In This Issue
• Figaro Stage 3 Finale Into Morlaix Bay
• Bomb Alley delivers on day three of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup
• Stiffer, lighter, faster... and bigger - Elan Yachts
• Finally a race in Kiel at the 2021 Star World Championship
• Switzerland SailGP Team
• M32 Worlds in November in Miami
• Kiel Cup winners crowned after four races
• Largest ever Finn European Masters opens in Tihany
• Q&A Live Call with triple Olympic medallist Vasilij Zbogar
• Featured Charter: GP42 - Phan
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Ridas 37 ORC Racer
• • Blackcat 50
• • Ciclon Sparkman & Stephens 52 Ft Sloop
• The Last Word: Mark Twain

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

Quiroga Looks To Defend On High Wire Stage 3 Finale Into Morlaix Bay
With just over 100 nautical miles to sail to Roscoff on the Bay of Morlaix Pierre Quiroga (Skipper Macif 2019) was maintaining a slender lead of just under one mile after passing Bishop Rock at the Scilly Isles this afternoon. But this 624 miles Stage 3 of La Solitaire du Figaro, from Fecamp to Roscoff, is shaping up to maintain a high level of tension all the way to the finish line. And Roscoff, a regular fixture on the annual French solo racing classic, is notoriously stressful to finish into, especially on a change of tide.

Quiroga took the lead again in the early hours of the morning on a fast spinnaker reach from the course's most northerly turn, Saint Gowan shoals off the SW tip of Wales. Sailing slightly lower and faster than the fleet he was able to manage the transition from reach to upwind slightly better, most notably not having to tack to pass the western edge of the Land's End exclusion zone. All the time off the wind, Quiroga has had excellent speed.

But the final stretch across the entrance to the English Channel will be far from straightforward. The leaders are skirting the edge of a messy, complex low-pressure system. Sailing more to the west, closer to its centre should yield more wind but at the risk of sailing further. Conversely the direct route might see the breeze dying progressively as the north Breton coast is approached and the remnants of a cut off low looks like it will be centred over the Channel Islands, and so it looks very much like a high wire, tightrope race to the finish line.

Top ten, leg 3 at 09/09/2021 00:33:00
1. Alan Roberts - Seacat Services, 66.6 nm to leg finish
2. Pierre Quiroga - Skipper Macif 2019, .75 nm to leader
3. Alexis Loison - Region Normandie, 2.08
4. Peron Eric - French Touch, 3.60
5. Corentin Horeau - Mutuelle Bleue pour l'Institut Curie, 3.82
6. Xavier Macaire - GROUPE SNEF, 4.24
7. Fabien Delahaye - Groupe Gilbert, 4.25
8. Martin Le Pape - Gardons la vue, 4.43
9. Charlotte Yven - Team Vendee Formation, 4.97
10. Erwan Le Draoulec - Skipper Macif 2020, 4.98

lasolitaire.com/en/

Bomb Alley delivers on day three of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup
After three races it is the leaders in the largest and smallest/slowest classes that have retained their perfect scorelines at the half way stage of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. This pinnacle event of the maxi sailing calendar is organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in conjunction with maxi yachting's governing body, the International Maxi Association. It is also the third of five events in the IMA's annual Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge.

This morning many thought today would be unsailable due to a lack of wind. Until mid-afternoon, and after one aborted start, this appeared to be the case. Finally the easterly sea breeze established with the first start taking place at 1535. After an unusual downwind start, the fleets were sent off on a course up 'Bomb Alley', between the Sardinian mainland and the Costa Smeralda's off-lying islands, and back, before continuing on on to the Porto Cervo finish line. In Bomb Alley the wind piped up to 12-13 knots, gusting to 16.

In the 100+ft Super Maxi class, there was further disappointment for the crew of the magnificent J Topaz. She led into Bomb Alley, only once again to see victory slip through her fingers as she was reeled in and passed by Ronald de Waal's 88-year-old Velsheda, exiting Bomb Alley en route to the finish.

Along with American Mike Toppa, Britain's Andy Beadsworth is temporarily in the Velsheda tactical hotseat, standing-in for absent Kiwi afterguard such as Tom Dodson, confined to New Zealand due to pandemic-related travel restrictions.

In the Mini Maxi 1, the competition between the former Maxi 72s remains intense. As on day one, today's race went to defending champion Dario Ferrari's Botin 72 Cannonball, but with George Sakellaris' Proteus second. Overall Cannonball is now four points clear of Hap Fauth's second placed Bella Mente. American Jim Swartz's Vesper (formerly the 2017/18 Maxi 72 World Champion Momo) lies one point further adrift in third overall, after finishing third today. -- James Boyd / International Maxi Association

Full results

internationalmaxiassociation.com

Stiffer, lighter, faster... and bigger - Elan Yachts
No question Elan Yachts are shooting ahead in the world of luxury performance sailing and their latest offering is something very special indeed

Elan Yachts' E-Line range of performance cruisers has a brand new flagship. It's been about five years since the last new model in the range was launched and the core concept has been significantly refined. So what's new? Well, for starters Elan has set itself a very ambitious goal indeed: the new E6 is intended to be the fastest, lightest and stiffest 47ft production cruiser-racer on the market with a fully fitted interior. And as if that wasn't enough, they're also competing very strongly on price in a market segment that's already crowded with well-established and highly regarded competitors.

'We've been in this space since the 1980s and this is an evolution of our successful E-Line concept, not a redefinition,' says Elan's head of marketing, David Rajapakse. 'In a way it's back to our roots, because performance cruising is a fundamental part of Elan's DNA. This is what Elan is historically known for. Our build quality is boutique-like, but this yacht also offers a different kind of performance - price performance. And we're taking it to a whole new level in terms of design, technology, styling and usability. The racing version of the new E6 aims to be the fastest Elan ever and its aesthetics will be pushed to the next level by Pininfarina.'

Full story in Seahorse magazine

Finally a race in Kiel at the 2021 Star World Championship
Day three of the 2021 Star World Championship in Kiel, Germany, started in a very similar way as the previous two. A very long wait ashore with the dreaded AP flag hanging low and lifeless on the notice pole until about 1pm, when it was lowered and a voice on the VHFs unbelievably called the 83 teams on the racecourse. Joy exploded on the dock and in no-time everyone was on their way to join the Race Committee, about an hour away from the harbor.

The scenario they met wasn't exciting, the clouds were still blocking the east wind from filling in. Only at 15.30, the same voice announced the starting procedures of race one would begin in 20 minutes. The 2021 Star World Championship was then finally on with the first race underway.

A clear start with four, maximum five knots of breeze from the east, for the fleet evenly arranged on the line. After a long - slightly right favored - upwind, the Hungarian team, with Tibor Tenke at the helm and Miklos Bezereti crewing, rounded first. The reigning World Champions Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL) and Bruno Prada (BRA) were right behind and Athen's Olympics Star Bronze medalist Xavier Rohart (FRA), here with Ante Sitic (CRO), in third. Things changed slightly at the bottom gate when the Polish-Brazilian duo took the lead but in the light, and shifty wind they were not able to maintain the lead to the finish.

The Race Committee called for an 'early' start tomorrow, in the hope of finishing two, much needed, races with the 7/8 knot-breeze forecasted earlier in the day. 10am on the line translates in an 8 o'clock dock out for the fleet, but all of the 83 teams are keen to go, after the forced rest of the first two days.

Top ten afdter 1 race
1. Johann Spitzauer / Hans-Christian Nehammer, AUT
2. Mateusz Kusznierewicz / Bruno Prada, POL
3. Marin Misura / Tonko Barac, CRO
4. Diego Negri / Frithjof Kleen, ITA
5. Tonci Stipanovic / Tudor Bilic, CRO
6. Phillip Kasueske / Michael Schulz, GER
7. Tibor Tenke / Miklos Bezereti, HUN
8. Xavier Rohart / Ante Sitic, FRA
9. Jesper Christiansen / Finn Hoff, DEN
10. Bernhard Seger / Walter Oess, SUI

Full results

2021worlds.starchampionships.org

Switzerland SailGP Team joins the world's leading sailing league
The new Switzerland SailGP Team was presented Monday morning in Geneva. Led by Sebastien Schneiter, just back from the Tokyo Olympics, the latest team to join the global sports league is a young and ambitious Swiss team that will carry the colors of its partner Lundin Energy around the world during the next three years.

In Season 3, which will start in May 2022, the Switzerland SailGP Team will go head-to-head against rival national teams from Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, Spain, New Zealand and the United States comprising Olympic medallists, World Champions and America's Cup winners.

The Switzerland SailGP Team has been born from Team Tilt, a structure founded in 2012 that provides support to young Swiss sailors. The team has shown its level of ambition since its inception, winning the Bol d'Or Mirabaud and the D35 Trophy in 2015 and finishing second in the GC32 Racing Tour in 2016. Team Tilt represented Switzerland in both editions of the Red Bull Youth America's Cup, in 2013 (4th) and 2017 (3rd). The team went on to win the GC32 world championship title in 2018 and was runner-up in 2019. It was voted best Swiss sailing team 2019.

The Swiss SailGP Team will compete in the next three seasons of the SailGP league starting with Season 3 in May 2022 and has already begun its introduction to the league, attending events in Season 2 as observers.

SailGP.com

M32 Worlds in November in Miami
After the Continental Championships in Europe and North America, all focus is on the World Championship in November in Miami. Events begin in October with the Nationals, followed by the Worlds, and then the 2022 Miami Winter Series starts with one event every month in January, February, March and April. The stage is set for the next winter season of sailing and fun in the sun to be the best you have ever had!

The fleet will be based at Shake-A-Leg Miami which has been the home for the M32s the last few winters. The boats can all be moored at the same place and there are great facilities for after-sails and other events on site. The SAL mission "To utilize the marine environment to improve the health, education, and independence of children and adults with physical, developmental and economic challenges, in an inclusive community setting," is something the M32 class fully supports and are happy to cooperate with.

International travel is still a challenge, but thanks to good cooperation and the helpfulness of US Sailing and the US Olympic Committee it's now easier to travel to international events. Both the Nationals in October and the Worlds in November have been approved as major events. This will be a great help both for Europeans teams coming over for the Worlds and for US teams with an international crew.

Full schedule at m32world.com/calendar/

Kiel Cup winners crowned after four races
The Kieler Woche winners 2021 in the Kiel Cup of offshore yachts are Michael Berghorn with the "halbtrocken 4.5" in the ORC I group, Torsten Bastiansen at the helm of the "Xen-Sydbank" after ORC II and Kai Mares, who led the "IMMAC Fram" (ORC III/IV) to the highest podium. Four races in light to very light breeze offered an unusual challenge for all participating crews.

At sunrise, race officer Peter Doeppken had warned the sailors to start the first race of the day on the final Kiel Cup Wednesday (8 September) shortly after 9 am. At least the big boats didn't have too far to go. Instead of the usual course next to Kiel's lighthouse, they sailed in the Bay of Strande. Only there was the light southerly wind in the morning enough for a difficult but fair competition. "We shortened the first race," said Doeppken, "the conditions were certainly at the lower edge of what was sailable, but on the last day we'll try everything we can."

On Thursday (9 September) the second part of the Kiel Week starts at 1 pm. The wind forecasts are gradually becoming more favourable with around three Beaufort from the east.

Thursday, September 9th Schedule
10 am - Star Class World Championship
1 pm - 29er (Euro Cup), ILCA 6 (M), iQ-Foil M/W, ILCA 6, J/24, J/70

www.kieler-woche.de/

Largest ever Finn European Masters opens in Tihany
The largest ever Finn European Masters opened at the Tihanyi Hajos Egylet, Hungary, on Wednesday in 'paradise' sailing conditions. After two races Zdenek Gebhart, from Czech Republic, leads Bas de Waal and Cees Scheurwater, from The Netherlands.

A fleet of 78 Finn Masters, a record entry for the event, with competitors mainly from across eastern Europe has gathered in Tihany, on Lake Balaton in Hungary for the 2021 Finn European Masters and were treated to some challenging blue water sailing in 27 degrees with 6-10 knots of breeze. According to third placed Scheurwater it was 'paradise sailing'.

The first two races were sailed in a 6-10 knots breeze, while a third race was attempted but later abandoned as the breeze became too shifty and unstable.

The tropical weather conditions are expected to persist and the championship continues until Saturday, with 10 races planned over the four-day event. -- Robert Deaves

Top ten after 2 races
1. Zdenek Gebhart, CZE, 5
2. Bas de Waal, NED, 7
3. Cees Scheurwater, NED, 8
4. Akos Lukats, HUN, 11
5. Taras Havrysh, UKR, 17
6. Ors Nemeth, HUN, 18
7. Vladimir Stasyuk, UKR, 18v 8. Ivan Rames, CZE, 22
9. Alexey Zhivotovskiy, RYF, 22
10. Vasiliy Kravchenko, RYF, 23

Full results

2021finnmastersec.org

Q&A Live Call with triple Olympic medallist Vasilij Zbogar
Vasilij Zbogar is the only sailor ever to have won sailing medals at the Olympics for his small nation of Slovenia. Firstly when he won Laser bronze at Athens 2004, then Laser silver at Beijing 2008. After switching classes to the Finn, he took the silver medal at Rio 2016.

So how did 'Vasco' punch above his weight? Not that he's a small bloke, but he is a big man who has proven that it is possible to compete with the very best even when you don't have all the resources of one of the traditional 'big' sailing nations.

This Thursday, join the Live Q&A call with Road To Gold when Vasilij will be joining me and Hamish Willcox to look back at the key elements of successful sailing career, and how he overcame the obstacles to succeed on the biggest stage.

Here's the Zoom link to join the call free:

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 862 2109 4682 Passcode: 341176

WHEN?

The Q&A kicks off on Zoom at 0830 hours UK time/ 1930 hours NZ time on Thursday 9 September.

Make sure you're signed up to the Road To Gold Facebook Group to get further info on the call. -- Andy Rice

Featured Charter
GP42 - Phan.

The GP42 was designed to be a fast, truly competitive performance racing yacht and has had much success globally

Phan was designed by Botin & Carkeek and built by King Marine. The GP42 was designed to be a fast, truly competitive performance racing yacht and has had much success globally. Phan is in immaculate condition having been meticulously maintained her whole life. In 2018 she had some exciting modifications, including a new rudder and deeper keel. The new keel gives greater righting moment and more upwind power, and the new rudder will be larger and with different balance, to give more low speed manoeuvrability and lower load when high speed reaching.

See listing details in Seahorse Charters

Contact
Lucy Jackson - LV Yachting
Call: +44 2392 161272
Email:

See the the Seahorse charter collection

Featured Brokerage
2018 Ridas 37 ORC Racer. 235000 EUR. Located in Tallinn, Estonia.

From the board of Cossutti Design and constructed by Ridas Yachts, ANGEL – ROSE II was purpose built to take on ORC racing at the very highest level. With a project cost well of circa Euro 600,000, ANGEL – ROSE II was engineered to employ the very best of all the latest technology and design practices to create a yacht competitive right out of the mould.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Jonas Renlund - Grabau international ( Scandinavia)
Tel: +358 408098688
Email:

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Blackcat 50. POA.

BLACKCAT 50 is an entirely new superyacht platform, setting the standard in large cruising catamarans.

The world of superyacht sailing is rapidly changing. Over recent years superyachts have grown dramatically in size and improved performance.

This is mainly due to stronger and lighter construction materials coupled together with evolution in design and innovation. All these developments lead to the most logical conclusion in your next choice of superyacht.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact

Ph: +34 696 483 962

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1944 Ciclon Sparkman & Stephens 52 Ft Sloop. 195,000 GBP. Located in Cyprus.

CICLON was designed by K. Aage Nielsen while at Sparkman and Stephens in New York. Olin Stephens considered Neilsen the best designer they ever had - moreover stating that if he was ever going to have a yacht built for himself, he would most surely have wanted an Aage Nielsen design. Nielsen’s manic attention to detail extended to his demanding the best from his builders and CICLON was no exception - and benefitting further from being the yard owner’s own boat ! Launched in Cuba in 1944 she was rarely off the podium - beating such legends as STORMY WEATHER and TICONDEROGA. Of course beautiful and fast, is it time now to reintroduce her to her sisters ?

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Sandeman Yacht Company
22 Market Street
Poole, BH15 1NF
Email:
Tel: 01202 330077

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

The Last Word
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect. -- Mark Twain

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