Fazza brace to consolidate position in the opening round 2013 UIM XCAT World Series

20 January 2013 - UIM XCAT World Series
Al Zaffain and Al Marri dominated in all departments and took the top honours to stand at the top of the standings in the season opener held in Abu Dhabi last week.

And this week they will be looking forward to continue with their good work as they get ready to face the challenges in the second heat of the UIM XCAT World Series to be held off the Mina Seyahi waters at the Dubai International Marine Club on January 24 to 26.

The defending world champions with Arif Al Zaffain and Mohammed Al Marri at the helm have consistently shown their appetite for the podium.

Chris Bertish - The SUP Crossing, The Fastest Self Propelled Trans-Atlantic

The most arduous, amazing and extreme journey ever attempted on a Stand Up Paddle board!

Over 2007 Miles/3225km, across the Atlantic from Dakar, Senegal to Camocim, in Northern Brazil, for the first ever Trans-Atlantic solo-attempt in December 2013.

Chris Bertish is a 37 year old Cape Town watersports champion who is an accomplished waterman across several watersports disciplines such as sailing, swimming, windsurfing, kite-surfing, big wave surfing and stand up paddling.

Chris has won major big wave surfing events against all odds, and is used to turning adversity into opportunity - as he did when he won the 2010 Mavericks Big Wave Championship, held in the biggest surf recorded in the history of the sport, merely hours after touching down from a 42hour flight from South Africa - on a borrowed board!

Chris has also recently returned back from competing in the first ever ISA SUP World Champs, where he represented RSA in the distance/ flat water racing discipline, where he finished in 9th in the world.

More; http://thesupcrossing.com/

Vendee Globe Ocean Race, The Quiet Before the Final High

Fleet News:
South Atlantic duels rejoined
The quiet before the high
The battle for the podium
Di Benedetto’s mast is fix

With little change in miles, save for small gains by Francois Gabart (MACIF), the positions of the top four look set until the reach the last great hurdle of the Vendée Globe – the Azores high – about 400 miles ahead of them.

While the first and last in the fleet enjoy relatively comfortable sailing conditions, the situation for the middle five remains very complicated for the skippers.

The duelling is back on in the South Atlantic. Mike Golding (Gamesa) kept hold of fifth place for only one ranking as Jean Le Cam (SynerCiel) passed him on Saturday night. Le Cam, reaching in stronger 17-18 knots northerlies than Golding after tacking, is only 10 miles ahead, with a 260-mile lateral separation. The way to the equator, 1,150 miles ahead, looks complicated. Le Cam has the added frustration of advancing remaining constantly vigilant for maritime traffic and the presence of oil platforms, some of which are not on the charts.

Discovering Mavericks by Josh Pomer Films: Trailer

Discovering Mavericks To Premiere at Santa Barbara Inter. Film Festival

Josh Pomer Films presents, "Discovering Mavericks," a documentary about Half Moon Bay's deadly surf break featuring interview with the true surfers that live it. While Hollywood can produce a film entirely dedicated to this world famous surf break, nothing tells the story like those who have actually conquered the icy cold swells that Mavericks unforgivingly produces. Amazing footage paired with real life accounts of the dangers of the wave, "Discovering Mavericks" is set to release on February 26, 2013.

Vendee Globe Ocean Race, Day 70 - Two Britons in the Top Five

 

Top Story:
Golding passes Le Cam, Thomson Enjoys “Easiest Doldrums Ever” 

Fleet News:
Gabart: “It’s absolutely not over”
Wavre closes on Sansó
Flying maintenance at the back

Top Story:
A second podium finish may be a distant dream for Mike Golding (Gamesa) now, but he has unfinished business in his battle with Jean Le Cam. Golding passed Le Cam, moving into fifth by the narrowest of margins – 0.8 miles – at the 1600hrs UTC ranking. They have been duelling for most of the 70 days of this race after doing so for much of the 2004-05 race, when Le Cam beat Golding into third place.

Historic China Debut for 2013 UIM Class 1 World Powerboat

Saturday, 19 January, SANYA (Hainan Province, China): The spectacular tropical beach resort city of Sanya, situated on the southern-most tip of Hainan Island, will host the 2013 Class 1 season-opener.

H2O president and organiser of the UIM Class 1 Word Powerboat Championship, Nicolo di San Germanò, Mrs Sun Su, Public Relations Minister of Sanya City, the Director of the Department of Culture, Radio, Television, Publication and Sports of Hainan Province, Mr Fan Xiao Jun, Vice Mayor of Sanya, Mrs Xu Cheng Ling and the Chairman of Visun Group, Mr Wang Da Fu confirmed the news of the first Class 1 Grand Prix to be held in China at yesterday’s press conference in Sanya. “It is not often that one can use the phrase ‘history in the making’ but today is such an occasion.” he said. “I am delighted and extremely proud to be here in Sanya to launch the first ever Class 1 Grand Prix to be held in the Peoples’ Republic of China in Sanya, Hainan Province on 28-30 March.

IT’S ON! MAVERICKS INVITATIONAL SET FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 20

Contest organizers for the Mavericks Invitational 2012-2013 presented by GoPro, have confirmed that the world’s premier big wave surf contest will take place on Sunday, January 20, 2013 in Pillar Point, Half Moon Bay, CA.

“The waves are going to be insane, the weather is going to be beautiful, and the level of surfing will break new ground,” said Mavericks Invitational Contest Director Jeff Clark.

This is the first time in three years that contest-worthy waves are headed to the
legendary surf break. Stormsurf forecaster Mark Sponsler stated, “This is looking like the best opportunity we’ve had in quite a few years with great conditions for running the contest.”