In This Issue
• Olympians rule third day at Symonite OK Dinghy Worlds
• NZ Women's Match Racing Championship
• Jimmy Spithill gets Oracle coach Philippe Presti for America's Cup challenge
• What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
• Brest Oceans 2019: Machines of Madmen
• Myanmar Yachting Federation's Approach To Youth Sailing
• America's Cup sailors and designers win big at 2018 Foiling Awards
• The Cutting Edge of the RORC Caribbean 600
• Sail Racing PalmaVela
• GC32 Racing Tour
• Letters to the Editor
• Featured Brokerage
• The Last Word: Stephen Fry
Brought to you by Seahorse magazine and YachtScoring.com EuroSail News 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
Olympians rule third day at Symonite OK Dinghy Worlds
Olympians Dan Slater and Fredrik Lööf took the race wins on the third day of the 2019 Symonite OK Dinghy World Championship at Wakatere Boating Club, in Auckland, after two more races in a very shifty offshore breeze. Josh Armit ended the day in second with Andrew Phillips in third.
Early morning showers gave way to a beautiful, hot and sunny day by race time, though the offshore wind caused its fair share of tears through the fleet with many favourites deep at times and many sailors scratching their heads in frustration. But many of the same sailors also made it to the front each race, while others made it look quite hard at times.
Former world champions, Nick Craig and Thomas Hansson-Mild had better days, both moving into the top 10 after some forgettable races on the second day of racing. However the Kiwis can still boast seven out of the top 10, which is pretty impressive given the quality of the fleet here.
With five races and a valid series now sailed, the fleet can have a well-deserved day off on Wednesday. Racing is scheduled to continue on Thursday at 13.00.
The series concludes on Friday 15 February. -- Robert Deaves
Results after Day 3
1. Dan Slater, NZL, 7
2. Josh Armit, NZL, 16
3. Andrew Phillips, NZL, 18
4. Fredrik Loof, SWE, 18
5. Luke O'Connell, NZL, 20
6. Steve McDowell, NZL, 20
7. Nick Craig, GBR, 39
8. Ben Morrison, NZL, 44
9. Thomas Hansson-Mild, SWE, 45
10. Rod Davis, NZL, 49
Full results: 2019.okworlds.org
NZ Women's Match Racing Championship
Auckland, New Zealand: Celia Willison and her RNZYS Youth Training Programme NZ Women's Match Racing Team have taken out the NZ Women's Match Racing Championship after four days of intense match racing at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.
Willison started the day two-nil up against the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club team helmed by Juliet Costanzo, but it was the Australian Costanzo who started the day strong by picking up an important victory over her kiwi opponent, keeping her teams hopes alive. The next match was an absolute beauty and potentially the best of the entire regatta, with plenty of lead changes and close racing ensuring the umpires had plenty of work to do. Willison's vast experience sailing at the RNZYS shone through in the end though, as she went on to take a tight win and secure her finals berth.
The final was then a fairly one sided affair, with Willison and her team outclassing Blecher in the pre starts and sailing fast around the track. Blecher was no match for Willison who went on to win three races on the trot, claiming the Leith Mossman Memorial Trophy and the title of 2019 NZ Women's Match Racing Champion.
Final results:
1. Celia Willison, NZL, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
2. Allison Blecher, USA, California Yacht Club
3. Susannah Pyatt, NZL, Murrays Bay Yacht Club
4. Juliet Costanzo, AUS, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
5. Jess Tavener, AUS, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
6. Marilyn Cassedy, USA, California Yacht Club
7. Megan Thomson, NZL, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
8. Taramati Matiwald, IND, Royal Global Yachting Association
Jimmy Spithill gets Oracle coach Philippe Presti for America's Cup challenge
America's Cup challengers Luna Rossa have signed Philippe Presti, the coach who helped mastermind the 2013 San Francisco comeback that denied Team New Zealand.
Frenchman Presti has come across to the challenger of record to link up again with Jimmy Spithill who signed with the Italian syndicate last year.
Presti described it has a "back to the future" move for him, having worked with Spithill during Luna Rossa's 2007 Cup campaign in Valencia where they lost the challengers final to Emirates Team New Zealand.
Spithill moved to Oracle Team USA for the successful 2010 multihull challenge against Alinghi and Presti joined him there for the successful defence in 2013 and Bermuda 2017 where the Kiwis were able to extract revenge for that heart-breaking loss in San Francisco where they surrendered an 8-1 lead.
Presti, Spithill and Oracle chief executive Sir Russell Coutts were the brains behind the incredible turn around.
Seahorse February 2019
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
Extraordinaire
The exception that proves the rule? Whatever the underlying reasons no modern raceboat has proved as enduringly successful, and as enduring, as Idec Sport. Jocelyn Bleriot, Vincent Lauriot Prevost and Xavier Guilbau
A quiet year?
Olympic gold medallist and Artemis America's Cup helm Nathan Outteridge certainly expected 2018 to play out more gently... There you go! Andy Rice talks foils... and the future
Rod Davis Objective>Gameplan>Execution
Keep it in the right order and it'll work out fine
Seahorse build table - Something different
This one surely is? Tommy Gonzalez
(Thoroughly) recommended
Remembered in (fine) style -Mike Plant
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Brest Oceans 2019: Machines of Madmen
There's a 60-mile stretch of France's Brittany coast, between La Trinité-sur-Mer and Port la Forêt, where something in the drinking water causes certain individuals with high concentrations of salt water in their veins to want to go to sea, alone, aboard such monstrous and radical craft. Here, too, French corporations and private individuals, apparently drinking from the same fountain, are willing to bankroll the sailors and their Ultime 100 trimarans, which have already proved capable of 850 singlehanded miles in a day.
While it seems likely six new maxi-trimarans, known in France as Ultimes, could be on the Brest Oceans start line, there are at least 10 other such large multihulls in existence, designed for singlehanded round-the-world sailing, that, in theory, could compete in the race as well. Because of severe breakages and one disastrous capsize in the Ultime fleet during the 2018 Route du Rhum, Brest Oceans organizers have good reason to pause and consider the sanity of such a contest of wits and engineering, but the future of high-speed global pursuits is now, and there is no turning back.
Ultimes have the simplest of box rules, parameters intended to create boats that are vaguely similar and capable of racing without escalating costs. Length overall must fall between 24 and 32 meters. Beam must be less than 23 meters and freeboard no less than 1.4 meters. Mast height can be no more than 120 percent of the length of the longest hull. Those that meet Brest Oceans entry requirements include Thomas Coville's Sodebo Ultim, to be launched in 2019; Francois Gabart's solo round-the-world and 24-hour record holder MACIF; Seb Josse's Maxi Edmond de Rothschild; Yves le Blevec's Actual (nee-Sodebo), which launched in 2014; and, potentially, Armel Le Cléac'h's maxi Banque Populaire IX, launched in 2017, but which broke and capsized catastrophically in the early stages of the 2018 Route du Rhum Destination Guadeloupe and whose fate, at the time of writing, remains uncertain. One other, belonging to 62-year-old Francis Joyon (winner of the 2018 Route du Rhum), is the present Jules Verne Trophy record holder (fastest nonstop round-the-world fully crewed). Joyon has said he won't compete in Brest Oceans, but perhaps after his Route du Rhum victory he might change his mind, or his 2006-vintage IDEC Sport will be taken round by someone else.
James Boyd's full article in Sailing World:
www.sailingworld.com/brest-oceans-2019-machines-madmen
Myanmar Yachting Federation's Approach To Youth Sailing
Sports plays a crucial role in our children's lives and sailing is probably one of the best examples out there!
Having to face the uncertainty of nature in open waters will certainly be a challenge for any new sailor to take on the sport. As tough as it may sound, if the youngster manages to overcome his fears and take on this challenge with proper guidance and support, it will lead to many possibilities of expanding their character.
Lessons of discipline, respect and responsibility are some of the key things they will pick up along this journey which will play a crucial role later on in their lives. Have a listen to what the Myanmar sailors have to say about the sport in their own words and what sailing has brought to them apart from just having fun. This video is a message to any new parent, teacher or kid that might be interested in taking on the sport of sailing. It is meant to communicate how sports can bring a positive change to any youngster.
America's Cup sailors and designers win big at 2018 Foiling Awards
The foiling awards 2018 ceremony was held on February 11th in a location where the history of foiling was hovering directly above the crowd: the majestic Luna Rossa AC72 from San Francisco cup edition was in fact just meters away at the "Leonardo Da Vinci" Museo della Scienza e Tecnologia in Milan, allowing guests to appreciate the catamaran silver livery.
The evening was also the opportunity for Foiling WeekTM to launch the Projects S.A.S., the world first foiling boat allowing able and disabled sailors to fly together.
The idea, devised by Foiling WeekTM, was introduced to demonstrate the FW core values: Safety, Accessibility and Sustainability. Designed by foiling guru Guillaume Verdier, the first prototype, the IRUS 5.5, is under construction in Lorient: the boat is a mini-IMOCA with dali foils, swing keel and double T rudders .
Once tested with modified seats and controls the new boat will be built at the world class facilities of Persico Marine.
The award winners:
Foiling Sailor presented by GAC Pindar for best foiling sport achievement
- Glen Ashby
Foiling Design presented by Persico Marine projects still in design or in early production phase
- America's Cup Ac75 (Emirates Team New Zealand – luna Rossa Challenge)
Production Foiling Boat presented by Gurit foiling craft already in production and being sailed
- Manta Moth
One Off Foiling Boat presented by Gurit foiling craft not intended for production, being sailed
- Monofoil Gonet
Foiling Innovation by Foiling WeekTM foiling design solutions applied to flight control / design / construction, excluding hull construction
- America's Cup AC75 Foil set up (Emirates Team New Zealand – luna Rossa Challenge)
Foiling Sustainability presented by Torqeedo ideas, inventions, design, initiative that will have a beneficial impact on environment
- Autonomous Sailing Vessel by Artemis Technology
The Cutting Edge of the RORC Caribbean 600
Multihulls have been racing in the RORC Caribbean 600 since the very first race in 2009 when Claude Thelier's (FRA) Region Guadeloupe, skippered by John Burnie (GBR), set a record that was not bettered until 2015. In recent years the multihull fleet has been on the rise and the current race record is most definitely under threat. For the 11th edition, the fleet has a huge variety of designs racing under the MOCRA rating system to decide the class winner. The non-stop race around 11 Caribbean Islands has attracted multihull crew from Antigua, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United States.
Maserati Multi70, skippered by Giovanni Soldini (ITA) will be taking part in their second race. Maserati is turbo-charged with T-Foils and is the hot favourite for Multihull Line Honours, along with Argo, skippered by Jason Carroll (USA), winner of the 2018 GC32 Owner-Driver Class. If the conditions are right, both teams are capable of eclipsing the Multihull Race Record set by Lloyd Thornburg's Phaedo3 in 2016 (31 hours, 59 minutes, 04 seconds).
This will be the first RORC Caribbean 600 for Jason Carroll's MOD70 Argo, but all of the crew have done the race before, including Brian Thompson (GBR), who was co-skipper for the record run by Phaedo3. Argo Boat Captain, Chad Corning (USA) is relishing the prospect of hurtling around the course at speeds in excess of 30 knots.
Greg Slyngstad (USA) will be racing his Bieker 53 Fujin with a top crew, including America's Cup winner Peter Isler (USA) as navigator, and Olympic Gold Medallist Jonathan McKee (USA). Fujin made the headlines in last year's race for the wrong reasons, capsizing on the first night at sea
The 2019 RORC Caribbean 600 Race will start on Monday 18th February 2019
Sail Racing PalmaVela
The Real Club Nautico de Palma's regatta, to be held from 8th to 12th May 2019, has already registered nine different participating countries.
The sixteenth edition of Sail Racing PalmaVela, organised by the Real Club Nautico de Palma, has kicked off with the publication of the Notice of Race and the pre-registration of the first 31 boats, already representing nine different nations. The competition will be held in the Bay of Palma at its traditional time of year, between 8th and 12th May, and will be hosting many different kinds of sailboat, ranging from the smallest adapted class for the disabled, to the great over 30-metre "maxis."
As a new feature this year, the One Design class will be including the Viper 640 alongside the J80, Dragon and the Flying Fifteens. The Viper is 6.40m long and 2.5metre wide, cabin-less and is sailed by two to four crew members.
The sheer number and types of boats involved, make the organisation of Sail Racing PalmaVela a true logistical challenge for the Real Club Nautico de Palma, with up to four different race course areas, and up to 150 people involved in the shore crew and on the water teams.
GC32 Racing Tour
For its sixth season, the five event series for ultra-high performance one design catamarans will once again visit venues mostly likely to offer the stable wind and flat water that enable the nimble GC32s to fly at 30+ knots. In addition, the GC32 Racing Tour's organisers are investigating options for concluding the season, for the first time, outside of Europe.
For a third year, the GC32 Racing Tour will start in Italy, but this time in Villasimius on the southeasternmost tip of Sardinia. This will be the third time the GC32 Racing Tour will have visited this popular holiday destination, renowned for its azure waters, exotic marine life and pink flamingos. Racing at the GC32 Villasimius Cup will take place off the Marina di Villasimius near the protected maritime area of Capo Carbonara.
While in 2018, the GC32 teams were rudely awakened when they started their season with a World Championship, this year they should be slightly better prepared. Taking place at the end of June, the GC32 World Championship in Lagos, Portugal will be only the GC32's second World Championship since becoming a World Sailing International Class. The southern Portugal event will double as the second event on the Tour.
For its third event, the GC32 Racing Tour will once again visit Palma for 38th Copa del Rey MAPFRE, the Mediterranean's most well established multi-class regatta. While other Tour events are stand-alone, in Palma the Tour gets to showcase itself to the cream of international monohull fleets such as the maxis,
No GC32 Racing Tour season is complete without visiting Lake Garda. Here the foiling catamarans will again be hosted by Fraglia Vela Riva at the lake's northern end. The GC32 Riva Cup will take place mid-September rather than its usual beginning of season slot. At this time of year the temperature is warmer and the northerly Péler wind more dominant.
The location of the final event of the season is yet to be announced.
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Telephone: +44(0) 1590 679222
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Petite Flamme is the second Swan 60 to be delivered and was launched in 2010. Currently lying in Scarlino. She is available to visit by appointment
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See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
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