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Giraglia Rolex Cup
Passage at Giraglia Rock. Photo by Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi. Click on image for photo gallery.

Crossing the finish line in Genoa at 20:06.48 CEST on Thursday evening, Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones's Wally Cento Magic Carpet 3 (GBR) secured line honours at the 61st Giraglia Rolex Cup.

Niklas Zennstrom's Ran 2 (GBR) was second to finish some four minutes behind closely followed by Andres Soriano's fellow Mini Maxi Alegre (GBR).

The race record remains the time set by Esimit Europa 2 (SLO) in 2012: 14 hours, 56 minutes and 16 seconds.

www.regattanews.com

MichDes Heads Offshore
1845 UTC and the Figaro fleet is in the process of breaking free of the French mainland and heading across the northern entrance of the Chenal du Four towards the north coast of Ouessant. The 39 boats - Vincent Biarnes has had to return to Roscoff with a broken forestay, his race is over - have spent the afternoon tacking into a moderate westerly that has been slowly backing.

Three time Solitaire winner Michel Desjoyeaux (TBS) led the fleet away from Roscoff and back inshore after passing Ile de Batz, initially to get out of the eastbound foul tide. But since the tide has turned favourable, the fleet has divided with some, including Desjoyeaux, heading further offshore. The aim is to be able to lay the northern end of Ouessant some 12 miles more or less due upwind of their present position.

At the time of writing the frontrunners are passing the Grande Basse Portsall mark at the northern end of the Chenal du Four. Leading the charge on starboard tack is Julien Villion (Seixo Habitat) followed by leg 3 winner Morgan Lagraviere (Vendee), Gildas Morvan (Cercle Verte) and Adrien Hardy (AGIR Recouvrement). The latter two skippers both had to put in a brief spelling on port tack to get around the mark.

All the Anglo-Saxons are following a similar track to the leaders, all currently on starboard too. Frontrunner among them is Ed Hill (Artemis 37) in 15th, 1.2 miles astern of and following a similar track to Villion. Henry Bomby (Rockfish) is in 18th directly to leeward of Hill, right next to Sam Goodchild (Shelterbox-Disaster Relief) in 22nd, who also shaved the Grande Basse Portall mark.

Unfortunately the fleet rounding the northern tip of Ouessant is forecast to coincide with the wind having backed all the way into the south, so that they will still be upwind. And the tide is also set to turn against them later this evening.

lasolitaire.com

Offshore Sailor Sam Goodchild's Partnership With Adidas Sailing Is "A Perfect Fit"
Click on image to enlarge.

One of offshore sailing's brightest up-and-coming stars, Sam Goodchild has signed a two-year deal with adidas Sailing, the famous global sports brand entering the sailing market for the first time. "It's a perfect fit," said the 23-year-old sailor who aspires to follow in the footsteps of other great offshore racers such as Ellen MacArthur. "I'm at the start of my career in the short handed offshore sailing world, and it's a new beginning for adidas Sailing."

After two years with the Artemis Offshore Academy, Goodchild is now committed to building his experience on the road to the Vendee Globe.

He is currently participating in La Solitaire aboard his newly acquired Beneteau Figaro2. He's in 10th position overall and on course to deliver the best performance ever by a British sailor.

Goodchild was attracted by the different approach to technical sailing apparel. "adidas has taken a fresh look at things, and has used their experience from so many other sports applying new technologies like climalite and climacool, and different ways of cutting a fabric so that it works better with movement."

Read the full article here: www.adidassailing.com/en/news.html

Covestone Asset Management Sovereign's Cup
The tenth edition of Kinsale Yacht Clubs bi-annual Sovereign's Cup gets under way next week with a very healthy entry list of 90-boats.The recent reopening of Kinsale Yacht Club after extensive renovations creates a fitting venue to celebrate the tenth birthday of this most popular event.

The 90-boats registered to date are spread across 16 classes with a healthy sprinkle of talent from both at home and overseas racing in each division. The regatta will be sailed across four different courses.

Class Zero has an impressive line-up of 8 boats, primarily made up of custom IRC boats from around the Irish coast and the UK. Class 1 has 17 entries in what is a very tight class band.

The majority of boats range from 34 to 36 feet. An impressive six J109's line up in class one. In light of this Regatta Director Mike Walsh has elected to make them a class within a class and award prizes to the top three scoring boats under IRC.

This year sees the return of the Quarter ton fleet for what will be their third class start at Sovereign's Cup. Rob Gray, class winner in 2011 returns with a "new" boat "Cote". Other notable Solent raiders are making the journey with recently crowned ICRA National Champion Quest along with Diarmuid Foley's beautiful Anchor Challenge leading to Irish charge.

Racing on the same course as the Quarter Tonners are the 1720's who hold their European Championships as an integral part of this year's Sovereign's Cup.

https://www.sovereignscup.com

Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen Undefeated On Home Waters
Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen stepped forward and stole the show, lining up six victories and no losses at all: "Well, we had a really good day, enjoying being back in match racing again", says Lotte, who has only done a regatta in the US Virgin Islands since participating in the 2012 London Olympics.

The waters of Skovshoved, situated in Oresund between Denmark and Sweden, offered hot and sunny weather with very light and puffy winds and also some major wind shifts, when the racing began Thursday. Danish Open Ladies Cup is the third event on the inaugural 2013 Women's International Match Racing Series, but the first with Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen participating. -- Joakim Hermansson

Standings after the first day of round-robin 1 (skipper/nationality/wins/losses):

1. Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen, DEN, 6 - 0
2. Lucy Macgregor, GBR, 4 - 1
3. Anna Kjellgren, SWE, 3 - 1
4. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED, 4 - 2
5. Anna Kjellberg, SWE, 2 - 2
6. Merel Witteveen, NED, 2 - 3
7. Stephanie Roble, USA, 1 - 4
7. Camilla Ulrikkeholm, DEN, 1 - 4
9. Anne Marit Hansen, NOR, 0 - 6

www.wimrs.com

Walker's Fastnet Goals
The Volvo Ocean Race caught up with Walker to learn the latest on his team's progress ahead of the next edition and the double Olympic silver medallist had plenty to tell us as he prepares for his third Volvo Ocean Race appearance as skipper.

Four months after announcing Abu Dhabi's return in the race, what is your team up to?

"Our main priority at the moment is to get our Volvo Open 70 reconditioned. Azzam has to be back on the water in time to do some sailing in England this summer.

"We will mainly do crew selection and also a bit of corporate sailing. We'll train on our own but then join Cowes Week's big boats racing and the Fastnet Race."

Where is Azzam and in what sort of condition?

"The boat is being refitted now in Endeavour Quay, Gosport - the shore team and I delivered her back from Ireland to England after the Volvo. We are taking the mast down for services and the keel off to be checked. After sailing round the world, she needs a little bit of love!

"We hope to be sailing by July 2nd. It will be the first time she will be back in the water since then. Azzam is also on the market now and available after the Fastnet, and we'll be taking interested parties with us on the race."

You took a record-breaking win in the Fastnet Race 2011. Back to defend your title?

"Our goal is primarily crew selection. I think it's also good for Abu Dhabi to be out racing in high-profile events. As for the result, we will be completely dependent on the conditions with a Volvo Open 70.

"Last time we were really lucky, it was very windy with a lot of reaching. That made the difference, along with the fact that the two 100 footers had technical issues. Realistically it will be very hard this time because there are bigger and faster boats in the race and it's handicap racing. With a VO70 you're likely to finish near the front - or near the back. There will be no middle ground.

volvooceanrace.org

ISAF World Match Race Rankings
Ian Williams (GBR) holds onto World #1 in the Open Match Race Rankings whilst ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship silver medallist Camilla Ulrikkeholm (DEN) moves to the World #1 position on the women's rankings.

Ian Williams (GBR) makes it 19 months at the top of the ISAF Match Race Rankings, the World Champion picked up his first Tour win of 2013 at Match Race Germany and consolidates his position at the top with almost 400 points separating him from the #2 ranked skipper.

Returning to the fray is Mathieu Richard (FRA) who climbs 14 places back up to World #4.

Richard, World #1 in 2008 and 2009, finished third at Match Race Germany and went on to claim the spoils from the Alpari World Match Tour Korea Match Cup earlier this month, despatching Taylor Canfield (ISV) in the final. He may have been runner up to Richard in Korea but this ranking sees a lifetime best for the 24 year old from St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, as he moves three places up the rankings to World #2.

The final podium place in Korea belonged to Adam Minoprio (NZL) and his ranking rise continues since he took time out to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race. At World #31 and only counting results from four events it seems just a matter of time before the 2009 Tour champion Minoprio returns to the top ten.

There is a change at the top of the women's world rankings following the 2013 ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championship in Busan, Korea. Silver medallist Camilla Ulrikkeholm (DEN) climbs four places to the World #1 position for the first time in her career. The 2013 ISAF World Champion is the 2012 Olympic gold medallist, Tamara Echegoyen (ESP) who led the Championship from start to finish. The points she gains sees her climb four places to match her career best at World #5.

The ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championships in Busan, Korea also saw a return to the helm by Katie Spithill (AUS). The World #2 back in 2009 put on a solid performance in Busan, beating Russian Olympic skipper Ekaterina Skudina in the petit-final to take the bronze medal. Counting just the one event result Spithill is ranked at #39.

www.sailing.org/rankings/

First Yacht Enters 2014 RORC Caribbean 600
Two previous competitors have been quick off the mark to confirm their participation in the Royal Ocean Racing Club's (RORC) 2014 Caribbean 600 race, but it was five-times race veteran, Bernie Evan-Wong who got there first.

Bernie Evan-Wong's Mumm 36, High Tension has competed in all five editions of the RORC Caribbean 600. First to sign up for the 2014 race, he has chartered the Grand Soleil 43,

Carrying the flag for host country Antigua and intent on at least a class win, Bernie Evan-Wong had chartered Peter Rutter's Grand Soleil 43, Trustmarque Quokka 8 within an hour of docking his Mumm 36, High Tension after the finish of the 2013 race earlier this year.

The crew will include a group of four friends from Dubai who got hooked on the race after following it on the race tracker and decided they wanted to be part of the action. They race a similar, but smaller boat in the Persian Gulf. High Tension's Antigua crew with five years experience of the race, along with Deep Blue Racing's Philippe Falle and possibly past RORC Commodore and boat owner, Peter Rutter will also be on board to help make a potentially winning combination.

Next to confirm, The British Royal Armoured Corps Yacht Club who has chartered the First 40, Southern Child from Lucy and Christian Reynolds.

The Royal Armoured Corps sailing is not funded from the public purse, it all comes from charitable funds and the soldiers' own pocket. For the last two years they have been very fortunate to receive generous support from the Army Sports Lottery, the Royal Armoured Corps Central Fund and the Berlin Infantry Brigade Memorial Trust Fund. Additionally in 2012 they received some support from General Dynamics (UK).

The Notice of Race for the 6th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 is now available. -- Trish Jenkins

www.caribbean600.rorc.org

Luderitz Speed Challenge
During the 2013 event more than 50 top-class competitors will battle to push the limits even further after the huge success of 2012, proving this event as the fastest in the world with 55 National Records & 11 World Records.

The wind blows an average of 35 knots+ for at least 3 times a week during the event, often reaching 40-45 knots and sometimes, even up to 50 to 60 knots of warm and stable winds

The organisers are Sebastien Cattelan, two times World Record Holder and World Champion, with an average speed of 103kph over 500m (55.49kts) and Sophie Routaboul, second fastest woman in the World, with 90kph over 500m (48.64kts). Both these professionals share their knowledge and skills with the best speed sailors in the world

Although the new canal dug in the lagoon in 2010 made a significant difference (the ultimate speed sailing World Record was broken!), the channel still required further improvements to ensure more records, especially in the world of professional windsurfing.

In 2011 the organises researched the possibilities of widening and lengthening the channel to create a smoother water surface for faster speeds and deeper water for increased safety.

After 12 months of setting up the project and obtaining the necessary authorisation, they managed to dig an artificial channel just outside of the lagoon with the support of the Namibian Ministry of Environment & Tourism, thus ensuring the perfect conditions to set new world records!

At the 2012 Luderitz Speed Challenge event, no less than 7 Windsurfers surpassed 50 knots, reaching 52 knots (3 knots more than the previous record) in only 40 knots of wind!

www.luderitz-speed.com

Featured Brokerage
2001 Beneteau First 40.7. 84,420 GBP. Located in Cardiff, United Kingdom.

This Beneteau First 40.7 has been carefully looked after by its current owners. Refitted in August 2012 when a full survey was also undertaken. This Beneteau had a new engine fitted in 2008. A berth at Cardiff Marina is available for the new owner at competitive rates. This vessel is coded and has been used for occassional charter.

Brokerage through The Marine Group Boat Sales: www.yachtworld.com/themarinegroup/

Complete listing details and seller contact information at uk.yachtworld.com

The Last Word
The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. -- Pablo Picasso

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