In This Issue
• Xavier Macaire Leads Upwind Battle Back To Lorient Brittany
• Quantum Racing Show Early Form in Puerto Portals
• New innovative MOB / POB rescue system
• Palermo-Montecarlo line honours for Arca SGR
• Sonata UK Championships
• The Coach Regatta arrives as a prelude to the 29er World Championship
• Melges 24 European Sailing Series
• Baltimore Provides Atlantic Landfall Port for the "Mountain Bike of the Sea"
• Tall Ships Races to return to Shetland in 2023
• Featured Charter: Swan 68 - Defiance
• Featured Brokerage:
• • X-Yachts - X56
• • J/122 - "Black Dog"
• • HH44 - NEW BOAT
• The Last Word: Charlie Watts

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

Xavier Macaire Leads Upwind Battle Back To Lorient Brittany
With the best part of 190 nautical miles of upwind sailing still to complete to the finish line in Lorient, Brittany, it is Xavier Macaire (Groupe SNEF) who leads the 52nd La Solitaire du Figaro fleet this Tuesday afternoon.

After a spectacular night approach to the NW Spanish coast in 30kts of breeze and big seas and the rounding, at 08.20hrs this morning, of the Los Farallones buoy, 40 year old Macaire has today maintained the 2.4 miles margin that he built by - incredibly - sailing more than half a knot quicker than all of his rivals during the night.

Macaire won the first, 640 miles long leg of the last race in 2020, out to the Fastnet and back. In Saint Quay last year he finally broke the hoodoo which robbed him of two stage wins previously, including one potential race win. In 2015 after finishing first across the line into Dieppe he was judged to have sailed inside a forbidden zone some 18 miles from the finish and was penalised an hour by the jury. And, again, in 2016 the sailor who originates from the Mediterranean had a stage win taken from him because of an 18 minutes penalty for a broken seal on a fire extinguisher. From the perspective of bouncing back from these incidents alone, many would love to see Macaire finally win La Solitaire du Figaro on his 11th, and -he says - final attempt at the race. He has already scored two overall podiums, second in 2013 and third in 2016.

Roundings at Los Faralllones.
1. Xavier Macaire (Groupe SNEF) : 8h20
2. Pierre Leboucher (GUYOT Environnement - Ruban rose) : 8h30
3. Gildas Mahe (Breizh Cola) : 8h37
4. Fabien Delahaye (Groupe Gilbert) : 8h38
5. Tom Laperche (Bretagne - CMB Performance) : 8h40
6. Corentin Horeau (Mutuelle Bleue pour l'Institut Curie) : 8h45
7. Martin Le Pape (Gardons la vue) : 8h45
8. Elodie Bonafous (Bretagne - CMB Oceane) : 8h53
9. Pierre Quiroga (Skipper Macif 2019) : 8h53
10. Gaston Morvan (Bretagne - CMB Espoir) : 8h54 first rookie

Quantum Racing Show Early Form in Puerto Portals
Photo by Ingrid Abery, www.ingridabery.com. Click on image for photo gallery.

After the first day of racing on the 2021 52 SUPER SERIES Quantum Racing, steered by Doug DeVos, are on top of the nine boat eader board after sailing a strong pair of opening races - a second and first - on the Bay of Palma at the 52 SUPER SERIES Puerto Portals Sailing Week & 20th Anniversary Invitational.

While it was the 2019 World Champions, Harm Muller-Spreer's Platoon who scored the first race victory the German flagged crew were fourth in the next windward-leeward race to lie second overall by two points.

As the late afternoon sea breeze diminished and the old offshore gradient pushed back in from the north the last run was all but turned inside out. Speeds were down to two knots at times as Quantum Racing ghosted across the finish to a well earned winning gun from Bronenosec with Ergin Imre's Provezza taking third thanks to a good recovery, reading the shifts well on the second round.

Already there is a logjam in the middle of the standings table - Bronenosec, Provezza and Andy Soriano's Alegre all finishing the day on a 10pts aggregate from the pair of races.

The seven strong 20th Anniversary Invitational fleet had two good races which saw Karl Kwok's Beau Geste triumph in both. Roberto Monti's Air Is Blue lie second overall after a second and third. The most recent newcomers to the class THA 72, the boat which was formerly Team Vision Future and is steered by Don Whitcraft and led by Pom Green and Nick Rogers, lies third.

Standings after two races
1. Quantum Racing (USA) (Doug DeVos) (2,1) 3 points
2. Platoon (GER) (Harm Muller-Spreer) (1,4) 5
3. Bronenosec Gazprom (RUS) (Vladimir Liubomirov) (8,2) 10
4. Provezza (TUR) (Ergin Imre) (7,3) 10
5. Alegre (USA/GBR) (Andrés Soriano) (5,5) 10
6. Phoenix (RSA) (Hasso Plattner) (3,8) 11
7. Sled (USA) (Takashi Okura) (4,7) 11
8. Interlodge (USA) (Austin Fragomen) (6,6) 12
9. Gladiator (GBR) (Tony Langley) (9,9) 18

www.52superseries.com

Save, secure, capture - new innovative MOB / POB rescue system
Enhance security on board with the all-new person over board rescue net!

A crewmember over board is the nightmare of every sailor. The new and innovative POB Net is easy to use and very efficient. Even one person can operate it alone and get the MOB /POB back on board. The system also works if the person over board cannot assist in the rescue.

For more information visit our website

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Palermo-Montecarlo line honours for Arca SGR
Under a full moon just before the clock struck midnight last night, the 100ft grand prix maxi Arca SGR ghosted through the finish to claim line honours in the Palermo-Montecarlo race, the fifth and concluding event of the International Maxi Association's 2020-21 Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge.

Organised by the Circolo della Vela Sicilia, in collaboration with the Yacht Club de Monaco and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the 16th edition of the Palermo-Montecarlo set sail from the Golfo di Mondello on Saturday at 1200. The 437 mile course then took the fleet across to the YCCS gate off Porto Cervo, then continuing on to the Montecarlo finish, either passing through the Strait of Bonifacio and leaving Corsica to starboard or on the slightly longer route - sailing up Corsica's east coast then crossing from the famous Giraglia rock.

Palermo-Montecarlo is renowned for being one of the most tactically challenging offshore races in the Mediterranean. In this respect, it certainly delivered this year, with varied wind conditions including flat calms to the Mistral providing 30 knot headwinds as it funnelled through the Strait of Bonifacio.

Arca SGR, a 100ft grand prix maxi that in a previous life won line honours in the 2003 Rolex Sydney Hobart as Skandia, was the scratch boat among the 46 starters, which included six 60+ft maxis. This followed her winning line honours into nearby Genoa in June's Rolex Giraglia. On that occasion as this, she was entered by Monaco-based Italian Guido Miani with a crew led by Trieste legend Furio Benussi, and a strong line-up including tactician Lorenzo Bressani and Nacra 17 Olympian and World Champion Vittorio Bissaro.

Arca SGR finished at 23:03:08 in a time of 59 hours 3 minutes and 8 seconds, some way outside the record of 47 hours 46 minutes 48 seconds set by Igor Simcic's 100ft maxi Esimit Europa II in 2015.

As to whether Arca SGR will do well in the overall results under IRC corrected time remains to be seen. "We have to wait until tomorrow," continued Benussi. "For us it is really important to win line honours - that was our goal."

The winner of the IMA's Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge for 2020-21 will be announced and presented with their silver trophy during the IMA owners' reception at next month's Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo. -- James Boyd / International Maxi Association

Full results

www.internationalmaxiassociation.com

Sonata UK Championships
Click on image for photo gallery.

Strong Costa del Solent conditions greeted the 19 One Design Hunter Sonatas that made the trip to the Island Sailing Club in Cowes to join the 12 strong home fleet for the postponed Goodall Roofing supported 2020 Sonata National Championships on their first return to the Solent for 15 years.

With the event starting on Sunday, visiting boats had time to travel and launch on the mainland (with thanks to Drivers Wharf for their support in getting all the boats safely craned in and out on time). Special mention to Tom White who sailed 140nm from Mevagissey to attend the event!

Heading into the final day with all to play for throughout the fleet, the pressure was on 'Little Scarlett' to keep their nose clean and keep their discard available for the 13th they suffered in race 5 following a start line raft up with 'Minim' and 'Joey' (Never start next to your local rivals...). 15-20 knots from the southwest and the turn of the tide provided ideal conditions to battle for the final points. In the end, 'Little Scarlett' produced a masterclass of consistent sailing to hoover up 3 bullets on the final day, whilst 'Eric the Boat' were close behind to take a comfortable second, followed by another consistent day for 'Joey' to round out the podium. A podium result for Joe Cross and the 'Duette' team, on his return to the class having won the nationals in 2018 shows an ominous return to form to be watched!

Incumbent Nationals Champion (Steve Goacher) was knocked off the top spot by local Cowes Team 'Little Scarlet'!

Special mentions must go to the crew of 'Maverick' for making up the youngest crew at the event and mixing it with some excellent teams in challenging conditions, to 'Araya' for making it back onto the water after losing their rig in race 2 and to the lifting keel fleet for holding their own against the fin keel boats in tough conditions! -- Mark Angell

sonata.org.uk

www.islandsc.org.uk

The Coach Regatta arrives as a prelude to the 29er World Championship
Spain is represented by 21 boats: 11 from RCN Valencia; 4 from RCN Gran Canaria and RCN Palma; 1 from RCN Calpe and CN Sant Antoni de Portmany

Valencia, Spain: 193 boats from 24 countries have arrived : Germany, Italy, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Holland, Poland, Switzerland, Hungary, Ireland, Sweden, United States, Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Virgin Islands, Malta, Norway and Spain, which will be represented by 21 boats: 11 RCN Valencia; 4 from RCN Gran Canaria and RCN Palma; 1 from RCN Calpe and CN Sant Antoni de Portmany.

Germany and Italy are the two countries, together with Spain, that will have the largest representation in this World Championship, with 26 and 22 boats respectively. Denmark, meanwhile, is another of the strong countries that have landed in Valencia, with 17 boats, while France with 14 and Great Britain and Holland with 12, are other delegations with weight.

After yesterday, the first day of measurement, and after the conclusion of the following two days: Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th, the fleet faces six days of competition with a maximum of 3 races per day. The fleet will be divided into 6 groups spread over 3 race courses, so the show can be lived and enjoyed from Pinedo to El Saler.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 25, the fleet will have the official training regatta, with the starting top scheduled for 14.00 hours. The official opening ceremony of the 'Zhik 29er World Championships' is scheduled for 19.00 hours, starting the next morning with the races that will determine the final podium, both in absolute and SUB17 categories.

Top five places in the Coach regatta (sailed 18 - 20 August)
1. Quicorras Urios / Filippo Binetti, ESP, 23 points
2. Ian Nyenhuis / Noah Nyenhuis, USA, 44
3. Griffin Gigliotti / Jack Welburn, USA, 51
4. Sophie Fisher / Hoel Menard, USA, 66
5. Anton Schmid / Peter Joslin, USA, 66

29erworlds.org

Melges 24 European Sailing Series
Riva del Garda, Italy: Nefeli (today 7-4) is the winner of the third event of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series, considered also as Act 5 of the Italian Melges24Tour. Peter Karrie's crew of Niccolo Bianchi, Alessandro Saettone, Francesco Coari, Saverio Cigliano and Enrico Fonda as a coach, held up to a never compliant Altea (1-1) which was not enough to score a double bullet to fill the gap with Nefeli that, in light of the performances expressed between the Fraglia Vela Riva's electronic marks, is now a strong candidate for a leading role at the upcoming Melges 24 European Championship in Portoroz, Slovenia.

After the third event of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series, it is now time to focus on the Melges 24 European Championship, scheduled in Portorož between 4th and 11th September, an event that will return to assign a prestigious title after a couple of seasons marked by the problems related to the COVID emergency, during which it was almost impossible to organize important international events. A palpable expectation, underlined by the massive participation: to date the entries are in fact just under fifty. Marina Portoroz and YC Marina Portoroz are looking forward to welcome you in September!

Final top ten
1. Peter Karrie, GER, 22
2. Andrea Racchelli, ITA, 27
3. Paolo Brescia, ITA, 28
4. Michele Paoletti, ITA, 37
5. Marco Zammarchi/Niccolo Bertola, ITA, 41
6. Richard Thompson, GBR, 47
7. Miles Quinton/Geoff Carveth, GBR, 50
8. Sergio Caramel, ITA, 50
9. Michael Tarabochia/Luis Tarabochia, GER, 58
10. Eelco Blok/Ronald Veraar, NED, 63

Full results (PDF)

Event site

Baltimore Provides Atlantic Landfall Port for the "Mountain Bike of the Sea"
Sven Lundin - better known as Yrvind or Whirlwind - with his self-created 18-footer ExLex in Dingle, May 2018. Click on image to enlarge.

Swedish solo sailor Yrvind's most recent appearance in Irish sailing awareness was back in May 2018, when he turned up in Dingle with his decidedly different 18ft ocean cruiser ExLex on a trailer. After the boat was launched, a local fishing boat towed his engine-less craft out to a clear departure point west of the Blaskets, and away he went, destination New Zealand.

Various circumstances prevented ExLex - in which he is quite happy to achieve a sailing speed of two or three knots - getting to New Zealand, but he had put in an impressive amount of sea time (plus port-time in Madeira and other ventures) when ExLex was towed into Baltimore recently by an obliging whale-watching enthusiast.

Since last being in Ireland, Yrvind had actually decided that ExLex wasn't really the ideal boat for the job. So having left her securely-berthed at Porto Santo in Madeira, back home in Sweden, he built the even smaller Exlex II and took a fresh departure direct from Alesund. But then he concluded the new boat was incapable of carrying sufficient stores, so it was back to base in Sweden, and in June 2021 he re-joined the first ExLex in Madeira, bound for the Azores and a circuit of the Sargasso Sea.

Full article in Afloat

Tall Ships Races to return to Shetland in 2023
Lerwick in Shetland is to be a host port for the 2023 Tall Ships Races, it has been announced.

The event sees dozens of ships make their way to a number of European ports.

It will be the third time Lerwick has played a part in the sailing regatta. The isles previously hosted the event in 1999 and 2011.

The races are expected to visit Shetland, the only Scottish location, from 26-29 July.

Shetland Islands Council led the islands' successful bid to help host the event, in partnership with Lerwick Port Authority and supported by a number of other organisations.

Shetland Tall Ships Limited will run the event locally.

www.bbc.com

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The Last Word
I love this band, but it doesn’t mean everything to me. I always think this band is going to fold up all the time - I really do. I never thought it would last five minutes, but I figured I’d live that five minutes to the hilt because I love them. I don’t care if I retire now, but I don’t know what I’d do if I stopped doing this. I’d go mad. -- Charlie Watts

Editorial and letter submissions to

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