Artemis Racing, Kungliga Svenska Segal Sallskapet (SWE)
“Artemis Racing today (May 16, 2013) held a private ceremony commemorating the memory of our friend and teammate Andrew “Bart” Simpson. After eight bells, a wreath was cast upon the water by representatives of the four teams of the 34th America’s Cup. Then the morning’s rain parted and sunshine spread across San Francisco Bay. The Artemis Racing team thanks everyone for their support. Bart, may you rest in peace.”

Luna Rossa Challenge 2013, Circolo della Vela Sicilia (ITA)
“We wish to inform you that Patrizio Bertelli, Team Principal of Luna Rossa Challenge 2013, will arrive in San Francisco tonight (May 16, 2013) to follow closely and personally the development of the situation regarding the 34th America’s Cup.” It is believed that Bertelli has serious reservations about continuing his challenge unless significant changes are made to increase the safety of the sailors.

A committee led by Race Director Iain Murray has been assembled to review the accident and make recommendations to insure the safety of the event (click here for full scope). The committee was expected to begin their process today (May 16) when all the members had arrived in San Francisco. Click here for committee members. The review and recommendations were expected to be available by the end of May. It is expected that changes may be needed for the U. S. Coast Guard to issue the required event permit.

With the sun getting low in the sky, at the end of play GAC Pindar skipper Ian Williams and his long term French rival Mathieu Richard of GEFCO Match Racing Team hold a 4-1 scoreline, along with Pierre Antoine Morvan’s Vannes Agglo Sailing Team. The three teams’ single losses were respectively to Adam Minoprio, Bjorn Hansen and Ian Williams.

“We were a little nervous because a lot of teams have sailed these boats before and we haven’t,” said Williams. “It is an unusual situation for us to be the less experienced team, but our upwind boat speed was really good.” The GAC Pindar crew narrowly won their match against Morvan after there was a big luff at the top mark and the Frenchman ended up picking up a penalty for going past head to wind.

US Virgin Islander Taylor Canfield and his USone team ended the day on three wins. “Light conditions in big heavy slow boats is always challenging and I don’t think we are totally comfortable with all of our manoeuvres and timing in these boats just yet,” admitted the 24-year-old Canfield. “As the day went on we started to figure it out a bit and got the boat going well.”

The single round robin qualifying series continues Friday with the top six teams advancing to the quarter final round. Racing continues through May 20. First place earns $US 9,000. Click here for full report.

Current standings:
Ian Williams (GBR) Team GAC Pindar 4-1
Mathieu Richard (FRA) GEFCO Match Racing Team 4-1
Pierre-Antoine Morvan (FRA) Vannes Agglo Sailing Team 4-1
Taylor Canfield (ISV) USone 3-2
Keith Swinton (AUS) Black Swan Racing 3-2
Adam Minoprio (NZL) Team Alpari FX 3-2
Björn Hansen (SWE) Mekonomen Sailing Team 3-2
Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing 2-3
Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Stena Sailing Team 2-3
Philip Buhl (GER) Deutsches Youth America’s Cup Team 1-4
Karol Jablonski (GER) Jablonski Sailing Team 1-4
Sven Erick-Horsch (GER) NRV Match Race Team 0-5

What are you anticipating for your first year on the tour?

TC: I have had a chance to do some of the events in the past, so it is not completely new to me. I have competed in Bermuda for the past three years, and last year I was able to also compete in Chicago and Malaysia. And last year our team won both in Bermuda and Malaysia, so we feel ready for this next step.

Is there a different mindset now that you are doing the complete tour?

TC: I don’t think so. We are the new team on the tour, the youngest team. We are not going in with unrealistically high expectations. We feel good about what we have accomplished so far, and will continue to look at each tour event as an individual competition. Hopefully it will go well, and we will finish high enough events, and that will pace us in the overall tour standings.

Do you focus on event wins or overall standings?

TC: Unlike fleet racing, where a conservative approach helps to secure a good series score, you have to be aggressive in every match race. So you have to focus only on each event. There’s nothing conservative about it. You are always pushing, never leaving any food scraps on the table. If we do well enough in the events, the overall standings will take care of themselves.

What do you find most unique about the tour?

TC: What’s neat about the tour is that each event is so different from the others. There are six unique venues, each using a different boat. So you start recognizing each team’s strengths and weaknesses. Some of the teams are better in the heavier, slower boats while others might excel in the sportier, faster boats. So it’s important to quickly adapt to these difference to do well in the overall tour standings.

How well can you prepare for each event?

TC: Event specific training is difficult. The boats used on the tour are hard to find elsewhere. But you do try to learn about each boat, and possibly find something similar to help prepare for that event. Some of the boats require four people while others require five. The bulk of the prep happens just in advance of the event, where you arrive a couple days early and are given access to the boats for training.

Editor’s note: The 2013 Tour is using the Bavaria 40 (Germany), KM 36 (South Korea), DS 37 (Sweden), Tom 28max (USA), IOD (Bermuda), and Foundation 36 (Malaysia).

What are your observations about match racing in the U.S.

TC: While I am from the Virgin Islands, and am sailing under the Virgin Islands flag, I definitely consider myself an American. I have been in the U.S. six years now full time, with college in Boston and now working as sailing director at the Chicago Match Race Center. I am definitely pumped about what is going on in the U.S. It is great to see the growth of match racing in the country, in both popularity and skill. But to really expand we need to grow interest among youth sailors. The New Zealand programs get them in their mid-teens, and that is where the U.S. needs to start too. We are definitely making progress, but there is more room to go.

“Preparing to tack,” the captain called out.

“Primary grinders ready,” a crew member yelled.

“Tacking.”

“Primary grinders, first gear,” came the order.

The four of us started cranking as fast as we could.

“Primary grinders, second gear.”

We started cranking in the reverse direction.

The boom swung over our heads and the mainsail snapped hard as it caught a gust of wind. The glimmering white yacht heeled hard to port, the edge of the deck cutting into the blue Caribbean waters a foot away.

Canada II was flying, leading two other boats halfway through an America’s Cup-style 12-meter yacht race.

* * *

Most Caribbean cruise ship excursions involve bus tours of an island, leisurely snorkeling or lolling on a beach, frozen drinks in hand.

But for those craving adventure, the 12-Metre Challenge in St. Maarten allows novice sailors and committed swabbies to experience the thrill of racing 12-meter yachts built for the America’s Cup.

Having watched the boats race in 1987 on television, I wanted to hop on one during a cruise stop in 1997. I knew nothing of sailing except port, starboard, mainsail, booms and dinghies. But I wanted to be part of what looks like chaos but is actually precise choreography. I wanted to watch the ocean rush by and experience a tacking duel. But my wife killed that idea.

About a dozen cruises later, this past winter we realized we would be stopping in St. Maarten again. My wife asked if I had heard of “this America’s Cup thing” that she wanted to try. So 16 years later, 40 pounds heavier and much more out of shape, I booked our spots.

You see, there is one catch with the Challenge.

The passengers do the work… read on