BARCLAYS 52 SUPER SERIES entrants Phoenix and Provezza warm up at Gaastra Palma Vela : 52 SUPER SERIES – Pure Performance

Gaastra Palma Vela regatta on the Bay of Palma proved a useful training and preparation event for two BARCLAYS 52 SUPER SERIES teams as they make ready to head to Capri, Italy for the first regatta of the four of this European season.


For Eduardo de Souza Ramos and his crew on the brand new Botin designed Phoenix – the first boat to be built to the 2015 TP52 rule – it was their maiden regatta outing, the first ever races for the boat which will represent Brasil for the first time on the circuit.

After a few days of sail testing in Valencia where the King Marine built TP52 was launched and a couple of days informal racing on the Bay, after three years away from competitive sailing it was an exciting and very pleasing time for the owner to be on the helm and take the first start gun on Friday. 


Ergin Imre’s Provezza sailed against Phoenix informally before the regatta started and also used the three days of racing to ensure the team which flies the Turkish flag will be in the best possible shape for when the Barclay’s 52 SUPER SERIES starts on May 20th in Capri. Provezza has a new Future Fibres rig and some new crew on board.

More; BARCLAYS 52 SUPER SERIES entrants Phoenix and Provezza warm up at Gaastra Palma Vela : 52 SUPER SERIES – Pure Performance

How important is the final double points race? / Extreme Sailing Series

The final race of each Extreme Sailing Series™ Act is worth double points, and more often than not the outcome of the event is riding on it. Using the SAP sailing analytics, we took a look at all of the final races from the last 16 months, and found that keeping a cool head and performing under pressure can make all the difference.

Over the last nine Acts (seven in 2013, and two in 2014), the reigning champions The Wave, Muscat have won an incredibly impressive 67% of the events. Of the events they won, they also sailed to victory in 50% of the final races, often winning the Act in that moment. For the Omani team, the double points race seems to be of the upmost importance to their Act winning tactics.

Les Voiles de St. Barth 2014: Back to Business

Competitors at Les Voiles de St. Barth headed back to the race course today after enjoying the regatta’s traditional lay day yesterday, which gave them a chance to indulge in the French island’s onshore charms. Many regattas no longer feature such a break in the racing, but Les Voiles has maintained a five-day format (four days of racing with a mid-regatta break) since its inception five years ago, and it has proven to be a draw. In fact, more than 400 of the thousand or so sailors racing here gathered at Nikki Beach on Baie Saint Jean for lunch and some organized team sports, including water polo, stand-up paddleboard races and petanque matches

This morning dawned with a much fresher breeze than yesterday and sailors prepared for a forecasted 18-25 knot southeasterly. With the race course set off the north side of the island, most of the fleet readied by tucking in reefs and setting small jibs while they jockeyed for positions in the starting area. Shortly before the start for the Maxi and Spinnaker Zero classes, Hap Fauth’s Mini Maxi Bella Mente suffered a rig failure and had to retire. Fortunately, there were no injuries during the dismasting, and the boat motored slowly back to it’s mooring, its crew disappointed given that the 72-footer was well-sailed all week and in a close battle with Maxi class leader, Caol Ila R.   With the breeze building, the Race Committee postponed racing, sending the fleet back to shore; however, shortly after noon, signals ashore indicated a 1:30 p.m. start for eight of the nine classes (absent the Melges 24s). With the wind at 20-23 knots, the fleet enjoyed a 16 nautical mile course that took them to the north end where large ocean swells rolled through. ‘Round the world race veteran Brad Marsh, bowman on the 80 foot Selene, commented on how the 60 ton Swan was well-suited for today’s conditions, “ This afternoon’s race was fantastic: it was fun, lots of wind, beautiful big sea. Selene is a big heavy boat, in some ways the best boat to be on today – very big, very safe and comfortable. But there’s a lot of load, a lot of coordination to get things done on a big boat, with many people.”

ISAF | World Sailing | Robertson Sets Up Canfield Congressional Cup Reunion

Phil Robertson remembers the last time he competed in the Congressional Cup.

"Three years ago," the New Zealander said Tuesday after winning Stage One of the 50th event with nine wins and one loss. "I tied for ninth with Taylor Canfield, but I had him on tiebreakers and kept him in last place. He won the book."

"The book" is "Race Your Boat Right," by the late racing legend Arthur Knapp Jr. traditional awarded to the last-place finisher.

Winners Awarded at 2014 BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival

Sunshine and 20-plus knot breeze welcomed participants to the final day of the 2014 BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival in Tortola. Three consecutive days of great racing made for an exciting weekend for competitors and the week-long festival drew more than 3,500 visitors to Nanny Cay.

 

Yachts racing in the BVI Spring Regatta round Flannagan Island (Photo: Todd VanSickle)

 

"It gets really emotional by Sunday night because it takes an amazing amount of energy, time and patience each year, and so many people do so much to make it happen," said Judy Petz, Regatta Director. "I was really happy coming into this year's event with many new things in place. We built it so everyone - participants, visitors and locals - would have a great time, and I'm really confident that we succeeded in making that happen."

 

On the race course, Tonnerre de Breskens 3 (Ker 46) ran away with the Racing 1 division securing wins in all seven races: "The conditions were really good and you can't ask for better sailing," said Tonnerre de Breskens 3 helmsman Paul Wilcox. "The max wind we saw racing Saturday was probably 23 knots. So, you're not really on the edge, but if you do something a little bit wrong, your problems escalate quickly." 

Great Racing Sets Stage for Final Day / 2014 BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival

Saturday 5 April: Blue skies and strong breeze welcomed racers to the course on Day 2 of the 2014 BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival in Tortola. Winds were up between 14-20 knots throughout the day, creating great racing conditions for the fleet on all three courses.

 "Yesterday, the driving was more difficult and racing overall was more challenging. Today, you couldn't ask for more perfect racing conditions," said Jamie Torres, skipper of the Melges 32, Smile and Wave. "So, the challenge was to stay focused on the target, which was to beat Lazy Dog - our competition. It was about consistency and steady driving. It wasn't shifty, so it was all a matter of boat speed and boat handling. And, we did exceptionally well."

 Smile and Wave, one of three Melges 32s from Puerto Rico racing on the One Design Course, led the fleet across the line in three of the day's four races. Lazy Dog holds the second slot, six points back. Smile and Wave hit a top speed of 20.7 knots on Saturday and the yacht posted her record of 24.7 knots at last year's BVI Spring Regatta.

 Also on the One Design Course, the IC 24 division is all tied up. Friday's leader INTAC and Tortola Express, skippered by Colin Rathburn, each hold 16 points. Tortola Express recorded three, first-place finishes in four races.

A great day for Keith LiGreci's Jeanneau 40, Girasoli - Credit: Todd vanSickle/BVI Spring Regatta

On the Norman Island Course, the Jeanneau 40, Girasoli had another successful day, finishing first in both of the Jib & Main 2 division races. But, the Tortola-based crew wasn't quite sure where they stood until returning to the dock.

Clipper Race - Race 10, Day 13: Mixed Night Of Fortunes As Fleet Reaches Race 10’s Halfway Stage

Race 10, Day 13: Mixed night of fortunes as fleet reaches Race 10’s halfway stage

As the first Clipper Race teams start crossing the International Date Line today, exceeding the half-way point of Race 10, those positioned in the middle, east of the main fleet were left feeling wet, cold and frustrated last night as Mother Nature poured her best attention on the most southern teams.

Derry~Londonderry~Doire skipper Sean McCarter sounded thwarted as he said:  “Well we prepared for the worst last night and I must admit to feeling a little hard-done-by. Instead of 70 knot gusts and hail, we had lighter than average wind and a lot of rain.

St Barths Bucket Regatta : Nothing "La-Dee-Dah" About This

This morning, dockside at The Bucket, it sounded rather funny for sailors to be talking about a "Not So Wiggley Course" with such reverence, but when the day was done and a second of three races had entered the 2014 regatta history books, it was quite clear why.

Mademoiselle, Elegante and Gazelle classes took on the long version (27.1 nm) of the course, which started on the west side of St. Barths and wound its way around smaller islands and rocks to the north, while the Grande Dames sailed the shorter version (22 nm) in winds that were a few knots less than yesterday's yet just as feisty. The "not so" in the course description was obviously tongue-in-cheek, as the 38 superyachts — ranging in size from 27.5m/88' to 66.7m/216' — zigged and zagged more than the usual number of times while crews executed numerous sail changes as well as spinnaker hoists and takedowns, alternately winding their charges up to gain advantage, then dialing them down to safely share close quarters at rounding marks with their magnificently sized competitors.

Team Aqua Snatch Victory In Virgin Gorda / RC Forty Four

Peninsula Petroleum had led the RC44 Virgin Gorda Cup since day one, for the final day all they needed to do was stick with the same format; consistency and staying out of trouble. But the day didn’t go to plan for the Gibraltar based team, allowing Chris Bake’s Team Aqua to snatch victory on the final race of the event.

 

Racing was again inside Virgin Gorda's North Sound. As the fleet got underway Peninsula Petroleum were given a red flag penalty off the startline of the day’s opening race, putting them to the back of the fleet. Vasco Vascotto calling the shots for John Bassadone got the team back in touch with the fleet by the second beat. But a port-starboard incident with Gazprom Youth Sailing Challenge, saw the Russian team head back into the dock with a gaping hole in the side of their RC44 and retire from racing.

Rio 2016 Olympic Test Event Notice Of Race Published / ISAF | World Sailing

The Notice of Race for the Aquece Rio - International Sailing Regatta 2014 has been published.

Aquece Rio is the first of two 'Test Events' for the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition and will welcome sailors across the ten Olympic sailing events from 2 to 9 August 2014. The regatta venue is the Marina da Glória with racing taking place inside and outside the Guanabara Bay.

Each ISAF Member National Authority (MNA) is entitled to enter two boats in each event and must register with Rio 2016 not later than 1 May 2014.

Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition
The Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition will take place at the Marina da Glória, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and will feature 380 athletes competing across ten events.

Racing is scheduled to take place from 8-18 August 2016 and the competition format for all events is fleet racing.

Regatta Information

Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition Qualification System / ISAF / World Sailing

The qualification system for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Qualification has been published.  Click here to download the Qualification System.

The Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition regatta venue is the Marina da Glória with racing taking place inside and outside the Guanabara Bay and will feature 380 athletes competing across the following 10 events:

Men's Windsurfer - RS: X
Men's One Person Dinghy - Laser
Men's One Person Dinghy (Heavyweight) - Finn
Men's Two Person Dinghy - 470
Men's Skiff - 49er

Women's Windsurfer - RS: X
Women's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Women's Two Person Dinghy - 470
Women's Skiff - 49er FX

Mixed Multihull - Nacra 17

Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) may enter a maximum of one boat per event, a total of 15 athletes (eight men and seven women).

The Key to 2014 Success | 52 Super Series

The curtain will rise on what promises to be an exciting 2014 52 SUPER SERIES season on Monday 20^th January when six 52s lines up on the famous race waters of Key West, Florida for the first regatta of the two events which form the US 52 SUPER SERIES.

 

Two European TP52s return to Quantum Key West Racing Week, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda flagged Azzurra and Niklas and Catherine Zennström’s world champions, Rán Racing.

The 2012 overall 52 SUPER SERIES champions Azzurra which narrowly won Key West least season see the return of talismanic Italian strategist Francesco Bruni.  Rán Racing will sail with past 470 world champion Nic Asher as strategist and have Steve Hayles – who took a sabbatical from the Rán 52 programme last year – back in the navigator’s hot seat.

52 SUPER SERIES – 2014, In a league of their own… | 52 Super Series

It may seems like there has been a close season break at all but in just six weeks the US 52 SUPER SERIES’ first regatta Quantum Key West (20-24 January) is set to be the early season springboard for what promises to be an exciting 2014 52 SUPER SERIES season. Regattas in Key West and Miami are followed by the European events in Capri, for the first time ever, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Palma Mallorca and Ibiza. 

Building on the success of last year’s initiative to take the 52 SUPER SERIES to America for the first time, Quantum Key West looks set to attract seven 52’s including the 2013 world champions, Niklas Zennström’s Rán Racing and 2013 Key West winners, Azzurra, from Europe.

Of the five US flagged boats which are expected to compete, three crews will be new to 52 SUPER SERIES racing, Anema & Core (ex Platoon 2006), Hooligan (ex 2x Med Cup winning ETNZ) – which has just been bought by US owner Gunther Buerman from a very successful period in Australia and Sled (ex Rio/Synergy), owned by Takashi Okura.

Rolex Big Boat Series - Battle on the Bay: Winners, Including HPR National Champion, Determined

 

Just as the America’s Cup finals did for two weeks before it, the Rolex Big Boat Series—St. Francis Yacht Club’s signature regatta—took over San Francisco Bay for four days of spirited racing this week (Thursday through Sunday, September 25-28), giving 107 teams in 10 classes the chance to enjoy stadium sailing at its finest.  In fact, for 49 years the annual event has captured for its competitors the thrill of sailing in a famous venue with even more famous winds; thus, there is always plenty of fast action for spectators to enjoy from multiple vantage points around the Bay, including St. Francis Yacht Club’s own race deck, which serves as one end of the finish line in each day’s final race.

For today’s traditional “Bay Tour” finale—the single long race that wraps up each class’s series and determines final winners—the fleet’s final push to the finish was tame in comparison to previous days when boat speeds were jacked up by brisk breezes and a strong flood tide, but the end result was all that mattered. Six class winners were awarded St. Francis Yacht Club Perpetual Trophies along with Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner timepieces, while new title holders were named in the 2013 HPR National Championship, the J/120 North American Championship and the IRC West Coast Championship. 

ISAF | World Sailing | Impressive Finale To Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup

The 2013 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup concluded today in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. A dramatic final day ensued with three yachts making impressive recoveries to seal championship titles.

VELSHEDA's bow reflections ©Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi

 

 Two windward/leeward races concluded the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship with a coastal race through the Maddalena archipelago organized for the remaining classes.

Today's winners were: Rán 2 (GBR) in the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship with a bullet and a second; Velsheda (GBR) in J-Class; Morning Glory (GER) in Maxi Racing; Nefertiti (GBR) in Maxi Racing/Cruising; Nilaya (GBR) in Supermaxi; and, Open Season (GBR) in Wally.

2013 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup winners are: Rán 2 in the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship; Velsheda in J-Class; Aegir (GBR) in Maxi; Altair in Maxi Racing/Cruising; Nilaya in Supermaxi and J-One (GBR) in Wally.

Quantum Racing look to seal the deal | 52 Super Series

Quantum Racing look to seal the deal, home favourites Azzurra want to finish on a high note.

Home favourites Azzurra will welcome the return of Francesco Bruni to their crew line up as they seek to halt Quantum Racing’s unbroken run of 52 SUPER SERIES trophy regatta wins at the season finale off Porto Cervo, Sardinia, the Audi Settimana delle Bocche (The Week of the Straits).

It will be a big week for the Azzurra team.

The 2012 52 SUPER SERIES champions will be centre stage in the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s celebrations of 30 years since the first Azzurra crew went to compete at the America’s Cup. The crew which is lead by skipper Guillermo Parada (ARG) on the Roemmers family TP52 are keen to finish the 2013 52 SUPER SERIES with a trophy regatta victory.

New Zealand and Luna Rossa Piranha new AC World Series champions / America’s Cup

America’s Cup Race Management has released revised scoring for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 America’s Cup World Series championships.

This follows ORACLE TEAM USA, JP Morgan BAR and HS Racing retiring from World Series events from the Newport regatta onwards.

With ORACLE TEAM USA Spithill renouncing points earned in the Newport event, which was the final regatta of the 2011-12 season, Emirates Team New Zealand now becomes the winner of the inaugural America’s Cup World Series season championship.

ORACLE TEAM USA Spithill/Slingsby, JP Morgan BAR and ORACLE TEAM USA Coutts also retired from all three events in the 2012-13 season while HS Racing retired from the only event it sailed, the final regatta in Naples.

The revised 2012-13 standings see Luna Rossa Piranha at the top of the combined championship, followed by Artemis Racing White and Emirates Team New Zealand.

Full revised results can be downloaded from the Regatta Noticeboard.

ISAF | World Sailing | Wilson Wins Summer Invitational B Regatta,

With a new crew of Stephanie Roble and sister Jennifer Wilson joining Sally Barkow and Sam Rogers from the Summer Invitational A regatta, Chicago-based Don Wilson has today also won the Summer Invitational B regatta, another ISAF Grade 3 event.

Race to the top ©Isao Toyama

 

 Wilson's come-from-behind effort was in contrast to the dominance displayed in the Summer A event raced last Thursday and Friday among a field of ten teams from the USA, Bermuda and Sweden.  Read more;  News & Features | ISAF | World Sailing | Official Site : Wilson Wins Summer Invitational B Regatta,

ISAF | World Sailing |Close Points On Day Two Of Gazprom Swan 60 and Swan 45 World Championships

The inaugural Gazprom Swan 60 World Championship and Swan 45 Worlds are underway in Cowes, Great Britain. Vladimir Liubomirov, owner of Swan 60 Bronenosec, maintains his mastery with a first and two seconds today securing his lead on the scoreboard.

Swan 60 Bronenosec Leads Overall ©Nautor's Swan/Kurt Arrigo

 

With an official circuit already in action for 2013 including, an early season win for Bronenosec (RUS) at the Delta Lloyd North Sea Regatta, the Gazprom Swan 60 Worlds is the second regatta of this four event series.

 

With entries from Germany, Russia and the UK, interest in the Gazprom Swan 60 Class is high. This emerging one design class has attracted some serious yachting players including Brad Butterworth (NZL), winner of 16 America's Cups and a Whitbread Round the World Race, sailing with Sir Peter Ogden on Knights of Crevichon (GBR). The British team definitely have a game plan for the remaining races and it will be interesting to see if patience in third place pays off with an overall World Championship win.  More; News & Features | ISAF | World Sailing | Official Site : Close Points On Day Two Of Gazprom Swan 60 and Swan 45 World Championships

H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Series » High Water Cancels Madison Regatta

The worsening flood conditions along the Ohio River have forced H1 Unlimited and the Madison Regatta to cancel this year’s Lucas Oil Indiana Governor’s Cup Race.

With high water rising above the entire pit area along Madison’s riverfront, officials had little choice but to cancel the event after monitoring the situation for the past three days and seeing the river jump from a projected 29-foot crest to more than 34.4 feet this morning and approaching 36 feet later in the day. Normal conditions range between 18-24 feet.  More; H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Series » High Water Cancels Madison Regatta