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Rolex Farr 40 North Americans
The second day of the 2014 Rolex Farr 40 North Americans could not have asked for more, as warm temperatures and a moderate seabreaze allowed for three races to be held for the 19 boats.

Unlike day one when Santa Ana conditions led to a dramatic wind direction shift, today locked in to the typical SW direction, slowly building through the day to about 14 knots. Mixing in shifts with a light swell offered opportunity for the cream to rise.

Winning the day was Wolfgang Schaefer's Struntje light, posting a 1-2-3 to pull the team up from fourth to second overall.

Racing continues Friday and concludes Saturday. Eleven races with no discard is scheduled.

Top ten after six races
1. Plenty, Alexander Roepers, USA, 19 points
2. Struntje light, Wolfgang Schaefer, GER, 21
3. Flash Gordon 6, Helmut Jahn, USA, 25
4. Enfant Terrible, Alberto Rossi, ITA, 32
5. Nightshift, Kevin McNeil, USA, 32
6. Dark Star, Jeff Janov, USA, 33
7. Groovederci, John Demourkas, USA, 35
8. Flojito y Cooperando, Minkow/Fernandez, MEX, 49
9. Blade 2, Michael Shlens, USA, 58
10. JoAnn, Steve Murphy, USA, 64

Complete results: www.yachtscoring.com
www.farr40.org

Rolex Sydney Hobart: 70th Anniversary Entries Open As Corinthian Division Announced
The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, the organising authority for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, has announced the release of the Notice of Race and now invites eligible yacht owners to enter the blue water classic.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the annual race, and in a nod to the traditionalists and the non-professional crews, the CYCA has introduced a Corinthian division.

Yacht owners and their crew who meet the Corinthian criteria, as defined by the ISAF Classification code, will compete for the York Family Corinthian Trophy, newly dedicated by prominent CYCA members Michael and Jeannette York.

The trophy will be presented to the yacht that performs best overall under a separate performance handicap to be calculated by the application of Time Correction Factors (TCFs) as a multiplier of elapsed time. Yachts entered in the Corinthian division must also be entered into one of the other three divisions: IRC, ORCi or PHS.

The York family is part of the fabric of Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's history. Michael York OAM is the longest standing member of the Club, having joined in 1945.

rolexsydneyhobart.com

Are You Safety Ready For The Round The Island Race?
There's just over a month to go until the Round the Island Race when over 1200 yachts will be lining up on the Cowes start line.

The 60-miler laps the Isle of Wight partly in the sheltered waters of the Solent and then once out through Hurst Narrows, into the open English Channel. Although considered a 'coastal' race, the Round the Island shouldn't be taken lightly when it comes to safety. That's why the organisers stipulate ISAF Offshore Special Regulations for Category 4 as the safety standard for the race.

It's important that each yacht is carrying a VHF radio, fire extinguisher, radar reflector, first aid kit, flares , lifebuoy and lifejackets amongst the list of important equipment to have on board. So now is a good time to go through the check list and make sure everything is in good order and expiry dates haven't been reached.

Ocean Safety are on hand to supply all the necessary equipment, and if you are not sure what you should be carrying or whether you need to upgrade or get equipment serviced, we can advise you too.

Visit Ocean Safety's website www.oceansafety.com to see our full range of equipment.

Some of us are going to be out there ourselves, so here's wishing everyone a great race!

ISAF Match Race Rankings
Taylor Canfield (ISV) and Camilla Ulrikkeholm (DEN) hold onto World #1 in the Open and Women's ISAF Match Race Rankings ahead of a jam packed summer of match race action.

Open Rankings

It's the calm before the storm in the Open Rankings with the Alpari World Match Racing Tour just around the corner. Taylor Canfield (ISV) sits atop of the Open Rankings for the seventh consecutive release and has a good advantage over the chasing pack.

The Alpari World Match Racing Tour kicks off with Match Race Germany from 5-9 June 2014 with Canfield atop of strong looking top five that includes World #2 Ian Williams (GBR), World #3 Bjorn Hansen (SWE), World #4 Mathieu Richard (FRA) and World #5 Phil Robertson (NZL). All five are tour card holders for the upcoming Alpari World Match Racing Tour.

Women's Rankings

There were no ISAF Graded Women's Match Racing Regattas in the current qualifying period but with a busy summer ahead plenty can and will change in the next few months.

The ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship commences on 3 June 2014 in Cork, Ireland and runs through to 8 June.

Top ten open rankings:

1. Taylor Canfield, ISV
2. Ian Williams, GBR
3. Bjorn Hansen, SWE
4. Mathieu Richard, FRA
5. Philip Robertson, NZL
6. Nicolai Sehested, DEN
7. Keith Swinton, AUS
8. Przemek Tarnacki, POL
9. Eric Monnin, SUI
10. Staffan Lindberg, FIN

Top ten women's rankings:

1. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN
2. Anna Kjellberg, SWE
3. Lucy Macgregor, GBR
4. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN
5. Stephanie Roble, USA
6. Alexa Bezel, SUI
7. Ekaterina Skudina, RUS
8. Caroline Sylvan, SWE
9. Milly Bennett, AUS
10. Claire Leroy, FRA

www.sailing.org/rankings/match/index.php

AZAB Competitors Use Baltic Rally For Qualifier Leg
Sailing Rallies Baltic 4 Nations skipper Simon Hewitt, will take on an entirely new challenge in the form of the Red Ensign AZAB 2015, using the passage up to Copenhagen for his all-important qualifying leg.

Having already completed numerous offshore events including a transatlantic race onboard a Challenge Business 67, an expedition trip to Svalbard and a Rolex China Sea Race, Simon decided he wanted to take on the challenge of competing in a short-handed race, in his own boat.

The AZAB takes place every four years and starts in Falmouth, UK on 6th June 2015. Covering almost 2500 miles of ocean, approximately 1220 miles on each leg, it is an exciting race not to be taken lightly for the single and double handed crews.

The majority of yachts usually take between 7 and 10 days to reach Ponta Delgada in the Azores, spending a week or so to recover, relax and restock before the return passage. To enter, all yachts must complete a qualifying passage of at least 300NM.

Simon and good friend Will Patten, will sail Starlight 39 'Anusha' from Suffolk to Helgoland as their qualifying passage for the AZAB. The fun can then truly begin as they cruise up the Kiel Kanal, into the Baltic Sea and towards Copenhagen for the start of the Baltic 4 Nations rally.

The Baltic 4 Nations rally is a two week rally cruising the Southern Baltic, starting from Copenhagen in Denmark, also visiting Germany, Poland & Sweden. This year, the fleet will leave on 26th July with the lead boat Chiscos, crewed by the Sailing Rallies Team. The entry list for the AZAB 2015 is currently full and operating a waiting list. For those interested in exploring the Baltic Sea this summer and joining the family, contact Sailing Rallies.

www.sailingrallies.com

2015 Transpac Race Start Date
Los Angeles, California, USA: Meeting at Long Beach YC, the Board of Directors of the Transpacific Yacht Club have announced that the first start for the next 2225-mile Transpac race to Honolulu will be Monday, July 13, 2015. Slightly later than usual, this date is timed to allow for better expected winds later in the summer and moonlit skies as the boats approach Honolulu.

"We feel this later start will result in a faster, safer and more enjoyable race," said TPYC Commodore Dan Nowlan. "The traditional sendoff parties and competitors meetings will be held on the weekend prior to the first start. These gala parties are almost as famous as the arrival parties in Honolulu, and have become an important part of this race. Likewise, our Honolulu Committee is preparing for their renowned Aloha welcomes for all the racers after they cross the finish line at Diamond Head."

The second and third start dates for the faster boats in the fleet will follow the first start and will be announced as soon, as will dates for upcoming race seminars and other announcements from TPYC. The Notice of Race is in preparation now, and is expected for release in the next 30 days.

Interest levels are already rising for the 2015 race, so its not too early to start making your plans to join the 48th running of this TransPacific classic.

For more information about the race and its history, contact

An Exciting Opportunity At Gill
Much of our success in recent years has been due to exceptional growth in overseas markets, and we have a great opportunity to come and join our team as Export Manager.

The main focus of this role is to drive sales and expansion, supporting the network of businesses that represent our brand around the world to achieve our growth plans. However it's not only about selling, in many ways it is a market management position, as we continue to develop our brand strength and marketing activity alongside commercial growth.

We are looking for someone who is hugely motivated to develop our business, someone who is passionate about our brand and our product. Building strong relationships with our partners and understanding the individual nuances of different markets and nationalities are essential qualities.

You will have solid experience in a sales/business development role understanding what it means to be highly driven to achieve goals and deliver on expectations. An understanding of sailing and the ability to communicate in a credible way with our customers is important. Although not a pre-requisite, a foreign language, particularly French or German would be helpful. This role is based out of our head office, and as you would expect with a job of this nature there is regular travel required. You will also be required to be involved with our international boat shows and events.

We will provide a competitive base salary coupled with a bonus package that reflects our ambitions to grow, plus a company car. If this opportunity really excites you and you have the energy for a great challenge, then please email your CV and covering letter detailing your current salary details to

Closing date : 31st May 2014

www.gillmarine.com

Bermuda Shortlisted For 2017 America's Cup
Bermuda has been shortlisted in its bid to host the 2017 America's Cup, which is widely considered one of the world's most prestigious sailing competitions.

The Island is now one of four locations being considered by the America's Cup Event Authority, which is the organizing body for the Cup's 35th competition, the world's oldest international sailing trophy.

Bermuda's bid to host the competition started in March following an invitation from the Authority to place a bid.

"This is a great opportunity for Bermuda on many levels," Premier Craig Cannonier said. "The America's Cup is a spectacular sporting event attracting worldwide attention, generating business, jobs and extensive television exposure for the host location.

bernews.com

A Pathway For Future Champions
London, UK: This weekend from 17-18 May marks the first official World Tour Qualifier event of the 2014 Alpari World Match Racing Tour in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The Volvo Spring Cup, organised by the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club (GKSS), is one of eleven International Sailing Federation (ISAF) graded match racing events that qualify for the 2014 Alpari World Match Racing Tour.

Each of the World Tour Qualifier events award the winners entry to one of the 2014 Alpari World Match Racing Tour events in Germany, Sweden, Poland, Chicago, Bermuda and Malaysia. The qualifying skippers will then have the opportunity to sail against the world's highest ranked match racing teams, as well as earn prize money and points towards the World Championship. The winning team and the best Swedish youth team at the Volvo Spring Cup this weekend will qualify for the Stena Match Cup Sweden in Marstrand, this year celebrating its 20th anniversary.

As well as the qualifier events to the World Tour, there are also a number of active match racing centres and academies around the world which provide training courses and events of their own. These include the highly successful Chicago Match Race Centre and Malaysia's 'Belia Belayar' program run by the organisers of the Monsoon Cup to introduce youth to sailing and match racing in Malaysia."

Teams interested in entering any of the World Tour Qualifier events can contact the events directly or via the Tour office for more information www.wmrt.com

An English Revival
Eddie English's Round Cobh Island Windsurfing Race made a revival over the weekend. The race which ran annually in the 80s and 90s made its 21st century debut with tremendous success. Marius Fedotovas and his Mistral won the 15 mile race finishing the course in a time of 2 hours 24 mins and 5 seconds.

Sail Cork's Round Cobh Island Race idea was conceived in 1982 by a hardy bunch of windsurfers - the Buccaneer Boardsailors in Cobh and the first race was run in May 1983. This was won by Glen McIlwraith. His time over the 15 mile course was 2 hours and 2 minutes in SW 4-5. The race continued on an annual basis usually held in the spring (April or May) with a few years being run in September due to weather cancellation - the race is very tide dependant requiring high water in the early afternoon. While the course record stands at 1hr 29mins 24 secs (Oisin Van Geralden in 1998) some years it has taken the leaders over 3 hours to complete the course with some hardy sailors taking as much as 6 hours to get around the island. The last winner of the event was Sean Flanagan in 1999.

Sean visited Eddie English (owner of Sail Cork) and the crew aboard "Holy Grounder" when she was berthed in Cork City and presented the perpetual cut glass trophy back in 2012 and the idea was mooted to resurrect the Round Cobh Race.

So the date was set for Saturday May 10th but when they saw the forecast in the morning it was decided to postpone till Sunday the 11th which was a blessing as it gusted up to 45 kn in Cork Harbour.

Sunday's forecast was much better - W to WNW 17-22kn.

When the leaders emerged into the Eastern Harbour the wind piped up to WNW-NW 22-24kn.

Marius finished in 2 hours 24 mins 5 seconds with Jeff just 1 min 53 seconds behind. It was almost 13 minutes until Hannes finished in 3rd position.

Conditions eased somewhat to 18-21 kn and the rest of the fleet of 15 finishers came in over the next couple of hours with Kevin Cunningham being the last man standing! His circumnavigation took four hours and twenty minutes.

Final results:
Marius Fedotovas
Jeff Condell
Hannes Louet
Fintan Day
Steve Flanagan
Robin Bateman
Rory Allen
Cormac O' Brien
Neil Sandes
Colman Phelan
Cullen Allen
Greg Day
Ian Bradley
Andrew Christofides
Kevin Cunningham

www.sailcork.com

Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games Sailing Competition
The Notice of Race for the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games Sailing Competition has been published.

The second edition of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) will feature 100 sailors competing across four events on Lake Jinniu in Nanjing, China.

Racing will commence on 18 August and will conclude on 23 August.

The four YOG Sailing events are:

Boy's Windsurfer - Techno 293
Girl's Windsurfer - Techno 293
Boy's One Person Dinghy - Byte CII
Girl's One Persona Dinghy - Byte CII

The YOG Sailing Competition will consist of an opening series and final race. The format will be fleet racing but slalom racing may be run for the Boy's and Girl's Windsurfers if the weather conditions are suitable.

The Youth Olympic Games brings 28 sports together in a unique multi-sport event for young athletes who are given a once in a lifetime opportunity to participate in high-level sporting competitions while also engaging in a Culture and Education Programme

For each of the four sailing events, there are seven Youth Olympic Qualification Events. Competitors qualify their National Olympic Committee (NOC) at a YOQE, and the NOC will then select its competitor for that event by the 8 July 2014 deadline.

www.sailing.org/news/37874.php

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