The Yandoo team of John Winning, Mike Kennedy and Fang Warren lead the NSW 18ft Skiff Championship following a dominating performance to take out Race 3 of the championship on Sydney Harbour today…
505 Class looks forward to 2022
2021 is coming to an end and hopefully we say goodbye to the worst of Covid. So what is planned for 2022?
ILCA6 Radial World Championships – Day 5 and everything is up for grabs
The penultimate day of the ILCA 6 World Championship set-up a two-boat showdown for both classes on Monday…
ILCA6 Radial World Championships – Agata Barwinska leads after Day 4
After two races Saturday, Agata Barwinska (3, 10) of Poland takes a five point lead in the Women’s championship, with two days of racing remainng…
2021 ILCA 6 Radial Worlds in Oman day 3
Day three of the 2021 ILCA 6 Worlds was once again influenced by the wind. Just two races in the men’s category and one in the women’s were completed at Barceló Resort Mussanah as the sailors struggled to get to grips with the changing wind patterns…
KiteFoil World Series Gran Canaria day 3
Day three of the 2021 KiteFoil World Series Gran Canaria saw the breeze gusting too strongly for the riders to get out through the shore break at Playa de las Burras. Again no racing, but few murmurs of disappointment from the fleet…
Paprec Arkea skipper for Vendée Globe announced
Paprec and Arkéa are strengthening their commitment to ocean racing as they lead a new campaign for the 2024 Vendée Globe…
Conner Blouin on the 2021 Waszp North Americans
I checked in with Conner Blouin, regatta chair of the 2021 Waszp North American Championship, via email, to learn more about this exciting foiling affair…
IMA introduces Maxi European Championship for 2022
Supported by Rolex, this first ever IMA Maxi European Championship is organised by the Circolo Remo e Vela Italia and the International Maxi Association under the patronage of the FIV and in cooperation with YC Italiano and the Reale YC Canottieri Savoia.
Light winds challenge sailors at ILCA 6 Worlds
The ILCA 6 World Championships finally got under way in the Al-Mussanah Sports City, Oman overnight, with three races completed in a light sea breeze…
KiteFoil World Series Gran Canaria day 2
The ‘racing postponed’ flags were displayed at 2pm on day two of the 2021 KiteFoil World Series Gran Canaria. Winds gusting over 30 knots at the Playa de las Burras meant no racing for the day…
M32 class all set for 2022
The champagne has yet to dry on the 2021 World Championship trophy in Miami as the class is finalizing the 2022 schedule with spectacular new venues and old favourites…
7 months until the start of the Globe40
Two and a half years after its launch, the GLOBE40 is now in the advanced stages of its preparation for the race start in Tangier on 26 June 2022…
Three year pit stop in Golden Globe Race
Jean-Luc Van Den Heede wrote his name into the record books by not only winning the 2018 Golden Globe solo non-stop round the world race, but becoming the oldest in history to complete such a race when he crossed the finish line on January 29, 2019.
But as the 73-year old French veteran of six solo circumnavigations completed the course with an elapsed time of 212d 5h 10m 0s, the trail behind held stories of hardship and hard luck. Curiously, barnacle growth was an issue for several competitors, slowing their progress considerably.
One of those was Australian Mark Sinclair whose Lello 34 Coconut had been plagued by growth when he reached his home port of Adelaide in December 2018 just as his water supplies ran dry. While he had a team of friends rallied to clean the hull and make other repairs to the boat, he decided to retire due to concern that reaching Cape Horn in early March was too late in the season.
However, that was not the end of Sinclair’s story as he is setting off from Adelaide to Les Sables d’Olonne, France on December 5, to finish his 2018 Golden Globe Race after 3-year hiatus. Under the 2018 GGR Notice of Race, he could continue the race in Chichester Class, aiming to become the sixth finisher of the race.
The rules allow for one breach of the strict solo, non-stop un-assisted circumnavigation without the aid of modern electronic navigation aids regulations that make this Race unique. However, those that do move down to the Chichester Class as if, like Sir Francis Chichester in 1966-67, they have made one stop during their solo circumnavigation.
“I have unfinished business with the GGR and several reasons to complete my voyage,” explained Sinclair. “I sailed the easy part of the course and want to have a go at the second one. It is an interesting route: one week to Tasmania, another week to New Zealand, before another two months to Cape Horn.
“All sailors who finished the 2018 GGR had been around the world at least once, so this is a great preparation for the 2022 edition, rounding the Horn and bringing the boat back to Les Sables d’Olonne!”
The next edition of the Golden Globe Race is slated to start on September 4, 2022.
Luna Rossa enters 37th America’s Cup
When the entry period for the 37th America’s Cup opened on December 1, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and defender Emirates Team New Zealand revealed that several challenges were received, though did not disclose their identity.
It was the New Zealand Herald that first reported Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, who won the 2003 and 2007 America’s Cup, had entered his Alinghi team. Now it is STUFF media that has the Italian Luna Rossa team returning for another crack at the Auld Mug…
Brits and Aussie claim 2021 Rolex World Sailor of the Year
Cowes, UK (December 2, 2021) – Olympic gold medalists Hannah Mills MBE (GBR) and Eilidh McIntyre (GBR) were voted female 2021 Rolex World Sailor of the Year in a virtual ceremony streamed live from the Royal Yacht Squadron. Australia’s Tom Slingsby has won the male 2021 Rolex World Sailor of the Year in celebration of his achievements in three competitive classes over the past two years.
Mills and McIntyre claimed gold in Tokyo in the 470 class, a victory which made Mills the most successful female Olympic sailor of all time. This was her second Olympic gold, repeating her victory from Rio 2016 with her new partner…
play inside
Well, it’s not NFT’s, but it looks interesting! Jump in the thread to discuss, brought to you by Marlow Ropes.
Dates for 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race announced
Following the success of the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race from Cowes to Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and its French partners are delighted to announce the date for the next edition of its flagship event in 2023…
America’s Cup: Maybe four Challengers already?
The number of early entries for the 37th America’s Cup has given lie to predictions that the cost of competing. Alinghi (SUI) and Luna Rossa (ITA) have entered along with maybe one more plus Challenger of Record INEOS Britannia…
IAM support inaugural Australian Maxi Championship
The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is delighted to welcome Income Asset Management as the naming rights partner for the inaugural Australian Maxi Championship…
Maxi Edmond de Rothschild expected into Lorient
Just over a week ago, Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier were celebrating their magnificent victory in the Ultime category of the Transat Jacques Vabre with the whole of Gitana Team…
late to the, um, party
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know. This is an interesting series that is worth a look…
ILCA6 Radial Women’s World Championship – Day 2 Action
Julia Buesselberg of Germany is the leader after the three races were completed on day 2 of the ILCA 6 (Radial) Women’s World Championship, taking place in Oman…
Expedition Ketch build captured on timelapse video
Check out the most recent timelapse of the 80″ ketch under construction at Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders. This doesn’t show the competed boat but takes us up to March 2021…
to infiniti and beyond?
The first Infiniti 52 has sea trialed in the UK before heading south through Biscay as part of its training program and its first race in January 2022, the RORC Trans-Atlantic Race. Joint developer of the DSS patent and founder of Infiniti Yachts, Gordon Kay talks us through the gestation of the genre-defining project.
The boat will have to be trucked from Composite Builders in Holland, Michigan to Baltimore and then shipped to Southampton, where the team at Racetec Rigging will carry out the final fit-out and commissioning in conjunction with Infiniti Yachts…
New UK Covid rules as cases head towards 300,000
Governments across the world are re-examining their Covid safety measures following the arrival of the Omicron variant…
Alinghi returns for 37th America’s Cup
Auckland, New Zealand (December 1, 2021) – As of 12:00am today, Challengers can now officially enter the next edition of the America’s Cup. While the teams from the 2021 edition had indicated their interest to compete again, it was a past winner that was first to publicly submit their interest.
According to the New Zealand Herald, Team New Zealand’s nemesis Alinghi is back in the America’s Cup after an 11-year absence. It is understood the Swiss syndicate has paid the initial $1.47 million entry fee for the 37th America’s Cup and is working to secure an old practice boat.
Owned by Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, Alinghi famously won the Cup for the first time in 2003, sweeping defender Team NZ 5-0 in the Cup match…
America’s Cup: Several teams make formal challenge
Soon after the entry period opening several challengers were received by the RNZYS and Emirates Team New Zealand…
roll tide
The famous Rolex Sydney Hobart Race is now only a month away. It won’t be long before navigators and skippers start seeking data to optimize routing for the great race south and competitors who have the most accurate data on hand will be able to make the best possible decisions for the fastest route.
The weather can be challenging for all competitors in this 630mile race down the NSW coast, crossing the notorious Bass Strait, continuing south along the Tasmanian East Coast then around the corner across Storm Bay and up the final 10 miles of The Derwent.
It is not only the potential of ferocious winds for sailors, there is also the powerful East Australian Current (EAC) to be considered which can vary between 15km and 100km wide and flow at speeds up to 4knots. The EAC is like a meandering river generally flowing southwards along the course however eddies and interesting twists and turns necessitate careful analysis, making course optimization a challenge for even the most experienced navigators. At times the EAC can even flow in a northerly direction!
Fortunately, the Team at Tidetech can help identify the location, speed and direction of the EAC to complement your Sydney Hobart race strategy…
Tragedy on Atlantic Rally for Cruisers
Hosted by the World Cruising Club, the 36th Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) began their ocean crossing on November 21 from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria toward the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. But bad news is now reported concerning a casualty among the 141 participating yachts
Max Delannoy, a crew member on board the ARC yacht Agecanonix, perished during the night of November 26-27. The full circumstances of the incident are not known at this point.
The three-man, all French crew, were sailing Agecanonix, an X-Yachts X4.3, as part of the ARC IRC Racing Division, and had opted for a course well to the north of the rhumb line route to Saint Lucia, aiming to avoid the light winds affecting the southerly route close to Cape Verde.
A MAYDAY call was made from the Agecanonix around midnight November 26-27 requesting a medical evacuation. However, the injured crew member Max Delannoy was declared dead before any outside help could be provided…
2021 ILCA 6 Radial Worlds in Oman day 0
Al-Mussanah Sports City in Oman will play host to the 2021 ILCA 6 World Championships – the first World Championships for the women’s Olympic single-handed dinghy fleet on the path to the 2024 Paris Olympics…
In search of the crucial youth market
Whether the preference is to bash World Sailing, which is often not hard, or to cheerlead for the venerable Finn Class, the process for selecting the events and equipment for Paris 2024 Olympics was not without peril.
But with clear directives from the International Olympic Committee, it was the heavy singlehander, used in the Olympics since 1952, which held the short stick. The writing was on the wall for those that chose to read it.
The selection process made for lively debate, and much mud throwing. For those that ignored the context, they also ignored the effort to retain the class which had advanced so many great sailors. But the square peg and the round hole remained, and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was its last hurrah…
Transat Jacques Vabre Day 23 update
The Class 40 victory has gone to Redman, co-skippered by Frenchman Antoine Carpentier and Pablo Santurde Del Arco of Spain. Second place went to Banque Du Léman, third to Seafrigo-Sogestran…
The Power of Sails
I suppose it isn’t merely a coincidence that I’ve made significant changes to the sailplans of the last three cruising boats I’ve owned. The first project was the biggest. My old Golden Hind 31, Sophie, had lots of charm and character, but her sloop rig was laughably small. After blundering about for a couple of years, I treated her to a much taller spar, a fixed bowsprit and a new set of sails, and so transformed her into a very handy cutter. She sailed as smartly then as any boat with three keels (including her two bilge keels) could ever hope to.
My first Lunacy, an aluminum Tanton 39 cutter, also got a new fixed bowsprit, though it had to be welded rather than bolted on. This allowed me to add a third headsail to the foretriangle—a large lightweight Code 0-type genoa (I called it a screecher) that furled on its own luff courtesy of an easily removed continuous-line furler. The sail was easy to set and strike, much easier than changing the regular working yankee for a regular genoa, and greatly enhanced the boat’s light-air performance…
First climate-neutral sailcloth
Dimension-Polyant, the world’s largest manufacturer of sailcloth, has developed the first 100 percent climate-neutral sailcloth using bio-based raw material. Their Hydra Net® radial material is now manufactured with Dyneema® which contains HMPE (High Modulus Polyethylene) from renewable raw materials and thus has a significantly lower carbon footprint than the conventional Dyneema® fibre with the same technical properties. – Full report
stop and go and then stop again
And now with the new Covid Variant, we’d guess The Boot isn’t looking too good…
For a safe staging of boot 2022, the world’s largest water sports trade fair, Messe Düsseldorf has again adapted its hygiene measures in line with the Covid Protection Ordinance of its home state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which was updated on November 24.
Most important is the introduction of the regulation for access to the boot halls. Only vaccinated or recovered attendees will be allowed to enter the boot halls during the event. The status of all visitors will be checked at the entrances of the fairground. Children up to 15 years of age are not affected by the measures in the North Rhine-Westphalian regulation.
The vaccinated or recovered regulation for visitors will be implemented at boot since it has a clear recreational character, especially for the many end consumers. Boot will take place from January 22 – 30, 2022 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Classic sailing in the West Country makes history
The first ever Pantaenius sponsored West Country Classics Series, for classic and heritage sailing boats took place in 2021. Results for two or more of three Classic sailing events which included Dartmouth, Falmouth and Fowey Classics were combined…
2021 ILCA Radial Women’s World Championship
The 2021 ILCA6 Radial Women’s World Championship at Al-Musannah Sports City, Oman has attracted 64 Entries from 31 Countries…
Class40 is next in Transat Jacques Vabre
(November 28, 2021; Day 22) – As the IMOCA teams fill the results in the Transat Jacques Vabre, the Class40 leaders are just over 200nm from the finish with Antoine Carpentier and Pablo Santurde Del Arco on Redman holding a 23.5nm advantage as of 21:00 CET. – Full report
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