Kathleen Refson sailing a trifle tipsy crossed the finish line just over 30 seconds ahead of John Murrell in N3157. Third spot was taken by up and coming cadet Simon Hinks who had survived a protest to finish ahead of Nathan Harding in 4th.

The largest class was that of the laser 2's. Philip Harrison continued from where he left off last year by sailing through most of the fleet after a below average start to finish two minutes in the lead. The leeward mark rounding in front of the club house had the spectators on their feet as both
Chris Hampe and Alice Inman tried to slot into a gap that was well closed by John Willerton despite a significant ebb tide. Adrian Bennet came in second from Tom Derham in third.

Results:

More Information:

Saltash Sailing Club

CROWN 28

Boat: CROWN 28

More: CROWN 28 Specifications

News:

23rd Spi-Ouest Regatta at La Trinite-sur-Mer - Day Three

Author: Mark Jardine

The wind arrived in La Trinite today for the 500 strong fleet with a NNW breeze that built throughout the day into a strong wind by then end of racing.

The smaller one-designs had an excellent first race on a well set course. In the J/24s Stouche helmed by Stuart Jardine took both wins with David Ellis second creating a 'winner takes all' last race.

Two of the 7.5 dayboats lost their rigs today in the second race with one hitting the leeward end start boat and another going downwind.

The race committee held the racers out in the bay for a while, tempted to hold a third race to make up for the race lost on the first day. They soon realised that racing would have gone on well into the evening if they had.

More Information:

Spi-Ouest Regatta Website with full results

CROSS 38

Boat: CROSS 38

More: CROSS 38 Specifications

News:

Times Clipper 2000 Fleet set sail on the San Fernando Race

Author: Sue Warden-Owen

The Times Clipper 2000 eight-strong fleet of identical 60-foot yachts set sail from Hong Kong today, 12th April 2001 at 12:00 local (0500 BST) on the biennial San Fernando Race, a 480 nautical mile offshore contest across the South China Sea to the Philippines. Perfect conditions at the start of Race 9 (of 16) saw Bristol Clipper secure an excellent start in 7 knots of North-Easterly breeze and bright sunshine, quite uncommon during Hong Kong's monsoon season.

Spectators joined an impressive flotilla of boats including the Junk
'Frantonios' to watch the start of the San Fernando Race, as 32 competitors
vied for the best position at the start line. The line was stretched out
from Junk Bay, some 3 miles from the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, and there
was no way the Start Official, even a high Court Judge of the Hong Kong
Court, Graham Jackson, could manage to create a windward start, so the
yachts set off on a reach.

The build up to the start saw the Clippers mixing it with the other yachts,
but perhaps in deference to a Judge, no one dared be over the line at the
start. As Graham Jackson subsequently commented, "At the start the fleet
was wisely timorous" - well, who was going to risk being arraigned for
contempt! Showing no lack of either, Bristol Clipper was first to cross,
third in the whole fleet, soon followed by Liverpool and Leeds. Plymouth,
London, Portsmouth, Glasgow and Jersey followed. The wind had been fresh
to strong during the morning, but it fell away to 7 knots as the start gun
was fired, enough to give the yachts good speed and control.

Junk Bay is outside the main harbour in Hong Kong, on the eastern approach, but there is still a large amount of shipping using the channel and perhaps honours should go to a container ship that sailed serenely through the fleet just as the gun went! Naturally the lightweight flyers took the lead, when a boat weighs less than 20 tons and has a waterline of nearly 80 feet it is bound to leap ahead, but the Clipper yachts were packed into the middle of the fleet and powering along in comfortable conditions.

An hour after the start, Leeds Clipper held a slight lead of perhaps 20 yards over the next Clipper yacht London. Glasgow Clipper had moved into fourth place, although a small veer in the wind would give her the lead. Leeds Clipper, under her new temporary skipper, Ras Turner, winner of the
1996 Clipper race, was showing a new aggression, and everyone is watching to see how Ras fares against his fellow Plymouthian, Matt Baker, skippering Plymouth Clipper. These two have raced against each other many times before and have old scores to settle.

The forecast for the leg is east to northeasterly winds of force 4 - 5 (16 - 21 knots) along a straight course roughly to the southeast. However past experience says to expect the wind to decrease or even disappear as the yachts approach the Philippines. If this happens the heavier Clippers, carrying food for 55 days instead of plastic bags of sandwiches, will have to rely upon the momentum of their heavier displacement to keep themselves moving. With Hong Kong representing the halfway stage of the eleven month Times Clipper 2000, the Clipper crews are no longer novices, but this will be the first time they have been able to try their skills against other yachtsmen.

The fleet will enjoy an official Beach Party in San Fernando, a bustling market town situated 140 miles north of Manila, on Monday 16th April starting around midday. Following their brief stopover in San Fernando, the Clipper fleet will sail down to Raffles Marina Club in Singapore for a 7-day visit before the fourth leg of The Times Clipper 2000 concludes in Mauritius on 26th May 2001.

The fleet then races to Cape Town, otherwise known as the Tavern of the Seas, before embarking on the crossing of the Southern Atlantic to the port of Salvador in Brazil. Leaving Salvador, the final leg of The Times Clipper 2000 sees the yachts head north to a newly introduced stopover in New York. To ensure a close and exciting finish, they will also enjoy a high-profile 3-day race stopover in the beautiful Channel Island of Jersey, before the final sprint to the homecoming celebrations in Portsmouth on 21st September 2001.

More Information:

YachtsandYachting.com Clipper2000 Round the World Yacht Race Page
www.clipper-ventures.com