Brought to you by Seahorse magazine, Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to

The Rebranding
World Sailing is pleased to announce a new strategic positioning for the sport, expressed in a new, fresh and modern brand identity.

A stronger and more contemporary visual identity alongside a new vision and mission puts sport, nature and technology at its core and fully completes the transition from the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) to World Sailing which commenced in November 2015. The new brand identity has been rolled out across World Sailing's digital properties alongside the release of a short film highlighting sailors, coaches, sailing fans and sports fans reinforcement of the new positioning. Click here to view the film. World Sailing's Vision and Mission: Vision: A world in which millions more people fall in love with sailing; inspired by the unique relationship between sport, technology and the forces of nature; we all work to protect the waters of the world. Mission: To make sailing more exciting and accessible for everyone to participate or watch; and use our reach and influence to create a sustainable future for our sport and the waters of the world:

To create, and regulate, exciting competition events to showcase the natural power of wind driven water sport;

To build a strong profile and image for sailing - using our key points of difference to resonate with people and give them a lifetime of sport;

To create a tangible sustainability programme that maximises the positive effect that the sailing community can have on our environment.

All of this can be encapsulated in a simple message: sport, technology & nature in perfect harmony.

Full statement: www.sailing.org

* Gerald New at Sailweb is unimpressed:

This meaningless corporate speak, apparently completes the transition from the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) to World Sailing (WS).

After the example of the difference that World Sailing made to the Rio Olympics the sailing world will be waiting with baited breath...

Can the move to Switzerland to join other great international sports organisations such as the IOC, FIFA and UEFA be long delayed?

www.sailweb.co.uk

The 30th Anniversary Quantum Key West Race Week Is Scheduled January 15-20, 2017
Key West Race Week The regatta that started as a mostly fun series among casual racers and grew to the most important international regatta hosted in the U.S. is shaping up to be memorable: A new host venue in Old Town, the Waterfront Brewery, brings the nightly action back to the waterfront, Quantum Sails is back as title sponsor, the Florida Keys return as presenting sponsor and entries are building with the regatta just four months away.

Enter before October 1 to save between $3 and $5 per foot on your entry fee. Starts will be hosted for one-design and rated classes, and for the second year running monohull and multihull cruising classes. Don't have a boat? No problem. Charter opportunities are available through the National One Design Sailing Academy of Canada.

Also, all Quantum Sails customers are eligible for free entry to race week with the purchase of a new suit of racing or performance cruising sails from Quantum before October 31. (Contact your sail consultant for full details.) Visit the regatta web site, Quantum Key West Race Week, for more information

Or to go directly to the online entry application form

keywestraceweek.com

Tests For The New Mast Technofirst-Faceocean
Monday was a great day for the team of Sebastian Destremau. With a new mast, TechnoFirst-faceOcean could make every measurement controls, including the famous 90° test that was fatal to its previous spar. And this time everything went well.

"This time it's good! "Sebastien Destremau all smiles and we understand: with his team, he has just completed testing TechnoFirst-faceOcean equipped with its new mast, provided by "an anonymous donor". Sebastien can now join the startline for the Vendee Globe on 6 November.

His boat had broken its previous mast in four pieces a month ago, during a first attempt to of the obligatory testing. Since the maritime solidarity has done its work to respond to this major damage, which could prove fatal to his participation in the Vendee Globe. "I received no less than eight proposed solutions after this blow! We opted for the one that was closest to the ideal solution.

www.faceocean.fr
vendeeglobe.org

Vendee Globe's Spanish Competitor And Ambassador Of The Barcelona World Race
After months of effort, Didac Costa and his team will soon be setting sail for Les Sables d'Olonne where, on 6 November 2016, he will be the only Spanish sailor to take the start of the Vendee Globe 2016. Aboard One Planet, One Ocean he will be the ambassador for the Barcelona World Race 2018/19 and will be perpetuating the race's scientific projects by virtue of the agreement between UNESCO and the FNOB projects. With its support of the project, the FNOB is reaffirming one of its main objectives: the promotion of offshore sailing in Spain.

In a bid to complete this Everest of offshore racing, Barcelona and Didac are taking the baton passed on by the three Spaniards who previously participated the race: Joseluis Ugarte (1993), Unai Basurko (2008) and Bubi Sanso (2012).

It's with this same boat that Didac secured fourth place in the last Barcelona World Race alongside Aleix Gelabert. This boat is one of the most reliable. It is none other than the legendary Kingfisher originally designed for Ellen MacArthur.

www.imoca.org

New Blokart Land Sailing Record
Bullhead City, Arizona: Kingman resident Scott Young set an unmodified land sailing kart speed record Thursday on Ivanpah Dry Lake with a GPS-recorded maximum speed of 65 mph, breaking the previous record of 64.4 mph set in 2012.

Young rode a 40-plus mph wind gust on Ivanpah Dry Lake, pushing his unmodified BloKart land sailer to 65 mph and breaking the previous Blokart speed record of 64.4 mph set in 2012.

"The conditions were perfect for a record," Young said. "The wind was blowing 30 to 35 mph out of the southwest with gusts exceeding 40 mph. It was howling."

The 10-mile long and roughly 2-mile wide playa is host to international and national land sailing competitions and archery, kite buggying and other wind-powered sports.

Terrell and Patty Young, Scott's wife, were at Ivanpah on Thursday, acting as witnesses and documenting the run through photos and video. A GPS unit recorded Young's real-time maximum speed as 65 mph.

"Land sailing is a huge sport in New Zealand and Australia," Scott Young said. "There are probably five times the number of people land sailing there than there are here. That's where BloKart land sailers are built - they ship them over here - and they are very serious about the sport. It's very exciting to have set a record here."

Young has been land sailing for over 10 years and in 2010 set his first unmodified BloKart speed record of 62.2 mph.

www.mohavedailynews.com

(More) Glittering Prizes
Seahorse Daniel Smith looks forward to the 2016 Yacht Racing Forum

The Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards will take centre stage this month in Barcelona as the highest achievements within the sport are recognised. Starting with Sir Peter Blake (NZL), Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (GBR) and Theresa Zabell (ESP) in 1994, the distinct marble and silver trophy has proudly been accumulating the names of those who have demonstrated sporting excellence.

In the aftermath of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic sailing competitions, gold medallists boasting heroic and outstanding success stories are inevitably expected to fill the shortlists in both the male and female categories. Since Atlanta 1996, Olympic sailors have dominated the Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards in an Olympic year. Inspiring gold medallists such as Santiago Lange (ARG), Charline Picon (FRA), Dorian van Rijsselberghe (NED) and Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (BRA), to name but a few, have all delivered recent performances worthy of any shortlist - and this month in Barcelona will be no exception.

The business of sport is going through big changes, with greater emphasis on digital media, the importance of fan engagement in a voraciously content-hungry world and the need to create commercial properties that excite sponsors in an increasingly crowded marketplace. International federations not only have to adapt to and seize these opportunities themselves, but they also need to provide the platforms that enable their worldwide stakeholders to be better equipped to meet these new challenges.

Full article in the latest issue of Seahorse: www.seahorsemagazine.com

Industry News
ORACLE TEAM USA is proud to announce Harken, the performance sailing hardware and industrial solutions specialists, will provide hardware for its America's Cup yachts as an Official Supplier.

Harken's involvement in the America's Cup dates back 30 years to Perth, Australia. The boats have changed dramatically since then, from 12-metre class monohulls to foiling wing-sailed catamarans, and the demands an America's Cup team places on its deck hardware supplier has only increased.

"Working in the America's Cup pushes us to the limit," says Peter Harken, the Chairman of Harken.

"We started in 1987 with winches and titanium blocks but now with these boats, we've had to learn to work in a whole different medium with the hydraulic systems.

"Everything has to be super strong and zero weight. These guys beat the heck out of the equipment. It has to withstand that. We gain a lot of knowledge from that."

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The winners of the 2016 Innovation Awards were announced at the annual Industry Breakfast Tuesday.

The Innovation Awards honors achievement in product development in 13 areas of the marine industry. Winners were selected by a panel of judges from Boating Writers International (BWI), a professional organization consisting of writers, editors, publishers, photographers, broadcasters, public relations specialists and others in the communications profession associated with the boating industry.

The 2016 IBEX Innovation Award winners are:

Boatbuilding Methods & Materials: BANOVA, 3A Composites Baltek Inc.
Deck Equipment & Hardware: Dual Winners-Roswell Marine, Triton Board Rack; T-H Marine Supplies, Snapflex LED Stern Navigation Lights
Furnishings & Interior Parts: Kenyon International Inc., Texan Grill with IntelliKEN Touch Control
Mechanical Systems: XYLEM, Rule Bilge Pumps
Electrical Systems: Mercury Marine, Electronic Steering Helm
Inboard Engines: Volvo Penta, Easy Drain
Outboard Engines: Honda Marine, BF6
Propulsion Parts, Propellers: Mercury Marine, VesselView Mobile
Boat Care and Maintenance: Pettit Paint, SeaGold
OEM Electronics: Dual Winners-Garmin USA, Fantom 6; Sounds Inc., SYN-DX 6-DSP
Environmental Award: Fireboy-Xintex Inc., CG / MA and GA 3M Novec 1230 Fixed Fire Extinguisher

boatingindustry.com

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RAI Amsterdam, owners and producers of METSTRADE (The Marine Equipment Trade Show) has purchased a 50 percent stake in IBEX from WoodenBoat Publications Inc., publisher of Professional BoatBuilder magazine.

The announcement was made Tuesday during the IBEX Industry Breakfast.

Starting on October 7, 2016, RAI Amsterdam will partner with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) to produce future IBEX events. While IBEX and the METSTRADE Show will continue to maintain their unique focus and identity, IBEX will be powered by METSTRADE to foster international growth in attendees, exhibits and sponsorships.

boatingindustry.com

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URGO, a leading French healthcare group which specialises in advanced dressings and bandages for wound care and family medication, and OC Sport Pen Duick, experts in the organisation of ocean races, are proud to announce today that URGO has become the Title Partner of the world's leading annual solo sailing race, La Solitaire du Figaro, for the next three editions (2017-2019).

The 48th edition of the race, which is known as the unofficial world championship of solo offshore sailing, will set sail on 4 June 2017 from Bordeaux under a new name, La Solitaire URGO Le Figaro.

A new logo, a new visual identity, and a new website (www.lasolitaire-urgo.com) are being unveiled for the occasion.

URGO became an Official Partner of the race in 2016, and will go a step further over the next three years, reinforcing its commitment as Title Partner.

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Yachting New Zealand are very pleased to announce that Aon New Zealand will be title sponsor for up-coming 2016 Aon Youth Sailing World Championships being hosted in New Zealand.

CEO of Aon New Zealand, Geoff Blampied said, "We congratulate Yachting New Zealand for securing the opportunity to bring this prestigious regatta to New Zealand. We are proud to support the event.  We wish organisers and sailors all the very best for when the event is held in Auckland later on this year."

Aon New Zealand and Yachting New Zealand have a strong existing alliance and Blampied says that they are delighted to have this opportunity to expand on that.

"For some years now, Aon has been sponsoring Yachting New Zealand's Aon Fast Track programme and we see our sponsorship of the 2016 Aon Youth Sailing World Championship as an extension of that partnership."

Yachting New Zealand Chief Executive David Abercrombie acknowledged that having the support of Aon New Zealand was an important factor in the success of New Zealand's bid to host the major international event.

yachtingnz.org.nz

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Doyle Sails New Zealand has been joined by Guillermo Altadill as a Grand Prix Race Salesman, bringing added offshore and performance racing expertise to the team.

Doyle Sails already has top Round the World race competitors Mike Sanderson, Richard Bouzaid, Stu Bannatyne and Justin Ferris on its team.

Hailing from Barcelona, Spain, Altadill's impressive career has seen him sail around the world 10 times in races including the Whitbread Round The World Race, The Race, Volvo Ocean Race and Barcelona World Race. With an incredibly diverse range of sailing experience, from Optimists and involvement in five Olympic campaigns, to multihulls and his offshore racing, Altadill's huge amount of experience will prove invaluable to Doyle's customer base.

Altadill was inspired to join the company after being consistently impressed by the performance of Doyle Stratis sails on numerous campaigns including Neutrogena in the Barcelona World Race 2014/2015.

www.sail-world.com

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Sporting a large rear deck area, the Protector 8.5 proves to be the most popular professional workboat by far.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Harmen Rockler
Farr Yacht Sales

+1 410 267 6550

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This quick production-built GP26 also features a lifting keel and rudder for easy access and trailer launching.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

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Windseeker Composite Yachts
Phone : +90 216 394 16 13
Fax : +90 216 394 16 38

http://www.wraceboats.com

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Raceboats Only Farr 230. 32,900 USD

The Farr 230 is a trailerable, one design sportboat built by Bavaria Yachtbau. This ready-to-sail package includes a new fully commissioned, assembled boat, a Triad trailer, and Hyde cruising main and jib.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Harmen Rockler
Farr Yacht Sales

+1 410 267 6550

See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/

The Last Word
No great movement designed to change the world can bear to be laughed at or belittled. Mockery is a rust that corrodes all it touches. -- Milan Kundera

Editorial and letter submissions to

Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: or see www.scuttlebutteurope.com/advertise.html

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