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The final Fall College Sailing Rankings close out the fall season which had 176 regattas over 11 weekends including the Open and Women’s Singlehanded National Championship and Match Race National Championship. The College Sailing Ranking committee has six members: Charles Higgins (SEISA), Allison Jolly (SAISA), Katherine Jones (MAISA), Chris Klevan (PCCSC), John Pearce (US Sailing), and David Thompson (NEISA)
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The 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race, known for brutal conditions and dismastings, saw Franck Cammas and Groupama emerge as victors, making Cammas the second French skipper to win after 1985-86…
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The Australia SailGP Team emerged as the front-runners on the opening day of the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas. Jimmy Spithill led the Australian crew to an outstanding performance, securing the top spot on the leaderboard…
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The Raymarine SOLAS Big Boat Challenge was fiercely contested in a solid 15 knot nor’easter by 9 boats. The competitors were andoo Comanche, LawConnect, Scallywag, URM Group, Moneypenny, Alive, Wild Oats X, Whisper and No Limit…
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American Magic and Alinghi Red Bull Racing sailed out of Barcelona on Thursday in their AC75s…
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Emirates Team New Zealand have won a dramatically tough America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Jeddah presented by NEOM…
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13 sailors reflect on the highs and lows of their day, look back on their performance in the event, and where they are going to focus in the months until the launch of their AC75 raceboat…
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Was in a tavern. It was actually a bit more like one of those barn style places, where size mattered more than anything else. Bigger is better, right? Let alone fries with that… Did not necessarily want to be there too long, either.
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Day 2 of the second AC37 Preliminary Regatta once and again dawned hot and sunny on the Red Sea… but everything else was different. The forecast was for a 13-15 knot north-west breeze, with the water a lot choppier…
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Nice shot from the latest fashion model advertising the latest in women’s makeup… Uh, no, that’s American Cole Brauer onboard her Class 40 First Light as she makes her way around the world in the Global Solo Challenge. And she’s doing a mighty fine job of it too, currently in second place. Catch up on it all here.
Title inspiration is thanks to Elvis Costello.
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After just over 24 hours of racing since leaving Fort-de-France, Jéremie Beyou is proving his well optimised Charal is fastest on the northwards climb up the Atlantic for the Retour à La Base fleet of solo racers…
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Podcast
In today’s podcast, Scot shows how little he knows about, well, anything, as he ignorantly delves into the world of shorthanded sailing. For example, he thinks this picture is what solo sailing is all about. (I’m not wrong – ed.)
Oh trust us, he knows all about short – height, bus, length. You get the picture.
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Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (December 1, 2023) – The second day of the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta Jeddah was much improved, stepping up from the minimum wind limit racing of yesterday to a 12-16 knot north westerly that saw the AC40s easily ripping along for three more races.
High speed crossings is the theme for six boat fleet races, and it was the Kiwis and Italians that dominated the day. However, after the Americans laid a massive egg on the opener, they were the third best team today.
“I felt like we got better as the day went on, we picked up a few things moding wise from the other teams and tried to sail a little bit faster on the whole and I think the last couple of races we had pretty good pace and were passing other boats upwind,” noted Michael Menninger from NYYC American Magic.
“Downwind we still think we can get a little bit better and improve but it feels like Luna Rossa and the Kiwis are going just a touch faster so trying to wrap our heads around that. All in all, a much better day than yesterday.”
It was France’s turn to follow the fleet as they were last in each of the races. But unlike the unforced errors by the USA on day one, the French were dogged by hydraulic issues which had them fighting against the boat instead of the opposing teams.
Two more fleet races will be held tomorrow, with the final standings to determine the top two teams to qualify for the winner-take-all final Match Race to decide the ultimate winner of the event.
Day Two Results:
1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL): 1-1-5-2-1-1, 49 points
2. Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (ITA): 3-4-1-1-2-4, 38
3. Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI): 4-2-3-5-3-3, 27
4. INEOS Britannia (GBR): 2-3-4-4-5-5, 22
5. NYYC American Magic (USA): DSQ-6-DNS-3-4-2, 16
6. Orient Express Racing Team (FRA): 5-5-2-6-6-6, 14
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“We were extremely disappointed to not find a yellow buoy in the middle of the ocean as we passed the waypoint. Budget cuts I suppose.” – MAIDEN. More here.
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Bill Gates once said, “Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.” The book ‘Unnatural Selection: Why The Geeks Will Inherit The Earth’ analyzes the impact of technology on human evolution and the rise of the geek class.
The problem for sailing is, just because emerging technology may function better than people, should we let it? Should we replace some of the mental challenges for sailors, and reduce them to passengers? Onboard instrumentation is already doing that, and now the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN) has gone a step further.
As one of the leading institutes in the world for hydrodynamic research and maritime technology, they asked the question: Can a computer learn to sail an Optimist with Artificial Research? Here is their update:
Put a child in an Optimist and it will learn how to sail intuitively, without understanding the details of aerodynamics and hydrodynamics. One year ago, that inspired MARIN’s AI Sail team to take up a challenge: can a computer learn to do the same with the help of AI? On November 24, it was the moment of truth, during a demonstration in our Offshore Basin.
The background of this challenge is an important one: what can artificial intelligence and machine learning contribute to a cleaner, smarter, and safer maritime world?
Most maritime prediction methods are based on a model-based approach: physics-based models are combined in a computational model and validated in model tests and reality. With AI Sail, we want to demonstrate the possibilities of data-driven methods, where the physics are not explicit in the model, but implicit in the data.
In simple terms: if children can learn how to sail an Optimist without knowledge of aerodynamics, hydrodynamics and oceanography, an AI-algorithm should be able to learn the same.
The AI Sail team consisted of a broad mix of MARIN specialists: AI/machine learning, digital twinning/time domain simulations, sailing/wind assist, and model testing. AI Sail is an open-innovation project, with workshops for maritime clients and with student’s involvement of TU Delft.
They were able to develop their own AI sailing ‘agents’ (‘digital kids’) based on reinforcement learning (RL) with digital twins of the Optimist and our Offshore Basin in our time domain simulation framework XMF. In the meantime, our model test engineers had modified our Optimist with computer-controlled rudder, sheet and weight control and checked all necessary communications in the basin.
“It was very exciting and great fun as well,” shared Fanny Rebiffé, AI-specialist at MARIN. “Like with real kids on a lake, some RL-agents learned faster and better. Regularly an extra turn had to be made. Sometimes the Optimist stopped head into the wind. But working hard with the rudders and the shifting weight, several agents were very effective in getting wind in the sail again. So our ‘digital kids’ were ‘creative’ in solving their problems.”
Dr. Hannes Bogaert, leader of the AI Sail team added, “The maritime sector is watching this technology with great interest. The challenges to design and operate ships are increasing. Emission free ships and operations require more complex propulsion, power, and energy systems.
“The damage caused by accidents at sea can be enormous. Society is less willing to take risks and adequately responding to risk situations on board is necessary. Offshore sustainable energy requires complex installation and maintenance operations at sea. People need to be better supported. During design and on board.
“Through the application of AI, we can make many systems smarter and better support design and operation.”
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Two-time America’s Cup winner and former United States SailGP Team driver and CEO, Jimmy Spithill, will replace Tom Slingsby in the Australia SailGP Team at the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas on December 9-10…
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Southern California yachtsman Doug Baker, a successful competitive sailor who regularly participated in the iconic Transpac race, has died. He was 85. Baker, who had cancer, died November 22 in his Naples home, surrounded by his family.
Baker — who owned Banker Tanks Rentals, a family business started by his father — was most well-known for his sailing career.
He owned multiple boats during his life — beginning with a Hobie 15, which was followed by multiple others, including, most recently, the 2005-built Kernan 68, dubbed Peligroso — and was a regular participant on the Transpacific Yacht Race. Baker, in fact, competed in 21 Transpac races as a skipper and twice as a crew member. – Full report
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Windsurfing has gotten a boost in the USA with the newly formed United States Windsurfer Class Association. Here is the update:
This is the first newsletter of our inaugural year and we’d like to thank you for your support in reviving the much beloved Windsurfer Class. It’s been a busy year and we haven’t even had a chance to tell our story, so here’s how it started, what developed, and where we are now:
In November 2022, after months of meetings, completing applications, and waiting for approvals, the United States Windsurfer Class Association (USWCA) was formed and became an official member of the worldwide governing body, the International Windsurfer Class Association (IWCA).
In April of 2023, we launched our website www.uswindsurferclass.com and finalized plans to kick off our inaugural summer with a West Coast Tour of racing, social events, and demo days with the redesigned Windsurfer LT.
The West Coast Tour turned out to be the highlight of the summer with stops in the Gorge, Seattle, Sacramento, Foster City, and Long Beach. We had great turn-outs and super hosts and volunteers to run the events. Thanks to Cobra International, we brought in a fleet of brand new Windsurfer LT boards which traveled to each event and helped to spread the stoke among participants…
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So here we go, the beginning of the final build-up to next year’s Vendée Globe as single-handed racing returns to the IMOCA Class, with the first ever solo Retour à la Base from Martinique in the French Caribbean to Lorient…
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The Practice race will be broadcast live from Jeddah…
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Following the update that a new ownership group had bought the the United States SailGP Team, and that CEO and driver Jimmy Spithill (AUS) had been released, more details have now come from the team.
Notable involvement includes from Taylor Canfield and Mike Buckley (above), who were the founders of Stars + Stripes Team USA which unsuccessfully sought to compete in the 2021 and 2024 America’s Cups. Here is the team’s announcement on November 29, 2023:
SailGP’s United States team has been purchased by technology investor and founding Uber engineer Ryan McKillen, Margaret McKillen, and two-time world champion sailor Mike Buckley. They are joined by a diverse group of investors representing the sport, technology, entertainment, and media industries.
The Avenue Sports Fund, led by Avenue Capital Group CEO Marc Lasry, is the lead investor in what will be the largest team acquisition in SailGP history. Other members of the investment group include actress and producer Issa Rae; world champion heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder; global DJ and producer Gryffin; and NFL stars DeAndre Hopkins, Malik Jackson, Roquan Smith and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Additional members include University of Alabama football star Dallas Turner; former U.S. soccer player Jozy Altidore; University of Michigan basketball legend Katelynn Flaherty Yates; Muse Capital’s Assia Grazioli-Venier; and serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk.
SailGP is the most exciting racing on water. The global league features high-tech, high-speed 50-foot foiling catamarans that are raced by the world’s best athletes in 10 national teams and broadcast in over 200+ markets (CBS and YouTube in the U.S.).
In SailGP’s fourth season, the quickly growing global sailing league provides 13 live events year-round – six of which take place in North America including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago – at the most iconic waterfront locations around the world.
Under the new U.S. SailGP Team structure, Ryan McKillen will serve as Chairman, and Mike Buckley as Chief Executive Officer. The team has appointed seven-time world champion sailor Taylor Canfield as team driver.
“By bringing together this remarkable group to acquire the United States SailGP Team, we have reached an important milestone in the growth of our sport,” said Ryan McKillen, U.S. SailGP Team Co-owner and Chairman.
“As sailors, we love this sport and want to introduce it to millions; as entrepreneurs, we recognize the potential and growth trajectory of SailGP and how our U.S. SailGP Team can introduce the future of on-water racing at the highest level. Our incredible ownership group is a testament to the growth and expansion of SailGP into the mainstream.”
“We believe that diversity is a competitive advantage and it needs to start at the top,” said Mike Buckley, U.S. SailGP Team Co-owner and CEO. “We have assembled the most diverse ownership group in the history of our sport. Collectively, we have an enormous amount of work to do on and off the water, but I think that I have shown I am not going to back down from this important challenge.”
Avenue Capital Group recently launched the Avenue Sports Fund with the aim of providing capital solutions to a wide variety of sports teams, owners, and leagues, as well as invest in sports-related media and entertainment rights, real estate, and other adjacent businesses. The U.S. SailGP Team is the second major team investment by the Sports Fund…
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The Environment
A small group of protesters from Greenpeace have hung up the operations of the deep-sea mining research vessel Coco, prompting the vessel’s charterer to file a lawsuit seeking an injunction, the activist group said Tuesday.
Coco is on assignment in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone to evaluate a polymetallic nodule lease area. The Greenpeace vessel Arctic Sunrise rendezvoused with the vessel in order to interfere with its mission. On the water, Greenpeace has used two kayaks and two small boats to obstruct the ship’s operations. In addition, a five-person climb team boarded the Coco’s stern-mounted A-frame using a hook, rope and ascenders. The activists climbed up to the platform at the structure’s top and occupied it in hopes of blocking operations.
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The Melges 24 European Sailing Series has successfully concluded its thrilling 2023 season, marking a significant milestone for the iconic Melges 24 boat as it celebrates its 30th anniversary…
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It has been just over a month since Alinghi Red Bull Racing first set up their temporary base in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in advance of the second America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta…
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Britain’s Pip Hare explains for Yachting World how she’s turbocharged her IMOCA 60 Medallia ahead of next year’s Vendée Globe, the ultimate race for any singlehanded offshore sailor
Ahead of me, the bow of Medallia is pointing at the sky. This is not poetic license; I am actually looking upwards at my bowsprit as it rises up, 50ft in front of me and some 3m higher than I am. In that split second, I can barely compute what is happening.
My brain just starts to grasp the situation when Medallia levels out and shoots forwards. I watch the speed log flick from 26 knots to 27, 28, 29 knots. The acceleration is actually insane. The foils are humming. Occasionally the windward foil grazes the waves and sprays me with a wall of water. Medallia, newly refitted and modified, is just one hour into our first commissioning sail and I have no doubts that we have indeed turbocharged our IMOCA 60.
The IMOCA class is in the midst of a boom. There are now over 50 international teams running these 60ft ocean racing beasts. The Vendée Globe has expanded its entry list to 40 candidates for the next edition in 2024 while The Ocean Race has been reborn as a crewed IMOCA event, with teams smashing the 24-hour monohull record. – Full report
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Changes are underway for the United States SailGP Team as a new ownership group has bought the team, and has released CEO and driver Jimmy Spithill (AUS). Rumors have Taylor Canfield (USA) filling Spithill’s role.
Spithill had taken over the team for Season Two, with the league now preparing for the sixth event of Season Four.
“I leave it in as good a shape as I could,” Spithill told The Associated Press. “If I look at when I started it, what I built and how I’m leaving it, it’s basically qualified for the final right now, having just won the last event, giving them a team with a winning culture and that’s competitive and with some value.”
The league was established in 2018 with funding from tech billionaire Larry Ellison, but the requirement was for all teams to be commercially sustainable by the end of the fifth year. The USA team was still owned by the league.
Spithill, who is preparing for his second straight America’s Cup as co-helmsman of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, has been given the option to start an Italian SailGP Team which would debut in Season 5.
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Alinghi Red Bull Racing sailed in light winds of up to 9kts at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and tested using two boats in development mode. Two other teams INEOS Britannia and Orient Express Racing Team also sailed in their One-Design configurations…
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The defending champion Andoo team of John Winning Jr, Seve Jarvin and Sam Newton hold a narrow lead after the first two races sailed on the opening day of the 2023-24 NSW 18ft Skiff Championship…
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I spoke to Grant Fox of Scanstrut at METSTRADE 2023 about ATMOS, the waterproof on-board air station engineered to thrive in the challenging marine environment…
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Italian skipper Ambrogio Beccaria and French co-skipper Nicolas Andrieu sailing the all Italian Musa 40 Alla Grande PIRELLI took first place in the highly competitive Class40 race on the 16th Transat Jacques Vabre…
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Chinese rider Wan Li came out on top of the first day of racing in the women’s fleet at the Formula Kite Asia & Oceania Championships today in Shenzhen, China. After two days of delay, the breeze kicked in nicely for six heats for the women…
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While the IMOCAs will now continue to arrive in Martinique for the foreseeable future to complete their Transat Jacques Vabre race from Le Havre to Martinique it is the match at the top of Class 40 which is becoming more and more engaging…
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The World Sailing Show delivers 30-minute episodes which feature news, profiles, and racing highlights from across the world of sailing. The November episode of the World Sailing Show airs November 22, 2023…
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This is a pretty good foiling retrospective, and a good peek inside what makes them fly . We particularly like what Patrick Rynne from Waterlust has to say.
At least it’s not the normal hyperventilated SailGP propaganda…
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At 0815am (local time) on Monday morning, the IMOCA Holcim-PRB arrived into the magnificent bay of Le Marin in Martinique under a bright sun. The monohull’s crew will have taken 14 days to reach the West Indies from Concarneau, Brittany…
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What a scintillating Sunday we had lined up to conclude the SSL Gold Cup 1/16 Finals. With double points on offer everything was to play for, and Fleet 1 was set to be a thriller with three teams tied on points…
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Emirates Team New Zealand struggled to wring out a good testing day as Auckland flicked between no wind and breeze in the mid-teens, interspersed with isolated showers and the threat of thunderstorms – cut their foil testing session short…
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On a gray autumn afternoon in the bay of A Coruña, with light southwesterly winds, Andrea Mura departed on November 18th at 14:00 local time (13:00 UTC) for his Global Solo Challenge, joining the fleet of thirteen competitors already at sea…
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In France they call him “The King of the Transat” and with good reason because, with his dominant victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre-Normandie le Havre today, Thomas Ruyant has achieved what no one else has before him…
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