In This Issue
• Monohull line honours for Leopard 3
• IRC rating counts down to 2024
• New Partnership With 'The Famous Project' For Marlow Grand Prix Racing
• Cup Spy Oct 24: Kiwis exit Barcelona
• Classically modern- Karver Systems
• Legendary Veteran V The 18 Footer Rookie
• 2K Southern Championships
• Melbourne to Devonport Rudder Cup
• Australian Sailing Life Memberships
• Featured Charter: FANCY - 108ft Maxi Sailing Yacht
• Featured Brokerage:
• • 2012 Riptide 41
• • Super Maxi 86 - Way Of Life
• • Outremer 52 New Boat
• The Last Word: John P. Meier

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

Monohull line honours for Leopard 3 as Bullitt tops Rolex Middle Sea Race's IRC One
After an unusally light Rolex Middle Sea Race in 2022, the Royal Malta Yacht Club's premier event, the opening event in the International Maxi Association's 2023-24 Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge, returned to headbanger mode this year.

The wind on the anticlockwise lap of Sicily might have just reached 30 knots but it was the mainly upwind conditions and a sharp seastate left over from Friday's southerly gale, not aligning with the wind direction after Saturday afternoon's start that caused several maxis to sustain damage. As Leopard's tactician and watch leader Mitch Booth reported: "We were really struggling. There was a really nasty chop."

This took its toll: shortly before midnight Giovanni Lombardi Stronati's 82ft Django HF was first maxi to retire. An hour later it was the turn of the 107ft former Wallycento Spirit of Malouen X which suffered electrical issues due to water ingress, forcing them to retire too.

After an exceptionally close race, the last leg back to Malta was tough and Leopard 3 again had to back off. She was still able to extend over Bullitt and crossed the line at 01:20:56 this morning (Tuesday) her elapsed time of 2 days 12 hours 50 minutes 56 seconds enough to collect monohull line honours, but nowhere close to Comanche's race record of 1 day 16 hours. Bullitt arrived 1 hour 49 minutes later, second on the water, but vitally leading IRC One by almost 2 hours on corrected time. -- James Boyd / International Maxi Association

internationalmaxiassociation.com

IRC rating counts down to 2024
The 2023 international IRC Congress was held in Paris, hosted by the Yacht Club de France, joint owners of the international IRC rating rule with the Royal Ocean Racing Club.

Chaired by Michael Boyd, also Chairman of the IRC Board, the meeting was well attended with representatives of several countries present along with the IRC teams from the UK and France, while others around the world participated by video conference. IRC is a rating rule made by sailors for sailors, illustrated by the fact that most IRC Congress members are racing sailors themselves as well as talking to boat owners, with direct experience on the water that helps shape the proposals and decisions they make in the meeting room.

Reports from the different nations spanning various continents and sailing cultures offered a comprehensive global perspective on IRC racing. This panoramic view helps to identify underlying trends and facilitates valuable exchanges of insights among members from different countries.

The IRC Congress Minutes and papers are published here: ircrating.org/about/irc-congress/

The 2024 agreed rule changes and full rule text will be published on ircrating.org when finalised.

New Partnership With 'The Famous Project' For Marlow Grand Prix Racing
Marlow Ropes, the world's leading manufacturer of high-performance yacht racing rope and cordage, is pleased to announce a new Technical Partnership to the MOD 70 Limosa, and the Ultime, Idec Sport. 'The Famous Project', led by Skipper Alexia Barrier, is preparing for the Jules Verne Trophy in 2025, with an all-female crew onboard their Maxi-trimaran. The legendary non-stop record, an unassisted circumnavigation of the planet, has not been attempted by an all-female crew since Tracy Edwards Royal Sun Alliance team, some 25 years ago.

Marlow Ropes will be providing The Famous Project with Marlow Grand Prix rigging. The company's high-performance ropes are known for their exceptional durability, reliability, and performance under pressure, making them ideal for the demands of this impressive challenge.

Earlier this week the MOD 70 Limosa (FRA) received Multihull Line Honours in the @rolexmiddlesearace after crossing the finish line at 13:10:42 on Monday 23rd October. Congratulations from all at Marlow Ropes.

For further information about this new partnership: marlowropes.com

Cup Spy Oct 24: Kiwis exit Barcelona, after a challenging day in Barcelona
Emirates Team New Zealand had their final hit-out in Barcelona for 2023, they along with Alinghi Red Bull Racing were tested by the fresh breeze and off axis 1.4metre sea way.

What happened in the Cup - October 24, 2023:

- Emirates Team New Zealand - the Kiwis sailed a two hour session out of Barcelona in conditions that were slightly below what was experienced yesterday. This was Emirates Team New Zealand's last sail in their AC75, Te Rehutai, and the team now heads for Auckland, leaving the AC75 in Barcelona, and exporting an AC40 to Jeddah for next months second Preliminary Regatta.

- Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - No report from the AC37 Joint Recon team

- Alinghi Red Bull Racing - sailed their AC75 for a two and a half hour session, in confused seas that increased to 1.4metres.

- INEOS Britannia - No report from the AC37 Joint Recon team. Their test boat T6 is still in the shed after the catastrophic destruction of their rudder and rudder assembly during a towing session.

- American Magic - the AC37 Joint Recon team reported that the US team intended to sail their AC40 America, and launched. The coaching team did a quick check on the water and felt that the seastate of 1.45 metres has too high for getting accurate test data from the AC40.

- Orient Express Racing Team - No report from the AC37 Joint Recon team

sail-world.com

Classically modern- Karver Systems
After 20 years as a leading supplier of A-sail and code sail furlers, Karver have finally designed a headsail furler… with some fresh ideas

When Karver announces a new product line, many racing sailors pay close attention. However, the latest launch from this innovative French company (which earned its reputation supplying hardware for Vendée Globe, Mini 6.50, Class40, Ocean 50 and America's Cup campaigns) is primarily aimed at cruising.

'We've known for a while that we needed to work on a headsail reefing furler,' says Karver's COO, Tanguy de Larminat. 'When our founder Marin Clausin wanted to go cruising with his family, that was a good opportunity to do it.'

Developing a headsail furler is an obvious next step, given that A-sail and code sail furlers have been the mainstay of Karver's product portfolio for the last two decades. And for Clausin, the principal design engineer as well as owner and founder, the KRS range of furlers brings his career around full circle.

Full article in the November issue of Seahorse

Legendary Veteran V The 18 Footer Rookie
Yandoo in action last Sunday. Photo by SailMedia. Click on image for photo gallery.

Thirty nine season veteran, the legendary 18ft skiff skipper John 'Woody' Winning, and three-race rookie skipper, Jacob Marks are the two skippers leading their teams at the half-way mark of the 2023-24 Australian 18 Footers League's Spring Championship when the 17-boat fleet lines up for Race 4 of the series on Sydney Harbour next Sunday.

'Woody' will be at the helm of Yandoo while Jacob will lead The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines.

It will be the second consecutive week when Winning has shared the lead with a skipper who has had only a couple of races in the 18s. Last week Emma Rankin (Shaw and Partners Financial Services), had competed in only two races while sharing the lead in the series.

Asked about the unusual situation, 'Woody' was impressed and optimistic "It's terrific that we are getting such talented newcomers into the class and I couldn't be happier."

"Like any club, in any sport, the League administration is conscious of the need to introduce new talent into its ranks to secure its future."

He added, "We are fortunate to have so much young talent in our fleet and my team (Fang Warren and Josh Porebski) knows that we will have to stay at our best if we want to retain our position at the top of the points table."

While Jacob and the Oak Double Bay-4 Pines team of Alex Marinelli and Matt Doyle are giving away a big advantage in experience to the Yandoo crew, they are confident in their teamwork under pressure and are looking forward to the challenge in Sunday's race.

Only four points separate the leading six teams and only two points separate the next six teams.

If you can't get out onto Sydney Harbour to see the action-packed racing, or come to the club's 'Alternative' Ferry', you can catch it LIVE by going to the direct link -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League Ltd.

18footers.com

Yacht Club Costa Smeralda win 2K Southern Championships and Trofeo Intesa Sanpaolo
2K now in its eleventh year moved for the first time to the Bay of Naples for the Southern European Championships. A full roster of teams from across Europe and a few sailors from across the "pond" made up the entry.

Sailing took place in the bay, close to the host club Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia near to the magnificent Castel Ovo with views of Capri and Vesuvius.

The weather gods did not smile, but the Race Committee managed to squeeze in no less than 21 races, nearly all fiercely fought to the finishing whistle. Some of the races in light and sloppy, others in scary big seas and a very fresh breeze.

With perfect conditions in place the scene was set for the finals, between the winners of Stage One, Oxford and Cambridge Sailing Society (GBR) and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (ITA). Things did not start well for the Italians with a penalty just after the start... but soon they were back in the game. The lead changed again and again over the next 15 minutes with Costa Smeralda finally developing a big 1-2 on the final leg. Undaunted OCSS sailing faster caught up, but the finish line came just too quickly for a final attack.

Final Podium Positions
Gold: Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (ITA)
Silver: Oxford and Cambridge Sailing Society (GBR)
Bronze: Serpentine (GBR)

2kteamracing.com

Melbourne to Devonport Rudder Cup
Lord Jiminy took line honours in 2020. Photo by Steb Fisher. Click on image for photo gallery.

Over 30 boats are entered in the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria's (ORCV) 195 nautical mile Melbourne to Devonport Yacht Race, otherwise known as the Rudder Cup, due to start on Friday 4 November at 6pm off Queenscliff in Victoria.

The Rudder Cup is Australia's oldest ocean race and among the entries in 2023 is Joker X2, Grant Chipperfield and Peter Dowdney's latest double-handed offering, which he will again co-skipper with Peter Dowdney. The pair won the Double-Handed component of the 2020 race, with Chipperfield's previous yacht, Joker on Tourer.

Double-handers have long been eligible to win the race overall and this year is no different. However, Chipperfield concedes, "This will be our first major offshore test on the boat together."

Joker X2 is a J/133 measuring 13.3 metres, larger than the Victorian's previous yacht, Joker on Tourer, which was 12.5 metres.

There are five other double-handed entries for Joker X2 to compete against: Maverick (Rod and Tyson Smallman); the 2020 line honours victor Lord Jiminy (Kevin Curtis/Jim Oosterweghel); Blue Water Tracks (Grant Dunoon/Neville Rose); Spirit of Downunder (Rick Whitehouse/Marty Bennett) and Spirit of Freya (Joanne Harpur/Tom Doherty). -- Di Pearson/ORCV media

Entry List

orcv.org.au/devonport

Australian Sailing Life Memberships
Three key contributors to the sport of sailing in Australia have been recognised with Australian Sailing Life Memberships.

Matt Allen AM, Sarah Kenny and David Tillett AM were all bestowed the honour after a vote at Australian Sailing's Annual General Meeting.

Honorary Life Membership is available to people who have been judged to have given outstanding service to Australian Sailing or to the sport of sailing.

"Matt, Sarah and David have changed the state and shape of sailing in our country for the better as much as anyone over the past thirty years," said Australian Sailing President Alistair Murray AM.

"On behalf of the entire Australian sailing community I would like to thank each of them for their contributions, our sport is in a better place as a result of their thankless work."

The three administrators take the total of Australian Sailing Life Members to just fifteen since the first honour was bestowed to Lloyd Burgess in 1971.

A full list of Life Members can be found on the Australian Sailing History page.

Featured Charter
FANCY - 108ft Maxi Sailing Yacht From 115,000 per week EUR. Located in West Mediterranean.

Designed elegantly for luxury onboard and high-speed sailing under all weather conditions, FANCY offers incredible sensations at sea. She is the product of innovative design with attention to detail.

This yacht can accommodate up to 9 guests on board in her Master suite, VIP cabin and two double cabins, one of which includes an additional pullman bed. Moreover, FANCY features dining and relaxation areas, comfortable for relaxed evenings onboard whilst maintaining a high-level of service quality from her professional crew.

FANCY was launched in June 2023, and was presented in the Mediterranean in August for her first charter season.

Charter Desinations:
SUMMER: West Mediterranean French Riviera | Corsica | Sardinia | Balearic Islands
WINTER: Caribbean Grenadines Islands | Antigua & Barbuda | Martinique & Guadeloupe | Saint Martin & Saint Barth

See listing details in Seahorse Charters

Contact
Charter Department
Bernard-Gallay
Phone : +33 (0)467 66 39 93
Mail : or

See the the Seahorse charter collection

Featured Brokerage
2012 RIPTIDE 41. 499,000 USD. Located in

Blue- is an exceptional, turn key, offshore racing sailboat designed by Paul Bieker. Built using Carbon Fiber and Divinycell core by Jim Betts in Anacortes Washington.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Fraser Yacht Sales Ltd.
Brian Huse-BCYBA

Tel: +1 250 516 4393

-----------------------------------------

2003 Super Maxi 86 - WAY OF LIFE. 949,000 EUR. Located in Koper, Slovenia.

Incredible Super Maxi 86 yacht, originally MORNING GLORY. With full CBTF technology (canting keel), she has a recent refit and standing rigging under her belt. She is ready for her next owner.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Ben Cooper
Berthon UK
Tel: 0044 (0)1590 679 222
E-Mail: -----------------------------------------

Outremer 52 New Boat. POA EUR.

Our 52-foot catamaran, the best of two iconic models

The Outremer 52 has been designed based on the observation of the owners’ needs and uses. While performance and safety have always been the basis for the design of Outremer blue water catamarans, simplicity of navigation and quality of life on board are the two essential components that completes the specifications of Outremer teams. Surrounded by the best naval architects (VPLP), and great names in French design (Patrick Le Quément, Darnet Design, Saguez & Partners), the Outremer shipyard has engineered a smart and seaworthy 52-foot catamaran for the ultimate bluewater cruising experience.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact

Tel : +33.467 560 263

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

The Last Word
The proper stance of a historian is, 'I neither claim beforehand that miracles are possible, nor do I claim beforehand they are not possible.' -- John P. Meier

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